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    Humanism

    I really dislike the term "anti-theist."

    It strikes me of having the kind of negative connotations that one group uses to label their opponents - you know, like "anti-American," "anti-education," "anti-choice," and "anti-life."

    A better term, which defines me by what I am FOR, rather than what I am AGAINST is Humanism.

    To define:

    Humanism, in general, means "an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems."

    "Humanism is one of those philosophies for people who think for themselves. There is no area of thought that a Humanist is afraid to challenge and explore.

    Humanism is a philosophy focused upon human means for comprehending reality. Humanists make no claims to possess or have access to supposed transcendent knowledge.

    Humanism is a philosophy of reason and science in the pursuit of knowledge. Therefore, when it comes to the question of the most valid means for acquiring knowledge of the world, Humanists reject arbitrary faith, authority, revelation, and altered states of consciousness.

    Humanism is a philosophy of imagination. Humanists recognize that intuitive feelings, hunches, speculation, flashes of inspiration, emotion, altered states of consciousness, and even religious experience, while not valid means to acquire knowledge, remain useful sources of ideas that can lead us to new ways of looking at the world. These ideas, after they have been assessed rationally for their usefulness, can then be put to work, often as alternative approaches for solving problems.

    Humanism is a philosophy for the here and now. Humanists regard human values as making sense only in the context of human life rather than in the promise of a supposed life after death.

    Humanism is a philosophy of compassion. Humanist ethics is solely concerned with meeting human needs and answering human problems-for both the individual and society-and devotes no attention to the satisfaction of the desires of supposed theological entities.

    Humanism is a realistic philosophy. Humanists recognize the existence of moral dilemmas and the need for careful consideration of immediate and future consequences in moral decision making.

    Humanism is in tune with the science of today. Humanists therefore recognize that we live in a natural universe of great size and age, that we evolved on this planet over a long period of time, that there is no compelling evidence for a separable "soul," and that human beings have certain built-in needs that effectively form the basis for any human-oriented value system.

    Humanism is in tune with today's enlightened social thought. Humanists are committed to civil liberties, human rights, church-state separation, the extension of participatory democracy not only in government but in the workplace and education, an expansion of global consciousness and exchange of products and ideas internationally, and an open-ended approach to solving social problems, an approach that allows for the testing of new alternatives.

    Humanism is in tune with new technological developments. Humanists are willing to take part in emerging scientific and technological discoveries in order to exercise their moral influence on these revolutions as they come about, especially in the interest of protecting the environment.

    Humanism is, in sum, a philosophy for those in love with life. Humanists take responsibility for their own lives and relish the adventure of being part of new discoveries, seeking new knowledge, exploring new options. Instead of finding solace in prefabricated answers to the great questions of life, humanists enjoy the open-endedness of a quest and the freedom of discovery that this entails."

    WHAT IS HUMANISM
    Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.


    #2
    Re: Humanism

    Is Humanism compatible with religion? Or at least spirituality?

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      #3
      Re: Humanism

      Originally posted by SeanRave View Post
      Is Humanism compatible with religion? Or at least spirituality?
      Going by Corbin's link, this pretty much depends on the Humanist.

      On that note, I may find things to bug you about regarding this later Corbin. I want to read more of the link later before tossing out questions.
      life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

      Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

      "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

      John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

      "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

      Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


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        #4
        Re: Humanism

        Originally posted by SeanRave View Post
        Is Humanism compatible with religion? Or at least spirituality?
        Ish. It's more of a philosophy or an outlook on life really, like Objectivism.
        Trust is knowing someone or something well enough to have a good idea of their motivations and character, for good or for ill. People often say trust when they mean faith.

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          #5
          Re: Humanism

          A humanist would only have a problem with religion when a religion or religious group claims that their ideology is more important than the effects of their ideology on people.

          For example, heaping misery on gay folks because "God don't like queers" would raise their ire.

          That's not to say that they don't critically examine religion or religious groups, and notice where things go off kilter. No topic is taboo to a free mind.
          Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

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            #6
            Re: Humanism

            So a Theist belief system can be compatible with Humanism if it's tenants are similar/not contradictory?

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              #7
              Re: Humanism

              That is an amazing description of how I feel about religion. If it doesn't affect me, and it doesn't (as a larger whole) affect humanity, I honestly am not concerned about what you believe. But - as many have noticed from a couple of threads - I consider it "affecting me" when my tax dollars are wasted on it. I have...strong opinions about that...

