Which is more admirable?

This was the message of A Clockwork Orange....if you take away a man's freedom of choice, he is no longer a man. What good is goodness if it is forced, and not freely chosen?

I think that in the absence of religion, people are still compelled to do the right thing if they have morals. Religion is dealing with people's ideas on purpose in life and what happens upon death and is not necessarily the determining factor on whether someone will do the "right thing"

I believe in God and I smoke pot, drink, curse, get into fights and all that, but I believe that the universe is controlled by an ultimate power and I respect that power. Religion doesn't guide my choices. I do. And I tend to be a pretty decent person most of the time.

good question-

before i began "practicing" my Christian faith, i think that i was a pretty moral person-it's just that through prayer and meditation on positive energy, my Higher power, "doing unto others, etc", i just thought about doing the right thing, more often, and on a spiritual level. i still struggle and i still suck on a lot of levels, esp. my temper. i do think people really use a faith (esp. Christianity) to cop out on doing the right thing-"oh, it's okay if i do this and screw up big time, God will forgive me, etc." on the other hand, there are some of us who try to be good people, AND good Christians/Buddhists/Pagans/Muslims/any other participant in a certain faith...all people are different, and no one is perfect...at least that's the way i see it.

peace-

that depends on the definition of morality. regarding conscience, choice is better of the two, principally both are the same. this brings about the question of those behave in this manner to reap reward, are these ppl more morally than others?

I agree with you entirely. A child has to be given strict rules by his parents until he develops enough responsibility to know right from wrong. We decree that a person is an adult, nd able to sign contracts, drink alcohol, get married, etc. when he is deemed educted and developed enough to understnd right from wrong by himself.

Thus can we call theists mature adults?

Choice every time. To choose right action for it's own sake is so much more admirable than just being the bully's little pal.

Hi - Children do things because their parents tell them to. If all goes well, they eventually grow up and learn to do what is right simply because it is right.

My vote is that it is vastly more ethical to do what is right simply because you know it is right and without any thought of reward or punishment.

A

you are referring to stimulus and response aren't you or cause and effect. if this happens then that happens. there are always reasons why anyone does the things they do. the reasons may not make sense to anyone else but the person doing them but there are reasons just the same.

the most admirable thing in this world to make others happy and to spread the happiness 2 others ...........

the one who respects human values.