10 Myths About Secular Humanism

1. Secular humanists have no morals.

2. Secular humanism derives its ethics from Christianity.

3. The Supreme Court ruled that secular humanism is a religion.

4. Secular humanism worships humankind.

5. Secular humanists believe all of nature should be subjugated to human desires and interests.

6. Secular humanism is the same as communism.

7. Secular humanists are unpatriotic.

8. Secular humanists want to outlaw religion.

9. Secular humanism is the official religion of the public education system.

10. Secular humanists don't exist. They are a bogeyman made up by religious conservatives.

Council for Secular Humanism

I think I've heard all of those at one time or another, sometimes from people who should know better. Numbers 1 and 2 are pretty standard Fundie lines. They love going on about our supposed lack or moral grounding.

Number 5 is interesting. Isn't it the fundamentalist Christians who are always justifying their support of raping and pillaging the earth and its inhabitants by quoting that Bible thing about man having dominion?

My life partner was a secular humanist before he converted to Judaism. He (and I agree with this) finds no conflict between the two, and found that he could fit his secular humanism into Reform Judaism very easily. He didn't convert because of me, but for his own reasons. Part of it was that he wanted to reconnect with his Jewish ancestry that had stopped when his grandmother converted to Catholicism. Technically, he was always Jewish due to the matrilineal lineage, but he did a formal conversion ceremony.

Anyway. Just saying - I like and respect secular humanism.

So your life partner had a brain meltdown, decided to leave reality and became part of an Iron Age supernatural cult? Wow, that's too bad. Delusional. Sad.

By the way, there is a HUGE conflict between Secular Humanism and religion. One deals in reality and the other in fantasy. Trying to combine or "fit" the two is simply another self-delusion.

I'd like to steer you toward a dictionary. Please look up the words "tact" and "respect," then apply those definitions in your future discussions of religion.

Rule 2
There will be no personal attacks or threats against other board members.

Oh, I reported that post. Actually, looking back at this member's posting history, he has a history of incredibly rude anti-religious posts.

Just a little confused by this. How can there be "no conflict between the two" when one is a religion and the other does not accept religion and feels it is superstition. I am also not sure why you have to join a religion to reconnect with your family's past. However, I do believe everyone can do as they please and believe in whatever works for you. Tho I am also confused by the practice of following organized superstition. But to each their own

Is it possible to be a "secular practicing Jew", who while not believing in the supernatural aspects of the religion observes certain practices customs and holidays as a way of connecting with his or her heritage and community?

Sorry, people deserve respect, religion does not. And please stop lecturing me. Why not try to defend your indefensible position instead?

Yes.

I can't really get into the details of my partner's reasoning here, but I respect it.

One thing people don't quite "get" about Judaism is that it's more than just a set of beliefs about the supernatural. See my "Ask a Reform Jew" topic for more info. The most important part of Judaism, for me at least, is the idea that Jewish history and traditions bind us together as a people, whether or not we all agree on certain spiritual tenets.

Facts are facts. Also, please stop your personal attack.

Secular practicing Jew? No such thing.

So, I come from a mixed religious background. I once told a Jewish co-worker "I'm not really Jewish, I'm more of an athiest." and he replied "Don't worry. Judaism has more athiests than any other religion."

That is quite true, actually.

Edit: Except, perhaps, for Unitarianism. Actually, there are a lot of Jewish Unitarians, too.

My sister doesn't believe in global warming because it is not in the bible. My dad believes in global warming, but it doesn't matter because the earth is our temporary home and he is convinced that the Jesus is coming to take us all of his children home to heaven any day now.

well put

Members of many religious faiths support secularism. Secularism is the idea that religion and state should be separate. Many religions have seen the dangers to their own integrity and authenticity if they become too entangled in politics. So they support a secular society.

Humanism is IMHO largely the Renaissance philosophy that affirms the dignity and worth of human beings and the revival of classical learning and philosophy. Many of the early humanists, such as Erasmus, were not essentially irreligious.

Therefore, there is no necessary opposition between secular humanism and religion, even if the religious right wants to turn this into an (unnecessary) confrontation.