The challenge of secularism Flashcards
Define secularism
the view that religion should be separated from political power and made simply a private matter. Religious people can have influence by voting for whoever they want for whatever laws they want. However religion only has this indirect power through the political democratic process. It has no direct power.
Define secularisation
the process of a society changing its views to become less closely linked with religious values
Arguments for secularism and secularisation
(+)secularism has taken place and is continuing and so a secular state would suit the majority of people
(+)the decline in Christianity and the particular decline of the church of England: even those who identify as Christian either disagree with some of the key teachings of their religion or would not describe themselves as being devout
(+)The need for neutrality - there should be no one system of belief that has any advantage over others
(+)Discrimination - in a secular society there is less chance of one person being treated differently
(+)It allows decisions to be made from experience rather than perspective
(+)Freedom of choice - By separating these two entities, people have the freedom to pursue their own faith instead of having it dictated to them. It also allows for people to choose not to have a religion or religious faith if that is their personal preference.
Biblical support of seculisation and secularism (+why it would give Christianity an opportunity to develop)
Matthew 22:21 - “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
-Jesus did not come to change institutions or society as a whole but individuals that he encountered. Secularism would allow Christianity today to re-focus its attention on the individual
Reasons why secularism and secularisation may be a bad thing/a threat to Christianity
-Religious education would not be enforced
-Many people base their morals and look for guidance from religion
-The law may overpower religion and cause disagreement and rebellion may even be encourage by passionate religious groups, which could further lead to hatred and segregation
Freud and Dawkins view of religion
Freud & Dawkins thinks religion is bad for society because it is infantile, illusory, irrational non-thinking wish fulfilment. They argue religion negatively influences people with these traits. Both Freud and Dawkins say that religious belief comes from fear of death, not rational thought.
What did Dawkins compare religion to?
The tooth fairy and Santa Claus (wish fulfillment)
What did Freud say the 11th commandment would be and why?
Freud said if there was an 11th commandment it would be ‘thou shalt not question’.
Religion encourages people to not think for themselves and not question it, giving people a ‘weak intellect’.
What did Freud believe religion was the result of?
-wish fulfillment
-he developed the idea of the Oedipus complex where a child has unconscious sexual desires for the parent of the opposite sex, this then creates feelings of guilt, which is repressed, leading to neurosis
-when someone regresses, or is stuck in an infantile phase, they are more in tune with this repressed guilt and this can be seen in ritualistic ways (e.g. baptism and confession etc) of trying to deal with the guilt.
-He believed religion was an illusion that came from the desire of people to gain forgiveness for feelings that they had repressed
God is not an illusion and not the result of wish fulfillment
-Freuds analysis oversimplifies religious belief as ritualistic and does not take into account the variety of beliefs in other religions that do not put as much emphasis on guilt
-It has benefitted people and society as a whole, people find purpose and hope in religion and it brings people together and gives people a sense of community and belonging
-Religion has provided support and guidance for people
What does Dawkins say about religion in his book the God delusion
-Religion is a memplex (a series of ideas that has spread “gone viral”) that can be discarded and should not be judged in terms of truth
-The scientific method is more appropriate. Just because science has not answered all life’s questions does not mean you have to use religion to fill in all the gaps
-Evolution replaces the need for a God. There is sufficient evidence for evolution to accept that it is how life has developed.
-It is a cause of war. Dawkins points to the God of the OT as an example of how how God can be used to justify immoral actions and violence. It is therefore a cause of social problems and many 20th century wars could have been avoided without it.
-Form of child abuse. beliefs like hell can cause psychological harm to children due to the fear it inspires. It is therefore the cause of personal problems
Counter arguments for religion being a form of child abuse - Dawkins
-Teaching children religion is a way of passing on family traditions and cultural heritage. For many families, religious identity is deeply tied to their community and history. Children raised in religious environments learn about their faith in much the same way they learn about their national or ethnic identity—as part of the social fabric they belong to. It is not necessarily about imposing blind faith, but providing them with a sense of belonging and understanding of their cultural roots.
-Parents have a right to pass on their beliefs and values to their children regardless of whether they are religious or not
What is secular humanism?
a system of thought that hopes to establish ways of living a good, happy life without any reference to God, religion or spirituality. The focus for humanists is the scientific approach which rejects the supernatural. Moral decisions are made based on reason, empathy and a focus on people.
When was the declaration for secular humanism created?
1952 then again in 2002, many came together to produce a declaration of modern humanism - the 2002 Amsterdam declaration
What do secular humanists believe about faith?
-All belief is personal and has no part to play in wider society. Including in schools, government and the state
-they reject the need for bishops being members of the house of lords
Define spiritual values
values that are found when considering life at more than just its face value. they are slightly different from religious values, which are those that are found when exploring the key principles of religious beliefs and traditions. However, religious values would all be classed as spiritual values
Spiritual values are just human values discuss
-there is significant overlap such as the golden rule which is widely accepted not just by faiths but by people who do not consider themself to be religious
-Both share a common goal of enhancing human life, but they do so through different frameworks and approaches.
-A person may identify as both religious and spiritual, integrating their faith tradition’s teachings with personal spiritual practices.
However:
-Religious values are tied to specific, organised belief systems and practices, while spiritual values are more personal and flexible
-Religious values emphasise the adherence to specific beliefs, rituals, and moral codes based on the religion’s teachings.
-Religious values are typically practiced in organized settings with formal rituals.
