Just curious to ask a question of all the secular humanists who frequent the board. A friend and I were discussing, yesterday, whether this particular (dare I say) spiritual path would ever garner what you typically see in other traditions as routine church service. As in - group function with weekly attendance, ritualized practices, etcetera. Does anyone here belong to such a group that already meets? What is done there? Or, if nobody has this going - might it ever be that way? What WOULD be done there?
Thanks in advance to all who share their thoughts!
I attend a local Unitarian Universalist church. While most people do not discuss their personal religious or spiritual beliefs, I am aware that many are atheists. We focus on matters of social justice, common themes that all people can relate to (i.e. community, basically any human rights or humanitarian causes). In my own words, our motto is basically that we’re all human; we all depend on each other to some degree; we should stand up for good; regardless of our theology, we need to be rooted in science and fact. UU just seems to be a bunch of secular humanists who recognize the value of a “church-like” environment (community, support, regular meetings), minus the theology, god-talk, and doctrine. As an atheist, I have no issues with UU. If you want to know what it would “look like,” try googling it.
I attend a local Unitarian Universalist church. While most people do not discuss their personal religious or spiritual beliefs, I am aware that many are atheists. We focus on matters of social justice, common themes that all people can relate to (i.e. community, basically any human rights or humanitarian causes). In my own words, our motto is basically that we're all human; we all depend on each other to some degree; we should stand up for good; regardless of our theology, we need to be rooted in science and fact. UU just seems to be a bunch of secular humanists who recognize the value of a "church-like" environment (community, support, regular meetings), minus the theology, god-talk, and doctrine. As an atheist, I have no issues with UU. If you want to know what it would "look like," try googling it.I too am a member of UU and we don't even refer to ourselves as a church but a fellowship. Come take a look and you are in no way required to "join". There is absolutely NO dogma, NO god talk, etc. so come and enjoy the fellowship.
Well the thing to realize is that really, Secular Humanism (SH) is more of an “everything else” label. Sure you can do some googling and see there are various organizations that have lists of beliefs. But if you look at those beliefs, for the most part everyone, religious and non-religious, already agree with them, other than the specific “no religion” parts. So SH isn’t something that lends itself to having an organization or club like a religion does. And that’s perfectly ok. Eventually members of the big religions will realize you can be happy, be a good person, and so on without all the overhead of religion, and that’ll be that. No big ta-da moments, no big battles of belief systems, etc.
“No religious affiliation” is the fastest growing “group”, in regards to religion, in the US. Some will still feel a need to be part of some actual group with rituals and practices and functions, to identify with. My suggestion is how about just identifying with humans, in general? One’s practices and rituals and functions could be centered around being nice to other humans.
I have friends that ask me to go to services all the time, knowing I don’t believe in deities or faith base gods. But I do not go on any regular basics because it just seems like there are more productive or fun things to do. It seems to be more of a social gathering to find out how my friends are doing and what is taking place in their lives. It seems in today’s faith based anything goes world, you don’t have to stop being a Catholic or church going Christian because your Secular Humanist. About half of my friends and most of my relatives are church goers. And I know some of them don’t really believe there is a god creator or the earth is only 5K old.
Well the thing to realize is that really, Secular Humanism (SH) is more of an "everything else" label. Sure you can do some googling and see there are various organizations that have lists of beliefs. But if you look at those beliefs, for the most part everyone, religious and non-religious, already agree with them, other than the specific "no religion" parts. So SH isn't something that lends itself to having an organization or club like a religion does. And that's perfectly ok. Eventually members of the big religions will realize you can be happy, be a good person, and so on without all the overhead of religion, and that'll be that. No big ta-da moments, no big battles of belief systems, etc.This latest Pew poll seems to indicate the cascade affect that we've all been anticipating. Without a major change in momentum, there are going to be a lot of empty churches soon. Look around any small town and you'll see the smaller ones that have been converted to homes. The next phase will be figuring out what to do with the mega-churches, or even the smaller ones that act as community centers in smaller towns. My hope is they switch to multi-denominational administration and eventually to completely secular. They would still be the place you go for a wedding or whatever rite of passage, but you wouldn't have to conform to a theology. I would hope they also continue to be places where people gather and discuss the big questions of life, but again, you could bring in all the wisdom of the ages, not just one book.
