✅Secularism Flashcards
What is secularism?
The idea that religious beliefs and institutions should not affect how the state is run- all belief systems are equal in the eyes of the law
Examples of secular states
France and the United States.
What is secularisation?
Process of making a society more schedular by removing the influence of religious institutes.
Who believes god is an illusion and the result of wishful fulfilment?
Freud, Dawkins. Said society would be happier without Christianity as it is infantile, repressive and accuses conflict.
Who views that Christianity should play no part in public life?
Secular humanists, that Christina’s belief is personal and should play no part in public life, including education and schools, and government and state
What does infantile mean?
Childish, for Freud, this referred to the earliest stage of a persons development.
What is neurosis?
A mental illness with symptoms of stress which as anxiety and obsessive disorder.
What did Freud and Dawkins think of religion?
God is an illusion and a wish fulfilment, it is infantile, repressive and accuses conflict.
Who was Freud? And what was his core belief?
An atheist psychoanalyst who believed religion is the cause of neuroses, and that some point in the future, science will be able to answer all the key questions because psychoanalysis will cure people of religious belief
What is the Oedipus complex?
A boy learns he cannot sexually possess his mother, and feels jealously towards his father. This resentment is repressed into the subconscious mind and projects onto the idea of God. God is the ultimate father figure
How was freuds ideas expressed in cultures?
Expressed in primitive cultures through the totem poles. The Phillip symbol of maleness in societies where one went to seek forgiveness. In modern society, this is the make God we seek comfort from through religious ritual.
What is “universal obsessional neurosis” to Freud?
The repetition of the worship which is obsessional and found in all parts of society.
Why does Freud think religion is bad?
It is unhealthy and this leads to negativity within society, it causes conflicts,
Quote of Dawkins to describe religious taught to children?
“There is something infantile in the presumption that somebody else has a responsibility to give your life meaning and point.”
The god delusions
What is Dawkins? And what is his main belief?
Evolutionary biologist known for his rejection of a need for a creator God, given the evidence for evolution, and the increased understanding of scientific practices.
Why does Dawkins think religion is and for society?
It is problematic for society, as it causes war and conflict, it holds children back, and it is a form of child abuse because parts label their Children before they can think for themselves.
Why does Dawkins think religious people are absurd?
Christians who believe eviction and the Big Bang didn’t happen and the world was literally created there in the book Genesis, 6000 years ago and in 6 days, is silly. There is so much evidence against this that Dawkins is demonstrating their ignorance.
Why do people think Christina believes should play no part in public life
Secular humanists think it shouldn’t, as people can live happy lives whiteout religion
What is secular humanism?
Term used for those who thinks humans can live positive, good lives without religion. While not necessarily an organised group, humanists have come together to declare common values.
What fraction of schools are state schools?
One third of schools in United Kingdom are faith schools. Mainly Church of England and Roman Catholic foundations.
What does Dawkins think about faith schools?
Opponent of faith education and believes it is time for them to me replaced.
Arguments for faith schools
Only one third are faith schools, so people still have a choice
Church attendance has been dropping but many still consider themselves Christian and should be allowed to reflect this in edicational choices
All schools have mission statements and value systems of one sort of another, so faith schools are no different from other schools
It reflects diversity and tolerance, fundamental British values
Pupils in faith schools are as diverse as the societies they exist in, they aren’t necessarily made up only of their faith background.
Arguments against faith schools
Labelling children from a young age.
Teaching in some areas, such as RE and science, might be subject to bias.
Children in faith schools are not fully aware of the rest of the secular society
Faith schools might reflect some people’s narrow views of what religious people are like
Faith should be something only taught by parents and religious communities
How does religious link to the government?
UK historically has close ties between Christianity and the state. Chrihc of England is a national Church and the queen is its supreme governor. Some bishops have automatic seats in the shoe of lords. Some argue these historic links should be separate because it would reflect the reality of the 21st century Britain.
Roman quote of government and state
“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which god has established”
Romans 13.1
Why is religion and state a good thing?
It’s a representative of how the country is made up. Representative from faith traditions outside the church of England are not represented in the House of Lords as well.
Why has it been argued that secularisation of the state can lead to censorship of approaches?
