Why Are Religion and Morality Linked?

Picture: Public Domain via Wiki Commons.

Every major religion makes the claim that without the guidance and instruction of gods, we would be immoral and brutal beings. Whether it is the Ten Commandments (pictured), the Hindu Purusarthas, the Eight Fold Path, or the Five Pillars of Islam, religion and morality appear to be irrevocably linked in our minds and cultures.

Despite this connection, there is an obvious argument against religion giving rise to morality. It centers around the idea that organized religion requires a functioning society in order to exist; and societies require some form of moral behavior for people to cooperate with one another. Without a functioning society, there could have been no religion for the various prophets to disseminate their messages to.

Another argument against god-given morality is evidence for moral behavior in the animal kingdom. Many animals co-operate within packs, care for their young and elderly, demonstrate altruism, and exhibit anguish when a family member is killed. Just because our moral behavior is the most elaborately evolved on the planet, we shouldn't assume that we're the only species to have it.

So why are religion and morality heedlessly bundled together? I will summarize a number of potential reasons below:

1. They are conceptually similar. They both present mysterious, workable answers to some of our most important and difficult questions.
2. Gods are supposed to provide a watchful eye over our behavior, and if a deity is deemed to be morally concerned, our paranoia about being watched can make us act morally. As a result, we appear to have evolved a superstitious trigger for acting morally. When we believe we're being watched by a deity or spirit, we are less likely to cheat, and more likely to be cooperative. This is adaptive, meaning societies that behave this way are more likely to succeed.
3. Religious morality confirms our belief in being superior to the animal kingdom. If we believe morality is sent from the gods, we can also believe that we are special and distinct from the animal kingdom. This is a desirable belief to possess.
4. Religious morality makes us look trustworthy. By belonging to a religion, we advertise our adherence to the moral code of that religion. Therefore we only need to identify ourselves via a religious symbol or marking (e.g. a crucifix or skull cap) to extract the benefits of being considered moral.
5. Religious morality establishes control over the masses. The threat of hell is an effective way of ensuring obedience.
6. Religious morality gives particular people power. Clergymen claiming to know the will of gods have historically accumulated much power and wealth (e.g. the Pope). Kings seeking greater power can tap this resource by asking clergymen to endorse their coronation.

Unless we disentangle religion from morality, the absolutist messages of religion will continue to shape our systems of fairness and justice. This may have worked in the past when barbarism was commonplace. In today's world, a more nuanced approach is necessary to maximize the fairness of the justice system. By showing us where morals came from and how they work, evolutionary and social psychology may provide the best way to fine tune our moral code in future generations.