Ah, how refreshing it is to hear someone admit, even if only implicitly, that modern ethics came from religious morality. Of course, I am referring to Sam Arnold’s recent response to Michael Patrick’s article. Mr. Arnold states that religion is like an evolutionary trait we at one time needed but has become obsolete in view of the proliferation of ethics. Basically put – because this world is so ethical, we no longer need religion.

Let me paint you a picture. We all have seen the new Science and Engineering Complex being built near the Ferg. Such construction requires planning, hard work, design and problem solving. They have to lay the foundation, the groundwork. Then they frame the building. They install drywall, and in the end you have a building. And you will never, ever need those contractors again.

At least this is what Mr. Arnold says. When there is a hole in the ethical wall, it needs no repairing. When lights won’t work from a short in the moral wiring, it needs no fixing. The fact of the matter is that although some would say you can be ethical without being religious, you cannot be ethical without religion.

Religion is the basis of ethics. There is no denying this. Even Christopher Hitchens acknowledges that atheism without religion has no morals, no ethics, and would lead to an evil tyrannical world (I heard this personally). If we reject religion, eventually we will question why we began doing things in the first place. I am not supposed to just steal money because why? Because of ethics? Social Contract? No. Because at some point people believed in answering for your actions even beyond life. Ethics may govern society, but religion governs ethics and is very necessary.

Josh Sullivan is a sophomore majoring in computer engineering.