Quote Originally Posted by mraynrand
Quote Originally Posted by MJZiggy
Because it's the way I would want to be treated. Hence the rule--treat others as you would have them treat you. I would not wish to be harmed, therefore I do no harm others. When we read these stories about people who do grotesque things to children, why are we so shocked and offended? Because even without religion to tell us so, it is plain that the behavior is wrong. You don't REALLY need religion to tell you that abusing, raping and killing a child is wrong, do you? It goes against your basic human senses. It goes against human dignity and you feel it is wrong, because it is.
It's not necessarily a religious question. But there are two options - you either do it because it is the right thing to do - as a mandate with no expectation of a return, or you do it (either evolutionarily or for Karma, etc.) because you have the expectation of a positive return for yourself.

If the former, which you argue for in the post quoted above, then you have to ask how you know what is the right thing to do. If you had been raised, say by Peter Singer, you would likely believe that is was perfectly acceptable to kill a child for convenience at any age up to 2 years old. If you were raised in more conservative Muslim cultures, you would believe that honor killings, clitorectomies, wearing hijabs were appropriate treatment for women. How would you possibly know that they were 'wrong?'
The knowledge of the right way to treat others comes from the way you'd want to be treated. Human dignity and respect. Would I want someone to kill me? No, therefore killing others is wrong, regardless the reason. Causing pain is wrong. It's not about treatment by others for myself. It's about my behavior toward others. If I hurt you, it's wrong.