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Some clarity on our philosophies and life direction. These are a collection of questions and statements from people that I respect and value and of course, couldn’t have said it better myself... Do you value freedom of thought, expression and conscience?
Are you skeptical of the existence of a supernatural realm?
Are you becoming intolerant to religious violence and hypocrisy? (j.papadakis)
Do you value religious tolerance and support the separation of church and state?
Do you embrace the principles of democratic government and universal human rights?
Do you have a concern for this life and a commitment to making it meaningful through increased understanding and compassion?
Do you think that morality can exist independent of divine authority?
Do you believe that critical thought and the scientific method provide the most reliable means of acquiring knowledge?
(WASH.org) If you’ve rejected traditional religion (or were never religious to start), you may be asking, “Is that all there is? It’s liberating to recognize that supernatural beings are human creations … that there’s no such thing as “spirit … that people are undesigned, unintended, and responsible for themselves. But what’s next?
For many, mere atheism (the absence of belief in gods and the supernatural) or agnosticism (the view that such questions cannot be answered) aren’t enough. Atheism and agnosticism are silent on larger questions of values and meaning. If Meaning in life is not ordained from on high, what small-m meanings can we work out among ourselves? If eternal life is an illusion, how can we make the most of our only lives? As social beings sharing a godless world, how should we coexist?For the questions that remain unanswered after we’ve cleared our minds of gods and souls and spirits, many atheists, agnostics, skeptics, and freethinkers turn to secular humanism.
(secularhumanism.org) What is Humanism?Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism and other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity. (AHA)
Humanism is the contemporary expression of a long tradition of free thought. It is a worldview that has inspired many of the world's great thinkers and creative artists.
Humanists believe we can build a better world if we:
seek human, rather than divine, solutions to the world's problems through the application of critical reason, free inquiry and the scientific method.
continually weigh and test dogmas, ideologies and traditions, whether religious, political or social, against observation, rather than accepting them
on faith.
support democratic forms of government and affirm the worth, dignity and right to self-determination of every human being.
maintain the separation of church and state and the freedom of and from religion.
combine personal liberty with social responsibility, and recognize our dependence on, and responsibility for, the natural world.
Humanists believe we can achieve personal fulfillment through:
a constant search for truth, with the understanding that new knowledge and experience constantly alter our imperfect perception of it.
a concern for this life and a commitment to making it meaningful through better understanding of ourselves, our history, our intellectual and artistic
achievements, and the outlooks of those who differ from us.
a search for viable individual, social, and political principles of ethical conduct, judging them on their ability to enhance human well being and
individual responsibility.
a conviction that with reason, an open market-place of ideas, good will and tolerance, progress can be made in building a better world for ourselves
and our children. (WASH.org) What Is Secular Humanism?Secular Humanists are further distinguished by a commitment to the pursuit of humanist goals outside of a religious framework.
Although most Secular Humanists are atheist or agnostic we do not define ourselves exclusively by these terms. We prefer an emphasis on what we value: reason, free inquiry, critical thinking, the scientific method, freedom, compassion, moral excellence, and a high regard for our fellow human beings. (WASH.org)
Secular. “Pertaining to the world or things not spiritual or sacred.
Humanism. “Any system of thought or action concerned with the interests or ideals of people … the intellectual and cultural movement … characterized by an emphasis on human interests rather than … religion.— Webster’s Dictionary
Secular humanism is a comprehensive, nonreligious lifestance incorporating:
· A naturalistic philosophy
· A cosmic outlook rooted in science
· A consequentialist ethical system
Let’s examine these items one by one: A comprehensive, nonreligious lifestance.Secular humanism is comprehensive, touching every aspect of life including issues of values, meaning, and identity. Thus it is broader than atheism, which concerns only the nonexistence of god or the supernatural. Important as that may be, there’s a lot more to life … and secular humanism addresses it.
Secular humanism is nonreligious, espousing no belief in a realm or beings imagined to transcend ordinary experience.
Secular humanism is a lifestance, or what Council for Secular Humanism founder Paul Kurtz has termed a eupraxsophy: a body of principles suitable for orienting a complete human life. A naturalistic philosophy.Secular humanism is philosophically naturalistic. It holds that nature (the world of everyday physical experience) is all there is, and that reliable knowledge is best obtained when we query nature using the scientific method. Naturalism asserts that supernatural entities like God do not exist, and warns us that knowledge gained without appeal to the natural world and without impartial review by multiple observers is unreliable. A cosmic outlook rooted in science.Secular humanism provides a cosmic outlook—a world-view in the broadest sense, grounding our lives in the context of our universe and relying on methods demonstrated by science. Secular humanists see themselves as undesigned, unintended beings who arose through evolution, possessing unique attributes of self-awareness and moral agency. A consequentialist ethical system.Secular humanists hold that ethics is consequential, to be judged by results. This is in contrast to so-called command ethics, in which right and wrong are defined in advance and attributed to divine authority. “No god will save us, wrote Paul Kurtz in Humanist Manifesto II (1973), “we must save ourselves. Secular humanists seek to develop and improve their ethical principles by examining the results they yield in the lives of real men and women.(secularhumanism.org)
Useful Links:
American Humanist Association (americanhumanist.org)
Washington Area Secular Humanists (WASH.org)
Council for Secular Humanism (secularhumanism.org)
Center for Inquiry (centerforinquiry.net)
SHARE (Secular Humanist Aid And Relief Effort)http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=main&page=SHARE
Recommended Reading:
God is not great by Christopher Hitchens
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
Parenting Beyond Belief by Dale McGowan |