Secularism Flashcards
What is secularism
Political and philosophical ideology that advocates for the separation of religion from the state or government
What is programmatic secularism
Proactive approach of minimising the influence of religion, religion is entirely private, hostile view
No public faith schools, no religious education
E.g france
What is procedural secularism
Concerned with maintaining a neutral state that considers the interests of all citizens equally regardless of religion or belief
Faith schools and religious education are permitted
E.g uk
What is secularisation
Sociological process that describes the decline of religious influence in various aspects of society over time
What is the secularisation thesis
Argument made in the 20th century to say that religious belief would progressively decline as democracy and technology advanced
Why is the secularisation thesis controversial
Some people argue that the secularisation thesis is an invention of liberals used to justify diminishing the influence of church organisations on state matters
What does Freud believe about religion
Due to the Oedipus complex we have suppressed guilt towards our fathers which we project on to God as a father figure
This process is called wish fulfillment
How does Freud explain a man losing his faith after seeing a dead elderly woman and then regaining his faith through a religious experience
The elderly woman reminded him of his mother, so unconsciously reminded him of his anger towards his father, causing him to longer need projection of guilt
Regained his faith as the guilt came back to him
What examples does Freud use to support his view that religion is just wish fulfillment
Sacrament of reconciliation which involves asking for forgiveness
Repetition of worship and prayer is obsessional - keeps the ego from being controlled by the id
What does Dawkins believe about religion
Religion is given a disproportionate place in society, as many religions cause mental and physical harm, and the very notion of a creator is irrational
What is Dawkins book about religion called
The God Delusion
Why does Dawkins argue that belief in God is irrational
There is no scientific evidence for belief, but the alternative is evolution which has lots of scientific evidence
Why does Dawkins argue that religion is harmful
It can be the source of abuse
E.g. sexual abuse by Christian ministers, sadistic cruelty of nuns in many girls schools
Why does Dawkins argue that faith schools are child abuse
Teachings of hell can traumatize and scare children
It is cruel to label children with religion before they can fully understand what it means to be religious
Faith schools reject teaching of evolution in favour of creationism
What is humanism
A worldview that emphasises reason and the scientific method, ethics and the wellbeing of humanity without reliance on supernatural religious beliefs
What is secular humanism
View that humans can live good and moral lives according to reason and the scientific method without the need for religion
What is the Amsterdam declaration
Sets out the main aims of modern secularism
What does the current updated version of the Amsterdam declaration state
Humanists strive to be ethical
Humanists strive to be rational
Humanists strive for fulfillment in their lives
Humanism meets the widespread demand as a source of purpose and meaning as an alternative to religion
Describe the bus campaign done by humanists uk
Bus advert that said ‘there probably is no God, now stop worrying and enjoy your life’ in response to Christian adverts that said non Christians would burn in hell
Describe the don’t label me campaign done by humanists uk
Challenged faith schools for labelling children as religious because labelling children leads to segregation, restricts learning about other beliefs and creates negative attitudes towards other beliefs
Why does it matter if spiritual values are the same as human values
If they are the same, it can be argued that Christianity is redundant and does not need to play a part in public life
