Offered without comment, just curious to see what others think.

http://americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/...mmandments

Quote:THE HUMANIST TEN COMMANDMENTS

1) Thou shalt strive to promote the greater good of humanity before all selfish desires.

2) Thou shalt be curious, for asking questions is the only way to find answers.

3) Harm to your fellow human is harm to humanity. Therefore, thou shalt not kill, rape, rob, or otherwise victimize anyone.

4) Thou shall treat all humans as equals, regardless of race, gender, age, creed, identity, orientation, physical ability, or status.

5) Thou shalt use reason as your guide. Science, knowledge, observation, and rational analysis are the best ways to determine any course of action.

6) Thou shalt not force your beliefs onto others, nor insist that yours be the only and correct way to live happily.

7) If thou dost govern, thou shalt govern with reason, not with superstition. Religion should have no place in any government which represents all people and beliefs.

8) Thou shalt act for the betterment of your fellow humans, and be, whenever possible, altruistic in your deeds.

9) Thou shalt be good to the Earth and its bounties, for without it, humankind is lost.

10) Thou shalt impart thy knowledge and wisdom gained in your lifetime to the next generation, so that with each passing century, humanity will grow wiser and more humane.

I'm going to skip the quote and just respond to each number and my thoughts on it in turn.

1. Questionable. Not all great things in history happened with selflessness. Strive to truly improve yourself always, you'll see things changing around you.

2. Yes. Never stop. Never ever stop. Knowledge is the greatest thing one can possess, in my opinion. And that's the one thing I will never master. ABL, Always Be Learning.

3. Yes unless it's warranted by a direct threat.

4. No. Some people really are pieces of shit. Better to say "Do not base your treatment of people because of this." But I will say that stereotypes exist for a reason. Don't judge someone because they could be another exception to that stereotype.

5. Absolutely. Shout it from the rooftops.

6. Yeah, this is a good idea because no one wants to beat a dead horse. Doesn't make them right. Doesn't make me wrong.

7. Yes but I think other forms of government should be considered. Democracy may not be the best, because, in my opinion, it's easily corrupted.

8. I agree. Golden Rule. That simple.

9. If you don't respect gaia, you're a fucking idiot.

10. Yes, as long as it's not the way of stupid, ignorant blind belief.

My answers to that will be bolded.

1. Questionable. Not all great things in history happened with selflessness. Strive to truly improve yourself always, you'll see things changing around you. It is not a great thing in history to feed a starving man. But it is still a great thing nevertheless. Improving yourself only improves yourself. I don't see many business tycoons giving more than like 5% of their income to charities without also claiming tax exemptions to get it all back from the government... Self-improvement changes things around you, yes. For the better? Not especially.

2. Yes. Never stop. Never ever stop. Knowledge is the greatest thing one can possess, in my opinion. And that's the one thing I will never master. ABL, Always Be Learning. Damn straight.

3. Yes unless it's warranted by a direct threat. Hence victimizing. Hard to make someone a victim if they are an aggressor.

4. No. Some people really are pieces of shit. Better to say "Do not base your treatment of people because of this." But I will say that stereotypes exist for a reason. Don't judge someone because they could be another exception to that stereotype. Perhaps the one commandment I am most undecided on, honestly. I treat others as equals regardless of all the things listed until they do something despicable, reprehensible, completely idiotic, or say something that makes me lose the ability to feel they are my absolute equals.

5. Absolutely. Shout it from the rooftops.

6. Yeah, this is a good idea because no one wants to beat a dead horse. Doesn't make them right. Doesn't make me wrong.

7. Yes but I think other forms of government should be considered. Democracy may not be the best, because, in my opinion, it's easily corrupted. Humans in general can be easily corrupted. Personally I would prefer a consensus-based democracy.

8. I agree. Golden Rule. That simple. And of course, the Silver Rule as well.

9. If you don't respect gaia, you're a fucking idiot. You mean Terra? ;D

10. Yes, as long as it's not the way of stupid, ignorant blind belief. Personally I don't wanna be the arbiter of what is ignorant and stupid. So long as one keeps it to themselves, and does not force it, and merely tells of it, let them pass on whatever they desire...just so long as they don't force their kids to attend church or tell them that what the individual believes is absolute truth. Better to let their children find their own way. If one was really so secure in themselves and their faith, they would need no early indoctrination upon their own children; they would be secure in their belief that their way, the right way, is the way their children will follow. Of course they AREN'T that secure at all in their beliefs most of the time so they shovel that shit down their childrens' throats out of awareness of their frailty.

