[snarks_when_bored]

Is it impossible that there is a deity? No.
Is it very likely that there is a deity? No.
Will bad people stop misbehaving if there is a deity? No.
Is it reasonable to misbehave if there is not a deity? No.

[Darkwolf377]

Is it reasonable to misbehave if there is not a deity? No.

That's a bit broad, isn't it? Not sure I get your point there--whose definition of misbehavior?

[fr_freak]

Is it reasonable to misbehave if there is not a deity? No.

Oh, I disagree entirely. Without a deity, or some similar force, there is absolutely no reason to behave according to any particular rules. Now, certainly in the kill or be killed world that would be the result, it would be silly to harm those who would help you survive - family, friends, etc. - unless an even greater benefit were derived, but for those who have no bearing on your survival or well-being, why not rape, pillage and murder, as long as the consequences of those actions don't bring harm upon yourself? For instance, if you could sneak into someone's house, kill them, steal their stuff, and nobody would ever know, why not do it?

In fact, I suggest that we can already see the type of behavior in a godless world now. Just look at the youth gangs. They have no morality whatsoever other than the tribal code of ethics: everyone is fair game except your own gang. They shoot people at random, rape, steal, vandalize, etc. without remorse. Then they write rap songs to brag about it.

[Brouhaha]

“Is it reasonable to misbehave if there is not a deity? No”

Respectfully, the term “misbehave” is a meaningless abstraction if there is no deity. If there is no deity then moral relativism is the closest we can get to truth. Relativism is in conflict with itself and, consequently, negates all meaning. For example, can it be both morally good and morally bad to commit rape?

If you wish to answer, please also explain why your answer should be favored over anyone else’s answer.

At any rate, the only reason it would be unreasonable to misbehave in the absence of a deity is because there is no basis upon which to reason about morality without one. In other words, it is not misbehaving that becomes unreasonable in the absence of a deity. Ratther it is the attempt to reason about morality itself that becomes unreasonable.

[RightOnline]

"Is it very likely that there is a deity? No."

Then let me give you the good news: There absolutely IS, and He is the one, true God.

[jonno]

Eh - your post is the reason for my tagline.

[windsorknot]

Is it very likely that there is a deity? No.

Please, give us some ballpark probability that we can chew on and some numbers we can crunch to arrive at the same figure.

[drangundsturm]

Is it reasonable to misbehave if there is not a deity? No.

That depends on your definition of misbehave.

There is no logical reason to be anonymously charitable without a higher power. There is no logical reason to sacrifice your own life for someone else's without a higher power. Given the opportunity, for example, to steal something with no possibility of being caught, without a diety there is no logical reason not to steal it.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"Is it reasonable to misbehave if there is not a deity?"

Sure it is. If there is no deity, everything is allowed. And if everything is allowed, there are funner things to aspire to than "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

There's always fame, fortune, amusement, excitement, comfort, pleasure and ease.

Perhaps it will be objected that these things can bring fulfillment only in the short run. On the other hand, without faith, a short run is all you've got. Why waste it on patience and faithfulness?

There's some history here:

Acts 24:25
As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you."

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

"Is it very likely that there is a deity? No."

A statement of faith.

[RobRoy]

>>Is it reasonable to misbehave if there is not a deity? No.<<

Hahahaha!

The question is of the same veign as “Is it true you’ve stopped beating your wife”. That is, if there is no deity, then the word “reasonable” has no meaning or, more precisely, has a different definition for every human with reasoning power.

And then the question is answered very nicely in the very last sentence of Judges:

In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.

[RobRoy]

>>Is it very likely that there is a deity? No. <<

You’ll have a hard time convincing those who have a personal relationship with Him of that.