Skip to main content

Home/ Reason/s & Belief/ Group items tagged secular

Rss Feed Group items tagged

Filter: All | Bookmarks | Topics Simple Middle
Sunny Jackson

Council for Secular Humanism - 0 views

www.secularhumanism.org/index.php

Cached ≡ Humanism

shared by Sunny Jackson on 22 May 13 - Cached
  • 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.
arowynd

Humanism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views

en.wikipedia.org/Humanism

shared by arowynd on 22 May 13 - Cached
  • Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view, or practice that focuses on human values and concerns, attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters
  • Humanism does not consider metaphysical issues such as the existence or nonexistence of supernatural beings
  • Secular humanism contrasts with religious humanism, which is an integration of humanist ethical philosophy with religious rituals and beliefs that center on human needs, interests, and abilities.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • humanity must seek for truth through reason and the best observable evidence
  • decisions about right and wrong must be based on the individual and common good
  • Secular humanism is a secular ideology that espouses reason, ethics, and justice, whilst specifically rejecting supernatural and religious dogma as a basis of morality and decision-making.
  • living up to one's potential is hard work and requires the help of others
  • The focus is on doing good and living well in the here and now, and leaving the world a better place for those who come after.
  • a comprehensive life stance or world view which embraces human reason, metaphysical naturalism, altruistic morality and distributive justice
  • Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities.
Sunny Jackson

Why do atheists talk so much about this God they disbelieve in? - Quora - 0 views

