What is Secularism?

In a world of religious privelege and divinely-warranted prejudice, Secularism is the uphill struggle of those who recognise its benefits to the equality and welfare of society.

The fight for secularism is often misconceived as an attack on religion, and many see it as the atheists' attempt to cut down religious freedom and rights. However, it is actually an attack on inequality, promoting both the freedom of religion and the freedom from religion.

So, what does all of this mean?

It means that governments should not endorse any particular religion or belief system, and this is called the 'separation of church and state'. In a secular society, government prioritises human rights, freedom of speech and equality. The government does not encroach on anybody's religious beliefs, so long as those beliefs do not encroach on the rights of others.

A trip to the supermarket is a secular experience. If religious passages were printed on the receipts and staff wished you blessings from God, it would not be secular. It would also not be secular if the receipts were printed with "there is no God" and members of staff promoted atheism. Secularity is religious neutrality which means it is neither against or for religion.

Take the example of a Christian prayer scheduled into a state-held event. Some Christians may argue that this does not infringe on anybody's rights, however if the same event held a Muslim prayer or Atheist speech, there would likely be an uproar. Secularism says that no prayers should be scheduled in a state-held event, because otherwise it is an endorsement of one particular religion and therefore exclusion of everybody else. If no favouritism is given, everyone is still free to believe as they wish, and nobody is excluded.

Chief Executive of the British Humanist Society Andrew Copson can be seen in this video debating the issue of council-held prayers:

So, why is this so important?

Religious favouritism can cause damage to societies, especially when government begins introducing religious teaching into legislation. For example, many Islamic countries integrate teachings from the Qu'ran into their legislation, such as punishment for apostasy, nationalised gender inequality, and many laws which without a supposed divine warrant would seem barbaric. If such governments were instead based on the kind of secularity we're fighting for, laws would not be based on scrolls or ancient teachings, and would likely support a more equal and accepting society based on human rights. Muslims would be free to believe as they wish, so long as their beliefs didn't affect the rights of others. Women would no longer be punished for not covering their skin, religious beliefs could be freely expressed without institutionalised persecution, and more humane and rational laws would be formulated.

In the UK, Christianity currently stands in the way of a secular society, as government gives it special priveleges. For example, religious leaders, mainly Christian, are seated in the House of Lords, which is a policy-shaping power in the UK government. Christian website churchofengland.org states:

      "26 bishops of the Church of England sit in the House of Lords. Known as the Lords Spiritual, they read prayers at the start of each daily meeting and play a full and active role in the life and work of the Upper House."

In the spirit of equality, if there are 26 bishops seated in the House of Lords, there should also be 26 Rabbis, 26 Imams, 26 Hindu leaders etc. etc. etc. - even 26 atheists, 26 agnostics, 26 deists and on and on and on! This is only fair, however if there were this many religious figures in the House, there would barely be room for anyone else. The secular view is that nobody should be chosen for the House of Lords only for their religious affiliation and status, especially when only one religion is represented!


Other issues faced by UK secularists are:

• Faith schools - the brainwashing of children, as paid for and encouraged by government!
• Discrimination of and by religious people in workplaces and public service 
• LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) rights - many religious beliefs are opposed to homosexual, bisexual and transexual lifestyles, but secularism believes in equal rights for all.
• Freedom of expression - criticism of religion is often labelled as racism or prejudice, however religions are all based on beliefs and ideologies and are therefore open to criticism and analysis as much as political beliefs and ideologies. Criticism of people is wrong, but criticism of an idea is not.
• Inhumane animal slaughter - religious views on the way in which to kill animals before eating them can oppose the accepted, humane technique of stunning.
• Global issues such as theocratic dictatorships, child abuse, persecution of women and many more.

These issues are subject to rigorous campaign from such societies as the NSS. Their aims can be found on secularism.org.uk, which states:


      "The National Secular Society campaigns for the separation of religion and state and promotes secularism as the best means to create a society in which people of all religions or none can live together fairly and cohesively. The NSS sees secularism - the position that the state should be separate from religion - as an essential element in promoting equality between all citizens."