Well the thing to realize is that really, Secular Humanism (SH) is more of an "everything else" label. Sure you can do some googling and see there are various organizations that have lists of beliefs. But if you look at those beliefs, for the most part everyone, religious and non-religious, already agree with them, other than the specific "no religion" parts. So SH isn't something that lends itself to having an organization or club like a religion does. And that's perfectly ok. Eventually members of the big religions will realize you can be happy, be a good person, and so on without all the overhead of religion, and that'll be that. No big ta-da moments, no big battles of belief systems, etc.This latest Pew poll seems to indicate the cascade affect that we've all been anticipating. Without a major change in momentum, there are going to be a lot of empty churches soon. Look around any small town and you'll see the smaller ones that have been converted to homes. The next phase will be figuring out what to do with the mega-churches, or even the smaller ones that act as community centers in smaller towns. My hope is they switch to multi-denominational administration and eventually to completely secular. They would still be the place you go for a wedding or whatever rite of passage, but you wouldn't have to conform to a theology. I would hope they also continue to be places where people gather and discuss the big questions of life, but again, you could bring in all the wisdom of the ages, not just one book.John Lennon knew it, we know it... ...Imagine all the people Sharing all the world... You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will live as one
Lennon, Pete Seeger, two who really understood how to rally people to a movement through community events. Not sure who’s taking their place.
Lennon, Pete Seeger, two who really understood how to rally people to a movement through community events. Not sure who's taking their place.They were completely different kinds of singers. It's useless to try to compare them. They were both great in their own way. Lois
Well the thing to realize is that really, Secular Humanism (SH) is more of an "everything else" label. Sure you can do some googling and see there are various organizations that have lists of beliefs. But if you look at those beliefs, for the most part everyone, religious and non-religious, already agree with them, other than the specific "no religion" parts. So SH isn't something that lends itself to having an organization or club like a religion does. And that's perfectly ok. Eventually members of the big religions will realize you can be happy, be a good person, and so on without all the overhead of religion, and that'll be that. No big ta-da moments, no big battles of belief systems, etc.This latest Pew poll seems to indicate the cascade affect that we've all been anticipating. Without a major change in momentum, there are going to be a lot of empty churches soon. Look around any small town and you'll see the smaller ones that have been converted to homes. The next phase will be figuring out what to do with the mega-churches, or even the smaller ones that act as community centers in smaller towns. My hope is they switch to multi-denominational administration and eventually to completely secular. They would still be the place you go for a wedding or whatever rite of passage, but you wouldn't have to conform to a theology. I would hope they also continue to be places where people gather and discuss the big questions of life, but again, you could bring in all the wisdom of the ages, not just one book. Yes - I was just reading this study. Fascinating that, regardless of demographic or region of residence, attendance is just dropping across the board. In terms of all the other responses (thanks, everyone) - it's interesting to know that there is still an urge for sense of community. I suppose my curiosity was primarily what attendees would actually be doing...as in, what would replace sermons with lessons, congregational choirs, in Christian faiths some kind of Eucharist, etc, or if groups would not try to emulate what is commonly seen as a "church" and just do...whatever. In particular - group functions of churches often involve major life events because the faith in question has something to "say" about those situations. Birth, death, marriage, rite of passage into adulthood, etcetera. Was curious if and how these might be emulated in a church of religious non-affiliation or secular humanist group. One of my favorite quotes from Pascal Boyer's Religion Explained comments on how unlikely non-faith churches might be: Another way of escaping from the conflict is the attempt, especially popular among some scientists, to create a purified religion, a metaphysical doctrine that saves some aspects of religious concepts (there is a creative force, it is difficult for us to know it, it explains why the world is the way it is, etc.) but remove all traces of inconvenient 'superstition' (e.g. God is hearing me, people got a disease as a punishment for their sins, accomplishing the ritual in the right way is essential, etc.). Is such a religion compatible with science? It certainly is, since it was designed for that very purpose. Is it likely to become what we usually call a religion? Hardly. In the actual history of human groups, people have had religious thoughts for cognitive reasons in practical contexts. These thoughts do some work. They produce relevant comments on situations like death or birth or marriage, etc. Metaphysical 'religions' that will not dirty their hands with such human purposes and concerns are about as marketable as a car without an engine. Thoughts on any of the above?
When you say “Church". What is a “Church"?
The common denominators to me are in order of importance:
- Singing.
- A leader.
- The handling of marriage and death.
- Common belief in a deity or common belief.
The bigger and more successful churches are big on singing. Many even have choirs.
A good leader is the next crucial item for a church.
A common belief is the next after the first three.
Now you could say that god is the main reason. But nobody goes to Salvation Army for the preaching, it’s the soup.
The tax breaks also help the churches.
What is a Secular Humanism song?
How about, Woodstock by Joni Mitchell. “I am golden, I am Stardust"
Or
“Heaven Is A Place On Earth" by Belinda Carlisle.
As a Secular Humanism, I sing along to the CD player.