www.quora.com/ut-this-God-they-disbelieve-in

Quora Questions Learning

shared by Sunny Jackson on 07 Jun 13 - No Cached
  • when the god squad stops trying to enforce their god through legislation, we'll stop talking about it
  • oddly enough, despite my not believing in him, other people keep trying to cram him down my throat, often via efforts to enact laws based on his non-existent rules.This disturbs me.
  • Yeah, I know a detective who talks about crime a lot.  Mad isn't it?
  • ...74 more annotations...
  • I try to give equal time to all the gods that I don't believe in.
  • Religion is a huge force in the world. Good, bad or mixed, it's inescapable.
  • When something is a major component of the Human Condition, it's notable.
  • None.
  • wanted to make you and your children believe this too and were willing to change laws, education and polices to force this
  • how long would it take before you started speaking out?
  • Like all conscientious people who care about what goes on in the world, we are all struggling to define the best way for us to live.
  • There are good things in the world and there are bad things in the world. What is good and bad, and in what degree, depends on your perspective.
  • When it happens publicly, it is generally regarded by atheists as either gauche or extreme.It seems most extreme when it enters into political or other ostensibly secular arenas, like school.
  • the strengths of these secular institutions depends widely on the separation of religious and secular activities and ideologies
  • this resembles a backslide into barbarism and ignorance
  • For the atheist, it is a frightening prospect that people want to hinder education or freedoms based on Biblical writings.
  • if I did not care about the world, I would have nothing to say about God.
  • Both I, and the most extreme fundamentalist, want only to live in the best way we know how.
  • As an atheist, I personally have no qualm with any belief in a deistic God.
  • When I see people pushing other people around, trying to take away their rights of people, or hurting people in some way, I get angry.
  • For this atheist, it isn't about God, it's about how we treat people.
  • There is an unfortunate crossover with religion and social justice.
  • I am only concerned with the ways in which religion, as I see the world, hurts the vision I have of how we should best live. There are grave incompatibilities with that vision.
  • I don't believe in spirits, or souls, or gods or reincarnation. I do believe in finding meaning, in finding the "path to the self", and finding the best way to live in this world.
  • hope for the future elevation of humanity to freedom, to the best possible health and cooperation
  • There is beauty and wisdom in every belief system, but also there is ugliness and ignorance to be found, and I see it as a detriment to humanity if we simply avoid the hard work of re-examining those parts, and simply allow people to say "It is God's will, we've got a book that says so."
  • What am I talking about? Subjugation of women, ostracism of homosexuals, teaching creation myths as science to children, circumcision of boys by Jews, of girls by certain sects. From the eyes of an atheist, doing these things in 2012 is an archaic nightmare. Allowing these things to happen out of a fear of offending people is a most ludicrous failure of humanity.
  • a human person wrote any words in any book ever written. There are no gods, no sons of gods, and no prophets. To hold another person hostage for words written by a man, who possessed all the frailties we have today, but had far less knowledge, seems a dangerous and singularly terrible act to condone in this time. We know there is no basis for it, and it is frightening to see those who are willing to commit violence and abuse in the name of God and call it "good".
  • it seems simply like folly or madness
  • They had a belief that their view of the world was the right one, just as I have a view of the world that I believe is the right one.
  • To the atheist, it resembles a wave of madness taking over people.
  • Approach with caution and come with gifts
  • I know a lot about "this God" theists believe in
  • It is always good to engage your mind in an intellectual exercise
  • I was once a believer
  • I'm more certain on my position now that I ever was when I believed in god
  • it helps me refine my thoughts
  • often I find myself discussing something with a theist who has a strong intellect - and this is entertaining in the same way a sports person, or chess player, enjoys meeting their match or better; it gives me a chance to stretch and test myself - see where I might need to improve my "game".
  • All we do is try and unpack the reasons behind things
  • After unpacking these reasons the conclusion is baffling; These things are done, people are tortured, children are abused all in the name of a story.
  • I find belief in god and other supernatural entities an interesting human and social phenomenon.
  • Religion teaches to be satisfied with not understanding.
  • Religion teaches to not question authority.
  • Religion teaches a twisted concept of evidence and logic.
  • Religion advocates intolerance.
  • Religion promotes immorality.
  • Religion promotes inaction.
  • Religion inhibits progress.
  • I talk about the silly, stupid and vicious things that some people who claim to believe try to impose on the rest of us.
  • And sometimes I applaud the wonderful things that people of good character and religious belief do
  • What people do in this world matters.
  • Think of it as self defense.Atheists don't talk about their views until religious people refuse to shut up about theirs.
  • surrounded by theists trying to ram their beliefs down everyone else's throats, incorporating their religion into the government and legal system, corrupting the educational system by blurring the difference between fact and belief, and murdering and hurting people in the name of their "god"
  • Why should anyone assume that if one disbelieves in something, especially something that a lot of other people keep saying they believe in, one should not talk about it?
  • Why do anti-war people talk so much about war if they don't believe in war? Pretty much the same reason for atheists and talk about god.
  • I only really talk about it when someone else brings it up. Since I live in the United States, this happens about every ten minutes.
  • large percentages of each country believes in some God
  • They have TV shows to broadcast their beliefs
  • billboards
  • huge gatherings
  • radio shows
  • You have people standing in the street, shouting at you, telling you how you are going to hell
  • You have religious people questioning evolution, preaching creationism, questioning the Big Bang and promoting God-magic.
  • some people still insist in teaching their children that an invisible being thought the universe into existence, and that believing this is more rational than to trust science's explanation of the same event
  • Religion is stepping on my toes - a response is pretty much expected don't you think?
  • if 'talking about God' means 'talking about theology,' then Atheists totally have a right and a commission to do so, because theology can be done by both adherents and non-adherents
  • Atheists have been portrayed as belligerent, annoying twerps who need to be quiet; when, in reality, their calling out religion needs to be applauded. This is the 21st century—a supposedly new era—and Atheists are doing a good job of calling out politicians and leaders who cannot and will not rationalize their decisions outside of a faith context.
  • So many people do boneheaded things in the name of God, both those doers and their God need to be called out...and that calling out is often done by Atheists.
  • I, for one, find religion/mythology fascinating.
  • bad things religion pushes and endorses
  • we do not have to believe anything on insufficient evidence
  • the harms it can bring
  • that is a serious problem
  • Atheists do not keep talking about god. They keep getting asked about it
  • it's a part of our history and culture that is hard to ignore
  • we don't like being lied to
  • there's no reason to believe it
  • try to reason
Sunny Jackson

