General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat can you guys tell me about Humanists? I've never dealt with one before.
Last edited Wed Feb 19, 2014, 07:50 AM - Edit history (6)
I ran into one in Raw Story, and maybe I'm wrong, but this guy sounds like an anti-religious bigot. Mind you that I'm not religious myself. But whenever I feel as if I'm being subjected to religious intolerance of ANY kind, whether it be in the name of for or against the belief in any faith, I don't like that shit at all.
Every American has the right to believe, or not to believe, as they see fit, and no one has the right to tell anyone otherwise.
These are the kinds of things that start religious wars in other countries. Check this out and tell me if I'm wrong or not.
Article: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/17/how-to-tell-a-mexican-from-a-muslim-a-guide-for-the-panicky-american/?utm_source=disqus-dashboard
Me:
Him:
Me:
And why do we need to close Mosques? Do we need to close Temples and Churches too? What's wrong with anyone following whatever religious belief they want to have?
Heck, I may be personally non-religious, but I stand by anyone else worshipping as they see fit in this country. That's called religious freedom, my friend.
Him:
That is my point. In the home countries, where the Muslim religion is mandatory and all counter ideas are eliminated, children grow up to be Muslim. In Michigan, even Muslim children are exposed to science, history, TV and the idea life can be lived without religion.
My point is the Muslim religion is no different than other religions. They are losing members. The fasting growing group in America is atheist. No child has to be indoctrinated to be an atheist since that is what all children start with."
Me:
Dude, I'm a retired AF Vet as you appear to be a retired Navy vet. I'm sure that you must have served with other people from different faiths and nationalities and gleaned from them a much better knowledge of the world. Or perhaps you were deployed overseas. But you don't seem to indicating that at all.
Where are you getting this stuff from?
Him:
I am sure many of the outstanding people in Michigan fled their native countries because they were not the right type of Muslim or were not a dedicated enough Muslim.
I am a proud member of the American Humanist Association. ( http://americanhumanist.org/ ) Everyday there are stories about atheists in Muslim countries who are brutally treated, even killed, or imprisoned because they committed the crime of not believing.
Sharia law is rapidly spreading in many parts of the world. In those areas, the worst crime is to question Islam or even worse, not believe in a god.
The reason why sharia law is imposed is because the enforcers know modern life in general and education in particular would destroy their religion if people had freedom.
That is my point, modern life and education is the antidote for religion. Even people who fled sharia law, but are still strong believers, will find their children questioning the faith once they learn there is an alternative, such as atheism.
You try to deny facts and tell me I am somehow wrong for pointing out the obvious. There is a reason atheism is the fastest growing group in America and even in Michigan's Muslim communities.
Oh yea, I spent time in 35 countries and was stationed overseas for nine years in my Navy service. I know a thing or two about other cultures."
Me:
Instead of Sharia law coming to America, I'm way more concerned about the Dominionists who are hellbent on turning this country into a so-called "Christian Nation," bound by some warp interpretation of the Book of Leviticus.
Sure, as Humanist, must have some concern about that, and I right?
Him
You fancy yourself a liberal but what you did was out-Limbaugh - Limbaugh. Limbaugh did the same thing to Sandra Fluke. She testified about the need for health care and Limbaugh claimed she wanted government to pay her for having sex.
I agree the Muslim religion isn't the only religion that has intolerant believers. There is an old saying in America, "Jesus protect me from your followers."
The difference is our Constitution protects us from religion. If it wasn't for the Constitution, we would have a Christian version of sharia law in many parts of our country. The same hate and ignorance found in fundamentalist Muslim areas is also found in fundamentalist Christian areas here, fundamentalist Hindu areas in India and even in African tribal religions.
If it wasn't for the rule of law, Americans would see the same religious based killing that Iraqis woke up to when Dubya liberated them from peace and tolerance.
Even though you invented things I never said or implied, I still point out that freedom to get an education is incompatible with religion, be it Michigan or Tehran.
