Common Misconceptions About Humanism (moral, Earth, choices, choice, experience)

[lilithu]

1. That it is the same as atheism, or incompatible with theism.

2. That is the same as individualism.

3. That it orginated in Western Europe in like the 14th century.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by lilithu

1. That it is the same as atheism, or incompatible with theism.

2. That is the same as individualism.

3. That it orginated in Western Europe in like the 14th century.

Without posting a link, could you explain these a little further, particularly number 1. I don't know that I'd ever given it all that much thought, but most humanists I've met are atheists.

[Seyorni]

4. Humanism is an atheistic religion that will lead men to perdition.

[Random]

Originally Posted by lilithu

1. That it is the same as atheism, or incompatible with theism.

2. That is the same as individualism.

3. That it orginated in Western Europe in like the 14th century.

Well, if these are common misconceptions about it (Humanism), then what is the acurate view of it according to you, Lil?

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

Without posting a link, could you explain these a little further, particularly number 1. I don't know that I'd ever given it all that much thought, but most humanists I've met are atheists.

I'm not sure what you mean by links. You mean reference someone else who has also made these statements? Theyre' not facts that can be verified; they'e interpretations of history and partly semantic arguments. My main intent was to generate discussion. Some people will find the statements provocative, which I hoped would generate responses. And some people will be like, 'meh, I already knew that.'

As for number 1. Humanism is not the same as atheism and is not incompatible with theism.

I'll start by saying that every single UU is a humanist, whether we are non-theist or theist.

Humanism affirms the worth of all human beings. That's the bottom line. A humanist approaches everything with the belief in the ability (agency) of humans to make choices (free will) that will promote their own ability to thrive. So when faced with ethical decisions, the humanist conception of what is the "right" or "good" choice is determined by what will protect humans from harm and promote human welfare.

The phrase immortalized by Lincoln "of the people, by the people, and for the people" is a the essential gist of humanism. (And Lincoln paraphrased those words btw from a well known Unitarian theologian and abolitionist at the time, Theodore Parker.)

In terms of the search for truth, it is grounded in the human experience. A humanist trusts human experience above all else. To the extent that "revealed" truths or even truths arrived at through "reason" contradict human experience, they are called into question.

In terms of its compatability with theism, Theodore Parker is one example. Another
would be St Theresa of Avila:

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.

She's still speaking very much as a theist, but also a humanist. A humanist theist would not wait for God to act. A humanist theist understands that we have been endowed by God with the ability and the responsibility to act on our own behalf and the behalf of others, and that taking the initiative to act to promote human good is not against God's will but rather IS God's will.

[FerventGodSeeker]

Originally Posted by lilithu

In terms of its compatability with theism, Theodore Parker is one example. Another
would be St Theresa of Avila:

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.

She's still speaking very much as a theist, but also a humanist. A humanist theist would not wait for God to act. A humanist theist understands that we have been endowed by God with the ability and the responsibility to act on our own behalf and the behalf of others, and that taking the initiative to act to promote human good is not against God's will but rather IS God's will.

Just to be clear, from a Christian perspective like that of St. Theresa of Avila, it shoul be pointed out that we absolutely "wait for God to act", although we recognize that this could and even should be through us. Independently of God we can do nothing. Our will neither replaces nor supercedes His.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by Seyorni

4. Humanism is an atheistic religion that will lead men to perdition.

Hi Seyorni, lol. thanks for your input. From my perspective this falls under 2. Humanism is the same thing as individualism.

Humanism does not mean "anything goes" or moral relativism. Both the theistic humanist and the non-theistic humanist believe in a greater good. While humanist champion human liberty, such liberty is constrained by the requirements of this greater good.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by FerventGodSeeker

Just to be clear, from a Christian perspective like that of St. Theresa of Avila, it shoul be pointed out that we absolutely "wait for God to act", although we recognize that this could and even should be through us. Independently of God we can do nothing. Our will neither replaces nor supercedes His.

Of course, but as you say, God's action could or even should be through us. I don't think (and I concede that I'm not Christian) that it's so much a matter of waiting for God to act, as waiting for discernment of God's will. When we act, have we taken the time to discern whether this is really God's will or our own ego/individualism?