Re: secular humanist

[Guest guest]

" Secular " is best understood as an ontological position. The

secularist believes that the only 'existence' we can know is what is

revealed to us in our natural lives, as flesh-and-blood human

beings. Hence, the position is mono-ontological.

The secualarist is opposed to the 'supernaturalist' or 'spiritual

believer'. The 'spiritual believer' admits that a 'natural order'

exists, and that science is useful in investigating it. However, the

spiritual believer also claims a SUPERNATURAL order exists. This

order, it is claimed, must be studied by spiritual techniques and

special 'sacred science'. The position is thus duo-ontological.

Spiritual believers often say 'spirit' and the natural order do

not conflict. However, they say we must use one set of techniques

(eg, prayer, psychic power) in one realim, and another set of

techniques in the other (eg, careful measurement and observation).

Note - it is possible to imagine 'spiritual' forces existing in

the ecological milieu. This is called 'pantheism'. Today, there is

a movement - 'spiritual ecology' - which is pantheistic. It is also

possible to imagine psychic, spiritual powers as existing inside

people themselves. ('the god within'). This is usually labeled

gnosticism. But even when 'supernatural forces' are said to be

operating in the physical environment, or inside people, these forces

are still imagined to be SUPERnatural, and not part of our natural

world. Hence, both pantheism and gnosticism are duo-ontological

positions.

" Humanism " simply means choosing to put a very high value on

other people. Anyone who sees other people as very valuable is a

humanist. Hence, a secular humanist is a person who holds a mono-

ontological philosophical position, regards natural knowledge as the

only real knowledge, and values human beings very greatly.

Most supernaturalists - not all - claim that human beings only

exist to serve the higher powers or occult forces. Hence, they put

the supernatural's commands over human needs. The individual is

supposed to sacrifice his life for the gods, for the force, for the

spiritual cause, or whatever.

Feuerbach was one of the first modern philosophers to point out

that the 'gods' are merely man-made. We create a social force which

seems to us greater than any individual, eg, the market, money

capital, etc. Then, when the market begins to oppress us, instead of

serve our needs, the rich mythologize the market into a god. The

market then says, " Thou Shalt Not Steal " (which assumes that private

property ITSELF is not theft, even though it is). The poor are

taught to bow down and worship god, which, in effect, is worshipping

their own exploitation.

The 'higher power' is a myth of self-deception, it is propaganda

which serves the rich. There is no 'supernatural level of

existence,' and no gods exist. We are here on this planet alone.

Our choice is simple: love one another (ie, humanism), or love money

(mammon). To love gods is, in effect, to love mammon in a confused

way.

> Rita,

>

> So how would you define, " secular humanism " ? As I said in another

post, I have been given very different explanations of what the term

means and since you seem knowledgeable on subjects involving

religion, I would trust that you have an accurate understanding of

the meaning of the term in relation to religion or " spirituality " . (I

use the term in quotes because, by definition, spirituality is

distinguished by *individuality*, i.e. it distinctly refers to the

beliefs of any one person, and that person's actions (prayer,

meditation, etc.) relating to those beliefs. AA is actually the

complete opposite, as despite the " anything can be your HP " claim,

there is nothing individual about the 12 steps, and one can't revise

them while still claiming to be an adamant member of AA.

>

> I still stand by my opinion, though, that SMART is almost

completely, if not completely, based upon Ellis's theories, including

his distaste and scorn over any form of religious practice.

>

> Nick