God In Ethics

I believe there is a higher power, God. This God is all powerful and the creator of life. He is the one we must answer to on judgment day. However, believing in God does not mean a belief he is the creator of morality. Religions like to make God as the brains behind morality. Yet, this is not the case. Simply, God is the creator who shares his wisdom with man as we should be rather than the lawgiver.

For instance, some religions believe actions are good/bad because God commands that. By this, it is God that deems whether or not something is moral. People are then to live by God's laws and thus a Divine Command is established. But as Socrates points out, are actions good because God commands that, or that he commands them because they are good?

If the first part is true, God's commands become arbitrary. For one, God says we should not murder. But why? Because God said so? If that is the case, then God could have just as easily told us to murder. However, anyone, regardless of religion, can understand why murdering is immoral without the assistance of a God. Therefore, God's command does not make an action moral.

Moreover, if the second part of Socrates statement is true, than the fundamental religious belief that God is the brains behind morality is ruined. We can agree that murder is wrong. Therefore, God commands us not to commit it. He tells us this because he already knows it is immoral. Essentially, God commands us not to murder simply because it is already wrong.

In other words, God is not the creator of morality. Moral standards are universal-knowing so-God commands us to follow them. This means he is merely sharing his wisdom with us. However, he is still the creator and must follow his wisdom if we are to enter his kingdom.