As it favours of a different, non religious ideology, which is still itself an ideology. It could be argued that this led to fascism and communism. A more balanced approach to secularism can celebrate all perspectives, including religious ones.
Is Christianity a major cause of personal and social problems?
YES
Christianity has been the cause of warfare when it has tried to gain supremacy over other traditions, such as the crusades.
Rejects indisputable advances of science
Some of the stances don’t match with modern society
Homosexuality is still considered evil
Oppresses women
Stops personal development
Absolutist approach to life, eg euthanasia
Child abuse scandals.
Places trust in the bible that is outdated
Differing beliefs can divide families
Some Christian evangelicals do so to earn money, not to preach faith
Is Christianity a major cause of personal and social problems?
No
Christians would emphasis they are a community
Seeking the ideal way to live, based on Jesus’ commands to love etc.
Some Christians would reject denominations, other than their own and say that the divided church might be the cause of problems, not the religion itself.
Does something become RIGHT because society accept it??
Christianity points to all the good that the church has offered to the world, educating th poor, working abroad, supporting civil right movements, eg Martin luther king etc,
“Let anyone who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her”
John
8.7
Are secularism and secularisation opportunities for Christianity?
YES
Christianity is open to changing again.
Pace of the change in scientific understanding, the results of brutalities in the 20th century violence etc,
Some may use the opportunity to analyse why society is attracted to this change and try to look for new opportunities for evangelism or education about Christianity.
Choose to embrace this as a opportunity o speak without fear of being sidelined as a minority view.
Removing Christian influence in House of Lords would be more tolerant towards non Christian members- argued that this aspect is there for ritual only, and not the running of the government,
Are secularism and secularisation opportunities for Christianity?
NO
Some Christians would argue that now, more than ever, it is time for Christians to stand up for the truth revealed through Christ and the bible and to resist the change moving forward.
Argue that Christianity would be side lined, and it might lead to religion being able to affect the lives of far fewer people
Are spiritual values just human values?
The fullest list of humanist values can be found in the 2002 Amsterdam declaration. List of seven core values:
Ethics, rationality, human rights, social responsibility, fulfilment, and importance of creativity.
These are obviously very similar to religious values.
10 commandments- core ethics that are universal, you don’t have to believe in god to obey them.
What Is the Amsterdam declaration?
2002, shows al the humanistic values.
What are the differences between Christina values and secularist values?
Christina values do different. Upholding the dignity of life over personal choice and loving your enemies are examples of values that Make Christianity distinctive.
Christians might argue that human values tend to be shared on a worldly level, but that there is an additional layer or dimension to Christianity. Ultimate purpose and a world beyond this, for example.
Should Christianity be a significant contributor to society’s culture and values?
YES
Britain today wouldn’t be the country it is without Christianity
Our artistic heritage such as art, architecture and music etc, Owens much to Christianity
Christianity can contribute without being dominant in the conversation
Christian ethics on a human level are ethics that apply to all, not just Christianity
Should Christianity be a significant contributor to society’s culture and values?
NO
Britain today and tomorrow is much more multi-cultural than 50 years ago
There is wonderful heritage in non-Christian artistic cultures
All religious voices need to be moved away from in order to move forward in society
If this is the case then the ethics do not need to be distinctly Christian
What does Dawkins think about Christianity being a contributor?
Doesn’t think Christianity’s contribution to British society should be ignored. He praised the literary legacy of the King James Bible, for example. However, he doesn’t think that Christianity should be a diving force in shaping the society of tomorrow because it is time we moved being religious ideals.
British humanist association quote
“We want a world where everyone ,goes cooperatively on the basis of shared human values, respect for human rights and the concern for future generations”
Roman Williams quotes
“Possible to imagine a procedurally secular society and legal system which is always open to being persuaded by confessional or ideological arguments, but it is not committed to privileging permanent any one confessional group.”
Mahatma Gandhi quote
If I were a dictator, religion and state would be separate. I swear by my religion. I will die for it. It it is my personal affair. The state has nothing to do with it.”
Procedural secularism
Belief that the role of state should be taken into account the interests of all its citizens and their institutions. Equal
Rowan Williams agrees with this.
