Republic of the Philippines

PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY

Camarines Sur

Patrick Paul O. Celso

BS Geology 3A

What makes religion problematic in our pursuit of Ethics? Can we just separate ethics from
religion? As to what extent do we have to combine ethics with religion?

Religion and ethics may seem to be talking about the same thing but there is a big
difference to it. Ethics talks about making decision about right or wrong that is based in logic
and reasoning while religion teaches about doing good and bad based on a sovereign power
that they are worshipping.

For centuries people who want to be good and have an existential connection joins a
religion. Religion is the belief that God that they are worshiping is the creator of everything
including morality and the God is the standard of right or wrong. All religions are a foundation
for morals and beliefs and helps us to know what is right or wrong. While religion depends on a
sovereign being to know what right and wrong is ethics view right and wrong with logic and
reasoning. Even though they have their differences, they also have their similarities. There are
many religions in the world which teaches different things but they all have ethics. Though
religion can be problematic in pursuing ethics because the teachings of a certain religion may
contradict the logical reasoning in ethics. People tend to believe in the teachings of their
religion without even questioning if it is really the truth or if what they believe in is what is
good. Tradition is one of the reasons why people stop asking questions about their religion and
just fully accepts it. Ethics cannot be separated because both needs logic and a higher being to
be a standard of morality. Without a standard everything will be treated as neither good or bad
which is its counterpart. The best way to represent it is by the golden rule that says “Do unto
others as you would have them do unto you”. It gives a good representation of what religions
teaches to do good unto others and the logic that what you do to others will eventually
comeback at you.