{"id":414,"date":"2009-02-19T12:08:10","date_gmt":"2009-02-19T10:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/galmin.co.za\/myblog\/?p=414"},"modified":"2009-02-19T12:08:10","modified_gmt":"2009-02-19T10:08:10","slug":"humanism-and-faith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.galmin.co.za\/?p=414","title":{"rendered":"Humanism and Faith"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"spiritual_warfare-300x251\"<\/p>\n

I recently came across the website of The Council for Secular Humanism. Well, I was stunned to say the least. Although I have enormous regard for the progress in science and technology, it seems that followers of secular humanism base their \u2018faith\u2019 on this. Yes, I said faith – To believe in something that will bring hope, change and a better future requires faith, and can be classified as a religion, even if you feel that human inventions through science and technology can bring about that change through your \u2018optimism\u2019.
\nThey state the following under the heading Prospects for a Better Future: \u201cFor the first time in human history we possess the means provided by science and technology to ameliorate the human condition, advance happiness and freedom, and enhance human life for all people on this planet.\u201d<\/em>
\nAmeliorate – to make or become better, more bearable, or more satisfactory; improve; meliorate.<\/strong>
\n<\/em>
\nThey also feel that they need to commit to natural science as a means to promote their \u201cunique message on the current world.\u201d<\/em> They also state that they have \u201cconsistently defended the beneficent values of scientific technology\u201d<\/em> to improve the human condition and that \u201cthe increased power over nature\u201d through science van contribute to human progress and happiness.<\/p>\n

According to the council, \u201chumanism is an ethical, scientific and philosophical outlook\u201d<\/em> that had an impact on the world in the past and it has its roots in the philosophers and poets of Greece, Rome, China and India. They also claim that \u201chumanist artist, writers, scientists and thinkers\u201d were responsible for the shape of the modern era, especially in the past 500 years. Also, \u201chumanism and modernism have often seemed synonymous for humanist ideas and values express a renewed confidence in the power of human beings to solve their own problems and conquer uncharted frontiers.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Their Ethics and Reason is stated below:
\n\u201cThe realization of the highest ethical values is essential to the humanist outlook. We believe that growth of scientific knowledge will enable humans to make wiser choices. In this way there is no impenetrable wall between fact and value, is and ought. Using reason and cognition will better enable us to appraise our values in the light of evidence and by their consequences.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The writer states: \u201cFinally, and perhaps most importantly, as members of the human community on this planet we need to nurture a sense of optimism about the human prospect. Although many problems may seem intractable, we have good reasons to believe that we can marshal our talent to solve them, and that by goodwill and dedication a better life will be attainable by more and more members of the human community. Planetary humanism holds forth great promises for humankind. We wish to cultivate a sense of wonder and excitement about the potential opportunities for realizing enriched lives for ourselves and for generations yet to be born.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The Council for Secular Humanism now offers a \u201cPlanetary Bill of Rights\u201d that would imply to all members of the human species.<\/p>\n

My thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n