Can there be a “universal” post-religious morality? (Answering: Should I speak out against Islam?)
How do we make ethical or moral choices without an imposed ethical and moral structure created by a transcendent deity?
This question is more than just a demon that haunts theists’ nightmares; it’s also a very practical problem for people who care about the world.
Certainly, a sociopathic or narcissistic person who leaves the imposed moral and ethical framework of religion won’t care. Their only interests, whether they’re religious or not, are their own interests.
But for people who care, creating a moral and ethical code from scratch can be a daunting task, because what are the guiding principles? What is the rubrik, so to speak, for decision-making?
I’m faced with this problem as I decide whether or not I want to make an effort to speak out against Islam. On the one hand, I’m extremely grateful to the people who took their time and energy to share a counter-narrative. Because before that, I only ever saw the flowery, fantasy versions and elaborate obfuscations of Muslim scholars defending the deplorable and incoherent aspects of the religion, and I fell for it. It was like I was hypnotized by it.
I wish I had seen the warnings and refutations years earlier. I appreciate having had the opportunity to learn Islam so deeply, and I think there is still much good in it. I found some treasures, especially in the Sufi spiritual teachings, but overall I realized the claims are false, and trying to live my life by its teachings was ruining my life. The cognitive dissonance alone was doing great damage to my psyche.
In my search for answers as I try to rebuild my moral and ethical code, I recently asked ex-Muslim Reddit this question:
Hi, I’m an ex-Muslim convert. I was deeply devoted for like 6–7 years until some cracks in my faith started forming, which I think everyone here can relate to. Then I went Quran-only for 3 years, until I found Apostate Prophet and he liberated my mind from the delusion and insanity.
Anyway, I’m extremely grateful to the people who have dedicated their time to help expose the truth about Islam, so I’m considering adding my voice. I’m not someone who likes to take a controversial, combative stand publicly (stressful and not fun lol) but I feel compelled. I’m a writer and artist, so speaking my truth whether just for myself or to try to benefit others, if possible, is what I love to do.
My question is, do you think it’s necessary or needed or a good idea to write about my experience and speak publicly against Islam? I already started to a bit on my blog and it’s gotten quite a reaction. I’m not necessarily afraid of the backlash but it won’t be something I enjoy and I’ll probably always be wishing that stupid people would stop talking to me lol.
As I’m a self-employed white American woman, unlike a lot of other ex-Muslims, I do have the privilege of being free to speak openly without my family or community rejecting me or me losing my livelihood, etc.
What do you think? Do we need more voices or is it not worth it?
(End Quote)
The problem is that there is so much backlash, often violent, against apostates from Islam, to the point that in Muslim countries, they can be executed. More often than not, though, their entire family and community shun them, and being publically ex-Muslim can often endanger their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Muslims are extremely violent towards people who leave the faith, so most ex-Muslims remain silent. They don’t even tell their families, let alone try to reach more people by creating a platform speaking against Islam.
So I have a great deal of privilege in that I could do what they can’t, if I chose to, but here is where the question of a moral and ethical code comes in.
Why would I do that?
If I did that, I would subject myself to an endless flood of extremely rude, hateful, violent, and just incredibly moronic messages to my phone every day, all day long. I would wake up to it, go to sleep reading it. They would be a constant part of my life.
Taking this path could even threaten my life or the lives of my loved ones, because Muslims are so peaceful and Islam is such a religion of peace.
And for what? So a few scattered individuals will be liberated from the faith? There is no guarantee I’ll even reach anyone at all to help free their minds.
But even if I do reach people, even a lot of people, why should I? Why should I sacrifice my peace and happiness, potentially my life or the lives of my loved ones, AND also sacrifice the time it takes to create that platform which is time I could be using to create a platform that makes me money and lets me build a community that I love interacting with every day?
I’m not going to make money. I am not aligned with Zionism, or American conservatives, or New Atheism, or any other interest group that would give me a platform to reach a wider audience because my story promotes their interests.
I’m not going to make friends, and in fact, I’ll probably lose them. I’m a secular, liberal feminist, a progressive, and a democrat, but that group is very pro-Palestine (as am I), BUT I am VEHEMENTLY ANTI-Hamas. The geniuses on the Left, however, can’t distinguish between Muslims (the personal identity), Islam (the religious ideology), and Hamas (the Islamic terrorist group), so the conversations are extremely tedious and stupid.
And there will be no “divine” or spiritual reward for my sacrifice. I’m not going to “go to heaven” for sacrificing the quality of my life or even my literal life to this cause. I won’t accrue “good karma” or add “good girl beans” to my “good girl jar” that I can cash in for pleasant experiences in the future. I’m not going to have some divine reward.
So, there isn’t much in it for me, and there is a lot for me to lose. Possibly everything.
So why would I do it?
Here’s a reply to a comment on the Reddit post which illustrates some of the ideas I’ve been entertaining as I try to build a new practical moral and ethical code for myself from the ashes of Islam:
Exactly this! Islam paints this picture of beauty and perfection but meanwhile, it promotes the worst atrocities. It’s like a hypnotism. Very bizarre.
And tbh, I’m only vaguely worried about my family (although it’s still a problem for me). My main issue is how do I want to spend my life, which I probably only have one of? I don’t have any beliefs either for or against the idea of an afterlife, so I wouldn’t expect any divine reward for martyring myself (in the sense of creating a shitty life for myself, not really in the sense of actually dying for it, though the latter is certainly within the realm of possibilities)… But I care about people. I do want people to live in freedom and happiness.
As I’m not religious, I don’t have a pre-built code of morality and ethics anymore, so I have to build it from scratch, and the question of what my responsibility is to the world, other people, and my community is an important and practical question for me right now.
Another ex-Muslim friend of mine has a good take on it. It might sound “selfish” but it’s rational and pragmatic and still has a good social outcome. He says that we give to and participate in building a better society and community because it connects us to people with bonds of love, trust, and respect, and this has a positive outcome for us, personally. It is mutually beneficial and also necessary for a good life, in every way. Therefore, a certain amount of selflessness and emphasis on the good and interests of others is within our own self-interest.
But over-giving or sacrificing oneself without social reciprocity could be considered aberrant in this context, and not a virtue. The only circumstance in which I can see the necessity of self-sacrifice is in the context of physical wars. But in this case, if a society requires self-sacrifice, it should compensate families of the soldier for the loss of their family member, so the reciprocity for the death is in exchange for the direct well-being of the people a martyr loves, and this ultimately is a better trade than the possibility of death for them and everyone they love at the hands of their enemies.
But that’s all just to say that self-preservation is a virtue and a healthy society and ethical code creates a dynamic where self-preservation is maximized through mutual aid and reciprocity.
I don’t think there is any likelihood of social reciprocity or provision coming to me for speaking out about Islam. It’s 100% a sacrifice without any tangible gain and the direct loss of other opportunities to provide for myself and build a good life, in addition to the fact that my literal, actual life and the lives of my family could be endangered.
So yeah. I care a lot but enough to sacrifice myself for it? Idk. I don’t believe in self-sacrifice anymore. I did that for 25 years and it did absolutely nothing for anyone. I think the idea of self-sacrifice being a virtue is toxic when not coupled with a tangible incentive in THIS world (not some stupid afterlife).
Anyway, I’m just trying to wrap my head around the morality…
(End Quote)
And yet, I still feel compelled to warn people, especially women, so they don’t waste their lives on the lie.
What would you do if you were in my shoes?
