6.25.2007

Understanding Secular Humanists

Happy human Humanist logo, white and ...
Happy human Humanist logo, white and golden version (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It is a mistake to think that people who are not religious lack a functioning moral system. As A.C. Grayling recently noted, secular humanism provides nonbelievers with just such an ethical system, "...all the richer indeed for being the result of reflection as opposed to conditioning..." Simply put, a secular humanist is someone whose ethical system is not rooted in a particular religious tradition.

An excellent example of secular morality is the so-called Golden Rule. This moral precept, that one should treat others as one would like to be treated, predates the Abrahamic religions, effectively shredding the claim made by many Christians that their bible is somehow the source of all morality. When considering whether a particular act would be immoral, one can consider its likely impact on others without needing to attempt to cherry pick from one's "holy" text.