How do we know what is right, and what is wrong?

[Compassionist]

How do we know what is right, and what is wrong? For example, I think it is wrong to be a herbivore or a carnivore or an omnivore, or a parasite. I think all living things should be autotrophs. I think only autotrophs are good and the rest are evil. However, I am not certain that my thoughts are right. Can herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and parasites become autotrophs at will? If so, why don't they? If they can't become autotrophs at will, is it really their fault that they are not autotrophs?

[Compassionist]

How do we know what is right, and what is wrong? For example, I think it is wrong to be a herbivore or a carnivore or an omnivore, or a parasite. I think all living things should be autotrophs. I think only autotrophs are good and the rest are evil. However, I am not certain that my thoughts are right. Can herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and parasites become autotrophs at will? If so, why don't they? If they can't become autotrophs at will, is it really their fault that they are not autotrophs?

No civilized society can exist without laws and morals governing the behaviors of its citizens. Are Muslims right to believe it is OK to murder citizens who do not show proper respect for their savage barbarian cult leader? They think they are right but that is because they are uncivilized barbarians. God teaches what is right and wrong and civilized humans must develop views and values closely aligned with His in order to remain civilized.

I strongly reject the language you’ve used to describe Muslims. No group of people should be called “uncivilized” or “barbarian” for their beliefs.
Every religion and ideology has adherents who behave both morally and immorally; what matters is evidence and reasoning, not inherited labels.
Civilization is measured by empathy, justice, and dialogue - not by which god someone worships. While Muslims have murdered people, Christians have murdered many more. In fact, Christians have murdered more people than any other group. European Christians colonized, enslaved and murdered millions of people worldwide. No reparations for these atrocities were paid to the victims and their descendants.

Now, to your underlying point:
You said, “God teaches what is right and wrong and civilized humans must develop views and values closely aligned with His.”
That claim raises an important philosophical question: how do we know which moral rules are truly God’s?

History shows that believers have attributed contradictory moral laws to God - ranging from slavery to abolition, from holy war to pacifism.
If morality depends solely on divine command, then morality changes whenever someone claims a new revelation.
That makes “good” identical to “obedience,” not to compassion or justice.

Civil societies exist precisely because humans, regardless of faith, can reason about harm, fairness, and well-being.
Legal systems evolve through evidence, debate, and empathy—qualities that belong to humans, not to any one religion.

I agree that morality and law are essential, but they are grounded in our shared capacity for empathy, cooperation, and reason, not in belonging to a specific creed. Calling other communities “barbarians” undermines the very civility you want to defend.