"I'm a What?" Eliciting Latent Humanism - 0 views

www.americanhumanist.org/...what-eliciting-latent-humanism

Humanism

shared by Sunny Jackson on 22 May 13 - No Cached
  • indicators of humanist identity
  • “Can I believe in God and still be a humanist?” one young woman wanted to know. “Sure,” I replied. “Many humanists find that, over time, their need for a God fades away. They end up feeling that their humanism has freed them to outgrow God. But other humanists remain believers, and that’s OK.”
  • humanize our species
  • ...27 more annotations...
  • blind faith is tenacious belief in the absence or (or in the face of) the evidence
  • Wishful thinking is believing something because you want it to be true, or merely because you think it is beneficial to so believe (as opposed to having real evidence that it is true)
  • Tribal loyalty involves placing the interests of an “in group” ahead of those in some “out group”—a willingness to identify with one faction, even at the expense of others.
  • high regard for inquiry and open-mindedness
  • educating young people about the obstacles to fruitful inquiry goes a long way towards advancing the humanist cause
  • People empowered to see for themselves how nonsense—both religious and secular—inhibits moral progress are in a better position to help us realize our shared humanitarian ideals.
  • understand how inquiry works
  • inclusive of both secular and religious humanists
  • Does it express your core convictions?
  • regard "humanistic" as applying across the theist/atheist divide, but reserve "humanist" for nontheists
  • free ourselves
  • wear our labels lightly
  • Let them keep their faith alongside the Humanism for the meantime and eventually, when the children grow and become more mature, I think most of them would choose Humanism and leave dogma behind. 
  • this is what humanism is
  • in much more specific terms
  • Humanists long for and strive toward a world of mutual care and concern, free of cruelty and its consequences, where differences are resolved cooperatively without resorting to violence.
  • a theist can subscribe to humanist ideals
  • Man is at last becoming aware that he alone is responsible for the realization of the world of his dreams, that he has within himself the power for its achievement. He must set intelligence and will to the task. 
  • Deep inquiry requires that we look beyond the words
  • we can't communicate without words having meanings
  • Humanists believe in free thought and in free choice.   Anything else is oppressive.  
  • they're terrified of it
  • moral goodness exists within each of us
  • Scientific and moral progress really do depend on cooperation and a kind of cultural evolution to take place.
  • the central importance of human derived knowledge, as opposed to relying on claims of supposedly supernaturally derived knowledge, to our accurately understanding and improving the world
  • you may already be a humanist
  • Christianity is a tribalism that, for all the good it has caused, humanity must outgrow
Sunny Jackson

Bundlr - Humanism 101 - 0 views

bundlr.com/humanism

shared by Sunny Jackson on 24 Jun 13 - No Cached
  • alternative to traditional religion and to authoritarian and other oppressive social attitudes
  • rights of religious and philosophical dissenters
  • Humanism is a life stance
  • ...85 more annotations...
  • Humanism aims at the fullest possible development of every human being
  • Humanism supports democracy and human rights
  • Human Rights Commission
  • Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief
  • achieved only with the strength of humanity's own moral and intellectual resources
  • rights to individual self-determination, human rights and freedom of belief
  • Humanists are committed to tolerant pluralism and human rights
  • Humanism provides a way of understanding our universe in naturalistic rather than in supernatural terms
  • a life stance rooted in rational thinking
  • Humanism insists that personal liberty must be combined with social responsibility
  • The similarities between the beliefs and values of the different groups - even ‘secular’ and ‘religious’ Humanists - is more fundamental and more important than the different groups
  • humanism Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality. See also the Amsterdam Declaration.
  • Humanism is undogmatic, imposing no creed upon its adherents. It is thus committed to education free from indoctrination.
    • Sunny Jackson
      Sunny Jackson on 24 Jun 13
       