Me
I apologize for that. I guess that miscommunication is something that's inherent in this this process.
Frankly, I think that you and I have more in common that we have apart. Your point about us talking past each other was correct.
Can we call a truce?
Him
All done!
MineralMan
(146,281 posts)Humanists probably shouldn't be bigots, but when it comes to religion, some are. I'm an atheist and a humanist, but I'm not concerned about others' beliefs, except when those beliefs impinge on the rights of others.
I don't find religious beliefs to be supportable, logically, but I'm not an evangelist for atheism. I consider it a personal thing. Personally, I cannot believe in supernatural entities or causes. If others can, well, that's not a problem for me. I won't unfriend them for it.
OTOH, where religions affect how people treat others who don't share their religion, and if a religion teaches bigotry, I oppose it.
MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)As if it's coming to America and it has to be stopped. There are no American Muslims advocating for Sharia Law to be enacted in this country, over all Americans, to my knowledge. OTOH, the Dominionists are hellbent on making America a so-called "Christian nation," and they need to be stopped. But Sharia law isn't on the American Muslim agenda.
You're quite correct about the problem with teaching religious bigotry. And like you, I believe that faith is personal and not something to be impinged on others, the same goes for Atheism, as far as I'm concerned. I would never, for one second, stand to have my own personal belief, or anyone else's forced on others in this country.
But I don't know where this guy is coming from
I'm just not comfortable with his anti-religious bias and apparent willingness to impose it on others.
Bigmack
(8,020 posts)The problem comes when the religious people simply will not stop proselytizing and codifying their beliefs into laws.
When Catholics take over hospitals (state of Washington) and install their beliefs, when religious groups determine what is to be taught in our schools, when churches tell their parishioners how to vote.... it's easy to develop a variety of bigotry.
I feel that I don't have to respect religions...I find them irrational. I do respect the adherents as fellow humans.
I'm not a militant atheist, but an atheist nonetheless. Atheists are the most persecuted minority in America... in at least seven U.S. states, constitutional provisions are in place that bar atheists from public office and one state, Arkansas, has a law that bars an atheist from testifying as a witness at a trial.
The idea that the overwhelming number/percentage of theists in this country bear any burden of bigotry against them is laughable.
Atheists, on the other hand... "A new study finds that atheists are among society's most distrusted group, comparable even to rapists in certain circumstances."
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-12-10/religion-atheism/51777612/1
Schema Thing
(10,283 posts)Lost_Count
(555 posts)rbrnmw
(7,160 posts)it appears there is a stark difference from this article.
tkmorris
(11,138 posts)Furthermore my initial read doesn't reveal any mistakes in his facts or logic. There seems to be a focus on Muslims versus other religions there, but that may be merely contextual.
Perhaps you could point out the bigotry you perceive?
MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)As if other religions have never done, or are not doing the same shit that he's accusing Muslims are doing.
That's my primary objection.
tkmorris
(11,138 posts)That's the only part that seemed possibly objectionable to me as well, but I assumed that the conversation taking place was about Muslims in particular. Now if he had started pontificating about Muslims during a convo about baseball that would rather stand out. It sounds as if he is perhaps former military, which lately would mean that his personal experiences with religion and the excesses which it's followers sometimes resort to would almost certainly be of a Muslim variety.
If he had been living in the South Sudan he might have noticed that Christians can be just as persecutory towards Muslims as the other way round.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,294 posts)It wasn't his choice to make the conversation primarily about Muslims - it was the article author's.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)those unlike themselves in prison. Catholic, Anglican, Muslim and Protestants joined hands and made a pogrom against a minority group. That's bigoted.
I'm sure you agree.
DetlefK
(16,423 posts)1. As an agnostic and humanist myself, I can say that he's a bigot for the sin of simplification.
2. There is a secret muslim civil war raging in the Middle-East and Europe: Salafists vs. Shiites.
Each side regards the other as heretics that have to be wiped from the face of Earth. There is no "muslim" community outside the Middle-East: They are either salafite or shiite communities and if there are members of the other denomination in it, they keep it a secret out of fear to get murdered.
