Secular Humanism: What is it?

Secular Humanism is a secular ethical philosophy that emphasizes a world view based upon naturalism: the belief that the physical world or nature is all that exists or is real. As such, it emphasizes scientific inquiry and rejects revealed knowledge as well as theistic morality. Secular Humanism is increasingly influential in politics, ethics and morals, as well as education.

There are several core documents that state the philosophy of secular humanism that can be found at the secular humanism http://www.SecularHumanism.org site. The A Secular Humanist Declaration issued in 1980 by the Council for Democratic and Secular Humanism (now the Council for Secular Humanism.

There are a number of notable areas of belief that characterize secular humanism. These are outlined below.

Religion

Followers of secular humanism typically describe themselves as atheists (without a belief in a god or very skeptical of the possibility) or agnostics (without knowledge of a god and uncertain of the possibility). The laws that govern the universe and mankind are the physical laws of the universe and are not influenced by non-material or supernatural beings such as gods, demons, or other spirits. The concept of a god that hears and answers prayers is unproven and antiquated. Secular Humanists do not accept as true the literal interpretations of the Old or New Testaments, nor other allegedly inspired books such as the Koran. God, ritual, and creed are all rejected. The divinity of Jesus, the missions of the prophets and saints must be rejected.

There is no divine purpose being worked out in the universe by god. Modern science rejects any view that human values arise from the supernatural. Value does not arise out of a mistaken belief in immortality or reincarnation. Our lives have meaning and value because we can create and develop our futures. Secular Humanists oppose any oppressive influences on the free thinking mind of man by clerical or ecclesiastical authority as well as by political ideologies that attempt to restrain free thought.

Evolution

The universe is self-existing and has not been created.

Mankind is a part of nature and has emerged as a result of continuous, natural evolutionary forces. The totality of the personality can be scientifically accounted for through the biological transactions of organisms in a social and cultural environment.

Our influence on the future is comprised of the influences we have on our progeny and other members of our culture.

Morality / Ethics

Secular Humanists, being free from supernaturalism, recognize that the values human beings hold are rooted in their human experiences and in their culture. They oppose any absolute standards, though objective principles of moral conduct may emerge in the course of ethical deliberation.

Ethics are individualistic and situational. They stem from the human needs and interests. The major goals of secular humanism are happiness, the good life, individual and shared enjoyment of life, creative realization of human needs and desires, and the complete realization of the human potential and enrichment. Religion must accelerate its efforts to increase the joy of living.

Sexual Expression

Secular Humanists do not hold the many varieties of sexual expression as evil. They do not seek to limit, by law or social mores sexual behavior between consenting adults. They encourage intimate, sensitive, and respectful, honest interpersonal relationships.

Society should recognize the right to birth control, abortion, and divorce.

Moral education for children and adults is important in the development of awareness and sexual maturity.

One World

Secular Humanists deplore the division of mankind on the basis of nationalistic borders. Society has reached the turning point in human history in which the best option is to work toward a world community with a common system of law organized by a trans-national federal government.

The world economy must be democratized to become responsive to human needs and so improve the common good. The developed nations must provide massive technical, agricultural, medical, and economic assistance to third world nations.

Inequitable distribution of wealth, income and economic growth must be reduced. The world economic system must be evaluated by whether or not it increases economic well-being for all individuals and groups.

The planet is a single ecosystem. The proper use of nature is a moral value.

Education

Secular Humanists encourage moral awareness, the capacity for free choice, and an understanding of the consequences of choices. Education is the essential method of building humane, free, and democratic societies. The aims of education encompass the transfer of knowledge, training for a job or career, the development of democratic citizens, and the encouragement of moral growth. We must support moral education that is designed to develop moral virtues, intelligence, and the building of character.

Although the history of religious and moral practices is appropriate for education, indoctrination of children in a belief system before they are mature enough to evaluate it is inappropriate.

Participatory democracy, in its truest sense, must be extended to the school, the family, the workplace, the economy, and to voluntary associations.

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Copyright © 2003 Robert Sherman

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