      This means that is subject to change
  • fundamental principles of modern Humanism
  • British Ethical Union
  • Guided by the spirit of human solidarity
  • an alternative to dogmatic religion
  • Humanists promote free inquiry which is the basis of the scientific spirit
  • Humanism ventures to build a world on the idea of the free person responsible to society, and recognises our dependence on and responsibility for the natural world
  • seeks to use science creatively
  • Humanism is rational
  • Amsterdam Declaration
  • Coalition for Freedom of Religion or Belief
  • where people do feel that their beliefs are ‘Humanist’ they should use the word
  • Humanism is also a philosophy of human freedom
  • as a living philosophy, Humanism constantly enriches itself with the progress of knowledge
  • defends human rights and promotes humanist values world-wide
  • UN Human Rights Council
  • humanist A person who adheres to or advocates humanism, a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives.
  • Humanism is ethical. It affirms the worth, dignity and autonomy of the individual and the right of every human being to the greatest possible freedom compatible with the rights of others.
  • Human Rights Council
  • Humanists believe that the solutions to the world's problems lie in human thought and action
  • Humanism recognises that reliable knowledge of the world and ourselves arises through a continuing process. of observation, evaluation and revision.
  • ethics grounded in human values
  • Humanists aim for a social order in which individual freedom and dignity, social justice, fundamental rights and the rule of civilised law are protected
  • the outcome of a long tradition of free thought
  • human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives
  • Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance
  • Humanism advocates the application of the methods of science and free inquiry to the problems of human welfare
  • The Humanist movement has its symbol, the happy human, introduced by the BHA in 1965, and widely adopted both nationally and internationally
  • the official defining statement of World Humanism
  • human rights Universal rights to which every person is entitled
  • Commission on Human Rights
  • rationalist
  • humanist
  • rationalism The view that knowledge is aquired through reason, without the aid of the senses. Perhaps the best example of such knowledge would be mathematical knowledge, but rationalists typically argue that many other important truths can also be grasped by reason.
  • atheist
  • Humanists have a duty of care to all of humanity including future generations.
  • fundamentals of modern Humanism
  • Humanists reject absolute authorities and revealed wisdoms
  • freethought An intellectual and cultural movement. A freethinker is a religious unbeliever who forms his or her judgments about religion using reason rather than relying on tradition, authority, faith, or established belief.
  • freethinking
  • rationalist
  • justified by a moral standard that stands above the laws of any individual nation
  • European Humanist Federation
  • secularism A neutral attitude, especially of the State, local government and public services, in matters relating to religion; non-religious rather than anti-religious.
  • Humanists continuously explore ways of extending responsible freedom and happiness in our increasingly complex world
  • secularist
  • skeptic
  • laique
  • ethical cultural
  • freethought
  • rationalist
  • Humanists believe that morality is an intrinsic part of human nature based on understanding and a concern for others, needing no external sanction.
  • Humanists consider human experience to be the only source of knowledge and ethics
  • It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities
  • the application of science and technology must be tempered by human values
  • International Humanist Award
  • Humanism values artistic creativity and imagination and recognises the transforming power of art. Humanism affirms the importance of literature, music, and the visual and performing arts for personal development and fulfilment.
  • Humanists believe in intellectual integrity, and do not allow custom to replace conscience
  • Science gives us the means but human values must propose the ends
  • mandated to promote and protect the enjoyment and full realization, by all people, of all rights
  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  • skeptic A philosophical position in which people choose to critically examine whether the knowledge and perceptions that they have are actually true, and whether or not one can ever be said to have absolutely true knowledge
  • rationalist Rationalists believe that reason alone is sufficient to gain knowledge of the world.
  • Rationalists started with Plato, and include Descartes, Leibniz and Spinoza.
  • The mandate includes preventing human rights violations, securing respect for all human rights and promoting international cooperation to protect human rights.
  • Humanism is a lifestance aiming at the maximum possible fulfilment through the cultivation of ethical and creative living and offers an ethical and rational means of addressing the challenges of our times
  • buddhiwadi
  • rationalism
  • Humanism can be a way of life for everyone everywhere
  • utilising free inquiry, the power of science and creative imagination for the furtherance of peace and in the service of compassion
  • we have the means to solve the problems that confront us all
  • We have a world to change. We need your help to change it!
  • World Congress of Humanists
Sunny Jackson

