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For me, it's enough to say I'm an atheist or an anti-theist. Labeling my positive positions into one (Humanism) seems rather reductive. Maybe i will convertINFORMATION
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Are you a humanist or what?
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
Hi, Elshazli and welcome to TH! Do please introduce yourself in the Introductions thread.
Converting is not an issue; it's how you live that is important. However, I would never call myself an atheist. That would be a bit like going for a drive in my steering wheel. Yep, the steering wheel is a part, but it's the car I go driving in. Similarly, atheism is part of my philosophy, but the rest, and how I live are far more important.
Converting is not an issue; it's how you live that is important. However, I would never call myself an atheist. That would be a bit like going for a drive in my steering wheel. Yep, the steering wheel is a part, but it's the car I go driving in. Similarly, atheism is part of my philosophy, but the rest, and how I live are far more important.
Carpe diem. Savour every moment.
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
Greetings as well, elshazli.
"Anti-theism", for me at least, does seem to have a bit of a problem when held up against my interpretation of Humanism. I find it difficult to reconcile The Golden Rule, said by some to be essential to the true humanist, with active "anti-theism" at least.
"Anti-theism", for me at least, does seem to have a bit of a problem when held up against my interpretation of Humanism. I find it difficult to reconcile The Golden Rule, said by some to be essential to the true humanist, with active "anti-theism" at least.
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015
Me, 2015
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
Hi elshazli and
By anti-theist, do you mean secularist or a stronger opposition to religion?
By anti-theist, do you mean secularist or a stronger opposition to religion?
Alan Henness
There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:
1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?
There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:
1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
I've never really understood the need to have a title for what you believe or don't believe. I simply don't believe in anything supernatural.
However, one thing I like about Humanism is a description of what Humanists believe in: compassion, ethics, science, and nature. That sums it up for me. I don't over think it.
However, one thing I like about Humanism is a description of what Humanists believe in: compassion, ethics, science, and nature. That sums it up for me. I don't over think it.
Laugh often/love much;leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child,a garden patch,or a redeemed social condition;play w/enthusiasm & sing w/exultation;know even 1 life has breathed easier because you lived. This is success.B.A.Stanley
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
Ah, Carja, we all know our own shade of "un/belief", labels are for other people to understand as well. That's if we want them to do so of course!Carja wrote:I've never really understood the need to have a title for what you believe or don't believe. I simply don't believe in anything supernatural.
However, one thing I like about Humanism is a description of what Humanists believe in: compassion, ethics, science, and nature. That sums it up for me. I don't over think it.
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015
Me, 2015
- draykorinee
- Posts: 245
- Joined: September 21st, 2013, 11:10 am
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
I struggle to label myself, I am an anti theist, I am also a humanist and a secularist, to choose one would be very difficult, unlike Carja I do label myself but also like Carja I do like the humanist stance of compassion, ethics and science, but struggle to balance that with the desire to mock and ridicule religious belief, it is why I can't pin down a label for myself. I will of course consider myself a secularist because it is absolutely the only way to a healthy society.
sanctimonious
ˌsaŋ(k)tɪˈməʊnɪəs/Submit
adjectivederogatory
1.
making a show of being morally superior to other people.
ˌsaŋ(k)tɪˈməʊnɪəs/Submit
adjectivederogatory
1.
making a show of being morally superior to other people.
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
I too would apply those three labels to myself, I don't see any problem with that, one can be all three as neither one negates either of the other two.draykorinee
I am an anti theist, I am also a humanist and a secularist, to choose one would be very difficult,
Abstinence Makes the Church Grow Fondlers.
- draykorinee
- Posts: 245
- Joined: September 21st, 2013, 11:10 am
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
Yes I agree, I battled before with being an anthi theist and whether that was counter to being a humanist, but further reading enabled me to realise that its not, I had misconstrued some ambiguity with the definition of humanism. I do however battle constantly with being an anti theist and the 'bigot' retort I get from the other side.Alan C. wrote:I too would apply those three labels to myself, I don't see any problem with that, one can be all three as neither one negates either of the other two.draykorinee
I am an anti theist, I am also a humanist and a secularist, to choose one would be very difficult,
sanctimonious
ˌsaŋ(k)tɪˈməʊnɪəs/Submit
adjectivederogatory
1.
making a show of being morally superior to other people.
ˌsaŋ(k)tɪˈməʊnɪəs/Submit
adjectivederogatory
1.
making a show of being morally superior to other people.
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
draykorinee
I have found that it helps to separate the religious institutions from the 'faithful'.
As a secular Humanist I have no problem with religion bashing. Although we know they get awful upset if we demand they are out of the public sphere, we also know how excellent they are at brainwashing folk from a very early age, particularly in a strongly religious cultural environment. So I never battle with individuals who have either unquestioningly accepted or chosen their own path. But I reserve the right at every opportunity to prick the complacency and expose the shallow power of the institutions.
Having just written that I guess that's where the secular comes from in my Humanism
I have found that it helps to separate the religious institutions from the 'faithful'.
As a secular Humanist I have no problem with religion bashing. Although we know they get awful upset if we demand they are out of the public sphere, we also know how excellent they are at brainwashing folk from a very early age, particularly in a strongly religious cultural environment. So I never battle with individuals who have either unquestioningly accepted or chosen their own path. But I reserve the right at every opportunity to prick the complacency and expose the shallow power of the institutions.
