Should religion be a deciding factor in right or wrong?

Answer 1

A:All religions seek to teach high moral truths, which can often be a guide to what is right or wrong. For example, The Bible contains the Ten Commandments, but when read carefully, we find that the first four commandments are about religious observance, not right and wrong. We then find that the tenth commandment says not to covet your neighbour's male or female slaves (euphemistically translated into English as 'manservant' and 'maidservant'). Clearly it is both wrong to have slaves and to turn a blind eye to enslavement, so this part of the tenth commandment should not be a deciding factor.

Saint Augustine taught an ethical code known as unqualified absolutism. For example, he held that lying to ward off rape, or even to save a life, is strictly forbidden, because the choice is really between the permission of another's sin or the commission of our own sin. Once again, this religious dictate should not be a deciding factor in right or wrong.

Ultimately, the deciding factor is conscience. One should do what one believes to be right in the circumstances at the time.