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The most interesting aspect of last week’s discussion was the link Dr. Grobstein drew between moral behavior on earth and foundationalist beliefs.  He implied that if a person was relieved of the burden of final, extra-corporeal judgment for their actions, then our behavior would take a serious turn for the worse.  A quick look at societies who have lived under various religious doctrines raises some serious issues with this statement however.  In our jails, the most crowded of any 1st world country, if you asked the inmates what will stop them from committing a crime again some would say god but all would say avoiding another term in prison.  Society itself is the greatest influence on personal behavior.  Various studies have shown that we take a great deal of behavioral cues (sometimes unconsciously) from how the people around us are acting.  Humans are a highly social creature with millions of years of evolution making us able to live together in stable and productive groups.  Removing religion does not touch this inbred predilection for community life and certainly does not guarantee anarchy.