TBF
(32,029 posts)and I have experienced cases of humanists being just as bigoted towards others as anybody else.
I agree with this statement: "Every American has the right to believe, or not to believe, as they see fit, and no one has the right to tell anyone otherwise."
When groups try to add prayer to public schools or otherwise push their beliefs on others (for example creationism classes that slam up against accepted science) then I would push back, but other than that I agree that folks should be left alone to believe what they'd like.
Puzzledtraveller
(5,937 posts)Putting it up with something often delays progress.
TBF
(32,029 posts)or my entire post?
I gave an example of when tolerance could go bad. I could give others - such as putting up with folks not vaccinating. That of course affects the entire "herd".
Puzzledtraveller
(5,937 posts)And I was not admonishing you. I was agreeing.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)There are some right here on DU who are clearly bigoted against the religious and some who are not at all.
There are some who also consider themselves religious, while there are some who would advocate for the elimination of religion.
I was surprised at first that some were as intolerant and prejudiced as some RW fundamentalists, as I thought it would be a total contradiction.
But I have come to understand that bigotry can be found everywhere, even amongst those who claim them have built their philosophy on a bedrock of anti-bigotry.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)it has to be 'as bad as stoning and mass jailing.' To casually claim that 'they are as bad as religious fundamentalists' while religious fundamentalists are starting actual pogroms is to serve the fundamentalists. It is also not accurate.
What stuns me is that in a week when the news contains stories of gay people being tried under Sharia law and arrested under Christian law both in Uganda, anyone on DU would see it acceptable to defend Sharia law or Christian religious law in any way at all, or to claim 'humanists are just as bad as fundamentalists'.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)at groups or organizations.
I'm not defending Sharia law or Christian religious law in any way. I am just noting that slapping a label on oneself does not provide immunity from hate or prejudice.
And there are some humanists that are "just as bad" as some fundamentalists when it comes to that, though, again, I agree that the groups persecuting GLBT people in places like Uganda are much worse than any particular individuals posting here. There is no comparison.
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)So without further context its impossible to indicate one way or another.
The snippet you've provided indicates that this is part of a larger conversation and you've only picked out part of it.
It MAY be that your colleague is only focused on Islam but its impossible to know since his reply seems to indicate that YOU are the one who focused on Islam first.
Context matters in this case imho.
MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)Gimme a sec
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)imho
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)"My point is the Muslim religion is no different than other religions. " Which indicates he sees Islam as no different from other religions, it's just the one you brought up.
MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)Thanks
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)Under the basic definition of wanting humanity to rely on itself to solve its own problems, I would qualify as one.
I tend not to associate with the humanist community (or atheist community for that matter) as a whole because it really has become just a straight white men's club. Some of it's just that naive "I don't see race", and some of it's outright misogyny and Islamophobia.
cpwm17
(3,829 posts)even though I'm a strong atheist. Frequently "humanists" are right-wing, pro-war, Islamophobes. They often dehumanize Muslims and believe that not believing in any gods automatically makes them morally superior.
From reading the conversation above I couldn't tell whether this "humanist" fell into this category, but he/she did show a particular interest in Muslims.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)humanist was someone who placed mankind at the center of all things while the opposite was placing god at the center. And I can see how that could easily lead to bigotry. Under that definition I have always considered myself to be a humanist.
LuvNewcastle
(16,843 posts)I think liberals in general are humanists. We believe in progress by human endeavor to make the world better. Some people say that depending on humanity for progress is elevating man to the status of God. I don't believe that. Are we supposed to suppress the genius we've been endowed with and just accept what the world throws at us? Humanists believe that humans can also play a part in the evolution of the world. We can strive to make it better.
Some religious people do object to that line of thought, but many don't. And just because someone criticizes a religious person doesn't mean he's anti-religious. A lot of religious people and non-religious people have regressive or fatalistic beliefs, and that comes into conflict with humanist progressive beliefs. There's nothing wrong with pointing that out.