Creed of Heres Wrote:It is not a great thing in history to feed a starving man. But it is still a great thing nevertheless. Improving yourself only improves yourself. I don't see many business tycoons giving more than like 5% of their income to charities without also claiming tax exemptions to get it all back from the government... Self-improvement changes things around you, yes. For the better? Not especially.

Originally I actually decided against explaining myself with that statement.
But what I was thinking was truly improving oneself means more than just your lot in life. Improvement doesn't have to be monetary. Truly improving oneself doesn't have to mean big business and such.
Improving myself means becoming better at what I do. Improving myself means being more patient because I definitely have a short temper. Improving myself means shaving my legs somewhat often. Improving myself means stressing less.... It's not only materialistic improvements that matter. Truly.

As much as I see the... "beauty" in the message of a document like this, I do not subscribe absolutely to synthetic laws, rules, or norms. Even if I agree to every single line. Anyone can (un)intentionally practice what these requests preach, so I (and anyone really) can find them to be subjective information. The other thing I notice is that it caters to certain behaviours. Namely, these are people who are critically-inclined and/or affectionate. Even if I can appreciate these "commandments", they might only serve as doctrine. No public document, religious or not, is off limits to me. If these commandments are what the group values (humanists), they are not what humanity values. In contrast, humanity values human rights. Globally. Even if some do not subscribe to human rights, they will be motivated to, whether legally or not, as countries amend these rights into their national law. And that was my 2 cents.

You have to admit it beats the shit out of the crap the jesus freaks put out.

Number 6 contradicts the name.

For fuck's sake. How many times do I have to qutoe this?

"Try not to be a cunt"...Jim Jefferies.

Only an asshole with an agenda would make morality more complicated, that includes Jesus.

What's up with number 6? If I felt like my way of life is the only correct way to live and feel strongly enough about it why shouldn't I insist that it is? As long as I don't force anyone into doing anything they don't like, it's absolutely within my rights to push my agenda. Doesn't everyone do it? Gay rights movement, equality and all that? Should they not insist that the only right way is equality?

Also, it's called commandments, hypocritical isn't it? You're commanding people to follow a set of rules which includes their not even insisting their way of life is the only correct way? But it's ok to give commandments?

number 7 directly contradicts number 6. What if you're governing a country that is overwhelmingly religious and voted for a religious government? By denying them that you're forcing your idea of a government down their throats. Can't have it both ways.

1) Thou shalt strive to promote the greater good of humanity before all selfish desires. This sounds familiar. Didn't somebody already do this? God, who set the example?

2) Thou shalt be curious, for asking questions is the only way to find answers. This requires being open to all possible answers, does it not? At least, for the questions that have not been 100% satisfied.

3) Harm to your fellow human is harm to humanity. Therefore, thou shalt not kill, rape, rob, or otherwise victimize anyone. Yep

4) Thou shall treat all humans as equals, regardless of race, gender, age, creed, identity, orientation, physical ability, or status.Unless inconvenient or they just are annoying. Then treat them like shit. Annoying people are sub-human and should be reminded of it

5) Thou shalt use reason as your guide. Science, knowledge, observation, and rational analysis are the best ways to determine any course of action.Reason as your guide, as in: it is reasonable that I be a dick head to you because I am in a bad mood. That's what being human is all about.

6) Thou shalt not force your beliefs onto others, nor insist that yours be the only and correct way to live happily.Unless we make commandments about it. Or laws so that we can safely participate in a diverse community

7) If thou dost govern, thou shalt govern with reason, not with superstition. Religion should have no place in any government which represents all people and beliefs. Reason again: What is the reasonable thing to do to those who just will not fall in line? Or to do with your enemy? What is the scientific process for those decisions?

8) Thou shalt act for the betterment of your fellow humans, and be, whenever possible, altruistic in your deeds.Whenever possible? All you humanists think you are so righteous, neener, neener, but I don't see you selling your computer and giving the money to charity, blah, blah, blah.

9) Thou shalt be good to the Earth and its bounties, for without it, humankind is lost.Yeah, I been lost on the Earth before.

10) Thou shalt impart thy knowledge and wisdom gained in your lifetime to the next generation, so that with each passing century, humanity will grow wiser and more humane.Oh, wanting to live on even after death . . . Definitely! But where does that urge come from? Heaven only knows.