Doing right because … it feels good?

Today I came across this tweet in my Twitter feed (please forgive the language):

Be good for goodness sake.#good #empathy #atheism pic.twitter.com/Y5dagao1pY

— PhilosophicalAtheism (@PAtheism) March 5, 2017

I agree that one ought not behave ethically because one expects to be rewarded for doing so. But then, I know of no Christian view of ethics that is predicated simply on reward/punishment.

Interestingly, the individual seeks to counter the reward view with what is presumably a more sophisticated view: “because it feels better….” (emphasis added) But how is this a superior view? The first person acts rightly because he hopes to benefit later (by way of a reward). The second person acts rightly because he hopes to benefit sooner (by way of a feeling).

So the only real difference between the two individuals is when they expect to receive their reward? And yet, the second person believes somehow that he has a superior view of ethics?

Oy vey, the face palm was invented for moments such as this.

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