I grew up in Germany, going to German Kindergarten and attending German Schooling upto grade 10, upon which I and my family left Germany
In the German schooling system of the state of Baden Wuerttemberg where I lived, students were given three options: To attend either Lutheran(Protestant) religious studies, or Catholic religious studies or Ethical Studies!
This threefold design of teaching morality in schools was fundamental not only to my educational experience but an entire population of Generation X south Germans...
But most importantly: This threefold design of morality education signifies something very crucial: Whether it was faith-based morality that one chose to learn by either attending Lutheran or Catholic Studies, or non-faith based morality one chose to learn via the Ethical Studies... these three options were each considered equally a viable way to foster morality in the student.
In other words, you did not have to be religious or believe in a God to be able to understand moral thought... since the Ethical studies offered provided a non-religous perspective on principal concepts of good and not good.
This crucial fact had been recognized by educators in Germany many decades ago.
So, where am I going with this?
Well, social and christian conservatives here in the U.S. will continue to delude themselves in arguing that only a religous, God-fearing individual can be deemed a moral individual!
Wrong!
In their limited understanding of philosophical thought, these Social Conservatives need to understand the following: Ethical Studies can provide moral structure in an entirely non-religious and academic way in perhaps just as convincing, if not more convincing way than the fear of an allmight God could! Faith is not needed to grasp morality via Ethics. Ethics is the academic way to attain morality, to become a moral person, to do good!
To that end, I will be the first to admit that my morality is guided by Ethics, not the fear of a God or any religion!
I am sure there are quite a few others here at Dailykos.com that are similiar to me.
It does not make us Ethical people any worse or better than Religious individuals, it just makes us different!