Were you taught right from wrong in the context of punishment, or reward, from God?

I was raised Catholic, so I was taught that God considered certain things right or wrong. But as far as reward or punishment in the afterlife was concerned, I never heard much about that. I had a vague idea of it, but it was certainly never drilled into my head or used as a threat to get me to behave. Nor was I taught that God was going to rain punishment down on me in this life for behaving badly. I was taught about the consequences of bad actions, but not in a divine retribution sense.

Now I consider myself a non-religious theist. Ultimately I do believe in a higher power, but I don’t believe that one religion has it right. And I don’t believe that everything is leading toward a reward or punishment in the afterlife. Nor do I think that is necessary for most people to do good, which is why those “fire and brimstone” preachers seem especially abhorrent to me. They’re playing on people’s fear to get them to believe like they do. And belief founded on fear is especially shallow.

I was raised without religion. My parents were able to teach us right from wrong, in how things affect others, and in asking us what those actions would be like if they were done to us.

Example: How would you feel if Billy/Mary took your toy and broke it?

Example: How would you like it if Billy/Mary hit you?

Example: How would you like it if Billy/Mary called you names, or ignored you?

You don’t need religion, to be taught right from wrong.

GA @Demosthenes. Mom was raised Catholic, so she had a certain fear of God,but she didn’t pass it on to us, but I think that my dad was probably a hidden (even from himself) agnostic.
I remember asking him what it was like to be dead.
He said “What was it like before you were born?”
He virtually never spoke of God or Jesus.

I agree @Kardamom.

Kind of. I was raised in church so I had that base, but my mother never used religion in our conversations or punishments. Her ‘disappointment’ in me was a far greater punishment than anything God or a belt could inflict. She always explained things to me, even as a child, because I was exposed to so many things, beliefs, lifestyles and people in the 70’s.

Unfortunately yes. ( or is it fortunately? ) Raised Roman Catholic. In my early 30’s already when not attending mass didn’t make me feel guilty.

Mostly from punishment. God couldn’t wield a belt on my bare behind like my dad!

No. I was also warned about the tyrannical moral dysfunction of Sunday School leaders (that’s my own summary of their stories of their experiences) by both my parents, who had no desire to send me to any religious anything.

We didn’t go to church much. I went to VBS once and I really had fun.

I was taught by Star Trek.

No. My parents were not particularly religious. I went to Hebrew school and we went to the temple on the High Holy Days, but at home religion was rarely mentioned.

I wasn’t really taught right from wrong, I was taught that certain behaviors would piss my dad off and get me and my sister smacked around. What I learned is how to be sneaky and deceptive and how to read all the tiny cues that determined what mood my father was in.

We went to church sporadically, but I was always so bored and never paid attention. I just liked to sing the songs. Plus, when I heard what was said in church and compared it to the way my parents behaved, I quickly learned that religion had nothing to offer me that benefited my life in any way.

I learned right from wrong through trial and error and listening to my conscience, which turns out has more to offer me than any religion.

I hate your father @tinyfaery.

I don’t feel so great about him either.

It’s so interesting to me how kids/ adults react differently to abuse. Without God, I’m not sure I ever could have forgiven my mother. I’m so glad I did because she’s sober, she’s older and my best friend now.

When I think of abuse and “God” I think of the Catholic church and how so many children were allowed to be abused by Catholic priests, and how many church affiliates knew all about it, and continued to let it happen, for years.

I don’t believe in “God” or a god, or anyone else’s idea of gods, or deities, so I have to live my life with human ideas.

My son was so easy going that when he was about 4 my Mom asked if I’d considered him for the (Catholic) church. This was long before all the abuse candles hit, but it just caused me to shudder at the thought. I just knew instinctively there was something horribly wrong with that whole set up.

Neither, just from observing siblings and others in cause and effect.
Sometimes being the youngest does have its rewards.