“Life has no meaning a priori… It is up to you to give it a meaning, and value is nothing but the meaning that you choose.”
― Jean-Paul Sartre
It will never be pretended that any persons employed in that service [writing the Constitution] had interviews with the gods, or were in any degree under the inspiration of Heaven.
– John Adams
Being a Humanist means trying to behave decently without expectation of rewards or punishment after you are dead.
– Kurt Vonnegut
The four characteristics of humanism are curiosity, a free mind, belief in good taste, and belief in the human race.
– E.M. Forster
Rationalism is an attitude of readiness to listen to contrary arguments and to learn from experience… of admitting that “I may be wrong and you may be right and, by an effort, we may get nearer the truth.” – Karl Popper
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized that the Lord doesn’t work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me. –
– Emo Philips
Humanism is a philosophy of joyous service for the greater good of all humanity, of application of new ideas of scientific progress for the benefit of all.
– Linus Pauling
I like this article. You seem to be very unsdrdtaneing of secular humanism and those that follow that ethical system. I also agree that as humans we do tend to get lost in the moral forest once in a while on our journey through life. Where I draw a distinction between my own experience and yours (as expressed in this short article, and I realise those limitations so don’t read any of this as judgement it’s only discussion) is that I think you have forgotten to account for the fact that we learn from exeriences, temptations and moral mistakes.I got caught stealing when I was a 11 year old kid and I saw how hurt the shop owner was. He expressed so much more than anger. I don’t need a commandment to remind of how stealing can genuinely hurt someone, I know it. I am now almost 50 years old and have learned from seeing others make mistakes too. I never want to do to others what they have done. I think that the moral standard you refer to is a means to account for how you are doing today. Sort of a check in or self audit. The fact that you snap’ back to it, has more to do with what you have learned as you journey through life. Your experience has taught you that the standard is more or less correct. When I was a Christian and a minister I always loved Richard Hookers model of theological examination. Reason, experience and scripture formed the three legs of the stool that I sat upon as I studied the scriptures and examined my life. Today, I still use that three legged model except that I use the Humanist Manifesto and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (written in large part by humanistic people working through the UN) to replace the scriptures that once meant so much to me. In the same way you do, I see that paedophilia is abhorrent but I also see that discrimmination against others based on religious beleif is also wrong. There is so much more that scripture does not account for. I wish you the best on your journey! Live and learn!Jeff