Secularism Flashcards
Freud quote on religion relating to childhood
“Religion is comparable to childhood neurosis”
Freud quote acknowledging how religion helps deal with helplessness and suffering in life
“In the end all good is rewarded and all evil punished”
Freud quote on the dangers of religion
“Civilisation…has set up an agency within him to watch over it…like a conquered city”
Freud quote on longing for a father figure
“From the infant’s helplessness and longing for the father aroused by it”
Dawkin’s quote on religion
“It teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world”
Bretherton quote on secularism
“The reality of multi cultural London in full bloom”
What was Berger’s retraction of the secularisation theory?
“Secularisation on the societal level is not linked to that of the level of individual consciousness”
Just because less people are going to church doesn’t mean they don’t believe in God or divinity.
What are Ford and Casanova’s criticism of secular atheism?
Atheist ideologies, such as fascism, communism and capitalism have sought to write out religion from civilisation.
What does Berger say about the decline in religion?
The world is as religious as it once was - a secular state isn’t atheistic but can be filled with believing people.
What does Ford say about the decline in religion?
We need to stop thinking about the development of the world as linear eg starting with religion and ending with atheism.
We do not know what will happen “The unpredictability of drama”.
Freud quote on religion being an illusion
“Religions are illusions. Fulfillments of the oldest and strongest wishes of mankind”
What does Freud believe that religion fulfils?
A belief in the afterlife
A father figure
Desire for fairness and justice
What is an example of religion positively influencing society?
The 12 Step Programme, which helps addicts overcome their addiction.
This programme is rooted in the idea of a higher being.
How does Freud acknowledge that religion could be a positive influence?
It is an effective means for overcoming human fears, it also provides comfort and meaning against the experience of “the terrors of nature”
What is Freud’s conclusion on religion?
Although it might do some good, in order for society to grow up and develop rationally then it should ne abolished.
How does Marxism relate to Freud?
Marx states that religion is used to press and manipulate the poor - through the comfort that if they are poor but behave in a way deserving of heaven then they will have a better afterlife.
What is Ward’s criticism of Freud?
Rejects Freud’s reductionist stance (explaining everything in mechanical/material terms) it is hardly an adequate explanation of religious experiences millions of people have.
Ward quote
“The reduction of all this blind purposeless blunderings…seems inadequate and superficial”
What does Dawkins say about wish fulfilment?
An irrational mind will just believe whatever it wants rather than search for the truth.
“Psychological dispositions…tend to lead people to believe things which have no evidence”
What is McGrath’s response to religion being an infantile fulfilment?
Many people have converted to religion after childhood, so religion can’t just be an irrational belief caused by indoctrination of children.
What Biblical story does Dawkins turn to in order to explain how religion rejects evidence?
Doubting Thomas.
He didn’t believe that Jesus had risen until being shown evidence of his crucifixion wounds.
Jesus implied that the other disciples were better than him because their faith was so strong they didn’t need evidence.
Dawkins quote on religion rejecting the use of evidence
“Faith is the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence”
How do Aquinas’ 5 ways show that religion uses evidence?
Going against Dawkins idea
They show how evidence can support faith, consequently showing a consistency in the belief of God.
What is the atheist God of the gaps idea?
It depicts the atheist view that religion is scientific ignorance.
Religion used to explain all sorts of nature phenomena by attributing them to God, but science is now replacing these gaps in knowledge - therefore science is no longer needed.
Quote that shows Dawkins belief that religion causes prejudice and violence
“The God of the Old Testament is the most unpleasant character in all fiction”
How does Mcgrath criticise Dawkins idea that religion causes prejudice and violence?
He points to the actions and life of Jesus as the best example of true Christian morality.
Jesus only ever suffered from violence, he never inflicted it.
How did Freud believe that social order is maintained?
It depends on people repressing their anti-social instincts (sex and violence) - which religion had successfully done, however that means it has surpassed its usefulness.
He believes that now, a secular society would be far superior at this.
How does Freud believe that religion causes suffering?
Through imposing authority on others.
He believes that the better approach would be autonomy, as people would be more likely to follow rules when they aren’t forced upon them.
How can Christianity overcome the constraints (according to Freud) of authority?
By adopting liberal theologies like Fletcher’s and Bonhoeffer’s as they adapt Christian theology to the modern world and consequently encourage autonomy.
How does Ratlinger argue that religion is needed in society?
We need religious values for moral guidance and to constrain our sinful nature.
Atheism drags society towards nihilism.
How does William Lane Craig argue that religion is needed in society?
Without God there’s no basis or grounding for objective moral values.
In an atheistic worldview, the moral views people have reflect their sociocultural conditioning.
How would secularists argue against Bonhoeffer?
They would argue against the complete separation between church and state.
Religion is now unnecessary for maintaining social order, so the church shouldn’t act as a check on state power.
What are arguments for faith schools?
- Only 1/3 state schools are religious. Families still have choice.
- Church attendance is dropping, but many are still Christians and this can be reflected through education.
- All schools have mission statements/values, so faith schools are no different.
- Pupils in faith schools are as diverse as the societies they exist in; they are not necessarily made up only of their faith background.
