Is everything prohibited or permitted if God is dead?

Answer 1

I'm an atheïst. But I do recognise the importance of God in the lifes of certain people today (just as the importance of God to almost all the people in the past in western culture).

I read somewhere that when God is dead, everything is permitted. (because there will be no judgment and punishment after you die) This argument is mentioned by a lot by christians today, claiming that there is no absolute moral ground to do anything if there were no god. (In this sense it amazes me that christians are willing to become nihilists when there is no more God, but that is another matter.)

BUT: If God is dead, this means that certain acts in the past can no longer be explained/excused as acts of morality. For instance: the burning of witches, the submission of women, the holy wars,etc...

Also instead of seeing God as a basis for morality(claimed by those who follow him), he often becomes a basis for immorality(in the eyes of those who don't follow). How else can you explain the open denial of basic rights to homosexuals, the condemnation of condoms, the silent allowance of paedophilia in churches,etc... If you follow God, it seems, you can do all of these things without any further explanation than that God has ordered it to be so.

Am I inconsistent in thought? In my opinion the idea of "God is dead, all is permitted" is equally plausible as "God is dead, all is prohibited." Or in other words no authority to take responsibilty for your own acts means you are responsible for your acts, which can become an imbearable burden.