Join the National Secular Society (as I recently have), and become part of the movement!
http://www.secularism.org.uk/join-and-renew.html



Thanks for reading

Is your religion any different?

One Sentence - why God is evil

If God is true, he forces each of us into an existence which defaults in eternal torture, all because a couple of people ate some fruit; then provides SOME of us a with a doubtful account of his existence and expects us to believe it in order to avoid the eternal torture.

Do Christians detest gays? (short post)

"The Bible is the Word of God, and God cannot err; therefore, the Bible cannot err. To deny the inerrancy of the Bible one must either affirm that God can err or else that the Bible is not the Word of God.”
Norman Giesler

‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.'
Leviticus 20:13

In order to be a Christian that takes his religion seriously you have to believe that gay people deserve to be put to death.

If you're a Christian reading this and thinking "yeah, but in that cultural context it was still the inerrant word of God", I have to suggest to you the likelihood that you're giving in to the biases of your Christian mind; igonring logic in favour of faith; and for that reason you must reconsider what you believe in unless you wish to lead an intelligent and free-thinking life.

And if you argue that, because Jesus promoted equality and tolerance, we now know that gay people don't deserve death, then I press you to really think about this. Is Jesus God? Or is he some sort of alter ego? Why do they differ in their teachings? Was it okay to put gay people to death before Jesus came around? Do you agree with all of the death sentences that have been given because of biblical teaching?

Think about what you believe in. It's not all fluffy and lovely.

Thanks for reading.

Respecting the kind and sincere

Let's call this guy Arthur

I can only assume that a large portion of the atheist community would be quick to label open-air preachers as "loons". There's a common opinion amongst many atheists and "anti-theists" that the religious are idiots. And many atheists (not realising they're hypocrites), like to preach these opinions, such as Jim Jeffries, an Australian stand-up comedian, who has some pretty harsh things to say about Christians. Though I agree with many of the points these kind of people make, and we share a mutual knowledge of just how ridiculous religion itself is, I tend to disagree with fellow atheists that mock and ridicule the religious.

Walking through town the other day I passed by a preacher. He was stood there, just as you would expect, waving his arms and bellowing the gospel, "accept your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" and all that garbage. Many thousands of people must have passed him that day, because it was a Saturday, and one of the first real sunny days we'd had in my part of the country. And though the majority of his fleeting spectators will have laughed to themselves and thought "what a nut", I felt something different. It was the first time I'd seen an open-air preacher since my deconversion. And although many of my atheistic views should have stirred annoyance at this man, what I really felt was a profound respect for him.

How is it that an atheist, firm in his convictions, author of a blog all about the evils of Christianity, and contemptuous towards its teachings and influence, could feel a deep admiration for a man who shouts at thousands of people in an attempt to bring about their submission to Christ?

The answer is, it's not about what he is doing, it's about what he believes he is doing.

The man I saw in the city centre is a firm believer in the teachings of the Bible. He may gullable, brainwashed and close-minded. But he believes in care and compassion, and most likely has a formidable love for his fellow man. He believes in divine judgement, and that everyone must go to heaven or hell. So what does he do? He devotes his life to his cause, trying to take as many people as he can with him up to heaven. He is sincere, he is caring, and he is a good man.

Now, don't get me wrong. I still think the idea of such judgement is both absolutely ridiclous and inherently the most evil kind of  "justice" imaginable. I still hate the fact that he is preaching this stuff. I hate the idea that parents brainwash their kids into believing such horrible things. etc. etc.

But this man believes it is true, and he wants to save people. Many Christians don't really believe it's true. Because if they did, they'd be doing what he does, they'd be out in the streets, or overseas, trying desperately to enlighten as many people as possible. But some people do firmly believe, and don't do anything about it. They live normal lives, and don't try to convert anyone. And although these people are those that the atheist community often respect more - they're the ones that "keep it to themselves", and "don't try to shove it down everyone's throats" - I respect them less. Much less. Because if Hell is a real place, a place of eternal and unimaginable torture, then to sit back and do nothing when you could be pulling people out of it is to be an evil human being.

