Questions answered by Jim Speiser, president of ASH, Inc.,
c/o web page Author: Bob Huey
Q: What is Secular Humanism? A religion, or what?A: Secular Humanism is a philosophy that holds that religion and religious thinking is of no use in meeting the challenges of life. It eschews religion, and therefore cannot be a religion. Although some adhere to its precepts religiously, this is the metaphorical sense of the word "religious", and does not make secular humanism a religion in and of itself. As Prof. Paul Kurtz once said, "We reject any form of dogma, including our own."
Q: What role does religion play in society?
A: At the higher levels, religion provides a measure of social control framed within a hierarchy of assumed authority - the Pope, the Vatican, the mullahs of Islam, etc. On an individual basis, it provides desperate people with comfort, solace and a measure of hope. In the past it has filled in gaps in our knowledge, at a time when science had not matured to the point it has today.
Q: Is there nothing good about religion?
A: It is undeniable that society in the past has been largely stabilized by the presence of religious authority enforcing perceived doctrines of social control. Moreover, the hope of an eternal life after death has provided many individuals with an anchor around which they have built more productive, more hopeful lives. Humanists acknowledge these aspects, yet maintain that, since religion is obviously a human construct, it has been humanity's will to achieve and surmount obstacles that led to our progress as our race, and not the interdiction of numinous forces. Religion itself is an expression of this human desire to create order; acknowledging this, we can still have the order, without the mystical underpinnings with which we have sought to enforce it in the past.
Q: Are you people anti-God?
A: No, no more than not believing in Santa Claus makes one anti-Santa Claus.
Q: Is humanism a cult or movement?
A: The accepted definition of a cult includes such elements as a charismatic leader, a strict doctrine, brainwashing techniques, isolation from mainstream social structures, and a pervasive inculcation into the belief that the group is somehow "chosen" for a higher purpose, and as such, its members are "better than" the rest of society. Humanism has none of these aspects. It is simply a philosophy that rejects religion.
Q: How do people come to call themselves humanists? As opposed to atheist?
A: Humanism is not opposed to atheism; in fact many, if not most, humanists are also atheists. The difference is rather subtle, but important. An atheist is simply someone who is without a belief in God or gods. What that person does with that lack of belief in god is more important than the nonbelief itself. Some atheists go on to become nihilists, people who believe there is no point to life. Humanists take the non-existence - or immateriality - of God to mean that human beings are in charge of their own lives, and are responsible for - and capable of - meeting the challenges of life. As such, humanism includes atheism to a large degree, but expands upon it in a positive direction.
Q: Are there many humanists in the USA? In the world? How many?
A: There are relatively few people who call themselves humanists, but this is largely due to the fact that not many people know what humanism is. Estimates show the nonbeliever population of the US to be anywhere from 15% to 20%, and many of these are probably humanists, but don't know it. That is one of the purposes of groups like Arizona Secular Humanists: to bring the positive word of humanism to as many nonbelievers as possible.
Q: Is humanism an alternative lifestyle, or a new-age thing?
A: In the sense that rejecting religion leads to different sets of choices in thinking, humanism can manifest itself in individuals as an alternative lifestyle; it does not, however, imply absolute freedom from the strictures of ethics and social contracts. We believe the ethic of humanism, which emphasizes social progress and justice balanced against individual liberty, leads to a more desirable lifestyle than the one imposed upon individuals by their own restrictive religious thought.
Q: I see references to "free thought" and "criticial inquiry." What does this mean?
A: Freethought is the ability to question authority and doctrinal statements without fear of retribution. It is largely this freedom of thought that leads to the ability to "inquire critically," which in turn leads many to disbelieve religious doctrine.
Q: Is humanism a cold, scientific position?
A: Although science is a cornerstone of critical inquiry and human reason, humanism goes beyond cold hard science to acknowledge the emotional and aesthetic aspects of human existence. While science can indeed explain human emotions such as love through chemistry, endocrino-logy, etc., the humanist says that this in no way diminishes our ability to enjoy our emotions and to perceive the world's aesthetic qualities.
Q: The concept of humanism seems very vague. Is it as simple as it appears?
A: In many ways, yes, although following through on humanist precepts such as living a productive life without hope of reward in an afterlife can be difficult for some. Sometimes it is hard for us to imagine such things as a creator-less universe, or death being the complete cessation of existence. Most of the difficulty lies with shifting our own internal paradigm, or "model" of reality, away from the created universe that we were brought up with, and learning such seemingly esoteric concepts as evolution, cosmology, and the nature of consciousness.
Q: Are you guys and gals a weirdo, psycho, devil-worshiping cult? Don't you worry about spending eternity in hell?
A: Nope and nope.
Q: What is your motivation to doing good?
A: Volumes have been written by ivory-tower academicians on this question. For some reason or other it seems to have given many humanist philosophers fits over the years. It's really quite simple. Humanist ethic is predicated upon two propositions which we hold to be tentatively unarguable (remember, nothing in secular humanism is totally unarguable, but we accept these two in the absence of reasonable counter arguments): First, that pleasure is preferable to pain, and second, that the human species is worthy of and capable of indefinite survival. >From these two "givens" it is easy to derive a system of social contract ethics, based on what Christian society calls "the Golden Rule" (and mistakenly ascribes to Christ), or what Kant called the Categorical Imperative. It boils down to this: We do good to improve the world, and who does not want to live in an improved world?
