Secularism Flashcards
religion as wish fulfilment, feuerbach, 1
- Feuerbach, 19th century German philosopher arguably paved the way for a psychological rejection of religion: In his major work, ‘The Essence of Christianity’, 1841, argued that belief in God is a projection of the human mind, “religion is the dream of the human mind” – “what you wish to be, you make your God”, omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent
- Feuerbach developed the idea that God is projection of the unconscious mind; Freud added to this a psychological foundation. Freud adds the explanation that the adoption of religion is a reversion to childish patterns of thought in response to feelings of helplessness and guilt We feel a need for security and forgiveness, and so invent a source of security and forgiveness: God, quite literally as a Father figure
- Religion is thus seen as a childish delusion/ infantile illusion, and atheism as a grown-up realism.
religious experience can be positive, james, 1
• Religious experiences William James: What matters about religious experience is its capacity for change in an individual value not truth. Higher power brings about transformation in a person, noetic quality. Pragmatism – the value of belief Williams James: Beliefs had to work for a living – pragmatists were interested in the value of a belief. Beliefs can be dangerous, but also positive. Religion may not correlate to an empirical reality, but it can ease peoples’ feelings of insecurity in the world and bring them a positive, transformed outlook transforms in a positive light, ones interaction with the world
freud against religion response,1
• Freud saw Christianity’s obsession with sacrifice, sin and guilt at ultimately damaging – unconscious desires of the id are repressed by the ego and superego due to religious morality, resulting in unhappiness and even neurosis “universal, obsessional, neurosis”
joy and liberation conclusive,1
- Positive – Focus on Jesus’ resurrection and atonement are often a source of joy rather than deep-seated guilt / Liberating and uplifting – as human beings are made in the image of God human life is sacred and valuable.
- Christians are committed to living a life of agape – Desmond Tutu overcame the evils of racial apartheid in South Africa. St. Augustine “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in God” – perhaps because we are made in the image of God, perhaps we have a natural desire to believe in God
- If one focuses on Jesus’ portrayal in the New Testament (as a liberator and one who seeks equality for all) and the positive impacts of this throughout history (civil right movements, educating the poor, food banks) one can see the moral goods Christianity has contributed to society are these not just human values? No need for irrational beliefs in the divine… Feuerbach and Freud
dawkins bad, 2
- In a letter to his daughter, ‘Good and Bad Reasons for Believing’ he outlines three poor reasons for belief, of which religion is founded upon tradition, authority, revelation
- As a programmatic secularist his aim is to persuade all right-thinking people that God is a delusion and atheistic secularism is the only plausible alternative polemicist
- Attacks monotheistic religion by questioning why anyone would believe in something for which there is no evidence; Dawkins argue things must be subject to rational enquiry else one could believe anything When reason is applied to God’s existence it demonstrates at very best his existence is inconclusive
- Teaching inaccurate accounts about the way in which the world was created and works, such as Creationism, prevents children from true knowledge as they are unable to understand the wider context of the religious belief
alister mcgrath democracy response, 2
- Programmatic secularism threatens freedom of expression and speech – French government passed law in 2004 that banned the wearing of any symbols in state schools, as a result of la laicite principle that only programmatic secularism enables democratic nation
- Alister McGrath, ‘The Dawkins Delusion?’ (2007): Science and Religion: Complimentary as they reflect different aspects of human experience, the material and the spiritual. Dawkins as a positivist argues metaphysical answers are meaningless are they are outside of scientific investigation – limited viewpoint; philosophy and theology provide insight into these important questions also
backward morality response to mcgrath, 2
- Instead of integrating children, faith schools isolate them from secular society in the UK and could give way to radicalisation or at least negative attitudes towards non-believers
- Many argue for freedom and diversity but faith schools only teach one religion and instead of critical evaluation the religion is taught as fact – children left with no ability to question and think
- Prejudice and bigotry attitudes towards gay marriage, contraception etc. may be internalised by children, not only leading to immoral treatment of others but also restricting their own welfare and prosperity which would be gained through embracing scientific and social developments
charles taylor conclusive, 2
religion and explanations we now use to explain the world are designed to show that we can live full and complete lives without the need for God lead to “self-sufficing humanism”.
• Failure of humanism is that it gives too much emphasis on the individual but this is undesirable as it breaks down communal aspects of society. This secular phase of history denies fullness of life which religion provides
• SPIRITUAL SERVICE: Many citizens, regardless of their faith, make use of CoE parish churchs for marriages/ funerals etc – Church providing a spiritual service to all, part of the community
amsterdam declaration , positive.. 3
- Many would argue that the list of humanist values set out in the 2002 Amsterdam Declaration are values universal to human beings: Humanism is ethical, rational, democracy, response to dogmatic religion, imagination, fulfilment
- Christians may argue that Christianity has many valuable and constructive teachings, which benefit social cohesion and overall goodness. However, alongside such teachings, Christianity has also been the cause of suffering and violence – we no longer need to endorse Christianity, as we can find a resolution which encompasses the positive values without the negative implications religion also carries “a world where everyone lives co-operatively… confident in living ethical and fulfilling lives on the basis of reason and humanity” (British Humanist Association)
religion contributes to culture, 3
• Although religion has been harmful it has to be weighed against the extraordinary contribution the religious imaginations has made to human culture through art, architecture, literature, poetry, drama etc. Secularists think all these things can occur without religion, but only religion can capture the highest spiritual aspect of human experience. Secularism is “largely doomed” as it cannot replace what religion captures of human experience – religion touches on deep truths; no one is prepared to die for music, sport, literature
feuerbach conclusive response 3
- It might be argued that Christian elements of the Houses of Parliament (starting each sitting with Christian prayers) are ritualistic only. Bishops having automatic seats in the House of Lords highlights a bias towards religion when government should be democratic; such traditional practise fails to reflect the reality of 21st century Britain – dogmatic, stuck in the past, not necessarily a good thing when religion endorses prejudicial attitudes.
- As an Atheist Feuerbach wanted human beings to reclaim their positive qualities which religious belief had taken away from human beings by projecting our higher qualities onto the ‘God illusion’ – in doing some we have become alienated from our identities HUMANISM
aquinas spiritual values argument
- One may contend spiritual values are distinct from human values, as they are rooted in God’s eternal law – Aquinas’ Natural Law theory explains that God has designed into us synderesis, the natural inclination to “do good and avoid evil”. The telos of humanity if eudaimonia, a state of flourishing – by rationally discovering the God-given primary precepts (PREGS), we will reach the Summum Bonum (a state of definitive eternal happiness with God), thus fulfilling our purpose.
- Such theory suggests spiritual values, that of protecting and preserving human life (as we are made imago dei), living in an ordered society, and educating our offspring, are distinctively Christian values as they have been laid down by God, discovered through the natural law of humanity human values lack this higher meaning and purpose
tolle argument
- ‘A New Earth’ Eckhart Tolle Focus on the positive aspects of human beings and the human spirit of life which connects us all, not the spirit of a religious deity which can in fact alienate us from humanity
- The New Testament’s focus on Jesus’s sacrifice for the atonement of humankind encourages a collective guilt and a view that humankind is fallen – negative and debasing outlook and gives way to an obsession with suffering, sacrifice and sin
