>>If I can't do the right thing without God, or Jesus, or a church Elder looking over my shoulder, then I have no right calling myself a decent human being.
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>Just curious Alan.
>Do you believe that humans are NATURALLY good?

Wow! Now that is one heck of a question. I guess I don't believe that humans are naturally good or bad.

I guess if I have to be nailed down, I believe that a person becomes what he or she is through learning. In the home, mostly, but then also in the outside environment. If a person is born into a family that teaches racism, there is a good chance the kid will be a racist, but I honestly doubt that left to his own devices, a white child will hate blacks instinctively. A person raised to believe that money is more important than people, will act that way etc. If a child is constantly beaten to make him act in a certain way, then he will grow up believing that physical force is a good way to make people behave as you want them to.

No, I don't think a child is born naturally good or bad (as long as we rule out chemical deficiencies, brain malformations etc. that might make a person act one way or another).

No wait, let me rethink this a bit. Children instinctively tend toward self preservation (a natural instinct), and unless taught differently, may see everything as 'theirs'. I suppose children must be taught selflessness. But at the same time, most people are born with some ability toward empathy, and empathy is a very strong director of behaviour. People who can hurt other people easily usually have low (or non-existent) empathy levels. I'm not sure empathy can be taught.

So, now that I've spent four paragraphs not answering your question... I guess I just have to finish by saying, wow! What a great question. I wish I had an answer for you.