Q: What does ASH stand for, both literally and as an organization?
A: Literally, it stands for Arizona Secular Humanists. As an organization, we strive to be an example, or a working microcosm of a secular society, and to educate the public as to what such a society would look like, how it would operate, and how it would be a positive, pro- gressive entity, benefitting its members in ways that most people think only religion can achieve.
Q: If I consider myself to be a humanist, what can I do?
A: You can do humanism, which is to say that, you can live a life of courage, wisdom, compassion, and exuberance, without relying on supernatural realms or deities to dictate your lifestyle.
Q: The idea of a world without God does not feel comforting. Why would you want to believe that way?
A: Because it is true. Or at least, we cannot bring ourselves to believe that a god exists, and so for us there is no other way to believe. Just because an idea "feels" good, the humanist reasons, does not make it true. We humanists would much rather deal with the universe as it seems to be, not as we wish it to be.
Q: I read about N-Day. What the heck is that?
A: N-Day is National Proclaim Nonbelief Day, scheduled for October 8th of this year. On that day, it is hoped that thousands of nonbelievers across the nation will step forward to proclaim with one voice their rejection of religion and religious mythology. The idea behind N-Day is to create solidarity for the nonbeliever community nationwide. It is also hoped to garner some publicity for the movement so that we are recognized as a viable and important voice in the marketplace of ideas.
Q: Will the world be a better place brimming with humanists, as opposed to, say, Christians or Muslums?
A: In a word, yes. This is the heart and soul of the humanist movement globally. Looking back through history it is easy to see to what degree religion has impeded mankind's progress. Imagine if Galileo had not been persecuted, if the Christian Church had not cast its long shadow over Europe during the Dark Ages, if all the "holy" wars and crusades throughout history had not taken place, etc. Humanists believe we have gotten as far as we have on our own, since god has always been immaterial to human progress. We look at this past progress of mankind and ask, how much further can we go in the future in a world where we acknowledge and rely on our own abilities and strengths to meet the challenges we face?
Q: If there is no God, does that mean that anything goes? Sex, violence -- ANYTHING we want to do?
A: First of all, this question implies that if people do believe in god, anything does NOT go, and nothing could be further from the truth. Most prisoners and other violent predators of society profess to believe in god, so it would appear that the threat of an all-powerful judge and his eternal lake of fire does very little to keep people from misbehaving. Second, the humanist ethic as discussed in question 14 impels us to do good for the purpose of having that good wash back on ourselves in the form of an improved world. Wicked acts only beget more wicked acts, not to mention jail, both of which are contrary to the humanist perception of pleasure being preferable to pain.
Q: Are humanists affiliated with one particular political party?
A: Not at all. In fact, humanists enjoy wide and diverse political interests. Although it can be said that a nonreligous point of view leads to particular political opinions that tend to be associated with liberal causes, you would be surprised how many humanists espouse conservative and even libertarian points of view.
Q: Are there any famous humanists, past and present?
A: Veh is mir, are there famous humanists, past and present. They are legion. Einstein, Mary Curie, Thomas Paine, Isaac Asimov, Steve Allen, Francis Crick, BF Skinner, Ashley Montagu, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert G. Ingersoll...
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Good question. More names will be assembled and posted. I think I saw some interesting data on atheists, over at the newsgroup: alt.atheism.moderated.)
Q: Where do atheists, agnostics, or other nonbelievers fit in?
A: Anyone who rejects religion and/or acknowledges its uselessness in solving problems is welcome as a humanist.
Q: Is there room for everybody under humanism's roof?
A: Almost. See the question above. Of course bigots, racists, and those who indulge in closed-minded dogma may find themselves spending the duration of meetings sitting facing the corner. But other than that...
Q: What is the goal of humanism and ASH?
A: The long-term goal of humanism is a secular society, free from the shackles of religious and superstitious thinking. This is not to be taken, however, as meaning that secular humanists intend to use any method other than education and vociferous oration to "bring down" religious institutions. We hope to see religion deteriorate through attrition and disuse, through more and more people becoming enlightened to their own innate abilities and to the incredible possibilities present in evolution's greatest achievement, the human mind. For the near future, we are committed to the unqualified separation of church and state, in the belief that a secular society begins with a secular government, and a secular government is the most just for all concerned.
Q: Let's pretend we have done away with all the myths and lies. Now what? Where do we go from here?
A: The sky is the limit, and then some. Without fear of a supernaturally imposed end-times, mankind is free to pursue long-term goals such as betterment of society, improvement of the human condition, and unbounded technological progress that can take us to the stars, or deeper into the mysteries of self and consciousness. It all starts with an individual commitment to make the world a better place, beginning in one's home and with one's self. That, in a nutshell, is the essence of humanism: freedom to be human!
Q: Are there any more questions, or can I carry on?
A: You may carry on, my child. And may god go with you. (Just kidding)
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