Just learning about this organization: http://www.secularhumanism.org/ and wondering if anyone on this forum has had any positive/negative experiences to report. Any comments in general about secular humanism would be appreciated.

Obligatory wiki definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_humanism

I don't believe in secular humanism. I think you have to be set on the right course to be able to free think.

Think of the heart/mind as a compass. To trace things out accurately it has to be set first.

Quote: A compass is often used as a symbol of precision and discernment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass_(drafting)

Anybody? I know that Richard Dawkins is involved with their associated magazine "Free Inquiry"...

Splendour I very much disagree with what you are saying. I am capable of freely thinking in my natural state. I do not need to be "programmed" by another human being like a "compass". That is the exact opposite of freely thinking (and the exact opposite of secular humanism if you cared to look up what it stands for) in my opinion. We should all learn to constantly inquire, and challenge through science, everything that we encounter... and blindly accept nothing in faith.

I do respect your viewpoint but please do not derail this thread away from Secular Humanism. I am specifically trying to find out more about this worldview and the groups that are associated with it. Thanks in advance for your returned respect.

I suggest you read Born Believers by Justin Barrett. Just because there are a few minority cults around doesn't mean the majority of believers are programmed by other people.

You should continue reading the book of James til you come to James 3, verses 13 through 17.

Take a look at the article on Quakers I posted in the RGT article thread as well if you have the time. Quakers aren't programmed at all by people yet they've participated in some of the greatest reforms of society.

I like to think of myself as a methodological secular humanist but when it comes to questions of epistemology and ontology well not really

Really? I don't think of secular humanism as having a characteristic epistemology beyond a general emphasis of reason and experience as the ultimate arbiters of belief and in ontology as rejecting the supernatural. You think there is more than that that you reject?

Maybe you are confusing naturalism with secular humanism?

What you just said sounds more like positivism. Secular Humanism is a bit of a broad and loose term, but yes I think naturalism is usually jumbled up in there. Positivism too probably. I think the main thing is secular humanism is more of an outlook, at least to me, than it is a precise and coherent philosophical statement. The label lets people know the kinds of topics and interests and broadly the views if the secular humanist. So people can make epistemological and ontological claims within that larger framework that I don't necessarily agree with but the broad spirit of it seems correct.

Edit: I just checked the wiki and it seems to confirm that metaphysical naturalism is at least part of it.

Does anyone have any experience with the Council for Secular Humanism in particular? and their associated programs? There seem to be a bunch of local groups, has anyone here ever attended a meeting?

If you are inclined towards considering morality and don't believe in magic, some form of secular humanism seems the only logical philosophy to adopt.

+1, although I think secular humanism is quite broad and ill-defined, and seems to be largely a denial of nihilism.

Yes I agree it seemed broad, but I think that is by design so that the maximum number of people who have somewhat similar belief structures can come together for a common purpose. I can only speak from the perspective of living in the U.S., but over here the vast majority of political and social interests are controlled by theist (christian in particular) entities, and IMO it would serve every non-theist to come together in some way/shape/form even if our beliefs differ somewhat... This looks like the best option to me.

Plus they have Camp Quest for kids! so cool! : http://www.campquest.org/

Oh don't get me wrong, I more or less identify as a secular humanist and agree with the general principles it espouses. And theists hate secular humanism, probably because it completely ruins their argument that atheism is the same as nihilism.:

"We're in a religious war and we need to aggressively oppose secular humanism; these people are as religiously motivated as we are and they are filled with the devil."
— Timothy LaHaye, co-author of the Left Behind series

"It is a war of light vs. darkness, of Christ vs. antichrist, the Word of God vs. secular humanism. There will be a winner and a loser!.. There is no compromise with the enemy. There is no neutrality in this war!"
— Rev. John Hagee, televangelist

"If we are going to save America and evangelize the world, we cannot accommodate secular philosophies that are diametrically opposed to Christian truth."
— Jerry Falwell, "Moral Majority Report" for September, 1984

Wow, just wow...

really really sad, especially when these secular humanist groups seem to be doing a great deal of good for society through their various programs...

That and it undermines their desire to have a monopoly on morality.

It's pretty convenient to claim all morality stems from an imaginary being who just so happens to share your exact opinion on what is right and wrong for any given issue.

"It's not that I like oppressing gays, but you know...God says I have to."

One thing I wish religious people would realize is that secular culture has been profoundly beneficial to religion. The freedom to worship without State interference or the threat of violence has been made possible because of the rise of secularism.