Bundlr - Humanism 101 - 0 views

bundlr.com/...humanism

shared by Sunny Jackson on 24 Jun 13 - No Cached
  • reliance on reason, evidence, and free inquiry
  • considers the welfare of humankind - rather than the welfare of a supposed God or gods - to be of paramount importance
  • affirms our ability and responsibility to lead meaningful, ethical lives
  • ...80 more annotations...
  • people can find purpose in life and maximize their long-term happiness by developing their talents and using those talents for the service of humanity
  • human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives
  • a democratic and ethical lifestance
  • value knowledge based on reason and hard evidence
  • this is the only life
  • adding to the greater good of humanity
  • using human efforts to meet human needs
  • recognizes human beings as a part of nature
  • supporters of the principle of separation of church and state
  • humanity must take responsibility for its own destiny
  • individual freedom
  • represents a consensus of what all or almost all Humanists believe
  • universal human dignity
  • we owe it to ourselves and others to make it the best life possible for ourselves and all
  • values-be they religious, ethical, social, or political-have their source in human experience and culture
  • an uncreated universe that obeys natural laws
  • service to others is a major focus of Humanism
  • stands for the building of a more humane society
  • people's fulfillment by personal effort
  • knowledge can be obtained through rational thought and experimentation
  • advocates the extension of participatory democracy
  • Humanists believe in and value love, equality, peace, freedom and reason
  • derives the goals of life from human need
  • accept democracy
  • the preciousness and dignity of the individual person is a central humanist value
  • an approach to life based on reason and our common humanity, recognizing that moral values are properly founded on human nature and experience
  • a philosophy, world view, or lifestance
  • a rational philosophy informed by science, inspired by art, and motivated by compassion
  • Humanist values are mainstream American values
  • when people are free to think for themselves, using reason and knowledge as their tools, they are best able to solve this world's problems
  • the open society, standing for human rights and social justice
  • Humanists take responsibility for their own lives and relish the adventure of being part of new discoveries, seeking new knowledge, exploring new options
  • a philosophy
  • Since most believe that an afterlife is non-existent, they regard life here on earth to be particularly precious
  • ethics based on human and other natural values in a spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities
  • fundamentalist religion has no right to claim the moral high ground
  • Affirming the dignity of each human being
  • many people realize that they are already humanists and just did not know
  • Humanists stand for the building of a more humane, just, compassionate, and democratic society using a pragmatic ethics based on human reason, experience, and reliable knowledge-an ethics that judges the consequences of human actions by the well-being of all life on Earth.
  • Although religious texts can teach good lessons, they also advocate fear, intolerance, hate and ignorance.
  • highly motivated to alleviating pain and misery around the world
  • Secular Humanism a non-religiously based philosophy
  • supports the maximization of individual liberty and opportunity consonant with social and planetary responsibility
  • Humanists view this natural world as wondrous and precious, and as offering limitless opportunities for exploration, fascination, creativity, companionship, and joy
  • All quotes from religious texts were checked by scripture scholars to ensure accuracy, context and proper translation. 
  • value freedom of inquiry, expression and action
  • have a history of combating bigotry, hatred, discrimination, intolerance and censorship
  • truth could be discovered by human effort
  • humans have the freedom to give meaning, value, and purpose to their lives by their own independent thought, free inquiry, and responsible, creative activity
  • moral values derive their source from human experience
  • humanists enjoy the open-endedness of a quest and the freedom of discovery
  • Humanism considers the universe to be the result of an extremely long and complex evolution under immutable laws of nature
  • Humanists seek to understand the universe by using science and its methods of critical inquiry-logical reasoning, empirical evidence, and skeptical evaluation of conjectures and conclusions-to obtain reliable knowledge
  • The rights of men and women should be equal and sacred
  • a philosophy centered upon the needs and interests of people
  • marriage should be a perfect partnership
  • love coupled with empathy, democracy, and a commitment to selfless service
  • secular humanist values are consistent with mainstream America
  • nature is all that exists or is real
  • Humanism is the idea that you can be good without a belief in God.
  • the lack of any evidence for an afterlife means this life should be lived as though it's the only one we have
  • When people view the Bible as the word of a just and omniscient God, and attempt to have society's laws and social practices reflect biblical teachings, serious error and harm will occur if the Bible was actually written by fallible humans who lived in an unenlightened era.
  • When the subjects involve governmental issues, all of society can be affected
  • In most communities, an opposing view is rarely, if ever, heard
  • It would instead perpetuate the ideas of an ignorant and superstitious past - and prevent humanity from rising to a higher level.
  • written solely by humans
  • it contains numerous contradictions
  • The Bible is an unreliable authority
  • The massive and incessant promotion of the Bible significantly influences the beliefs of millions
  • Humanists also reject the Bible because it approves of outrageous cruelty and injustice.
  • because so many people have been told the Bible is the "Good Book," biblical teachings shape the attitudes of millions
  • Humanity’s condition could be greatly improved if those resources were used for solving the world's problems instead of worshiping a nonexistent God.
  • Logically, if two statements are contradictory, at least one of them is false.
  • the suffering of the innocent is the essence of injustice
  • the book has many false statements and is not infallible
  • the Bible teaches that God repeatedly violated this moral precept by harming innocent people
  • Instances of cruel and unjust behavior by the biblical God are seen in the most basic Christian doctrines.
  • hundreds of contradictions mean there are at least hundreds of incorrect statements in the Bible
  • because the writers of the Bible lived in an unenlightened era, the book contains many errors and harmful teachings
  • Each contradiction is an instance where at least one of the verses is wrong.
Sunny Jackson

