XPost: sci.psychology.psychotherapy, alt.consciousness, talk.origins   
   From: RaanOne@One.org   
      
   "AC"  wrote in message   
   news:2pedu1Fjo0cjU1@uni-berlin.de...   
   > Nick Keighley wrote:   
   > > "Raan"  wrote in message   
   news:...   
   > >   
   > >>"Nick Keighley"  wrote in message   
   > >>news:aed14a74.0408281538.2cf45017@posting.google.com...   
   > >>   
   > >>>"Raan"  wrote in message   
   > >>>news:...   
   > >   
   > >   
   > >>>>Never before have our challenges been so great.  Never has your   
   support   
   > >>>>been so important.   
   > >>>>   
   > >>>>Secular humanism offers an alternative to dogmatism.   
   > >>>   
   > >>>the trouble is, posts like yours lead us to believe that "secular   
   > >>   
   > >> humanism"   
   > >>   
   > >>>*is* dogmatism.   
   > >>>   
   > >>>   
   > >>   
   > >>How do you figure that and why do I need to ask this since you could   
   just as   
   > >>well have explained yourself.   
   > >   
   > >   
   > > I suspect since you have to ask that you won't agree. Your original post   
   > > sounds like preaching. You even ask for money at the end!   
   > >   
   > > You try to conflate "science and reason" with "secularism and humanism".   
   > >   
   > > I find the statement "Much of the progress of the twentieth century can   
   be   
   > > directly attributed to the rise of secularism and humanism" contentious.   
   >   
   > I'd say a growing secularism has had a lot to do with increasing   
   > tolerance.  As to the humanism claim, well, frankly, I don't think it's   
   > even a blip on the radar.   
   >   
   > One must note that this individual, like his theistic counterparts of   
   > similar mood, appears to equate secularism with atheism.  There are   
   > plenty of people of faith who are secularists, because they know it's   
   > the only way to preserve religious liberties for all (themselves   
   included).   
   >   
   > For myself, I have no time for secular humanist clubs, even if they give   
   > out neat beanies.  My primary interest is simply to have people worry a   
   > lot less about what their fellow humans believe or don't believe.   
   >   
   > >   
   > > I'm left wondering if you had religious upbringing.   
   >   
   > My suspicion also.   
      
   My post was clearly a quotation of a letter written by another.   
      
   The equal rights of individuals and the ideal of reason and rationality   
   based on this real world we all live in, have both been of such far reaching   
   influence that the powers and freedoms we enjoy today as common individuals   
   in most of this free society, surpass even that of kings as little as two   
   centuries ago.  There is nothing dogmatic or religious about these facts   
   much as you might want to think so.  The only faith  that secular humanism   
   requires is the faith in one's own reason such as we have faith in our   
   ability to walk.  Yet so many stumble and trip and fall repeatedly and then   
   claim it was God's will or blame the enemy lol.   
   --   
                  >   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)