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Atheist vs Secular Humanist
April 9, 2014 at 5:21 pm
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?
That's MISTER Godless Vegetarian Tree Hugging Hippie Liberal to you.
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RE: Atheist vs Secular Humanist
April 9, 2014 at 5:32 pm
(This post was last modified: April 9, 2014 at 5:32 pm by My imaginary friend is GOD.)
No, atheists are thought by theists to have no conscience or morals. Therefore, pussies who are atheists call themselves secular humanists.
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RE: Atheist vs Secular Humanist
April 10, 2014 at 11:16 am
(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.
At first I thought you were joking with this, but after looking into this on Wikipedia and a couple of other sites, that actually seems to be accurate.
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RE: Atheist vs Secular Humanist
April 10, 2014 at 12:25 pm
Oh, for fuck's sake.
One does not have to be an atheist to be a secular humanist or vice versa.
These aren't even on the same spectrum.
Skepticism is not a position; it is an approach to claims.
Science is not a subject, but a method.
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RE: Atheist vs Secular Humanist
April 10, 2014 at 1:02 pm
(April 10, 2014 at 12:25 pm)Chas Wrote: Oh, for fuck's sake.
One does not have to be an atheist to be a secular humanist or vice versa.
These aren't even on the same spectrum.
Well then, would you mind explaining it to me? Because that was the point of my starting this thread. I'm trying to figure out what the term "secular humanist" means, because I just don't get it.
That's MISTER Godless Vegetarian Tree Hugging Hippie Liberal to you.
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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.
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RE: Atheist vs Secular Humanist
April 10, 2014 at 1:14 pm
(This post was last modified: April 10, 2014 at 1:15 pm by tor.)
Atheist is someone who does not believe in gods.
Pol Pot didn't believe in gods but he wasn't a secular humanist.
They are 2 different things.
