If we did a good act merely from love of God and a belief that it is pleasing to Him, whence arises the morality of the Atheist?...Their virtue, then, must have had some other foundation than the love of God.

Summary

This quote, typically attributed to Thomas Jefferson, raises the philosophical question of whether atheists can possess moral values without the belief in a metaphysical foundation like the love of God. It suggests that if the motivation for a good act stems from love of God and the idea that it pleases Him, atheists would lack a similar basis for their morality. The quote implies that atheists must derive their virtue from an alternative source since they do not believe in God, provoking reflection on the origins of moral principles and the potential for morality independent of religious beliefs.

Topics