New to Atheism & secular-humanism? Confused?

Definitions & Index

Index - guide to topics - in alphabetical order

This is a partial  index &  cross reference of some sources

Abortion - Arguments and links

Atheism & Agnosticism - see definitions below

Creationism - ID  & Evolution -  Evolution 'Debate'

Definitions   -  see definitions  below  also CSE- Teachers Notes - on Atheism, Secularism and Humanism

Education - many links on the educational and social issues of religion in schools - Campaign for Secular Education / The Role of Religion in Education and its use as a tool of social control, e.g. the exclusion of women, language etc. on Atheist Perspectives 

Feminism - attitudes to women, their supposed inferiority and subservience to men, prejudice and discrimination, control and violence are rooted in patriarchal religion. Atheism and feminism  and minority rights are three  sides of the same triangle. - Feminism -  The History of Women Freethinkers  - The Roots of Sexism

 Gender Issues explaining the religious attitudes to GLBT issues.

Famous Freethinkers - various lists

Health    - Superstition, stigma and prudery. Reluctance to question god's plan and the psychological undermining of people's security and self confidence. Attitudes to women, their reproductive health and the  punitive ethos  e.g towards all sex outside the narrow view of legitimate sex  - for procreation within holy matrimony. Unwanted pregnancy and motherhood and STDs  -  gods deterrent and punishment see Abortion Debate (above)

Publications, to buy or download free

[1] Overview and history - 'A Challenge to Religion on Health '& 'Illicit Sex and  the God Machine'  -

[2}' Miracle'-  Overview.

[3] Arguments against faith based welfare -  for public services

[4] 'Faith' and Alternative Therapies can damage your health - talk

History of Atheism & Atheists - Atheist Perspectives -   Women Without Superstition,"No Gods No Masters" www.shaw.freeuk.com/Atheist_Perspectives.htm

Hitler & Stalin - & the anti- semitic religious cultures of Germany and Russia Here

Humanism - see below

Humour on - secularsites/Fun.htm  (see also Videos)

jokes, more jokes ,cartoons,Verse, Satire,Songs etc. all on - secularsites/Fun.htm

Local Activism - Groups & ideas

Peace Activism - secular peace workshop

Quotations  from many sources on secularsites WiseWords - From Jonathan Miller's  BBC series - 'A Short History of Disbelief'

Secularism - see below

Secularism & Politics - A Secular Humanist Political Agenda  /  Explaining the Paradox / Humanist/IPPR conference

Sex & Gender Issues  Atheist Perspectives / Workshop3 / Highpeak / Feminism - Gender Attitudes - International Women's Conference -

Values - see - The Positive Values of Secular Humanism has positive values

Videos

War & Violence - Religious attitudes are a major cause - either directly or indirectly, Hatred of 'the other' - divisiveness, worship, uncritical obedience & acceptance of authoritarianism, male domination and demands for subservience.

Religion and Tyranny

The facts on Stalin and Hitler and how they relied on religion

 

Definitions:

atheist or  agnostic?

An atheist does not believe in god.

An agnostic probably doesn't.

It cannot be proved either way. So if you do not believe in anything for which there is no evidence, you are an atheist.

Strong atheism is not believing in god and being anti-superstition and  anti-religion - believing it to be dangerous and harmful - sometimes called anti-clerical atheism or anti-theist.

 

Weak Atheism is more like agnosticism. Does not believe but does not think religion does any harm or that it doesn't matter.

 

Humanism?

It can be anything between agnostic humanitarianism, and strong atheism, secularism and humanitarianism

Secular-humanism

is used by those who think that many 'humanists'   try  to exclude criticism and opposition to religion - strong atheist and secularist.

secular or secularist?

secular means non-religious or a-religious, but not anti-religious

secularist means asserting a non-religion as the default position in public life, politics and the state. One who believes in secularism.

secularism or  sectarianism?

 

secularism asserts non-religion as the default in public life. It asserts freedom of religion and freedom from religion within a state that is neutral on such matters and does not give privileges or subsidies to religion.

 

sectarianism is the domination or struggle for domination by religion or belief over the other, and the claiming of privileges of one over other beliefs.

What is a belief?

Belief is used in two different ways:-:

a) Belief - meaning having 'faith in' something regardless of any evidence of its existence of truth. and

b) Belief  meaning having 'Confidence in' something for which there is evidence of its existence or truth.

What is a theory?

There are several meanings that are confusing, and huge amounts of time are wasted arguing them. Consider the context in which they are used. The main thing is to differentiate those for which a consistent body of evidence has been produced. e.g. Darwin's Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection and those that are pure speculation or derived from superstitions e.g. Creationism. consider also the meaning of hypothesis.

Why is the language of atheism so confused and confusing?

Because the religions have always tried, and until modern times, succeeded in  suppressing atheism. It was punished by cruelty and censorship, blasphemy being a hanging offence for centuries. Suppression of language is a tool of suppression of ideas of freedom of speech.

 

The religions have always sought to control 'education' and the publishing and  distribution industry, this has enabled them to restrict the public knowledge, discussion and language of atheist ideas.

 

You may ask yourself why, after 16+ years of education, and a well established public service broadcasting service, do so few people understand what atheists and secular humanists believe?

 

For more information & definitions see print sources and  Wikipedia  & Google on-line

 

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