What is programmatic secularism
The belief that the role of the state should be purely secular. France agrees with this.
What is la laïcité?
The principle enshrined in French law 1905 separation of the church and state, which separates the state the the religion.
What is the secularisation thesis?
A term used by social i lights to describe the process of secularisation. It is defined as the growing number of people who profess to have no religious affiliation, and as a situation where re
Legions ha slots it’s influence on society,
What even changed values of European and North America?
2001 9/11 terrorist attack of the Islamic group al-Qaeba.
Who is Roman Williams?
Archbishop of Canterbury, began his career as an academic theologian. His theology of the church is that as the body of Christ is must sustain diverse beliefs and practices.
What does Williams acknowledge?
The authority of their own religious beliefs as well as the authority of the state. Williams argues procedural secularism is a welcome challenge to the church.
What are the two reasons for secularisation?
Sociological evidence and religious harm
Why is sociological evidence a reason for secularisation?
Has been used to justify the removal of religion from the public sphere, because as religion is practised by fewer and fewer people, it has ceased to have a privileged place in society,
Why is religious harm a reason for secularisation?
Some have argued that the active secularisation of society is beneficial because of the harm religious causes, especially it’s opposition to human rights and civil behaviour.
What are the difficulties of secularisation?
Measuring and defining terms
Influence and authority
Religious commitment and evidence of the past
Why is measuring and defining terms a difficulty with secularisation?
Not clear how the process of secularisation is to be measured or defined. People still have spiritual beliefs, they just don’t have to commitment to go to chrich etc,
Why is influence and authority a difficulty for secularisation?
How much influence and prestige religions have on society. Some argue that as the traditional Chichester decline in influence, they are being replaced by new and popular religious movements.
Why is religious commitment and evidence of the past a difficulty in secularisation?
Those who support the secularisation thesis argue that in the past more people were religiously committed than today, so it is true that society is becoming more secular. But others argue that in the past, although church attendance was socially expected, that doesn’t mean people were necessarily more religiously committed.
Who is Auguste Comte?
French philosopher who founded sociology as an academic discipline. Influenced by JS Mill, Marx and eliot, with his idea of positivism, which aimed to define the empirical goals of science.
What was comte’s view?
Supported the arguments of liberalism that We live happier, more just lives, without the superstition of religion. Freud and Dawkins followed this path of thinking
What was David humes conclusion, which linked closely to freuds?
Religion is childish and mainly practised by the many uneducated people of the world, but those who are mentally grown up have no need for religious beliefs.
However, Hume has no particular evidence to support his view that religion is “a sick men’s dream”. But Freud did-psychoanalysis.
Sigmund Freud book
The future of an illusion, civilisation and its discontents and other works. 1928
“You will scarcely be persuaded that they are other than sick men’s dreams”
David Hume, in natural history of religion
Who came to Freud saying he had a religious experience?
A medical student, who saw the corpse of an old woman, Freud responded and said he had a RE because the face reminded him of his mother, Oedipus complex, and then he felt guilt and anger for his father, hence he had a religious experience for a father figure.
Critiques of Freud
Freud was a reductionist. He wanted to explain everything in material and mechanical forms. Yet as a philosopher, Keith ward remarks- reductionism is hardly an adequate explanation for the overwhelming religious and spiritual experiences millions of people have.
Keith wards book
The case for religion, 2004
What is an oceanic experience?
They mystical experience of being at one with nature. Or as Freud describes it, of “being one with the external world as a whole.”
Fons et origo
Source and origin
What did freuds friend write to him about?
Romain rolland- about an experience in 1927. Oceanic experience. Freud doesn’t reject the validity of the experience even though he hasn’t experienced the ‘oceanic’ feeling.
“It’s not easy to deal scientifically With feelings”
What are other responses to Freud?
Truth claims: emotional and psychological states of mind, they don’t in the sleeves disprove the truth claims made my religion,
Religion is enabling: Freud thinks religion is obsessional, but for many it gives them a deeper spiritual meaning and appreciation of the world.
Guilt: Freud is right to illustrate how religion can be a clause of guilt, but that doesn’t mean that all religion is controlling.
