RE: Atheist vs Secular Humanist
April 10, 2014 at 1:12 pm
(This post was last modified: April 10, 2014 at 1:14 pm by Mister Agenda.)
(April 9, 2014 at 5:21 pm)Fromper Wrote: So I keep seeing the term "secular humanist", and I'm trying to figure out the point.
I know that "atheist" just means someone who doesn't believe in any gods, and that "secular humanist" takes it a step further and talks about morals and valuing humanity. But isn't having morals a default assumption? Aren't we supposed to assume that all humans have morals and value humanity? So does that mean "secular humanist" is just a phrase to describe any atheist who isn't a sociopath? If so, then why do we need this additional label?
'Secular humanist' is a term coined to distinguish nonreligious humanists from religious humanists, like Ethical Culture.
It takes a little more to be a humanist than not being a sociopath. It's the position that ethics are important and have to be examined carefully, and we humans are the only ones who can do this job. Someone who has just absorbed decency due to culture and not being a sociopath falls a little short of this standard. Certainly there are atheists who are humanists who don't think of themselves as humanists, though.
(April 9, 2014 at 5:32 pm)My imaginary friend is GOD Wrote: No, atheists are thought by theists to have no conscience or morals. Therefore, pussies who are atheists call themselves secular humanists.
Fuck you, I call myself both.
I'm not anti-Christian. I'm anti-stupid.
