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I enjoyed this youtube video:
Are You a Secular Humanist?
www.youtube.com/watch
In the information box on the right - it lists a few things:
You May Be a Secular Humanist IF:
--You try to live an ethical and fulfilling life without religious belief.
--You think science and reason lead to more reliable knowledge than faith.
--You support secular government and an open society that guarantees human rights for all.
--You make sense of the world using reason, experience and shared human values.
--You see no convincing evidence for gods, the supernatural, or life after death.
--You believe that moral values are properly founded on human empathy and scientific understanding.
--You believe we must live this life on the basis that it is the only life we'll have -- that, therefore, we must make the most of it for ourselves, each other, and our world.
(List courtesy of The Institute for Humanist Studies)
I thought this would be a great way to reach out to theists - except the list above needs to be re-arranged or completely remove the first one in order to appeal to more theists without turning them off straight way.
I would re-create the list keeping theists in mind - we have much in common except for the religious beliefs, faith & euphoria crap. How would you organize such a list? I would begin with our most powerful universal morals/values first. Things any decent person would agree to. Like many from the description of this tribe:
* A primary concern with fulfillment, growth, and creativity for both the individual and humankind in general.
* A constant search for objective truth, with the understanding that new knowledge and experience constantly alter our imperfect perception of it.
* A conviction that with reason, an open marketplace of ideas, good will, and tolerance, progress can be made in building a better world for ourselves and our children.
* 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 dogmas, ideologies and traditions, whether religious, political or social, must be weighed and tested by each individual and not simply accepted on faith.
* Commitment to the use of critical reason, factual evidence, and scientific methods of inquiry, rather than faith and mysticism, in seeking solutions to human problems and answers to important human questions.
The point is that if we create such a list we may bring over theists to our side - the worst thing that could happen is that theists would have a better understanding of Secular Humanism.
Are You a Secular Humanist?
www.youtube.com/watch
In the information box on the right - it lists a few things:
You May Be a Secular Humanist IF:
--You try to live an ethical and fulfilling life without religious belief.
--You think science and reason lead to more reliable knowledge than faith.
--You support secular government and an open society that guarantees human rights for all.
--You make sense of the world using reason, experience and shared human values.
--You see no convincing evidence for gods, the supernatural, or life after death.
--You believe that moral values are properly founded on human empathy and scientific understanding.
--You believe we must live this life on the basis that it is the only life we'll have -- that, therefore, we must make the most of it for ourselves, each other, and our world.
(List courtesy of The Institute for Humanist Studies)
I thought this would be a great way to reach out to theists - except the list above needs to be re-arranged or completely remove the first one in order to appeal to more theists without turning them off straight way.
I would re-create the list keeping theists in mind - we have much in common except for the religious beliefs, faith & euphoria crap. How would you organize such a list? I would begin with our most powerful universal morals/values first. Things any decent person would agree to. Like many from the description of this tribe:
* A primary concern with fulfillment, growth, and creativity for both the individual and humankind in general.
* A constant search for objective truth, with the understanding that new knowledge and experience constantly alter our imperfect perception of it.
* A conviction that with reason, an open marketplace of ideas, good will, and tolerance, progress can be made in building a better world for ourselves and our children.
* 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 dogmas, ideologies and traditions, whether religious, political or social, must be weighed and tested by each individual and not simply accepted on faith.
* Commitment to the use of critical reason, factual evidence, and scientific methods of inquiry, rather than faith and mysticism, in seeking solutions to human problems and answers to important human questions.
The point is that if we create such a list we may bring over theists to our side - the worst thing that could happen is that theists would have a better understanding of Secular Humanism.
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