WHAT ARE “SECULAR HUMANISTS?”
We often read about or hear TV commentators bandy about the term “Secularists” or “Secular Humanists,” and the Apathetic Voter doubts if the majority of us have the slightest clue as to what the term means. Secularists are the people who are apparently spearheading the movement to disassociate God, the Ten Commandments and/or the Bible from any public institution, legal documents and even our money. They claim that any form of Christian/Judeo dogma that appears within our governing institutions is an infringement on the “Separation of church and state” doctrine of the Constitution. Is there merit in what they have to say? Article I of the Constitution states in part: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,…” Under the banner of “separation of church and state,” Secularists and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have attacked just about every symbol that has been in place for well over 200 years, including the demand that “In God We Trust” be removed from any official seals, documents and even our currency. They have even gone to court to demand that a miniscule cross be removed from the illustration of a Spanish mission (which is historically correct) that is part of the Los Angeles, California city seal. The real purpose is to institute the secular policies they desire under the guise of separation of church and state. When viewed in a historical context, many of the principles of the Christian-Judeo tradition were the basis for our government, society and morals, although, unlike Muslim governments, the guarantees built-in to our Constitution recognize the importance of tolerance of other’s religions. Read the words carefully, “…law respecting an establishment of religion.” It does not say “an organization of religion” or “a particular religious theology.” The intent of this statement is that the government will not define a state religion as was done in England by defining the Church of England as the official state religion. I am not aware of any Supreme Court decisions that have stated that the Catholic Church or the Mormons are the only true faith. In many filings with the courts, the ACLU and other secular organizations have demanded that any phrase that invokes God or has the slightest hint of any religious trappings be removed from legal documents, courthouses and even statues. Let us not forget that Christian principles and the Ten Commandments form the basis for this government. You will even find a form of the word “God” in the Declaration of Independence. Recognizing the existence of God, any god or Supreme Being, does not mean that a law has been created “respecting an establishment of religion.” Don’t be misled by my arguments. I am not advocating a strong bond between the government and the religious right – far from it. I am simply pointing out that a historical precedent exists that formed the foundations of this society and government that should not be discarded by revisionists. So who are these Secularists? From a theological standpoint, Secular Humanists can be classified as either agnostics or atheists. But let’s be fair about this. There are a number of secular humanists who simply do not accept the common definition of a god, although like the “Silent Majority,” they don’t wear their beliefs on their shirtsleeve as do many lunatic fringe humanists as exemplified by lawsuits fostered by the ACLU and other dangerously misguided organizations. I’m sure they have a similar grouping of quietly practicing humanists as we have with devout religious practitioners within the Judeo-Christian and Muslim religions, as well. But the people who get all of the press are those fanatics, in much the same way as the Muslim suicide bombers and the television evangelists who infuriate thinking Americans. So what are the basic premises of secular humanism? Let’s examine the words that are available on one of the many Secular Humanism web sites (www.secularhumanism.org/): “The Council for Secular Humanism is North America's leading organization for non-religious people. A not-for-profit educational association, the Council supports a wide range of activities to meet the needs of people who find meaning and value in life without looking to a god.” According to the Council, “Secular Humanism is a way of thinking and living that aims to bring out the best in people so that all people can have the best in life. Secular humanists reject supernatural and authoritarian beliefs. They affirm that we must take responsibility for our own lives and the communities and world in which we live. Secular humanism emphasizes reason and scientific inquiry, individual freedom and responsibility, human values and compassion, and the need for tolerance and cooperation.” “In particular, it tackles issues where traditional religion obstructs the right to self-determination, for example, freedom of choice in sexual relationship, reproduction, and voluntary euthanasia. The Council also promotes critical thinking about supernatural and paranormal claims.” At first glance, secular humanism may have a degree of appeal as far as its “puritanical” approach to a better way of life, but if you carefully analyze this philosophy, it’s really nothing more than a rehashing of the principles of godless communism, a classic political philosophy that has been proven unworkable time and time again. I’m curious. Under secularism, where do the advocates acquire their moral values and pass same onto their children? Have they acquired their values from the principles of the religious environment of their surrounding community or have they evolved their own principled way of life? That is an all-important question. Under Judeo-Christian philosophy, people have the Ten Commandments and the Bible or the Torah to form their spiritual and moral values. Even under Islam, whereby many of us vehemently disagree with some of the tenets of this religion, Muslims have the Koran. Under secularism, are these commandments simply replaced with, “Secular humanists reject supernatural and authoritarian beliefs,” and …take responsibility for our own lives and the communities and world in which we live?” Isn’t that a fairly close definition of anarchy? How do the more extreme secularists differentiate between right and wrong? But better yet, if many of the liberal Democrats who identify with secularism believe that they should “…take responsibility for our own lives,” then how can they support the nanny state of big government? It seems a strange marriage between power hungry big government advocates and some secular humanists in the Democratic Party. It’s a contradiction in terms but I’ll let the Democratic Party sort it out before the next election.