aamirsaab
On vacation.
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Ethics and morals exist at the very least as a social construct. The motivation behind those acts are different for each individual but all fit the bill of reward (in some way shape or form).
For the religious, it is to please God/benefit in the hereafter; for the non-religious it is to please others (obviously, the two motivators are not mutually exclusive and can thus apply to both. Also, this is not to negate other motivating factors - just pointing out a common and general perspective based on reward).
There is nothing inherently wrong with either case or motivating factor in and of themselves. I should also mention that motivation and hope are very closely linked: if you are motivated to work 24 hours, you do so because of hope of reward.
Without that hope and motivation offered by religion (specifically Islam), doing anything is pointless - especially if you behave immoral or unethically. In fact, you're more inclined to do so (without following religion) since:
* no recompense/ - if you get caught, so what? If you are truly immoral/unethical you won't get caught (you will break rules) and if you do get caught it won't stop you. If you don't get caught, you won't be held accountable to your acts (judgement day doesn't exist to you).
* you gain from the act - self-rewarding acts are self-motivating so you will repeat it.
Essentially, there is more to gain from being immoral and unethical. Not that I am condoning such actions - neither will society for that matter (or maybe that is just hope talking
).Edit: obviously the above doesn't mean all non-religious folk will commit unethical/immoral acts. Just that religion (or rather Islam) reinforces moral/ethic behaviour through a stronger motivating factor and so by following the teachings (properly) you won't commit immoral/unethical acts.
The motivation and hope offered by mankind (as good as it is - don't take me for some player hater
) is lower than that offered through religion since the latter offers a much longer-term reward (paradise, life after death), and the former a much shorter-term reward (limited to this world only such as marriage, kids, money, accomodation etc).I do not mean to downplay the reward in this life, but simply to say what is offered in the long term is much greater. Even if it is nothing more than hope of a reward - it at least offers a substantial motivating factor.
The main differences between religious and non-religious folk therefore is the overall motivating factor. One peaks in this life; the other peaks in the hereafter.
Cynics/islam-haters may burst into tears now.
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green beard effect is in play. the group only tend to each other, not the other greedy type. "This view explains altruism at the individual level in nature, especially in kin relationships: when an individual sacrifices its own life to protect the lives of kin, it is acting in the interest of its own genes" 