What are arguments against faith schools?
- It could be labelling children from a young age
- Subjects such as RS and science could be influenced by bias, leading to a risk in radicalisation.
- Students aren’t fully aware of the rest of secular society.
How could secularism benefit Christian communities?
The earliest Christian community saw itself as living with the secular state; not opposed to it.
If society moves towards full secularisation, christians could embrace this as an opportunity to speak without fear without being side-lines as a minority view. It could start to be distinctive away from the state.
What is procedural secularism?
The interests of all citizens - religious and non-religious, should be considered by the state.
Religion should be treated equally to other institutions but not with preference.
What programmatic secularism?
In a plural society, the state should be solely secular. This means religious views and practices should be kept apart from public institutions.
What was the Amsterdam declaration and what did it say?
It set out the main aims of modern humanism:
(Humanism is a response to the widespread demand for an alternative to dogmatic religion)
- All humans are of worth.
- Science should be used as a basis for solving human difficulties.
- It supports human rights
- Personal liberty must be combined with social responsibility.
What are Casanova’s three ways that secularisation is spoken about?
“The decline of religious belief and practice in modern society”
“The privatisation of religion”
The secular separation of spheres of state, economy and science which are set free from religious institutions”
What does Bruce say about Christianity and Britain?
It is a pale shadow of its former self, religious belonging as a majority practice has drained away - with religious belief following.
Within a few years, the total Christian membership will have dropped below 10% of the total population.
What do Heelas and Woodhead say about spirituality?
There has been a growth in alternative spiritualities as Christianity declines.
The traditional bond between Christianity and British culture is dissolving, whilst spirituality is flourishing.
What are some explanations of secularisation?
- The privatisation of religion (link to Casanova and programmatic secularism)
- The increase in alternative spirituality (link to Heelas and Woodhead)
- The liberal nature of society (As society becomes more progressive, religion increasingly fails to align with these growing ideas)
- The secular separation between the church and the state/economy/ science (link to Casanova)
What is the humanist view on religious schools?
A secular state should not funs schools which are religious.
It shouldn’t give schools permission to recruit students on the basis of religion and shouldn’t worship in the day.
This separates religious groups suggesting they live different lives.
What is the historical issue of getting rid of religious schools?
originally, schools were built by churches for the poor - therefore churches continue to own a lot of school property, removing schools from church control would be robbery.
What did the Warwick Study and Professor Leslie Francis communicate about religious schools?
Those from religious schools are more open to people from other religions - as there is a more positive outlook to religious diversity in church schools.
What does Taylor say about religious schools?
Religious schools nurture cultural diversity and prevent identities from disappearing.
How does Christopher Dawson defend religious schools?
Secular education is problematic because where education systems were anti-religion, religion became endangered.
Removing religion from culture deprives religion but also people who are trying to make sense of their own culture. m
What does James Conroy argue about religious schools?
They have an important role in a liberal democratic state, providing parents with a choice and proving counterbalance to any single driving influence on education.
What does Charles Taylor suggest about the government?
In our secular age, the presumption that a government will be Christian, and so will the state and the people within it, has been replaced with a plural religious situation.
How does Eisenstadt describe the modern times?
One that perceives “multiple modernities”, where there is a diversity of social patterns - religion is declining, present, absent and resurgent in different ways and in different societies.
The assumption that countries would all follow the western european model of modernisation is mistaken.
What does Freud say about religion being a product of wish fulfilment?
The experience of vulnerability and helplessness that humans experience as children is made more tolerable by the invented belief that there is a purpose to life, with a moral code advanced by a higher wisdom, and that any injustices in this life will be corrected in the next.
Why does Freud argue that religious ideas are highly prized?
They provide information that humans crave about things that cannot be discovered through a study of reality.
What does Freud say about religion and infantile fears?
Religion calms infantile fears we have of things we can’t change and represses negative human behaviours (sex, crime, lying etc)
Why does Freud believe that religion is unhealthy?
It is a cultural carrier for negative information, dividing people and causing conflict as non-believers are seen as inferior.
How does Dawkins exemplify that religion is repressive?
Through religious dress codes, which oppresses women. The burka not only ensures female submission, it is also a metaphor for the impact that religion has on reducing our ability to percieve/understand things.
What is Dawkins particularly concerned about?
The indoctrination of children by religion which creates the “religious mind”, a minsin which the sprinkling of water over a babys head can change its life - overruling consent and common sense.
How does scientist Jo Marchant defend Dawkins/Freud’s claim that religion is unhealthy?
She suggests that there is compelling evidence for positive medical/psychological benefits from religion - due to practices/beliefs such as social gatherings, belief in a loving God, time of reflection and being part of something bigger.
“Although these beliefs might be false, they do sometime work: they make us better”
What does Dawkins argue about religious fundamentalism?
It subverts science, replacing an evidence-based approach to the world with supersticion - leading to the rejection of the truths of evolution and science.
What does Charles Taylor argue about secularism in multicultural societies?
There should be recognition that societies are increasingly multicultural, every person should be recognised for their particular identity rather than living in a way that leads to a loss of distinctiveness.
So, no culture should seek to assert itself over others.
