Good Without God - What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe
Immortalist
Harvard University
With the current state of the economy, the ongoing wars that rage
across the globe, and the unsettling changes to the earth's climate,
questions about the role of God and religion in world affairs have
never been more relevant or felt more powerfully. Many of us are
searching for a place where we can find not only facts and scientific
reason but also hope and the moral courage needed to overcome such
challenges. For some, answers to the most challenging questions are
found in the divine. For others, including the New Atheists, religion
has no place in the world and is, in fact, an "enemy."
But in Good Without God, Greg Epstein presents another, more balanced
and inclusive response: Humanism. With a focus on the positive, he
highlights humanity's potential for goodness and the ways in which
Humanists lead lives of purpose and compassion. Humanism can offer the
sense of community we want and often need in good times and bad, as we
celebrate marriages and the birth of our children, and as we care for
those who are elderly or sick. In short, Humanism teaches us that we
can lead good and moral lives without supernaturalism, without higher
powers . . . without God.
In this constructive response not only to his fellow atheists Richard
Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris but also to contemporary
religious leaders such as Rick Warren and Jim Wallis, Epstein makes a
bold claim for what nonbelievers do share and believe. At a time when
the debate about morality rages more fiercely than ever—and when
millions are searching for something they can put their faith in—
Humanism offers a comfort and hope that affirms our ability to live
ethical lives of personal fulfillment, aspiring together for the
greater good of all.
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Without-God-Billion-Nonreligious/dp/0061670111
Robert Morpheal
Though it is true that all manner of violence, attrocities, extremes,
and even all out wars, have been committed in the name of one or
another "God".... I dread what happens when humans make a God out of
themselves and call it "Humanism".
Robert Morpheal
Free Lunch
<morp...@yahoo.com> wrote in alt.atheism:
Luckily for us, that is not what humanism is. That is a parody invented
by theists who cannot defend their own religions.
Virgil
<fa6d7cbe-4a86-4745...@c3g2000yqd.googlegroups.com>,
Robert Morpheal <morp...@yahoo.com> wrote:
It is already beginning to happen in the more civilized nations of the
world. Theist religions are fading in both membership and power in those
nations, and, with two notable exceptions, is only thriving in countries
stricken by poverty, disease, war or revolution, or other ills. Those
exceptions are The USA, and to an even greater degree, Eire.
Zerkon
> ...an alternative to traditional religion by the Humanist chaplain at
> Harvard University
... his fellow atheists Richard
> Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris but also to contemporary
> religious leaders such as Rick Warren and Jim Wallis...
Those Who ARE NOT "good without god" are all these who are making quite a
good living off of a yes/no god.
Since Liberal Humanism was the commonly held coherent principle behind
the foundation of law and 'right' in the United States, I am not sure why
a 'chaplain' is needed for any of this.
Maybe more should become born again American-its.
Drafterman
>
> - Show quoted text -
I've often run across theists who accuses others of making a god of
something.
Could you explain what that even means?
Daryl McCullough
>I've often run across theists who accuses others of making a god of
>something.
>
>Could you explain what that even means?
What's bizarre about these kind of accusations is that they *appear*
to be using "religion" as an insult, as when they call atheism or
humanism a religion.
--
Daryl McCullough
Ithaca, NY
SkyEyes
Actually, it's something that mainly christian fundies do (although
other flavors of christianity may be stealing their trick, I don't
know). They start out with the erroneous assertion that "everybody
worships *something*." (They loosely define "worship" as "pay a great
deal of attention to," meaning that whatever occupies large portions
of your time is something you "worship.") Their next step is to call
that a "religion," because if you "worship" something, well, it's got
to be a religion, doesn't it?
So it's no problem for them to call atheism a "religion," or your job,
or your hobby, or your marriage, or the musical instrument you
practice, or anything else you pay any significant amount of attention
to.
Which is why, when one of them asks me what I worship, I just brightly
and cheerfully answer, "Cats!" and let them work it out for
themselves.
Brenda Nelson, A.A.#34
BAAWA Knight
EAC Professor of Feline Thermometrics and Cat-Herding
skyeyes nine at cox dot net
Christopher A. Lee
McCullough) wrote:
They can't imagine anybody without a religion so they imagine a label
applied to people without one, is one.
Lord Vetinari
news:trj2k5h2i8hb1ftc2...@4ax.com...
>>> millions are searching for something they can put their faith in-
>>> Humanism offers a comfort and hope that affirms our ability to live
>>> ethical lives of personal fulfillment, aspiring together for the
>>> greater good of all.
>>>
>>> http://www.amazon.com/Good-Without-God-Billion-Nonreligious/dp/006167...
>>
>>
>>Though it is true that all manner of violence, attrocities, extremes,
>>and even all out wars, have been committed in the name of one or
>>another "God".... I dread what happens when humans make a God out of
>>themselves and call it "Humanism".
>
> Luckily for us, that is not what humanism is. That is a parody invented
> by theists who cannot defend their own religions.
"Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism,
affirms our
ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment
that aspire to the greater
good of humanity."
- directly from the AHA website
http://www.americanhumanist.org/Who_We_Are/About_Humanism/Humanist_Manifesto_III
In 1996, the IHEU General Assembly adopted the following resolution. Any
organisation wishing to become a member of IHEU is now obliged to signify
its acceptance of this statement:
"Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human
beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their
own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an
ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and
free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not
accept supernatural views of reality."
- directly from the IHEU website
http://www.iheu.org/resolutions
Perhaps you might take time to learn about the subject, before posting crap,
ok?