Friendly Atheist » The Religious Exemption to the New York Same-Sex Marriage ... - 0 views

friendlyatheist.com/...ew-york-same-sex-marriage-bill

shared by Sunny Jackson on 26 Jun 13 - No Cached
  • Churches have every right to be bigots. The government does not.
  • It would be funnier, though, if their religious views didn’t cause so many people so much pain.
  • “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing – after they’ve tried everything else.” – Winston Churchill
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • true understanding
  • timeless truths
  • So, a bunch of folks who believe a magical sky ghost and base those beliefs on a book written 1800 years ago (as well as others who hold similarly ridiculous beliefs) don’t want to perform marriages on two people who are in love. That’s cool – as long as the state itself has process in which those two lovers can be married.
  • these organizations can still discriminate on whatever basis they want, they just can’t receive taxpayer money for it
  • The general rule is that religious groups can discriminate when they’re operating as religious groups, but if they’re operating in a secular capacity, they have to comply with secular laws
  • the sooner churches work out that marriage has little to do with religion for many people the better
  • Some day, not so far off any more, when the Shamans disapprove of something, society’s overall response will be, “So?” Not so long after that, the overall response will be “Who?”
  • How arrogant. “As revealed by god”
Sunny Jackson

Introduction to Humanism - 0 views

www.religioustolerance.org/humanism1.htm

Humanism

shared by Sunny Jackson on 22 May 13 - No Cached
  • knowledge can be obtained through rational thought and experimentation
  • developed into the scientific method and is the major underpinning of all sciences today
  • a philosophy centered upon the needs and interests of people
  • ...57 more annotations...
  • truth could be discovered by human effort
  • rationalism
  • free thought
  • rational philosophy
  • Many regard Socrates as the first and greatest of the Humanists
  • value knowledge based on reason and hard evidence rather than on faith
  • the preciousness and dignity of the individual person is a central humanist value
  • universe that obeys natural laws
  • rejection of divinely inspired ethical and moral codes in favor of codes derived by reason from the human condition
  • full responsibility for the future of the world, its political systems, its ecology, etc. rests with humans. There is no God in heaven to intervene and save us
  • religious groups' "promises of immortal salvation or fear of eternal damnation are both illusory and harmful."
  • reject both theocracy and secular dictatorships as political systems that are dangerous to individual freedoms
  • accept democracy
  • value freedom of inquiry, expression and action
  • combating bigotry, hatred, discrimination, intolerance and censorship
  • supporters of the principle of separation of church and state
  • moral values derive their source from human experience
  • regard life here on earth to be particularly precious
  • creator of Third Force Psychology
  • human rights
  • it represents a consensus of what Humanists do believe
  • Knowledge of the world is derived by observation, experimentation, and rational analysis
  • Humans are an integral part of nature, the result of unguided evolutionary change
  • Ethical values are derived from human need and interest as tested by experience
  • Life’s fulfillment emerges from individual participation in the service of humane ideals
  • Humans are social by nature and find meaning in relationships
  • Working to benefit society maximizes individual happiness
  • Isaac Asimov
  • scientist and author
  • literary freedom activist
  • Margaret Atwood
  • Brock Chisholm
  • conceiver of the Theory of Relativity
  • Albert Einstein
  • Betty Friedan
  • feminist activist
  • R. Buckminster Fuller
  • futurist and inventor
  • United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization
  • Julian Huxley
  • Richard Leakey
  • Abraham Maslow
  • highly motivated to alleviating pain and misery around the world
  • John Boyd Orr
  • human rights activist
  • A. Philip Randolf
  • creator of Client Centered Therapy
  • Carl Rogers
  • Bertrand Russell
  • developer of the polio vaccine
  • Jonas Salk
  • Margaret Sanger
  • Andrei Sakharov
  • Gloria Steinem
  • American Humanist Association
  • Humanism and its aspirations
  • Humanism and Its Aspirations
Sunny Jackson

