Atheistic Oaths?

Atheists are not the only people who don't take oaths. For example, Quakers do not believe in swearing. When giving testimony in a court of law Atheists and Quakers affirm (give their solemn word) rather than swear (make a promise to God) that what they say is true.

As I understand the Hippocratic oath is to do no harm to people. So how does God come into play there?

I've always said that Life is more important to Atheists than to Christians because Christians believe that they are going to a "better" place. Ahiests know that this is all that there is. So life is more precious. The religious kill more people than Atheists do.

Athiest have more motivation to keep the patient alive because of this.

The philosophical belief that you should worry about is called Nihilsm. That is a belief in NOTHING.

Honor is not a supernatural concept, honesty is not a supernatural concept. Athiests do not believe that supernatural beings enforce oaths. That is they are athiests.

It is irrelavant to Athests that when a religous person takes an oath they imagine that supernatural beings or forces will punish them if they break it. To us this seems silly and illogical, and maybe even less sincere, since we know that forced or coerced honesty (afraid god will punish you) is not as valuable as honesty based on strong personal values.

In fact Athiests sometimes have so much honor that they refuse to "play along" with everyone else. This is why they will swear an oath, but refuse to acknowledge supernatural beings and forces while they are saying that oath. In most states if you are athiest you do not have to swear on the bible, you can swear on the constitution, etc....

Short answer: Athiests know that honor, honesty, compassion and values are not supernatural in nature. They are part of human nature.

I was taught that I have to take responsibility and accept all consequences of my actions and inactions. That does include keeping promises and not breaking them. I broke a couple of promises in the past and the aftermath is....I did not feel good about myself. I was disappointed that I broke a promise. Plus, the consequences of that is the person may not trust me anymore to be reliable.

As for the Hippocratic Oath, I do think atheists are just as capable of keeping the H.Oath as a theist is. Atheists would keep the promises to hisher patients, not "god", that he won't hurt them unduly.

I take promises very seriously today. I give a promise, I do intend to keep it....or suffer the consequences afterwards (bad feelings, loss of trust, disappointment in me, hurt feelings, loss of future oppourtunities, etc etc).

The only thing that really makes an oath binding for any person is their own integrity. A person could take an oath to God, and not keep it. Jesus said let your yes be yes and your no, no.

Hippocratic Oath has nothing to do w/ religion. what does a promise have to do with a god? the atheist is giving his word, his promise to do good.

The highest oath an atheist (or humanist) can make is to do acts of kindess and help his/her fellow man/woman, in the here and now. By doing random acts of kindess or sharing experience and knowledge, the atheist is thereby useful while on this Earth. Those who don't believe they will be rewarded after passing in the next life are doing their acts of kindness and helpfulness for no reward in the next life. They are doing those acts because their fellow humans are in need of their help, experience, funding, or work.

Isn't this an oxymoron?

There are a lot of excuses listed, but nothing to bind anyone. How do you charge yourself with wrong doing?

An oath has to have an authority to be binding.

Such as marriage!

they still believe in themselves. to break an oath would be an insult to their integrity. remember integrity? it's what we use to govern ourselves, the belief that we need to become better than we are. and by the way, an athiest is someone who doesn't believe in any one thing. they think there might be something big out there, they just don't know what it is. what you described is an agnostic. I took a vow of poverty for 6 years, and fulfilled it. the vow was to myself. people don't need to be afraid of god to be good people. (many people who are christians lie all the time, ie george bush)

Mr. darwin is right fist time out. Oaths need not nessesarily be religious.But a doctor not understanding the nature of honour!?!"i'd like a second opinion please!"