Wish fulfilment: can be a source of creativeness and fuels the imagination.
What does the god delusion urge us to do?
Imagine a world without religion
Accept that the god hypothesis is weak
Realise that religion is a form of child abuse
Accept atheism with pride,
Who is Stephen Jay Gould?
Evolutionary biologist. Had the notion of “non overlapping magisteria” which attends to distinguish the factual world described by science and the supernatural world experienced and described by religion. NOMA advocates argue that as the supernatural world is of totally different kind from the material world, then it cannot be subject to scientific rational enquiry,
What is the flying spaghetti monster?
Dawkins argues that all things must Hebrew subject to rational enquiry other one one could believe equally that there is a celestial tea pot circulating out of sight around the wrath, or that the world was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster.
“The presence or absence of a creative super intelligence is unequivocally a scientific question”
Dawkins, the god delusions 2006.
What are Dawkins examples of religion being child abuse?
Hell houses in USA, where children are taught about the terrors of hell and how to avoid it. Philomena Lee, who became pregnant as a teenager and was sent by her catholic parents to a Covent home for single mothers. Her child was taken from her and sold etc.
Critiques of Dawkins
Reason and faith
Complexity
Metaphysics
Science and religions complementary relationship
Violence as a necessary condition of religion
Why is reason and faith a critique of Dawkins?
Many Christians don’t think that faith is irrational and independent from reason. Reason is necessary in order to test true and false beliefs but ultimately faith makes a leap to the transcendent.
Why is complexity and critique of Dawkins
Dawkins is right to criticise “god of gaps”, but the alternative to the god of gaps argument isn’t necessarily atheism. Science and religion aren’t in conflict
Why is metaphysics a critique of Dawkins?
Many scientists reject the limited positivist view and consider thy science as well as theology and philosophy proved useful insights into important questions.
Why is science and religions relationship a critique to Dawkins
Dawkins biased analysis if NOMA forgets many scientists and theologians argue that there is a relationship between science and religion, as they reflect different aspects of human experience,
Why is violence as a necessary condition for religion a critique for Dawkins?
Violence is not a condition of religion, Jesus specifically taught them against the use of violence.
Who is Charles Taylor?
A Canadian philosopher
Why does Charles Taylor reject secularisation thesis?
Subtraction stories, are dominant stories we now use to demonstrate the truth of secularisation by removing religion as if that is the obvious thing to do. We have outgrown religion and the ‘stories’ we now use to explain the world are designed to show that we live a full and complete life. These stories lead to ‘self-sufficing humanism’.
What is Charles Taylor’s argument?
Argues that a failure of secular humanism is that it gives too much importance to the individual and his or her private experiences but this is undesirable as it breaks down the communal aspect of society.
It isn’t that we have suddenly discovered that god doesn’t exist, but rather that this is a phase in western history which is out of kilter with the dominant historical world narrative.
Charles Taylor’s argument in summary
Until we steer ourselves out of this secular phase of history, we won’t experience the fullness of life which means having a sense of the divine as expressing in Christianity and other religions.
Who is terry eagleton?
Literary and cultural theorist, Marxist and Christian
What is terry eagletons argument?
Although it is true that religion has been harmful, this has to be weighed against the extraordinary contribution the religious imagination has made to human culture through art, architecture and poetry etc. Secularists think that all these things can occur without religion, but only religion can capture the highest spiritual aspect of human experience. Secularism is largely doomed, because it cannot replace what religion captures of human experience.
How does Marxism link to eagletons argument?
Marx was wrong to eliminate the religious imagination and what it contributes to human existence. His use of Marxism makes him suspicious of secular capitalism and the impact it has on culture,
What was terry eagletons book
The death of god and the war on terror
What is the second part of terry eagletons argument?
The root cause of secularism is not Dawkins positivism, but the way in which western secular capitalism has valued free competition by privatising everything. This has a negative kick on effect where morality and religion are considered to be private and irrelevant in th public sphere. He argues the events of 9/11 indicate that the positivist dream of a world without religion is not only wrong but without proper understanding as to its true nature it can appear in a toxic form of fundamentalism extremism,
What is the Amsterdam declaration?
