Len,

>>Len,
>>
>>>>Ulitimately, your ethics depends on your view of and/or sense of accountability to God.
>>>
>>>I do not believe in God.
>>
>>Sure you do. It's the master passion in your life. You may not believe in the same God I (or others) do but you most certainly have andbelieve in some sort of 'god'. It may be your intellect; power, money, physical pleasures, or anything else but you do have a master passion. SOmething you serve and obey - your god.
>>
>>>I cannot be accountable to a non-existent entity.
>>
>>You presume much. I would sincerely (and with great trembling for your future) suggest you revisit this issue.
>>
>>>
>>>Are you saying that I am not able to be ethical ?
>>
>>You certaily can be ethical while not believing in God, there's no doubt. Not that your ethics will satisfy your need to reconcile yourself to Him in any manner... <s>
>
>Now you're confusing me, first you tell me that I do believe in God, then you tell me that I can be ethical while not believing in him. Do I or do I not believe in him ?

LOL!

Depends on your definition of god and His definition. <g> Do they match? How might one determine this (he says firmly pulling his Socratic hat down about his ears <g>)?

Also, remember that one can hold a position (ethical in this case) and not really know why they hold it or the intellectual/philisophical/religious/spiritual underpinnings of that position. They 'believe' but they don't really know why.