randy@ssc-vax.UUCP (Randy Chun) (08/21/85)
My understanding of secular humanism is that it is the belief that there is no God, that man is good, and that man is responsible for the world around him. Several religions (the old Unitarians and the present day Christian Unitarians, for example) have no quarrel with "man being basically good" and that he is responsible for the world around him. A few years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that the belief in no God was itself a religion, and must be treated with the same rights and subject to the same restrictions as any other religion. Since the schools cannot teach that there is a God, they are also prohibited from teaching that there is no God. Makes sense to me. As for the "fear" that banning secular humanism from the schools will take out true science, me thinks that Mr. Rosen doust protest too much. Ken Finney @ Boeing Aerospace
fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) (08/23/85)
In article <141@ssc-vax.UUCP> randy@ssc-vax.UUCP (Randy Chun) writes: >My understanding of secular humanism is that it is >the belief that there is no God, that man is good, >and that man is responsible for the world around him. > ... >Ken Finney @ Boeing Aerospace Wrong. Secular humanism does NOT teach that there is no God. It is an attempt to state/teach moral/ethical principles without resorting to religious justifications. This avoidance of religious basis does not stem from atheism. It is purely a practical measure. A society needs a common sense of moralty, and this cannot be provided via religion in a society that encourages religious freedom. Secular humanism was designed to supplement religion, not replace it. Frank Silbermann