1952, updated in 2002. Set out the main aims of modern humanism through seven statements. Adopted by the international humanism and ethical union general assembly.
How many faith school are there in the uk?
6400 primary faith school, and 600 secondary faith schools.
What is theocracy?
Literally means ‘rule of god’.
Belief that activities of state or government should be aligned with religious principles or that governance should be carried out by religious officials such as clergy or religious ministers,
What are dominionists?
Mostly Protestant, argue that America should be governed according to the biblical laws,
What are recontructionists?
Calvinists, share the dominionist notion of society’s but also justify theocracy by pointing to the law in the Old Testament where Israel’s life was ordered and governed according to the laws god gave to Moses.
Alistair McGrath book
The Dawkins delusion 2007
What is secular positivism
Ides developed by Augustus Comte that scientific reasoning will take over from religion
Who is Jose Casanova?
He talks about secularisation. “Rethinking secularisation”.
Decline belief, it’s just a stage,
Religion should be a private display
We slowly secularising the spheres of state from religion
Who is Steve Bruce?
Sociologist
Described Christianity as pale shades of its former self
What do Paul herald and Linda woodhead say?
Inventories a growth in alternative spiritualities as Christian declines
What does Charles Taylor think about the secular age?
Presumption that a government will be Christian, replaces with plural society.
What does Hume suggest about secularism
Gods existence has no empirical or logical justification. Believed that we expose causation in our life, and infer it with “constant conjunction”.
What was the atheist bus campaign?
Dawkins, response to Steven green who said all non Christians would go to hell, so Dawkins put on a bus “there is probably no god, now stop worrying and enjoy your life”
What does Otto rank think about the bus campaign?
Social psychology on terror management theory
Reasons why alister McGrath criticises Dawkins
Many Christians argue that reason is necessary in order for true or false claims
Universe is intelligibile and can be described scientifically.
Metaphysics - why is there a universe
Etc
Who is Joe Marchant?
Religious beliefs can help ease physical pain like a placebo effect which ease stress which helps people deal with life and mental health. With the rise of secularism, there’s been a rise of mental health issues
What does Palmer think about Freud?
“Almost all evidence that fried presents has been discredited in one way or another”
What does popper think about freuds view
Unprovable, can’t gain enough evidence . Although scientific, science has to be open to falsification
Strengths of freuds work
Influential and the beginning point for psychoanalysis. He was trying to explain the position of Christianity so we could REMOVE it and because secular. Therefore should credit dried
What does Ayer say about secularism
“No morality can be founded on authority, even if the authority was divine”
What did Emil Brunner say about secularism
“The good consists in always doing what god wills at any particular moment”
What did Leibniz say about secularism?
In saying that things aren’t good by any rule of goodness, but merely the will of god, it seems to me thag one destroys all the love of god and his glory
What does Bertrand Russel day about religion being immoral?
Christian religion has been and still is the principle enemy of moral progress in the world
What does Hume say about religion being immoral?
Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous, those in philosopher and only ridiculous
What does ausgistine say about religion being immoral?
God is not the parent of evils,, evils exist by the voluntary sin of the soil which god gave free choir
What does mackie think about secularism?
Dualism of practical reason, it can see reasonable to be both self seeking and selfless
D.Z .Phillips on secularism
To a Christian to do ones duty is it do the will of god
What does Rachel’s say about secularism
Unacceptable for religious belief to involved unqualified obedience to god commands
“To be amoral gent is to be an autonomous or self directing agent”
What did kelly say about secularism?
Christian relegation opens our eyes to the wonders of the wise and loving human living
What is the eweidi vs UK 2013 case?
Concerning public disputes between British airways and one of their employers over uniform policy. The lady wore a cross necklace. Placed on unpaid leave when she refused to either do so or accept a position where she didn’t have to cover it up. Lost the initial appeal
What was the Lee vs McArthur 2016 case?
Lee suffereing direct discrimination on ground of sexual orientation. The Ashers Bakery refused to take the order from a gay man for a cake that read “support gay marriage”. mrLee took it to court in Northern Ireland. Court said he would’ve refused this ale to anyone and hence isn’t discrimination.