AverageJoe90
(10,745 posts)ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)If you go to the website he linked to, it seems pretty clear the humanists are not fans of any organized religion.
I do not consider myself a secular humanist because I hate those labels. I also have some spiritual beliefs.
But I believe in being consistent. I notice on DU there are people who will say every nasty thing in the book about Christians, but bristle when another group gets the same backlash. To me, this is about the cult of extreme. While I know Sharia Law is never going to be enacted here, I do know I oppose it strongly in other countries and condemn the radical brainwashed idiots who impose and blindly follow it around the world, the same as I detest those similar thinking idiots in this country regarding "Christianity" who would love to impose their backwards beliefs here. And I am more focused on the Christian idiots here, because I can't do a damn thing to stop what goes on in other countries.
MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)I'm wondering how his opinions jibe with other Humanists, in that, I'm thinking that he's a bit too focused on problem Muslims, more so than other religions.
I understand the concept of trying to build a world based on reason and science over religion. However, I believe that all faith choices are personal and should be free of coercion and intolerance of others. That's something that is fundamentally American, in that all beliefs are free and equal here
Or at least they're supposed to be free and equal.
ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)That will determine it, most likely.
MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)Check the edit
ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)I kinda thought that despite being a bit abrasive, he would be consistent in his thoughts.
WhaTHellsgoingonhere
(5,252 posts)Sounds like it's going to go really well for you!!!
MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)I'm just trying to get a bead on something that I've never debated about before The Humanism thing
WhaTHellsgoingonhere
(5,252 posts)...with your "those people" attitude. You'll do just fine, I'm sure. That's always a good way to approach something new.
Vashta Nerada
(3,922 posts)He sounds like he's from a country that is predominantly Muslim in his second box that you provided.
mathematic
(1,434 posts)1) You brought up Muslims first.
2) He specifically says Islam is no different from other religions when you ask him about churches and temples.
3) You brought up state/social indoctrination when he was talking about the private indoctrination of a religious family raising children into a belief system.
4) He points out that you two are talking past each other, which you were because you decided he was a bigot with his first reply, and tries to correct any misunderstandings.
5) You erroneously conclude that his comments about Sharia Law reflect a concern about its spread to the US-despite his prior statements (and optimism) that religious thought is on the decline!
Regarding your question about humanists, the list of famous humanists is a who's who of famous liberals.
MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)This guy and I are probably going to hash out our differences eventually.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,157 posts)Drew Richards
(1,558 posts)the article was about; and the discussion started from a standpoint of talking about religion and islam...
You are the one being a bit extreme, hypersensitive and defensive even...he explained his belief clearly and correctly...
and just so you know...we are coming...
Capt. Obvious
(9,002 posts)sinkingfeeling
(51,443 posts)Tuesday Afternoon
(56,912 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Anyone has the right to tell anyone anything they'd like.
They guy is not a bigot, and you engaged in some serious non-sequiturs.
He said that mosques would likely close for lack of interest in a generation, and he's probably right - just as most mainline Christian denominations have hemorrhaged congregants over the last couple of decades.
In response to his - correct or incorrect - prediction based on general trends, you then go postal:
"And why do we need to close Mosques? Do we need to close Temples and Churches too? What's wrong with anyone following whatever religious belief they want to have?"
Where did "need to close Mosques" come out of what he said?
Religious belief, in general and across the board, is declining. Observing that objective fact does not evince any "need to close" a thing.
You basically accused him of opinions he did not get anywhere near expressing.
MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)My last post to him is a pull back
hunter
(38,309 posts)...of the religion they abandoned.
That's not "humanism," it's just intolerance of religion. One sees a huge amount of that, even on DU; all the culturally white male Protestants who have abandoned formal religion, but still express great animosity toward Catholics, Muslims, etc. (for example); who fail to recognize recognize the patriarchal, Puritanical, authoritarian and intolerant patterns of thinking that permeate this Christian Protestant society they exist within; the "religious" patterns that still permeate their own thinking.
