The Challenge of secularism Flashcards
define endism
Capitalism / liberal democracy is the apex of human civilisation
procedural secularism
Role of the State is to take into account the interests of all its citizens
- treats religion as equally amongst other institutions
programmatic secularism
A purely secular state
issues with secular portrayal of religious ethics
If religions translate their beliefs into universal values, do they remain the same values?
What did Williams say about procedural secularism
the states role is to be ‘a community of communities’
what is la Laïcité
The French separation of church and state (1905)
Give examples of religious harm
Shariah Law - persecution of women
evidence of the increasing secularisation in society
2021 census: for the first time less than half the population described themselves as Christian
define secular positivism (Comte)
Idea developed by Comte that scientific reasoning will overtake religion.
Freud on religion
- religion is a consequence of wish fulfilment
- An infantile illusion
how did freud describe religion
A neuroses of the masses
what is an infantile illusion (Freud)
God provides comfort to humans during the ‘terrors of nature’ (e.g storms) and our helplessness against death
what is Freuds Oceanic experience
A mystical sense of being at one with nature (his equivalent to a religious experienece)
critique of Freud
Religion is enabling
- for some it provides a deeper appreciation of life
what is Dawkins argument in relation to religion
all things must be subject to rational inquiry - otherwise one could equally believe in a celestial tea-pot
