Instinct and Morality

Quran Talk

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Debating with an Atheist

If you debate with an atheist one of the core arguments they try to make it to try to prove that God is not Most Gracious, Most Merciful, All Powerful or Most Just

I think this is a really interesting indication that they even in their disbelief know that for God to exist he would have to be Most Gracious, Most Merciful, All Powerful or Most Just

Rather than even entertaining that God may not be these things they know to their core that God would HAVE to possess these qualities?

What does that tell you about human nature?

Monotheism natural instinct

[30:30] Therefore, you shall devote yourself to the religion of strict monotheism. Such is the natural instinct placed into the people by GOD. Such creation of GOD will never change. This is the perfect religion, but most people do not know.

*30:30 Recognizing God ALONE as our Lord and Master is a natural instinct. We are born into this world with such an instinct. See 7:172-173 and Appendix 7.

We know deep down instinctively who God is.

[7:172] Recall that your Lord summoned all the descendants of Adam, and had them bear witness for themselves: "Am I not your Lord?" They all said, "Yes. We bear witness." Thus, you cannot say on the Day of Resurrection, "We were not aware of this." [7:173] Nor can you say, "It was our parents who practiced idolatry, and we simply followed in their footsteps. Will You punish us because of what others have innovated?" [7:174] We thus explain the revelations, to enable the people to redeem themselves.

In order to know God, we need to be able to differentiate between good and evil

[91:7] The soul and Him who created it. [91:8] Then placed innate knowledge what is evil and what is good.

فَأَلْهَمَهَا = fa-al-ham-aha

Root = ل ه م = laham = natural instinct, divine inspiration, innate knowledge

Migration Short Story

“The fact that our heart yearns for something Earth can't supply is proof that Heaven must be our home.” C.S. Lewis

I have a desire for food because food exists

I have a desire for sleep because sleep exists

I have a desire for love because love exists

I have a desire for forgiveness because forgiveness exists

I have a desire for God because God exists

Universal yearning

Look at all cultures and people -

Even claim that humans are hard wired to believe in God

Why do people search for atonement when they do something wrong

Feel bad for what they have done - do they do that to please God these are instinctive qualities

When someone does not feel these things we call them arrogant or anti-social or a psychopath

What is the definition of religion

There is a debate in academic circles about what is the definition of religion. Recently BBC ran a series of articles about this topic. And I couldn’t help notice that their definition of religion vs. culture were completely interchangeable.

In the Quran the Arabic word for religion is the same word as judgement

Deen = religion

يَوْمِ الدِّينِ. = Yawm edeen - Day of Judgment

Therefore our religion is the metric by which we judge

Universal Morality

There is a debate among atheist and believers is there such thing in universal morality (objective morality) or is all morality purely subjective (non-universal)

If someone does not believe in a universal law giver then there is no universal morality, and therefore

what is moral is just a mere opinion and purely subjective.

And if you follow this argument to its limits it means there may be conditions where torturing an innocent child could be a moral act.

The only reason we can say that there is universal morality that under no conditions would such an act in our world ever be justified as moral is if we believe in a God who established the laws.

[55:7] He constructed the sky and established the law. [55:8] You shall not transgress the law. [55:9] You shall establish justice; do not violate the law.

The Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness….”

unalienable: unable to be taken away from or given away by the possessor.

If you believe what is legal means that it is moral then let’s look at what was considered legal in the past and ask yourself was this moral?

Or the greek practice of pedophilia (aka pederasty) is perfectly moral because their culture at the time accepted it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pederasty

If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything

Hypocrites wants to change the definition of righteousness

[11:12] You may wish to disregard some of that which is revealed to you, and you may be annoyed by it.

[2:8] Then there are those who say, "We believe in GOD and the Last Day," while they are not believers. [2:9] In trying to deceive GOD and those who believe, they only deceive themselves without perceiving. [2:10] In their minds there is a disease. Consequently, GOD augments their disease. They have incurred a painful retribution for their lying. [2:11] When they are told, "Do not commit evil," they say, "But we are righteous!"

مُصْلِحُونَ = peace-makers / reformers / righteous

While a believer aims to reform themselves the hypocrite aims to reform the difference between what is right and wrong. What is moral and immoral.

[2:12] In fact, they are evildoers, but they do not perceive. [2:13] When they are told, "Believe like the people who believed," they say, "Shall we believe like the fools who believed?" In fact, it is they who are fools, but they do not know.

[40:35] They argue against GOD's revelations, without any basis. This is a trait that is most abhorred by GOD and by those who believe. GOD thus seals the hearts of every arrogant tyrant.

[40:56] Surely, those who argue against GOD's revelations without proof are exposing the arrogance that is hidden inside their chests, and they are not even aware of it. Therefore, seek refuge in GOD; He is the Hearer, the Seer.

When to follow your heart and when to follow your brain

[17:36] You shall not accept any information, unless you verify it for yourself. I have given you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brain, and you are responsible for using them.

The word that is used is: وَالْفُؤَادَ = wa-al-fu-ad as opposed to galb

Comes from the root = ف ا د = fahd

Connection with not just what is in one’s head e.g. the brain

Technically known as the enteric nervous system, the second brain consists of sheaths of neurons embedded in the walls of the long tube of our gut, or alimentary canal, which measures about nine meters end to end from the esophagus to the anus. The second brain contains some 100 million neurons, more than in either the spinal cord or the peripheral nervous system,

For comparison, the human brain contains 100 billion neurons

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/gut-second-brain/?redirect=1

99.9% we use our brain

0.01% of the time we use our heart / feelings

• See it - visual
• Hear it - be objective
• Think about it (feel about it)

Difference between hearing something and seeing something

But don’t fool yourself

So clever that he could convince himself fo anything

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool.” Richard Feynman

Second level thinking

Criminal justice system

Our belief should never override our morality

Are we ever allowed to act immorally? Is it ever justified

Ends justify the means - never justify bad behavior

[7:28] They commit a gross sin, then say, "We found our parents doing this, and GOD has commanded us to do it." Say, "GOD never advocates sin. Are you saying about GOD what you do not know?"

Are you allowed to do sin to get to righteousness?

[5:32] Because of this, we decreed for the Children of Israel that anyone who murders any person who had not committed murder or horrendous crimes, it shall be as if he murdered all the people. And anyone who spares a life it shall be as if he spared the lives of all the people. Our messengers went to them with clear proofs and revelations, but most of them, after all this, are still transgressing.

Bearing witness - be equitable God takes care of both

You Shall Not Bear False Witness

[4:135] O you who believe, you shall be absolutely equitable, and observe GOD, when you serve as witnesses, even against yourselves, or your parents, or your relatives. Whether the accused is rich or poor, GOD takes care of both. Therefore, do not be biased by your personal wishes. If you deviate or disregard (this commandment), then GOD is fully Cognizant of everything you do.

God controls the outcome, we are not responsible for the outcome we are only responsible for making the right decisions to please God.

Not sure then consult with others

Traits of the Believers

[42:37] They avoid gross sins and vice, and when angered they forgive. [42:38] They respond to their Lord by observing the Contact Prayers (Salat). Their affairs are decided after due consultation among themselves, and from our provisions to them they give (to charity).