Having just written that I guess that's where the secular comes from in my Humanism
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
^ I regard being anti-theist as an anathema to bigotry,
I hold all "religions" in the same contempt, so how can that be construed as bigotry?
Cross posting with Fia.
I hold all "religions" in the same contempt, so how can that be construed as bigotry?
Cross posting with Fia.
Abstinence Makes the Church Grow Fondlers.
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
I think that I am a "selective anti-theist"
I am happy that others should follow whatever faith or belief suits their needs. But when they try to impose that on others, in any way - including shouting their heads off at street corners - then I begin to lose my normal tolerance with them! I certainly think that religious organisations should be treated no differently from any other charity.
I am happy that others should follow whatever faith or belief suits their needs. But when they try to impose that on others, in any way - including shouting their heads off at street corners - then I begin to lose my normal tolerance with them! I certainly think that religious organisations should be treated no differently from any other charity.
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015
Me, 2015
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
I tend to chance my arm, and when told someone is a believer, just exclaim "Seriously!?"
A bit naughty, maybe , but if it makes them feel a bit of a twit, then so much the better.
A bit naughty, maybe , but if it makes them feel a bit of a twit, then so much the better.
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
My temptation was something like, "Oh, sorry to hear that, I hope you get over it soon."Nick wrote:I tend to chance my arm, and when told someone is a believer, just exclaim "Seriously!?"
A bit naughty, maybe , but if it makes them feel a bit of a twit, then so much the better.
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015
Me, 2015
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
Dave, religions as such are not charities, surely, but ideologiesDave B wrote:I certainly think that religious organisations should be treated no differently from any other charity.
Lots of terms are being bandied around here, as ever. I don't like the term "humanist" as I don't really know, despite all the words, what it means. "Secularist" and "atheist" are good terms, but different, since one can be a theistic secularist. "Anti-theist" - this could mean antagonism towards God, which I feel a lot of the time, whereas I am not necessarily against religious belief, if it makes people feel better
- draykorinee
- Posts: 245
- Joined: September 21st, 2013, 11:10 am
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
The day religion loses its charity status will surely be a great day for secularism.
sanctimonious
ˌsaŋ(k)tɪˈməʊnɪəs/Submit
adjectivederogatory
1.
making a show of being morally superior to other people.
ˌsaŋ(k)tɪˈməʊnɪəs/Submit
adjectivederogatory
1.
making a show of being morally superior to other people.
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
Not charities in fact I agree but they share a lot in common and should be treated as such.animist wrote:Dave, religions as such are not charities, surely, but ideologiesDave B wrote:I certainly think that religious organisations should be treated no differently from any other charity.
Lots of terms are being bandied around here, as ever. I don't like the term "humanist" as I don't really know, despite all the words, what it means. "Secularist" and "atheist" are good terms, but different, since one can be a theistic secularist. "Anti-theist" - this could mean antagonism towards God, which I feel a lot of the time, whereas I am not necessarily against religious belief, if it makes people feel better
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015
Me, 2015
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
Unless I have it wrong, Alex, the churches have tax advantages not shared by charities and can ignore some of the employment discrimination laws.draykorinee wrote:The day religion loses its charity status will surely be a great day for secularism.
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015
Me, 2015
- draykorinee
- Posts: 245
- Joined: September 21st, 2013, 11:10 am
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
The fact they exist on the the backs of childhood indoctrination and scaremongering for compliance just makes me question whether this is true, I don't view religions as sharing a whole lot with charities, there are charities whos foundations are in the churches/mosques, the red cross/crescent etc, but these can exist outside of religion, it is not the religion that makes them charitable.Dave B wrote:Not charities in fact I agree but they share a lot in common and should be treated as such.
And yes Churches are the only institutions than can be openly discriminatory that receives charitable benefits, just as their schools are the only state funded schools that can be openly discriminatory.
sanctimonious
ˌsaŋ(k)tɪˈməʊnɪəs/Submit
adjectivederogatory
1.
making a show of being morally superior to other people.
ˌsaŋ(k)tɪˈməʊnɪəs/Submit
adjectivederogatory
1.
making a show of being morally superior to other people.
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
Just a small point: I think the Red Cross's red cross was based on (an invertion of) the Swiss Flag, not on a notion of Christian charity, as such. Of course, that did not fail to upset the Muslims, who thought otherwise, hence the Red Crescent.draykorinee wrote: ....there are charities whos foundations are in the churches/mosques, the red cross/crescent etc, but these can exist outside of religion, it is not the religion that makes them charitable.
- draykorinee
- Posts: 245
- Joined: September 21st, 2013, 11:10 am
Re: Are you a humanist or what?
Well thanks for that, i had a good read on the red cross and yes you're right, formed in Switzerland hence the cross, good to know.Nick wrote:Just a small point: I think the Red Cross's red cross was based on (an invertion of) the Swiss Flag, not on a notion of Christian charity, as such. Of course, that did not fail to upset the Muslims, who thought otherwise, hence the Red Crescent.draykorinee wrote: ....there are charities whos foundations are in the churches/mosques, the red cross/crescent etc, but these can exist outside of religion, it is not the religion that makes them charitable.
sanctimonious
ˌsaŋ(k)tɪˈməʊnɪəs/Submit
adjectivederogatory
1.
making a show of being morally superior to other people.
ˌsaŋ(k)tɪˈməʊnɪəs/Submit
adjectivederogatory
1.
making a show of being morally superior to other people.