Religious Influence On Secularism?

[Storm]

Is your stance on secularism informed by your religious beliefs, or lack thereof?

For instance, do you support secularism because your religion teaches that all paths are valid? Or, do you oppose secularism because your religion ascribes to divine law?

For the nonbelievers among us, do you support secularism out of a simple wish to be left in peace, becuase you believe in the ideal of religious freedom, or because you wish to see religion eradicated from public life? I can't conceive of an unbeliever opposing secularism, but if you do, please share why.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

For the nonbelievers among us, do you support secularism out of a simple wish to be left in peace, becuase you believe in the ideal of religious freedom, or because you wish to see religion eradicated from public life? I can't conceive of an unbeliever opposing secularism, but if you do, please share why.

I personally don't want to see religion eradicated from public life. What I personally object to is the state's involvement in religion (e.g. endorsement, subsidy, and other forms of breaking the church/state divide), not the individual beliefs of any person. I do think that religious matters shouldn't be given special status above other matters, but this would mean acknowledging that religious beliefs are no less valid a source of political views than any other beliefs a person might have just as much as it means that religion is no more entitled to public funds, for example, than other human pursuits.

Basically, my position on secularism comes down to the idea that one person's beliefs shouldn't be imposed on others, whether that comes in the form of reciting the Lord's Prayer before the town council meeting, giving special tax status to churches, or prohibiting school children from wearing hijabs and crucifixes.

 

[Storm]

I wholeheartedly agree, Penguin.

To answer the question myself, I find that my religious beliefs do support secularism, as I believe that all faiths are equally valid.

However, that is not my primary reason for being a secularist. If I am honest, my secularism stems mainly from a visceral, emotional, and primarily selfish objection to the idea of being told what to believe. Also, I find the idea of paying lip service to beliefs I do not hold to be morally repugnant.

I can justify and idealize this emotional reaction easily, in a myriad of ways, but in the end it's still selfish emotion.

 

[Father Heathen]

I support secularism because it doesn't serve a diverse society with multiple religions and cultures to be represented by a government that only favors a particular one.

 

[Storm]

So, would it be fair to describe your secularism as being based on a philosophical ideal, FH?

 

[ChristineES]

I think we are all influenced by things we see in our everyday lives. That may include religion, among other things. I am a faithful person to God and to Jesus, they are part of my whole life. But I am influenced by other things. I listen to secular music, I read secular novels, I go to see secular movies, and many other things. Secular doesn't mean evil by any means.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I prefer to define secular as 'nontheistic' rather than 'nonreligious.'

 

[Dunemeister]

What's secularism? Or rather, which version of secularism are we dealing with here?

 

[Storm]

The belief that the government should have nothing to do with religion.

 

[Mister Emu]

I can't conceive of an unbeliever opposing secularism

Communists who tend to control religion/religious expression?

For what it's worth, I am opposed to secularism... though I am for freedom of religion...

 

[Engyo]

I personally don't want to see religion eradicated from public life. What I personally object to is the state's involvement in religion (e.g. endorsement, subsidy, and other forms of breaking the church/state divide), not the individual beliefs of any person. I do think that religious matters shouldn't be given special status above other matters, but this would mean acknowledging that religious beliefs are no less valid a source of political views than any other beliefs a person might have just as much as it means that religion is no more entitled to public funds, for example, than other human pursuits.

Basically, my position on secularism comes down to the idea that one person's beliefs shouldn't be imposed on others, whether that comes in the form of reciting the Lord's Prayer before the town council meeting, giving special tax status to churches, or prohibiting school children from wearing hijabs and crucifixes.

Hear, hear!

 

[Storm]

Communists who tend to control religion/religious expression?

For what it's worth, I am opposed to secularism... though I am for freedom of religion...

OK, why are you opposed to secularism, and what if anything does your faith have to do with it?

 

[Mister Emu]

OK, why are you opposed to secularism, and what if anything does your faith have to do with it?

Sorry,

I am opposed to secularism because I believe that some divine laws should be mandated... and well I wouldn't believe those laws divinely mandated without my religion

 

[Storm]

What divine laws, specifically?

 

[Mister Emu]

Things like abortion and the death penalty would be abolished for instance

 

[Storm]

What about homosexuality? Where would it end? How could you protect religious freedom while imposing your religion on everyone else?

 

[Feridan]

Sorry,

I am opposed to secularism because I believe that some divine laws should be mandated... and well I wouldn't believe those laws divinely mandated without my religion

I bet you'd be opposed to the mandating of 'divine laws' from other religions, right? And since not everyone will agree on which religion the nation's laws should come from, the only answer is secularism - where we devise our own laws together. The killing of disobedient children will have to wait, I guess.

 

[Mister Emu]

What about homosexuality?

What about it?

Where would it end?

Where I decided

How could you protect religious freedom while imposing your religion on everyone else?

If your religion involves killing people, so sorry but such practices are illegal here anyways in a secular society...

I bet you'd be opposed to the mandating of 'divine laws' from other religions, right?

You might lose that bet depending on which 'divine laws' they wish to mandate

The stoning to death of disobedient children will have to wait, I guess.

Drats!

 

[October]

For the nonbelievers among us, do you support secularism out of a simple wish to be left in peace, becuase you believe in the ideal of religious freedom, or because you wish to see religion eradicated from public life? I can't conceive of an unbeliever opposing secularism, but if you do, please share why.

In my opinion, a secular society is a happy society.

Religious beliefs are intense and person. For many people, they dictate voting practise, chosen friendships, lines of work, personality traits -- everything. Because they mean so much, I think it's hard for people to look past them when dealing with non-religious matters, such as deciding who is best qualified to lead a nation, what subjects should be mandatory for all students in all schools, etc. For that reason, I think that a secular society, where religion cannot be used as a persuasive argument for or against something (ie: the churches that say no good Christian would vote Democrat) is the ideal society. I don't feel religion should enter into hiring practices, legal issues, or anything like that, because when it does it muddles the issue and creates unnecessary conflict. I'm all for religious freedom. Anyone should be able to worship freely without being made to say prayers they don't mean, praise a deity they don't believe in or participate in ceremonies that are meaningless to them. In a secular society, these things don't happen.

 

[Father Heathen]

Drats!

You may joke about it, but it's in the bible, and if you really want the government to mandate "divine law", you can't cherry pick god's commandments now can you?