HUMANISM: Public school teaching, ethics, is it a religion? - 0 views

www.religioustolerance.org/humanism2.htm

Humanism

shared by Sunny Jackson on 22 May 13 - Cached
  • A non-religious approach to human sexuality would make use of the latest findings about sexual orientation; they would teach that bisexuality, heterosexuality and homosexuality are natural and human sexual variations.
  • non-religious approach to human sexuality would make use of the latest findings about sexual orientation; they would teach that bisexuality, heterosexuality and homosexuality are natural and human sexual variations
  • Public Schools are required to base their curriculum on secularism because of the principle of separation of church and state which the U.S. Supreme Court has said is implicit in the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
  • ...16 more annotations...
  • Humanists have successfully developed moral and ethical systems which are independent of divine revelation
  • foundational beliefs
  • Systems of morality and ethics can be developed through mutual agreement much like we develop laws and social customs
  • based upon common needs that humans have for survival, security, personal growth and love
  • Humans are social animals who can make the greatest achievements through mutual cooperation
  • reasonable
  • effective
  • lead to self esteem
  • consistent with one's natural feelings of caring, compassion and sympathy
  • do not lead to condemnation or rejection
  • accepted
  • Humanists do not generally believe in a supreme deity or deities, demons, ghosts, angels, or in a supernatural world, or in heaven and hell, or in a divinely ordained ethical code for humans to follow. Most would regard the Gods and Goddesses as a creation of mankind
  • Religious Humanism has been loosely defined as religion without deity worship and traditional theological beliefs
  • a belief in the scientific method as the best way to determine truth
  • philosophical and educational in nature
  • The ARIS study of 2001 showed that 76.5% of American adults consider themselves to be Christian. The Canadian Census of the same year showed that 76.6% of Canadian adults consider themselves to be Christian.
Sunny Jackson

Stop Saying "Same-Sex" Marriage | The Humanist - 0 views

thehumanist.org/...0%9csame-sex%e2%80%9d-marriage

Humanism

shared by Sunny Jackson on 22 May 13 - No Cached
  • What saying “gay” or “same-sex” marriage does confer is that the social worth of gay and lesbian individuals is subordinate and inferior to their heterosexual counterparts.
  • As humanists, we should stop saying “gay marriage” and “same-sex marriage” and call it what it really is: marriage.
  • marriage is a cherished, challenging, and rewarding commitment between two individuals who love each other and who have their relationship recognized by the state for certain privileges and protections.
  • ...13 more annotations...
  • Nowhere in that structure is the sex or gender of the participants relevant. What is relevant is the love, mutual respect, care, and commitment between the participants.
  • homosexuality is neither a disease nor a disorder
  • there is no valid secular reason to discriminate against gay and lesbian individuals
  • Diminished social worth caused by popular disparaging has far-reaching consequences
  • Same-sex couples are only asking for what is deserved, the extensions of these marriage rights that are open to our heterosexual peers.
  • We no longer need a god for health and welfare, social order, or the maintenance of the laws of physics (and frankly, we never did).
  • We’ve moved on
  • I find the implication of inferiority by distinction offensive.
  • Language has power, and without thinking, our use of these specific terms can cause pain and separation between us and the very people we support.
  • Freethinkers are always at the forefront of pursuits to elevate all of humanity, to achieve equality, and to work for the greater good (which includes happiness).
  • As humanists we must be compelled to actively participate in these endeavors.
  • we do have the ability to do the little things that really matter
  • once and for all, stop saying “same-sex marriage“ and call it what it really is: Marriage. For all.
1 - 20 of 42 Next › Last »
Showing 20▼ items per page