Secular Humanism
Anti-Christian worldview
Various forms of humanism
have been around since Eden
General Definition
1.The word "humanism"
was coined during the Renaissance.
2.The Encyclopedia of Philosophy
(vol. IV, p. 69ff.) defines humanism
as "any philosophy which recognizes
the value or dignity of man
and makes him the measure
of all things
or somehow takes human nature,
its limits, or its interests
as its theme."
3.A humanist was originally
one who focused his studies on man,
his art and thought, and nature,
as opposed to God, the spiritual and revelation.
Today such study of culture
is called the humanities.
4. It was originally an innocuous term.
The humanists of the Renaissance
were Christians.
This type of humanism
can be wedded to any religion
or philosophy,
for it only recognizes the value
and dignity of man and his art.
There are as many varieties
of humanism as there are of Christianity.
For example,
one of the most visible forms
of humanism today is a mystical variety known popularly as the New Age Movement.
== Specific and Contemporary Meaning ==
1.One who makes man his
ultimate concern,
his ultimate point of reference.
2.Today's humanist
is generally not theistic
or at most deistic or agnostic.
3.It was declared a religion
by the Supreme Court in 1961.
4.The best definitions
of contemporary humanism
can be found in the Humanist Manifesto
I and II (p. 16.).
"We find insufficient evidence
for belief in the existence
of a supernatural;
it is either meaningless
or irrelevant to the question
of survival and fulfillment
of the human race.
As nontheists, we begin with humans not God,
nature not deity."
What Humanism Is Not
Many confuse humanism
with humanitarianism.
The latter is simply one
who shows philanthropic concern
for his fellowman.
Anyone can be humanitarian.
An Overview of the History of
Modern Humanism
It is the second oldest
religion in the world.
In Genesis 3:5, Satan told Eve,
"...Your eyes shall be opened,
and ye shall be as gods,
knowing good and evil."
In Psalm 2, is the conflict between these two--
God and His kingdom
versus man and his schemes
to replace God.
Humanism denies
the sovereignty of God.
predicts the outcome of the struggle.
Greeks: Protagoras
(5th Century B.C.) coined the phrase
"Man is the measure of all things."
The Greeks became known for their emphasis
on reason apart from superstition and religion.
It brought about the Golden Age of Greece.
They believed man could control his own fate.
The Romans:
They borrowed from the Greeks.
Caesar was worshipped as God.
The Renaissance (began about 1200 A.D.):
It was a revival of classical learning.
Greek thought and Christian doctrine
were synthesized.
Reason began to be
separated from religion.
St. Thomas Aquinas mistakenly
believed man's reasoning ability
was unaffected by the Fall.
The Enlightenment (1600-1800):
Humanism became secularized.
The enlightenment
became the foundation
of modern humanism.
They proclaimed reason a goddess.
Principle figures:
Rousseau and Voltaire.
The 20th Century:
After Darwin's theory of evolution,
humanism had all it needed.
Other notable events:
Founding of the Ethical Union in England in 1896.
It later became the influential British Humanist Association.
In America in 1933,
the Humanist Manifesto was published.
Later in 1949 a humanist society was formed.
The reisnowan international network of humanist organizations.
In 1973 the [[Humanist Manifesto]] was updated.
The Major Tenets of
Naturalistic Humanism
1. Concerning the nature of things:
All is material:
no spiritual dimension,
no life after death.
All events are natural and uniformitarian.
There is no supernatural,
no God.
2. Concerning man and his nature:
Man is central, sovereign and autonomous.
Man is the hallmark
of evolutionary development;
only a part of nature.
Man's dignity is derived
from his position
on the evolutionary scale;
the difference
between man and animals
is quantitative.
Man does not need salvation
Just more time.
Man can now control his own evolution.
3. Concerning Ethics:
Values are relative,
based on experience, human reason,
the will of the majority,
or based on the situation, i.e.
what will bring the greatest good.
4. Concerning the process of knowing:
Reason is supreme.
All that can be known
is known through the scientific method.
5. Concerning Government:
It is a positive force,
a tool to re-engineer man.
Internationalism:
goal is world government.
"We deplore the division of humankind
on nationalistic grounds.
We have reached a turning point
in human history
where the best option
is to transcend the limits
of national sovereignty
and to move toward the building
of a world community
in which all sectors
of a human family can participate."
from
THE HUMANIST MANIFESTO
p.22.
6. Concerning Social Concern:
Emphasis on education and
- (HEW)
changing the environment.
- (Gloal warming)
Equitable distribution of wealth,
- (Income Tax)
eliminating poverty,
- (War on Poverty)
eliminating disease, etc.
Ending oppression caused by religion.
Four Common Illusions about Humanism
1. Humanism is humane.
But humanism has no basis for human dignity.
Man was not created in God's Image
but rather evolved from the slime
by a purely chance operation.
There is therefore,
no clear demarcation
between human and animal rights.
Values are relative.
On what basis do we declare
Mother Teresa more humane than Himmler ?
No adequate reasons can be given
as to why survival is important.
There is no safeguard against manipulation.
2. Humanism is not a religion.
A non-theistic belief
is not necessarily non-religious.
Several Religions of the world
do not subscribe to a supreme being i.e. Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism.
The Supreme Court declared it to be a religion in 1961
in Torcaso vs. Watkins.
Humanist publications refer to it as a religion.
Julian Huxley predicted
that humanism would be
the ultimate religion
of the world.
3. Humanism is unbiased.
Neutrality is a myth;
we all have presuppositions or unprovable assumptions.
A school teacher with humanistic convictions
cannot help promoting humanistic values.
If humanistic objectives are
to be achieved it cannot allow
a pluralistic society.
4. Humanism is broadminded.
It ignores the facts
concerning the resurrection of Christ.
It ignores contradictory evidence
concerning evolutionary theory.
It ignores logical contradictions
in its worldview.
For example:
a. The universe is self-caused.
If it caused itself
it would have to exist
prior to causing itself
--a logical absurdity.
b. It says man must determine his own future
yet its scientists proclaim
all man's be haviour
is determined by his genes
and environment.
Free will is a myth.
c. They say there are no absolutes
yet that is an absolute statement.
It claims to be the only hope for man
yet it has no valid basis
for that hope.
The Current Influence of
Humanistic Philosophy
1. Education:
It is the major unifying factor
in public education today.
Children are viewed
as property of the state.
Their primary aim
is the social adjustment of children
into group-oriented mentality.
Education is social
and not content oriented.
Self development is stressed
rather than learning
from the wisdom of the past.
Secular does not equal neutral!
The public education system
from elementary to college
is a monopoly of the religion
of Humanism!
They are parochial schools!!
2. Media
• Newspapers -
Most newspapers are compiled
from two wire services.
• TV -
Most news is from 4 networks.
3 . Active Humanist Organizations:
The most active and visible are:
The American Civil Liberties Union
People for the American Way
The American Humanist Association
National Education Association
The Most Influential
Humanist Books
THE ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES by Charles Darwin
THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTIANITY by Ludwig Feuerbach
THE FUTURE OF AN ILLUSION by Sigmund Freud
HYIAMNOTA CHRISTIAN
by Bertrand Russell
BEYOND FREEDOM AND DIGNITY by B F Skinner
THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO by Karl Marx
BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL by Friedrich Nietzsche
What can Christians Do?
Pray for our country and its leaders.
Take responsibility
for the education of your children
Boycott slanted news
or immoral TV programming
Share your faith
Be informed
Seek intellectual superiority
Learn to see all things
from a Christian perspective. C.I.M.