              - - - Updated - - -

              Originally posted by SeanRave View Post
              So a Theist belief system can be compatible with Humanism if it's tenants are similar/not contradictory?
              I suspect that what people consider to be "harmful" may depend on what the individual believes Humanism for me may be vastly different from a Christian Humanist, and while I'm sure that Scientology Humanists are impossible, there is probably someone out there that holds that title

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                #8
                Re: Humanism

                Originally posted by Roknrol View Post
                That is an amazing description of how I feel about religion. If it doesn't affect me, and it doesn't (as a larger whole) affect humanity, I honestly am not concerned about what you believe. But - as many have noticed from a couple of threads - I consider it "affecting me" when my tax dollars are wasted on it. I have...strong opinions about that...
                So this is your Hobby Lobby
                Satan is my spirit animal

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                  #9
                  Re: Humanism

                  Originally posted by SeanRave View Post
                  So a Theist belief system can be compatible with Humanism if it's tenants are similar/not contradictory?
                  From what I've read, humanism is the broad idea that humans have worth and agency. Opposing notions that humans only have value as servants of God.

                  Secular Humanism, or just Humanism with a capital H depending on who you are talking to, is a specific ideology expanding on that base premise. Usually extolling the virtues of reasoned thinking.
                  Trust is knowing someone or something well enough to have a good idea of their motivations and character, for good or for ill. People often say trust when they mean faith.

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                    #10
                    Re: Humanism

                    Originally posted by SeanRave View Post
                    So a Theist belief system can be compatible with Humanism if it's tenants are similar/not contradictory?
                    Sure. One could be a Christian Humanist, or any other type.

                    I'm a Secular Humanist, because I'm atheist.

                    The key is (at least to me): people have feelings, they suffer pain, they go hungry, they dislike being enslaved, tricked, harmed, etc. The solution to human problems arises from reason, experimentation, and must be based on real world phenomenon. Appealing to "the divine" won't do the work - it takes actual labor.

                    A Humanist with a religion would feel the same way, but with the belief that good religion requires real actions. It's OK to pray, but don't expect that to carry the day.
                    Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

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                      #11
                      Re: Humanism

                      For those interested, I identify as a naturalistic pagan, which is a branch of humanism, and essentially:

                      sauce


                      Mostly art.

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                        #12
                        Re: Humanism

                        The first thing that sprung to mind when reading through this thread and thinking about humanism and a theist or non-theist belief set and the compatibility (or non) thereof was --

                        Quakers

                        There are both theist and non-theist Quakers (yes, there are non-theist Quakers) who, I think, also practice Humanism. Well, I feel they do, and did ... at least when I was part of them.

                        I am going to go back and do some more reading though, to ensure that my understanding of the philosophy is what I think it is before I actually ... make that declaration.

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                          #13
                          Re: Humanism

                          Originally posted by volcaniclastic View Post
                          For those interested, I identify as a naturalistic pagan, which is a branch of humanism, and essentially:

                          I'm not that far off from naturalistic paganism in some ways. From a theological perspective, I'm with TH Huxley---I'm agnostic. I truly doubt there are literal and concrete beings capable of independent agency in the universe, and I'm pretty certain deity is all in my head...but I see value in the idea of gods and I don't think imaginary friends are bad when they are managed properly. My practice is still religious though--and its polytheistic, because I also believe that there is something to be learned from myth-as-an-extension-of-humanity and from the experience of our relationship to what humankind perceives as deity---when it is combined with compassion and critical thinking to live in better accord with one another and our surroundings. And I tend to identify with pantheism, mostly as a philosophical outlook.

                          Originally posted by SeanRave View Post
                          So a Theist belief system can be compatible with Humanism if it's tenants are similar/not contradictory?
                          I was raised in the United Church of Christ (not to be confused with the totally different Church of Christ), which has a strong humanist tradition--the were one of the first churches to have women ministers, they supported the abolition movement, they marry homosexuals, and they are strong supporters of any number of social justice issues.
                          Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
                          sigpic

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                            #14
                            Re: Humanism

                            they have awesome videos (at least some of which are narrated by Stephen Fry)----> https://humanism.org.uk/
                            Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
                            sigpic

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                              #15
                              Re: Humanism

                              Originally posted by thalassa View Post
                              they have awesome videos (at least some of which are narrated by Stephen Fry)----> https://humanism.org.uk/
                              I enjoyed the videos immensely...

                              I wonder if the current Pope has Humanist leanings? Wouldn't that be the cat's pajamas?
                              Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

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