Where Do Human Morals Come From?

Many human beings used to and still do believe that morality comes from a god. Some also believe that only good morals are from god and bad morals are from demons, devils, or a singular satan type character. There are some deeper logic structures causing problems with this type of belief. First there is the unfounded and unproved premises, in this case gods and devils. Apart from the unproven premises there is a a flaw in the logic of this belief.
If we get our morals from a god, are they moral because a god says they are or because a god is bound by them? If a thing is moral because a god says a thing is moral then this god could say that raping and killing a 2 year old child is moral and it would then be good. If god cannot say this then this god is bound by outside moral laws controlling the god, which asks the question then, where did these morals come from that control the god? If god told you to rape and murder babies would you? If you found out a god did not exist would you then rape and murder babies?
Unless one suffers from sever confirmation bias and self delusion it is clear by the logic above that morals are inherent in the human with a range of flexibility in application.

I think it is safe to assume that the moralities in human society are inherent and internal within us. What I mean is that the mechanism that creates morality is built into our genetics. Morals are subject to a wide range of applications and extremes and some societal moralities can be created from lies and false beliefs. They are subject to change and most are not absolute. What was once moral, for example slavery, is no longer moral today and thus we move on toward a more civil and moral human society.

Morality evolves, I guess. I can't conceive that slavery was moral at one time... accepted, yes. Moral? No. (But that's just me and I wasn't around then.)

It was also accepted that slave owners were raping their women slaves... but I don't think it was accepted as moral either.

I know I couldn't do what Abraham did when God told him to kill his son Isaac as a sacrifice. I would have rationalized that God wouldn't have told me to do that. (Isaac was spared at the last moment.)

I try to follow the golden rule. (Do unto others...) That covers a LOT of ground.

EricEricson wrote:

Morality evolves, I guess. I can't conceive that slavery was moral at one time... accepted, yes. Moral? No. (But that's just me and I wasn't around then.)

It was also accepted that slave owners were raping their women slaves... but I don't think it was accepted as moral either.

I know I couldn't do what Abraham did when God told him to kill his son Isaac as a sacrifice. I would have rationalized that God wouldn't have told me to do that. (Isaac was spared at the last moment.)

I try to follow the golden rule. (Do unto others...) That covers a LOT of ground.

Eric I believe that Abraham knew good and well that he was not going to have to kill Isaac. In Genesis 22 verse 5 he said, " And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you." This is from the KJV, but some versions we will come again to you.

I do not believe he would make such a statement if he knew that he was going to sacrifice Isaac. But of course this is coming from an atheist.

To some degree, morality comes from many directions...culturally, biologically, religiously, economically, environmentally, politically and even circumstantially based to name a few.

Is the question you are asking....whether one trumps the other or do ALL morals come from God or a deity?

The fact that morals differ between groups tell me that there is more to it than religion. That does not, in my mind, eliminate the existence of God. Nor does it mean that my religions is the only basis for my moral choices.

For example, I am a strict vegetarian for ethical reasons, but the clergy and followers of my faith condone meat eating. In that case, one might say my moral choices expand outside the tenets of my faith. On the flip side, over the course of my lifetime, not all the choices I have made might be considered moral.

I might add that I think morals tend to be guideposts established for the general functioning and survival of the group....not just, necessarily promises of punishment or reward in an afterlife.

concience, which the great spirit in the sky puts in us.