Humanism: The origins of bigotry towards Atheism?
Offline I keep hearing the same drone from theists, towards atheists, and 'atheism'.
The 'ism' part, didn't make sense to me since I've become involved in active atheism (no pun intended)
I've been reading a bit about the Middle Ages, particularly around the 14th century, where a 'Humanism' movement, appears to have originated from.
I notice a lot of epithets from theists, that seemed to attack ideas that were expressed by Italian philosopher Count Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, that were of 'self indulgence'.
Such quotes as:
"The generosity of God! The happiness of man! To man it is allowed to be whatever he chooses to be!"
It seems during the Humanist Era, there was a marked shift in devotions to beauty and form. Both of human forms, and of nature. An indulgence in the Arts, and to literature.
Other things historians see, is a marked shift in the devotions to 'individuality' and the encouragement of free thinking, and scientific inquiry.
It seems to me, that, modern theists, seem to resent atheists, who have the same indulgences, and devotions.
It really seems to me, that theists would like all of us to regress to those bronze age times of the Inquisition.
So, do think that in the eyes of theists, there is a direct correlation between Humanism and Atheism, and why they seem to treat them as if it's a cohesive movement?
Thoughts?
.
I keep asking myself " Are they just playin' stupid, or are they just plain stupid?..."
"To explain the unknown by the known is a logical procedure; to explain the known by the unknown is a form of theological lunacy" : David Brooks
" Only on the subject of God can smart people still imagine that they reap the fruits of human intelligence even as they plow them under." : Sam Harris
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I can read what others have said but I have not found a consistent meaning for humanism. It is certainly not the strawman set up by the preachers.
In my quite limited research on the matter it appears to have started as a reaction to the Dark Ages theocentric approach to life. And I can only find theocentrism in the Dark Ages. In some respects the Greeks and Romans were more god-centered than the Christians but they never subordinated human behavior to what some god might think about it. In fact they did not allow their gods to think rather to be swayed to any human purpose with sufficient sacrifice -- and no Widow's Mite in their entire Theogony.
So the best I can see is theocentrism was a modest abberation lasting about 700 years from the norm of humanism.
After it reappeared it diverged into all the odd and often contradictory things it is supposed to mean.
Jews stole the land. The owners want it back. That is all anyone needs to know about Israel. That is all there is to know about Israel.
www.ussliberty.org
www.giwersworld.org/made-in-alexandria/index.html
www.giwersworld.org/00_files/zion-hit-points.phtml
A main selling point of religion is that a person can do no good without belief in God. So Humanism and Atheism are both threats to their business. Mainly religious leaders don't want to see progress because it is a threat.
However, what they end up doing is embrasing progress and humanist ideas in order to survive. For instance, they demonize new forms of art and music, but then years late embrace these forms.
Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. --Mark Skousen
I think we have to understand a combo of evolution and psychology to understand why humans do what they do.
It isn't just this point in history.
Tribalism is a natural event through evolution to create the REAL benefit in safety in numbers. The reaction to "humanists" was merely the majority(alpha male) having their social norms being threatened by the subordinate(minority).
Dawkins in "The God Delusion" describes the study of birds in which an alpha male will react negatively to a subordinate, EVEN IF, the subordinate is trying to help the alpha male.
This is why I skip labels and periods of history. This is a pattern in all species that exists. It is merely the mundane reality of ANY species seeing a break in their pattern(gap answer) as a threat to their resources.
The fact is that our species will default to a placebo more often than they will pragmatically test their positions to insure quality of data.
I warn against cherry picking history. I think it is far more important to see the totality of human behavior as part of evolution.
Although gap filling is part of our natural psychology it is also our bane as well. The biggest cure there is that we can help foster is challenging the idea of utopias of any kind, be it political, economic or religious.
While even this wont cure all human problems, it can long term, help put our priorities in order as a species.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
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Thank you for your thoughts, gentlemen.
I do agree that it is not 'healthy' to think in these 'boxed in' ways, and generalizations. And I don't, in regards to 'free thinkers' and 'skeptics'.
But!...
Theists are the epitome of 'box thinkers', and these 'constructs' are probably 'inventions' of theirs. A way of 'categorizing' and 'identifying' behaviours, that are counter to their 'box thinkings'.
So, it's just viewing it through their 'scope'.
There are 'waves' that roll over the humanity. I think there is no doubt of that. Like the wave of enlightenment, the wave of the industrial revolution, the wave of 'flower power and free love', etc, etc...
Keep the comments rolling...
I keep asking myself " Are they just playin' stupid, or are they just plain stupid?..."
"To explain the unknown by the known is a logical procedure; to explain the known by the unknown is a form of theological lunacy" : David Brooks
" Only on the subject of God can smart people still imagine that they reap the fruits of human intelligence even as they plow them under." : Sam Harris
I thought humanism came from a mixture of liberal Christianity and the Enlightenment, then evolved into secular humanism.