When I was a Christian, I took the teachings seriously. I often wept at the idea that so many billions would be eternally tortured, and the more I thought about this the closer I got to my deconversion. But while I was still a Christian, I tried to convert people, I didn't hide my religious views even though I knew it could have been a detriment to my social life, and I prayed and studied the Bible all the time. If I'd remained a strong believer, it's not unlikely I would have ended up like old Arthur up there. It's the only logical conclusion for a good person who takes the religion seriously.

And that's why I have respect for the sincere. Regardless of their beliefs, if they are good hearted and sincere, I respect them. And I think the atheist community should too. Because if we disrespect those with integrity and kindness, we are detrimental to our own cause. As a community, we want to expand and show people that we are the way, the truth and the light. We want to end religious interference in politics, we want to stop people brainwashing their children, to stop intelligent design being taken seriously, to stop people thinking that we all deserve to be mercilessly tortured until the end of time. But the only way to achieve all that is to show people that we're good just like them. That atheists aren't a bunch of closet satan-worshippers and God-haters. That we're normal people, and so are they, and the only difference is that they believe in stupid things and we're rational.

Let's respect the kind and sincere. Because they're just like us. Only they're unlucky to have been deceived in to believing what they do.

Thanks for reading.

Just a little post about thanking God

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."1 Thessalonians 5:18

I'd like to take this verse and use it in my next prayer. Maybe it'll go something like this:

Thank you God, for all of the torture, suffering and grief that you've caused. It is your will. Thank you for causing so much pain. Especially to people who don't even know you exist, rendering them unworthy of heaven and therefore subject to an eternity of even worse torture after death. Hallelujah. You are an awesome God, I love you.

Amen

Ooh ooh ooh, and whilst I'm at it I'm going to write a letter to those dudes, the Boston bomber guys, yeah...

 

Thank you Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, for all of the torture, suffering and grief that you've caused. It was your will. Thank you for causing so much pain. Especially to the people who have to live without legs for the rest of their lives, and the people who have lost their children. Hallelujah. You are awesome men, I love you.

Amen

Wait, that second one doesn't sound right. Hmm....

Oh! Of course!! Silly me!!!.....

The Bible doesn't teach us to worship mass murderers!

Except for God.

Therefore it's morally wrong!
Unless it's God.

 

Whoops. Well, I take the second prayer back, but the first one is all good.


....


No. If everything is God's will, then first of all we have no free will, and secondly he is a fucking psycopath. Why on Earth would you worship a bloodthirsty maniac? Because the maniac tells you that he's powerful and loving? Nah. It's ridiculous. Nobody basing their beliefs on reasonable thinking would be a Christian. That only goes to show that rationality is warped by brainwashing and deceit. And that's bloody disgraceful.

Oh and here's another thing. If God makes everything happen, then he made me an athiest!

TELL 'EM RICKY!

Thanks for reading.
It was your will.
I love you.

Pray for Boston?

N.B please do not take this blogpost in the wrong way. I am personally horrified to hear about the incidents in Boston and make no attempt to offend or hurt anyone with my views. I fully acknowledge the reality and horror of the events and would not wish that anyone would be upset by the ideas in this blog. My concern comes well before my skepticisim at this time.
 

A series of explosions in the capital city of Massachussets has served as another reminder that the world is far from rid of evil. On Monday afternoon, an explosion occurred amid a crowd of marathon spectators in Boston, which was followed by another several hundred yards away. Several were killed by the blasts, and dozens maimed.

Along with the global worry sparked by reports of developing nuclear technology in North Korea, the incident has reopened many concerns and debates about terrorism and the security of our society.