Having abandoned religion, an atheist can still be a sexist, racist, Puritanical, judgmental, religiously intolerant asshole; the guy you hated in church, but without the church.
Google's definition of humanism is pretty good:
Religious intolerance and bigotry are not rational ways of solving human problems. Religions exist in human societies, that's a scientific fact, deal with it. An anti-religious person can be as intolerant and bigoted as any fundamentalist religious person. That's not humanism.
I can be very critical of any single aspect of a religion or secular society, but lumping groups of people together as "atheists," Catholics, Southern Fundamentalists, Muslims, whatever, is never rational, and it solves no human problems.
Every human being is a bubbling stew of contradictions. Religious beliefs are just a small part of that stew.
Tikki
(14,554 posts)A large part of the time it works really well...
Tikki
stopbush
(24,393 posts)"Every American has the right to believe, or not to believe, as they see fit, and no one has the right to tell anyone otherwise."
Do you apply that bromide to political discussions? When you talk politics with a tea party type, do you keep in mind that you have no right to tell them that you think otherwise? Is it entirely OK that they believe the way they do, even if such beliefs are based on lies and fantasies?
If not, then why give a carve out to religious discussion? Why is challenging a religious person's belief off limits? It should be no more off limits than any other discussion.
I would say that every American is entitled to their beliefs (religious, political, whatever), but no American is obligated to keep their mouth closed about those beliefs if they don't agree with those beliefs. That's called the marketplace of ideas.
Let's face it, religious belief is a conceit. Facts really don't matter - it's all about faith (ie: the cheapest commodity around) and opinion (like an asshole, everyone has one). Everyone's allowed to have their opinions and fantasies, but that doesn't insulate those beliefs from challenge or criticism.
alp227
(32,013 posts)that's the problem with modern people. they don't want to be told they're wrong. thus they play the "bigotry" card when encountering anything that contradicts their worldview. since when was it bigoted merely to criticize religion?
for some resources about what secular humanism really is instead of what Bill O the Clown has to say:
http://americanhumanist.org/Humanism/What_is_Humanism
http://infidels.org/library/modern/fred_edwords/humanism.html
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Humanism
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)Iggo
(47,545 posts)Some of them are bigots.
LostOne4Ever
(9,287 posts)Bases their ethical framework upon the concept of humanism. Humanism more or less being an ethical philosophy the emphasizes improving the human condition for the individual and society in general.
Humanism is deeply associated with modern liberal thought and philosophy and can be found as a theme in many if not most religions. The golden rule is an example of a humanist philosophy.
Humanism can come in both a religious and a secular form. However, in modern political discourse I have found that most people are referring to secular humanism when they refer to humanism or call themselves or someone else a humanist.
Secular humanism is a very popular ethical philosophy among liberal non-theists such as myself as opposed to objectivism favored by conservatives or other secular ethical philosophies such as moral nihilism, utilitarianism, and a variety of other -isms. All of these philosophies have a variety of nontheist followers including implicit atheists (colloquially known as agnostics), explicit atheists, igtheists, and anti-theists.
Each and every one of these groups has its share of open-minded, tolerant individuals and intolerant bigots. This is true of all groups including religious groups. Honestly, I (like others in this thread) think you are not quite getting what SailorRet (i'm not sure if that poster is male or not) is trying to say. I can't see anything bigoted about their statements.
That said, based on your OP, I would imagine you probably would not get along with many if any anti-theist whether or not they are humanists. They tend to believe that religion is overall harmful to society and should be opposed. They would probably object to the statement that "no one has a right to to tell anyone otherwise."
Part of being tolerant means accepting that other people have a right to disagree. Toleration is different from acceptance. I would say that it is when people take direct action to squelch their opposition that one goes from tolerance into intolerance. But that is a discussion for another thread.