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In answer to @DangerDave's post
Are You A Humanist? and the Ten commitments

Altruism
“I will help others in need without hoping for rewards.”

Why only those in need, and who determines what "need" is?

Critical Thinking
“I will practice good judgment by asking questions and thinking for myself.”

Define "good" and if I am to think for myself why do I need this list of rules?

Empathy
“I will consider other people’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences.”

How are we to interpret "consider"? I can consider someone else's thoughts, feelings, and experiences and completely disagree with them or even fine them loathsome and intolerable.

Environmentalism
“I will take care of the Earth and the life on it.”

This is simply a dictate to be a vegan

Ethical Development
“I will always focus on becoming a better person.”

Define "Better" it is a purely subjective term and on persons idea of a better person might and will be in direct contradiction of another person's interpretation, to the point of warfare.

Global Awareness
“I will be a good neighbor to the people who share the Earth with me and help make the world a better place for everyone.”

Again define "Better" this is a recipe either for dictatorship or war.

Humility
“I will be aware of my strengths and weaknesses, and appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of others.”

Again utterly subjective, my strength maybe considered a fault or weakness by you and not something to be appreciated or even tolerated.

Peace and Social Justice
“I will help people solve problems and handle disagreements in ways that are fair for everyone.”

Who defines what is "Fair"? In any disagreement the person who is asked to compromise or who is judged to be in the wrong will always claim the judgment to be unfair or unjust or biased against them. This is simply wooly thinking and impossible to implement.

Responsibility
“I will be a good person—even when no one is looking—and own the consequences of my actions.”

Again, define "good" and if the consequences of my action are negative to me simply because someone else deems them "not good" then asking me to own those consequences is unjust and in direct opposition to at least three of these other rules.

Service and Participation
“I will help my community in ways that let me get to know the people I’m helping.”

Define "helping" you may define as helping maybe to me unsolicited interference.Your getting to know me, might well be seen by me as "nosiness" and an invasion of my privacy, likewise my desire for privacy almost certainly will be interpreted by some as a tacit admission of having something to hide.

In short these rules are ill thought out bullcrap and an attempt to enforce a Benthamist benign dictatorship with terrifying repercussion for those found to be in-humanist, that would almost certainly lead to re-education facilities to "help" those "poor souls" in need of enlightenment.
Scary shit guys!

LenHazell53 9 Dec 29
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3 comments

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1

Dave is a tool. I've had him blocked for ages now. Personally I consider him a lowlife compared to most everyone I've encountered here.

@creative51 both and more

@redhog Go easy please LOL.
The self appointed, self -exalted New Messiah @Danger Dave may just get desirous of smiting you down....LOL.

@Triphid yup and he's about as capable as any other self proclaimed messiah lol

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I find any of these posts which try to pigeonhole or label us most unhelpful. Anything which causes division should, in my opinion, be discouraged. Personally I care not a jot about people’s personal stance on a sliding scale of belief/non-belief...unless that is, they try to tell me I am wrong and should think the way they do. I don’t take any of these amateur psychology tests or polls devised by Dave or anyone else seriously.

I’m 75 years old and know what the most important things in my life are, and that is loving relationships and fellowship with my fellow humans and appreciation of their endeavours and feats in fields of music, art, literature and sport. The knowledge that this one life is the only one we have and that we need to make it fulfilling and enjoyable whilst making sure we do no harm, or a little as possible harm to nature and the environment for the sake of our children and the generations to come. Be kind, is how I would describe my philosophy, be especially kind to those who think differently and believe differently from the way we do. Do not demonise and denigrate others who believe what to us seems illogical, but show by example that not believing in the existence of a god or gods does not make you immoral or inhumane, but in fact quite the opposite.

So well said. Seems like the desire for labeling only serves to polarize people.

@Canndue That’s certainly the way I see it.

@DangerDave Your lack of awareness of how condescending you are to label others and decide what we are is breathtakingly in its arrogance. You said it all when you stated that you didn’t care what I believe or think I know...that dismissive attitude towards others if they think and believe differently from you does not back up your claim to “rejoice in our diversity”..au contraire, it displays the exact opposite.

Frankly I don’t involve myself in the minutiae of US internal politics so the reference to church bombings and “Retrumplican” militias is completely lost on me, and has nothing at all to do with reference my comments. I don’t chide agnostic ideas...if you read properly what I posted you would realise that I am extremely tolerant of agnostic ideas, indeed I listen courteously to all ideas and never proselytise. I don’t condone those who aggressively promote militancy, whether that be in religion, atheism, agnosticism, nationalism or indeed...any other ism!

Lastly, I will say that whatever you decide to label me, will not affect me one iota. Whatever you think I deserve is a matter of complete indifference to me, because I am happy and comfortable in the knowledge that you actually know nothing at all about me and are therefore not qualified to decide what I am.

@DangerDave If it makes you happy to think so...so be it.

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Test response.

I'm having the same problem.

@JackPedigo it seems to depend on your operating system and the group that the post is in.

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