But aside from the politics, there lies a more subtle and unnoticed evil. A certain group of people believe they know who is responsible for this incident. But instead of accusing this figure, they are worshipping it. Which group am I talking about? It is of course, the Christians.

Now, I'm not as arrogant or ignorant as I sound. I am completely aware that "Pray for Boston" or "#pray4boston" is the response of millions of those who are concerned and upset about the news over in the states. I know that for many, "pray" is simply a metaphor for "think about in a caring and empathetic way". And I am in full support and admiration of the amount of care being lavished on the incident. I am personally distressed by the fatalities, especially that of an 8 year old boy, who's siblings were also seriously injured.

But it pains me that so many are blindly turning their attention and praise to an invisible being which, by definition of their beliefs, actually caused the explosions.

Because, after all, Christians never fail to boast of their God's omnipotence, the idea that he is all powerful. Most Christians even go as far as claiming that everything happens as a result of God's will. And if God wills and controls everything that happens, then it stands to reason that he must have caused the explosions.

If this is the case, then it beggars belief that those faithful in the existence of this deity would pray to it post-catastrophe. I can't help but wonder if Christians would ask a serial killer for his support in their time of woe, after he himself killed several of their family members.

And if everything that happens is God's will - if everything is, as it is often called, "God's plan" - then how would praying to him even make a difference? If you pray to him and it fits in with what he wants, it'll happen. But it would have happened anyway, because it's a plan, that God formulated well before you were born. And if you pray for something God doesn't want, he won't make it happen. Prayer is pointless. And when it comes to praying for help after difficult events which were actually brought about by the figure you're praying to, well that's more than pointless, it's an insult to human intelligence and reason.

A healthy approach

To the large group of skeptics across the world of which I consider myself a member, the idea that there is a God that causes everything to happen is ridiculous enough, but when our peers begin praying to this being after it supposedly willed a disaster, it annoys and frustrates us. We want our fellow man to be reasonable. And not because we're pernickity, or want everyone to be like us. But because a good combination of reason and ethics leads to a healthy society. If billions can pray earnestly to a serial killer, then billions are capable of any kind of wacky and dangerous thoughts and actions.

We've already seen how terrible and threatening brainwashing can be, in the form of our other leading world religion, Islam. Its deceitful spreading techniques and crazy ideas are no different to those of Christianity in nature. The only difference is that its implied teachings are rather more barbaric and bloodthirsty than Judeo-Christian ones. I can't help but worry about human nature when I realise that the only thing stopping Christians acting like fundamentalist Muslims is the content of their holy book. In fact, looking back at history it's revealed that Christians in fact have behaved like fundamentalist Muslims. Just look at the Crusades. Look at all the burning of "witches", the stoning of adulterers, the safe-guarding of scientific ignorance, the death sentences given to those who dared to challenge religious authority. Religion has proven itself over and over again to be a force both insulting and threatening to the human race. Many may argue that Christianity was a foundation for our increasingly moral Western society which, come to think of it, is far from true - a society built on Biblical values would be putting to death anyone who worked on the Sabbath, burning anyone who is suspected to be a witch, and still be teaching that God created the world 6 thousand years ago. A more reasonable argument is that a Christianity was gradually modified to ignore the nasty bits and emphasise the good morals. This idea alone shows us that morality certainly doesn't come from God, because if we can cherry pick the best bits from the Bible, our moral compass must be external to Biblical teachings. Anyway, I digress.

The point is, religion continually attacks our reasonable and scientific minds. It stamps "EVIL" upon the forehead of science and free thought, promoting the close-mindedness of its followers. It warps our sense of morality, teaching that every human being deserves eternal damnation. And it teaches us that even though God kills and tortures people all the time, we should pray for his help and love. Religion does this with authority and arrogance, all the time claiming to be the way, the truth, and the light. And although most people see praying for Boston a good thing - although I recognise it is a caring response - it is, deep down, an unhealthy, unreasonable thing to do. The problem is, nobody realises it.

Thanks for reading.