Article: Tips for Young Humanists by Luciano Gonzalez-Vega
A good reminder for us, young and old, especially as we gather with others over the holidays, and religions sometimes clash, that it's wise to focus on the commonalities of our values, rather than the differences.
But since there are differences, it's also a good time to raise up the positive qualities of living in a humanistic way.
Do you have a "go to" line to use in conversation, for expressing positive qualities of your non-belief in a way that might soften the view religious friends and relatives have of atheism?
I like this line from the article:
"Humanism is different from some theistic faiths because it does not teach that humans are broken, and instead focuses on the idea that humans are amazing and possess inherent worth."
Here's the full article:
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I was a member of the Humanist group for several years. Then it became more and more anthropocentric and I left. The organist, at that time went through a big shake-up with new directors. A part of the Americaan Humanist Group is the 'Free Inquiry' group [secularhumanism.org] and I am thinkinf of joing a similar group, 'Skeptical Inquiry,' [skepticalinquirer.org]
jackjr
Level 7
Nov 25, 2023
0
My problem with this kind of modern humanism is that its embellished picture of human beings makes its adherents unfit to live in a dog-eats-dog world.
As Immanuel Kant knew: Humans may not be "broke", but they are made of crooked timber from which nothing straight can be made.
Thibaud70
Level 7
Nov 25, 2023
2
All primates share several characteristics....among them is TRIBALISM/SOCIAL NATURE. That's a good thing, because it teaches us valuable skills, culture, support and helps us survive. The downside is suspicion of ''others.''
If religion could seriously address this part of human nature as a simple fact of who we are...it might become useful. Unfortunately, it does not. Instead of it helping us to expand our ''tribes,'' it ignores them as it falls into the hands of those who use it to manipulate and enrich themselves.
@pamagain Unfortunately religion and tribalism seek to differentiate between human groups. This is common in nature with most specials. I was watching a nature show recently and thought what we need are a few predators to keep our numbers down. Then I realized we have lots of predators accept they are us. Pogo once said, We have met the enemy and he is us.
I am reading an interesting book, "The Last Shot" about how a confederate ship sailed the world destroying Yankee vessels (mainly whaling ships which would, in turn destroy a large economy of the north) A long quote of Jefferson Davis included"...we will return, until the battled and exhausted enemy shall abandon in despair his impossible task of making slaves of a people resolved to being free."
A comment by the author stated, "In other words, Davis - although apparently oblivious of the irony inherent in referring to the "impossible task of making slaves of making slaves of a people resolved to be free " to inspire resistance from a society fighting to preserve slavery..." The link opens with that premise. Unfortunately, today's 'freedom party' follows just such an idea.
That is a trait that disgusts and makes me despise many Unitarians, who are big on humanism, because their humanism, while full of great ideals, ends up leaving them as wimpy sissies, who are very cowardly, esp. inside their congregations, when it comes to conflict and the bad behaviors among their members towards others, while outside their congregations, they are also wimpy and spineless, in dealing with injustice in the larger world. They are seldom willing to risk putting their own neck or personal comfort on the line, as far as standing up to power and injustice, because they would rather sit on the sidelines as righteous witnesses and keep all of their privilege and comfortable lifestyle as part of the top 10-15%, when it comes to income and wealth.
As Chris Hedges said, about most liberals in general, they stand for nothing, except hollow ideals, and will fight for nothing, while smugly thinking they are so morally superior to conservatives. And they are esp., useless and uninterested, in fighting for those who are of a lower social class than them, such as unions, low wage workers, and the poor, because those Unitarians are usually too selfish or too much higher in social class to identify and empathize with lower class folks..
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