Free Lunch
<veti...@ameritech.net> wrote in alt.atheism:
So, they certainly did not make a God out of themselves, but thanks for
checking.
panam...@hotmail.com
I've always considered it evidence that religious behavior can often
be neurotic behavior. The ones that have used that line on me ("..oh,
so you worship yourself, then?..ugh.) honestly can't seem to
comprehend an empty space where the religion is in their own lives.
And even if I convince one that I yes, really do not worship
*anything*, they go all nihilistic on me. I think this is where the
lie about atheists in general being unhappy people comes from.
I've often commented that behaviors like the above have much more to
do with defending themselves against their *own* doubts than it has to
with anything I do (or don't do <g>), but I don't really have any kind
of clinical evidence to support that argument.
-Panama Floyd, Atlanta.
aa#2015/Member, Knights of BAAWA!
Steve Hayes
>"Free Lunch" <lu...@nofreelunch.us> wrote in message
>news:trj2k5h2i8hb1ftc2...@4ax.com...
>> On Sun, 3 Jan 2010 18:03:38 -0800 (PST), Robert Morpheal
>> <morp...@yahoo.com> wrote in alt.atheism:
>>>Though it is true that all manner of violence, attrocities, extremes,
>>>and even all out wars, have been committed in the name of one or
>>>another "God".... I dread what happens when humans make a God out of
>>>themselves and call it "Humanism".
>>
>> Luckily for us, that is not what humanism is. That is a parody invented
>> by theists who cannot defend their own religions.
>
>"Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism,
>affirms our
>ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment
>that aspire to the greater
>good of humanity."
The last should berhaps be qualified by saying that it is a description of
secular humanism. There are other varieties of humanism, so that description
uis a bit narrow. And there are some who would say that humanism is an
inadequate philosophy of life because it is too anthropocentric, and that we
ought to be concerned about other species and not the good of humanity alone.
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
Daryl McCullough
>Which is why, when one of them asks me what I worship, I just brightly
>and cheerfully answer, "Cats!" and let them work it out for
>themselves.
>
>Brenda Nelson, A.A.#34
Ah. Are you familiar with Douglas Adams (A Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy)?
"The Lord knows I'm not an 'evil person!'"
"Ah-ha! You just said The Lord that means you believe in...."
"Yes, The Lord is the name of my cat."
Virgil
Steve Hayes <haye...@telkomsa.net> wrote:
> On Mon, 4 Jan 2010 16:29:00 -0600, "Lord Vetinari" <veti...@ameritech.net>
> wrote:
>
> >"Free Lunch" <lu...@nofreelunch.us> wrote in message
> >news:trj2k5h2i8hb1ftc2...@4ax.com...
> >> On Sun, 3 Jan 2010 18:03:38 -0800 (PST), Robert Morpheal
> >> <morp...@yahoo.com> wrote in alt.atheism:
>
> >>>Though it is true that all manner of violence, attrocities, extremes,
> >>>and even all out wars, have been committed in the name of one or
> >>>another "God".... I dread what happens when humans make a God out of
> >>>themselves and call it "Humanism".
> >>
> >> Luckily for us, that is not what humanism is. That is a parody invented
> >> by theists who cannot defend their own religions.
> >
> >"Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism,
> >affirms our
> >ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment
> >that aspire to the greater
> >good of humanity."
>
> The last should berhaps be qualified by saying that it is a description of
> secular humanism. There are other varieties of humanism, so that description
> uis a bit narrow. And there are some who would say that humanism is an
> inadequate philosophy of life because it is too anthropocentric, and that we
> ought to be concerned about other species and not the good of humanity alone.
Several religions, including some versions of Christianity, claim that
all animals are put on earth to serve the needs and wants of humans.
I do not know of any versions of humanism, despite the name, that are so
arrogant about humanities place.
Lord Vetinari
news:1905k51qhc1j1gicc...@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 4 Jan 2010 16:29:00 -0600, "Lord Vetinari"
> <veti...@ameritech.net>
> wrote:
>
>>"Free Lunch" <lu...@nofreelunch.us> wrote in message
>>news:trj2k5h2i8hb1ftc2...@4ax.com...
>>> On Sun, 3 Jan 2010 18:03:38 -0800 (PST), Robert Morpheal
>>> <morp...@yahoo.com> wrote in alt.atheism:
>
>>>>Though it is true that all manner of violence, attrocities, extremes,
>>>>and even all out wars, have been committed in the name of one or
>>>>another "God".... I dread what happens when humans make a God out of
>>>>themselves and call it "Humanism".
>>>
>>> Luckily for us, that is not what humanism is. That is a parody invented
>>> by theists who cannot defend their own religions.
>>
>>"Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without
>>supernaturalism,
>>affirms our
>>ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment
>>that aspire to the greater
>>good of humanity."
>
> The last should berhaps be qualified by saying that it is a description of
> secular humanism. There are other varieties of humanism, so that
> description
> uis a bit narrow.
Usage, me lad, USAGE! Anyway, while it is true that what is currently
labeled simply as "humanism", used to be called "secular humanism", to
differentiate from xian humanism.
> And there are some who would say that humanism is an
> inadequate philosophy of life because it is too anthropocentric, and that
> we
> ought to be concerned about other species and not the good of humanity
> alone.
Think about this way. "For the good of humanity" has to include ALL of
nature, simply because we require it, or we'll all die. I think that just
about covers it.
hypa...@comcast.net
Some theists - mainly fundamentalist Christians - say
that Secular Humanists (who are atheists) worship
themselves because they care more for the human
race than a god they lack belief in. This is totally
untrue, since both atheism and humanism have
nothing to do with any kind of worship.