Humanism and Religious Fundamentalism: Great Humanist Quotes

This video is both an advocacy of the life philosophy of humanism and a criticism of religious fundamentalism. But with this comes a risk: the perception that all people of faith are being tarred with the same brush. Non-theists know that most believers are just ordinary, decent folk. So too do we commend the positive contributions of religion: spiritual comfort, moral guidance, the charity work, not forgetting the legacy in art, literature and architecture. Nothing said here or in the video is in ignorance of this.

Nonetheless, humanists do not resile from the conviction the world would be a better place without religion. It should also be appreciated that religion doesn't own the contributions i've just mentioned. Take God out of the equation and they would still happen, such is the spirit of man.

Like many others, I take heart in the growth of atheism and the gradual decline of religion- notwithstanding the clarion call of the Fundamentalists. And for good reason. To put it bluntly, in the 21st century, people are tired of heroic mythology being held up as truth; tired of church hypocricy and obstinacy; tired of antiquated morality being plastered on our consciences in an attempt to hold back ethics in step with the times. Most of all we are tired of the hatred it causes through the blinkered puritanism it spreads.

It shouldn't need saying: science HAS revealed the age of the Earth and Universe, our biology and evolution, and with a mountain of archeological evidence, our past. Religious dogma slights these achievements. For all the painstaking work of great men and women of science who shed light on the real world, fundamentalism turns away and heralds mythos and folklore as the answers. Given religion's all pervasive influence on our thinking, it's only due to our inborn curiosity that we've achieved anything at all. We should never forget why medieval Europe was known as The Dark Ages.

From countless archeological field studies, right up to the latest by Tel Aviv and Jerusalum Universities, the overwhelming consensus is that the Biblical and Koranic tales are allegories - the propaganda of their day - conceived as both symbolic history and a binding holy covenent between the national god of Israel -Yahweh, and his laws - and a once disparate tribe of mostly illiterate semi-nomads who understood little of the nature of their world, sandwiched between the ancient superpowers of Egypt and Assyria. The stories are fictional as all legends are but they served to create an identity and destiny for the Hebrews. In the Bible's first six books alone there are over 700 references to Egypt. In all of ancient Egypt's historical texts and hieroglyphics there is only a single two word reference to Israel. It is the classic example of the minor player making himself out to be more than he is.

These stories and their interwoven moral reflections have been handed down as "divine" truth for centuries, when in truth they are the ponderings of Hebrew scribes. Wars of gross destruction, millions of deaths, social and political injustices and quashed freedoms have scarred our history because of strict adherence to these myths. When you balance the ledger, religion does more harm than good.

So what becomes of spirituality, moral values and that most precious of beliefs - hope - in a godless, "materialist" world? Even given the joy, the jubilance of the saved, there is a resignation that life is but pain and suffering; a struggle...we are born in sin, made of dust, we are no good, and hope can only come from a maker, a risen Christ, a Prophet. I find this a miserable, pessimistic outlook. It reveals a sense of despair and hopelessness in the real world. It infers that true happiness and justice can only come from something outside and beyond us.

Humanism on the other hand spreads belief in ourselves. In common sense and reason. Forgiveness and compassion becomes our own grace, for it's own sake. It shows that spirituality can come from wonder and oneness with life and the universe. It places hope not in a hypothetical god but in trust that we can change our tangible, very real world of human circumstance. It honours human potential. It recognizes morality as innate to our species and not the blueprint of a god. It says that God is not a reality, it is an excuse to *excuse* ourselves from embracing reality. In accepting this, attitudes transform, thus we take full responsibility for our environment, inspiring change within and without. We recognize that we are the hope of the world.

Below are a few links to humanist sites for your perusal.

http://humaniststudies.org/

http://www.iheu.org/

Fundamentalist sites.

http://www.biblebelievers.com/

http://anikah.wordpress.com/ (Taliban)

COPYRIGHT: All montages and collages were created by me. Footage is in the public domain.
The music/audio montage was created by me using live instruments, modified loops and wav files

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[timmye00]

Satan will be so proud of he's little Intelletual helper friends the Huminists,who are helping to destroy the christian religion.And make way for the Anti-Christ 666.

[sainter1]

@timmye00 Mate, get real, Satan...the Devil, whatever you want to call him is a story, a myth made up thousands of years ago by people who new nothing about how the world works to try to explain why people do bad things. Be rational about this.

[timmye00]

@sainter1 I cant wait to say i told you so.

[sainter1]

@timmye00 I don't think that's going to happen somehow but if you want to believe it, go ahead.

[timmye00]

The AntiChristian religion of Humanism, where everyone thinks they are little tin gods. What a load of Godless lawless sons of Belial.

[sainter1]

@timmye00 Errr no, it's not anti-Christian, it's pro humanity. Try thinking about it a little more deeply and not just reacting off the top of your head.

[sainter1]

@fatherdoom1973 Humanism is a philosophy, not a religion. It's a way of thinking that allows for uncertainty. Religion preaches absolute certainty - a serious mistake as you can see from what's happening in the world today. No nations or political ideology has killed in the name of humanism. I suggest you think about things a little deeper.

[sainter1]

@richardaberdeen Your saviour, Jesus of Nazareth, was perhaps the very first radical humanist, preaching equality, non-violence & compassion for others. If you deride humanism you deride Jesus. How hypocritical you fundamentalists are! You call yourselves Christians yet you are pro guns, pro military, pro death penalty and eye for an eye right wing, the complete opposite of what Jesus taught. If Jesus was alive today he'd be one of those "bleeding heart" Liberals you hate so much. Think about it

[LeagueOfDorf]

@sainter1 You are entitled to your perspective However, I must say one thing. Humanism is dissolving the family in pursuit of its own freedoms. As much as I love promoting hospitality and health, there isa darker side to humanism. There comes a point when we see the freedoms of others as our own. Some examples of this include abortion, the further dissolving and dysfunction of the family and other "freedoms" that attempt to take away the responsibility from ourselves. These actions are perpetual

[sainter1]

@LeagueOfDorf Humanism's aim is to promote a secular path to a moral world primarily for the good of the collective. It doesn't disregard individual freedoms but the good of the many outweighs all else. This in fact is what Jesus of Nazareth taught: love for one another; compassion and forgiveness as community values. Unfortunately this has been lost on many Christians who think Jesus' value is in the forgiveness of their sins. They turned a great thinker into the son of god. He was just a man

[sainter1]

@LeagueOfDorf Not a stereotype, it comes from observation and experience. Your description of Christianity is admirable but idealistic and not the reality. Many devout "by the book" Christians convert out of either desperation or an empty life, looking for something to give it meaning. This action is in itself, self centered. It is no coincidence that most fundamentalist Christians politically favour individualism over the collective good.

[LeagueOfDorf]

@sainter1 Humanism means that people are in charge of what happens, correct? If so, then that means that humanity can take pride in what they accomplish, if what they do is good. This makes the focus on the self and what the self has done, thus, being self-centered in actions and thoughts.