Secularism

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  • Secularism
    • The rise of secularism & secularisation
      • The UK has become more of an atheist society. Over 25% of people identify has having no religion.
      • This has meant that there is a reduction in sympathy for religious practices and ideals.
      • Based on this people argue that religion should have no say in public life.
    • How do Dawkins & Freud challenge religion?
      • Freud
        • 1930's book: Civilisation & its discontents.
        • - Freud labelled religions as “mass delusions”.
        • - belief in religion is "infantile & foreign to reality".
        • - It is something we invented in order to cope
        • - a product of wish fulfillment.
        • comes from our vulnerability and is a means of coping with injustice. Injustices in this life will be corrected in the next. Due to the uncertainty of life we invent a divine force to replace this sense of uncertainty
        • It is produced by anxiety and solves our anxiety.
        • - Religion is unhealthy.
        • - It represses negative human behaviours (e.g. sex) &leads to conflicts. Often religion leads to prejudice towards those who do not conform or who challenge beliefs.
      • Dawkins
        • Famous book The God Delusion
        • - life should be meaningful without religion.
        • - religion causes more harm than good.
        • -it is repressive. Take the Burka. Dawkins felt that people wrongly see this as a choice and a means of expression. It is actually a way of controlling women.
        • - religion actually narrows our lives. This is in contrast to science, which he felt broadens.
        • - no well demonstrated reason to believe in God. We just do this because others have done it.
        • -children below the age of consent should not be allowed to be labelled as religious. It should be an informed choice made when they are able to give consent.
        • - Religion causes conflict. Religious beliefs are the reason for many wars and ongoing issues.
        • Dawkins felt that actually allowing children to be brought up as religious actually causes them harm. Take the examples of the 19th Century Jewish children and the schools in Ireland. Religion has done this.
    • Humanism
      • Secular humanism is a term that describes all those who believe that humans can live good lives without religion. These are some of their main beliefs:
      • -all humans have dignity and worth
      • - humans should be free but also socially responsible.
      • - science should be used creatively and as a basis for solving human problems.
      • 1. Procedural secularism – the idea many voices should be heard without priority given to a particular one
      • 2. Programmatic secularism- public spaces should be neutral and no expressions of faith should be allowed in public. Religions should not have a say.
    • Humanist view; religion should play no part in government?
      • -the UK currently has the Anglican church which has some involvement.
      • - Members of the House of Lords Are Bishops & from other faith communities
      • - France & the USA have no say. All things to do with law are separate from religion
      • Why do they think religion should have no say?
        • -in the past it has lead to conflict (Japan) and oppression, especially of women.
          • - it is not representative of UK society. The British Humanist association argues that 50% of people in the Uk do not identify as having a religion.
          • - the government should represent the people.
      • Why do some argue religion should have SOME say?
        • the process of creating laws can become fairer
          • leads to accurate knowledge of those groups (especially to do with education)
            • when applied practically it can have some use eg Doctors option out of abortions or blood transfusions

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