Morality Comes from God... Really??

I was reading someone’s apologetics page regarding atheism. There were some good points, but much of it was refuting stuff related to their understanding, as developed from an Evangelical perspective. As an example, the writer stated that atheists are ethical because the law is written on their hearts (Rom 2:15). I have to ask, what law?


When Evangelical Christians talk about law they usually mean the Ten Commandments, or their general belief that all things moral come from their god. If they take the "law" literally, then they mean the Old Testament laws, which no one in their right mind wants today. That's sort of the problem with assuming what one means, especially when it comes from religious circles. If we look at the laws in the Bible, we see all manner of strange things and deadly punishments.

The 10 commandments are a prime example of strange laws, often considered the moral pillar by Evangelicals, and deadly punishment for failing to live up to those commandments. If one reads the OT, one quickly discovers that death is a pretty standard punishment for breaking Jewish law. This standard of punishment, as decreed by God, usually consists of stoning someone to death. Stoning is a particularly nasty method of killing.

Are these 10 commandments the best an all knowing god could come up with? In my opinion, they demonstrate a lack of morality, as noted by an absence of commands against child abuse or slavery. The first 4 commandments aren't even what we call moral issues as far as I can tell. Something as simple as saying God Damn it, using God's name in vain, is enough to receive a good stoning. So is mocking a prophet. Children were killed (stoned to death) in the OT era for this very act. Picture the stoning of children in your head and you tell me how this demonstrates morality, or good law?

If Evangelical Christians say the law is written on everyone's hearts.... well, I sure hope not. Maybe this is why so many Evangelical and fundamentalist xtians call homosexuality immoral, or why they push for the death penalty, or go to war when this is not something remotely sanctioned by the New Testament. Why not highlight....Love your enemy, do good to those who persecute you, turn the other cheek, and do not judge. These laws, apparently, are not written as firmly on the hearts of many Evangelicals as the ones that demand exclusion, judgement, war and death.