I am a Secular Humanist Realist!

[Taverner]

Secular - meaning I believe the best government is one completely separated from religion.

Humanist - meaning that I believe that man is the best source for ethics and morals that we have. We simply can't ask animals for ethical advice, and the hotline to God has been a bit shaky (try nonexistant)

Realist - meaning I am not a relativist: Female Circumcision is WRONG. The death penalty for the raped is WRONG. Morals and Ethics are not relative - there is a definite right and wrong and this must be determined based on the social contract.

[idgiehkt]

1. I like this.

I always wondered what those people are that irritate me so much are called and now I know: relativists. Thanks.

[Taverner]

2. Irritate indeed

I hate when culture is used as an excuse.

A good example is the portrayal of the Mayans. Now I have no plans to see Mel Gibson's newest gorefest, but those who go into Mayan Apologetics are just off.

The Mayans killed thousands for religious reasons. They cut their hearts out and threw them down the stairs to the temples. One day they killed 1000 in one day. The fact that they built beautiful pyramids that eclipse with the sun is no excuse for the fact that they were bloodthirsty killers who murdered thousands. This also doesn't excuse the Spaniards and Portugese who also murdered thousands.

[Az]

3. The truth of morality lays somewhere in between absolute and relativity

Morality is not carved in stone as some would suggest. But there is a basis for it and it comes from an evolutionary design.

We are a social species. That is we come together in groups to better enable our collective survival. This forms the basis for our sense of morality. Due to how our brains are wired to induce us into collective efforts we have a sense of how we should behave relative to one another.

First we have a sense of how we wish to be treated. This is what we consider to be good or bad for ourselves. But because we are wired to percieve and internalize other's situations (see Mirror Neurons) we can empathise with others. Thus we extend our sense of right and wrong to what occurs to others.

This is the foundation of morality. Its not totally relativistic. You will find common themes in all cultures as the basis is humanity. But the more complex ideas or ones which require more consideration will exhibit cultural nuance giving rise to relativistic morality.

[Taverner]

8. True, but there are some absolutes

For example, to initiate unwanted suffering is wrong

To kill without reason (and this is hotly debated what that reason is: that reason could be mercy killing of someone with a horrible painful disease, or it could be the death penalty - this is up for debate)is wrong...

[Az]

9. That is what I was getting at

Due to our social natures we have an established base line of morality. Not carved in stone but carved in our DNA and our brains.

[genie_weenie]

4. Where can I get my copy of the social contract?

I can't seem to find mine or even remember signing it...

[SoyCat]

5. We're definitely in agreement.

[Xipe Totec]

6. I am a Secular Humanist Deist!

Secular - meaning I believe in separation of Church and State.

Humanist - meaning I believe morals and ethics are a creation of the human mind, but firmly constrained by natural selection (bad choices lead to bad outcomes, and ultimate extinction).

Deist - Meaning I believe in a Creator, but not necessarily one particularly obsessed with humanity as His magnum opus.





The Creation Hymn of the Rig Veda asserts that in the beginning there was no air, no heavens, no water, no death and no immortality. Night and day did not exist and there was only the breathing of the One. Then somehow creation occurred. No one knows how this happened, and the Rig Veda speculates that possibly even the One does not know.

-Commentary on the Rig Veda

[Taverner]

7. Not incompatible

I leave the question of God out of the existence category personally, just because I can never know or not know whether there is a God or Creator.

Logic dictates there probably is, but evidence or proof is impossible so I leave that out of the equation.