Council for Secular Humanism - 0 views
-
secular humanists don't believe in a God or an afterlife
-
the remarkable thing about the United States is precisely that it was created as a secular republic organized around the rights and freedoms of its citizens
-
secular humanism says the morality of actions should be judged by their consequences
- ...57 more annotations...
-
There is no central authority
-
People come to secular humanism by following their own curiosity and reasoning
-
secular humanism is not so much a body of beliefs as a method for reaching understanding
-
It is an approach to life that tries to be positive, rational, realistic, and open-minded
-
we are not expressing a doctrine
-
doing our best to state the consensus shared
-
Secular humanists believe morality and meaning come from humanity and the natural world
-
It is our human values that give us rights, responsibilities, and dignity.
-
We believe that morality should aim to bring out the best in people, so that all people can have the best in life.
-
morality must be based on our knowledge of human nature and the real world
-
treat others with the same consideration as you would have them treat you
-
the common moral decencies - for example, people should not lie, steal, or kill; and they should be honest, generous, and cooperative - really are conducive to human welfare
-
Humanists realize that individuals alone cannot solve all our problems, but instead of turning to the supernatural, we believe that problems are solved by people working together, relying on understanding and creativity
-
humanists are committed to promoting human values, human understanding, and human development
-
Humanists also emphasize the importance of self-determination - the right of individuals to control their own lives, so long as they do not harm others
-
freedom of choice
-
people create their own meaning and purpose in life
-
The value and significance of life comes from how we live life, not from some supposed transcendent realm
-
The moral differences between secular humanism and religion do not justify the allegation that secular humanist have no morals. This claim is not an argument, just an insult.
-
Nonreligious, humanistic moral systems existed before Christianity
-
the Epicureans, Skeptics, and Stoics of classical Greece and Rome
-
the common moral decencies are found throughout the cultures of the world
-
The most important moral and political concepts of the modern era have developed out of humanistic thinking
-
You will search the Bible in vain for opposition to slavery or support for democracy and equality
-
neither the Supreme Court, nor this circuit, has ever held that evolutionism or secular humanism are `religions'
-
they refused to reverse a ruling that secular humanism is not a religion
-
Secular humanism is not a religion by any definition: There are no supernatural beliefs, no creeds that all humanists are required to accept, no sacred texts or required rituals. Humanists are not expected or required to have "faith" in what is said by any authority, living or dead, human or "supernatural."
-
humanists derive their meaning and values from the natural world. Secular humanism is a naturalistic, nonreligious worldview
-
humanists don't worship anything
-
Humanity's constant challenge is to understand itself and improve itself
-
We don't pretend that our ethics and values are divine: we recognize that they are human, and therefore part of nature
-
individual secular humanists differ
-
the human species has evolved by the same natural processes as every other species
-
some of our most treasured traits, such as language and the ability to understand and care for others, are on an evolutionary continuum with communicative and cooperative behaviors of other animals
-
humans have a moral responsibility towards the rest of the natural world
-
secular humanists cover a wide spectrum
-
One political view that secular humanists do share is unswerving support for democracy, freedom, and human rights
-
All secular humanists are utterly opposed to totalitarian systems
-
The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights contain no references to God or Christianity. Their only references to religion establish freedom of religion and separation of church and state
-
The motto on the Great Seal of the United States, unchanged since its adoption in 1782, is E Pluribus Unum ("From Many, One")
-
The Pledge of Allegiance did not contain an oath to God, until it was added in the 1950s
-
In 1797 the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Treaty of Tripoli which stated that "the government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion."
-
secular humanism encourages people to think for themselves and question authority
-
on the basis of shared philosophical principles and ideals
-
The myth that secular humanists are unAmerican is an insult to the patriotism and distinguished service of millions of people.
-
all beliefs are fallible and provisional, and that diversity and dialogue are essential to the process of learning and developing
-
we value tolerance, pluralism, and open-mindedness as positive and beneficial qualities in society
-
Humanists are staunch supporters of freedom of religion, belief, and conscience, as laid out in both the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These rights protect the freedom of religious belief equally with the freedom of nonreligious belief, the freedom of religion equally with the freedom from religion.
-
the neutrality of a secular society
-
Secular humanists believe that a healthy society supports a variety of worldviews
-
We also believe that religious and philosophical views should be every bit as open to debate and discussion as political beliefs.
-
All these claims make the same mistake: they confuse neutrality with hostility
-
neutrality toward different worldviews is the best protection from persecution
-
Separating church and state doesn't mean that the state promotes atheism and humanism, but that it provides equal protection to all beliefs
-
The amoral, power-hungry "secular humanist" conspiracy described by some religious conservatives is a myth
-
the vibrant movement that champions a moral approach to living based on reason and happiness is alive and growing
-
there are secular humanists. But no, there is no bogeyman.