Doug,
In order for your first point to succeed, you ahve to have your second
point in place for development of conscience. When young children are being
raised, it is necessary that there be consequences for actions...good and
bad. Consequences can be equivocated to punishment at times if the
infraction is grave. Fear of negative consequence is a healthy thing. It
keeps us from becoming sociopathic.

"DSK" wrote in message
.. .
Whatever slight positive effect on morality religion might have is
due
to fear of punishment, which IMHO is not really anything to brag
about.


Scott Vernon wrote:
Huh? You must be catholic.


Which type of ethical principle is better:

1- To do the right thing(s) because they are right

2- To do the right thing(s), or at least to avoid doing wrong, because one
is afraid of being caught & punished

???

I may be kind of old fashioned but it seems to me that 1 is superior.

This of course avoids the question of how one determines what is right and
wrong, which is a whole 'nuther debate. Churches tend to discourage any
attempt to seriously examine either of these questions.... or all
questions entirely, which is why the Catholics booted me out

DSK