In Theory: Should humanism be labeled a religion?
The Federal Bureau of Prisons will recognize humanism as a religion, after reaching a settlement in a lawsuit filed by an inmate.
Last year, the American Humanist Assn. sued the prison on behalf of a federal inmate in Oregon who wanted to form a humanist study group.
The settlement comes a year after the U.S. Army also announced it would do the same and may be a sign of a “broader government willingness to recognize humanism, a system of beliefs that recognizes no deity and emphasizes rational thinking,” according to the Religion News Service.
The settlement will also allow humanist inmates to celebrate “holy days,” including observing the birthday of naturalist Charles Darwin on Feb. 12.
Q. What is your opinion of the decision and of humanism?
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These questions will come up again and again, in this age of waning religions and waxing nonreligion (e.g., agnosticism, atheism, and the “nones,” who check “none of the above” on the religious identity surveys).
This oxymoronic recognition of humanism as a religion is a case in point. I think the concept that the nonreligious are lobbying for — that they have just as much right not to have a religion as others do to have one, and that their freedoms to pursue and practice an alternative belief system should be granted the same rights as religious systems have — I think that’s well and good, and something that apparently is needed.
But I would have that equality brought about in another way than calling non—religion a religion, which I feel is both silly and insulting. I think the way forward is to come up with something to call nonreligion, then make sure that its adherents have the same rights and freedoms as religious adherents do.
Humanism, and its close cousin secularism, is more properly a philosophy than theology; its adherents study questions of existence, cosmology, and human nature and values, without reference to a deity or an unseen transcendent power. We might even call humanism and secularism a form of metaphysics — that branch of philosophy which engages questions of ‘what exists’ and ‘what does it mean?’
So call humanism a philosophy, or call it a metaphysical movement; then do the work of making sure that philosophy and metaphysical movements have equal recognitions under the law as religions have.
This suit should have been settled in favor of the plaintiff, but not by recognizing humanism as a religion. It should have upheld humanism’s right, as a philosophy, to the same access to study, resources and social organization that religions have in prison.
Because, you know, it really doesn’t make any sense to say, “I think religion is a bunch of crap! Now, please call that thought a religion.”
The Rev. Amy Pringle
St. George’s Episcopal Church
La Cañada Flintridge
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The word “religion” inherently carries with it the idea of faith in God, or gods. Humanism is more of a philosophy than a religion. It is a system of thought, not a faith in God. On the surface it might seem insignificant to put it on a level with authentic systems of belief in God, only fair for those who don’t follow a “traditional” religion, but in fact it blurs an important distinction. Philosophy is not faith. Holy days are ones set apart for God, not ones for the remembrance of man.
This decision is symptomatic of our culture’s trend toward the blurring of important, God-established differences. Contrary to this new trend, it remains true that a man is not a woman. Both are equally human, with dignity and worth, but they are not the same thing. A fetus in the womb is human, not just a mass of tissue or an extension of a woman’s body. The union of one man and one woman in marriage is different than any same-sex relationship. It seems that the cardinal sin of this new way of thinking is to assert that there is absolute truth, that there is right and wrong, that God has spoken and we accountable and not allowed to veto his mandates. Hopefully it won’t take long for us to realize that when black and white are blurred all that’s left is gray. When nothing is wrong the meaning of right is demolished.
The most important distinction of all is that God is God, and man is not. This is where humanism errs, and this is where our culture has gone astray. It’s time to put an end to our foolishness and to embrace the truth. This is the path to authentic freedom for our country.
Pastor Jon Barta
Burbank
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The Bureau of Prisons has recognized Wotanism, the worship of the pagan Norse god Odin, Wotan being his Germanic name, as a sanctioned religion. Over 300 Wotanvolk congregations thrive in federal prisons, preaching that Christianity has weakened Aryan blood-stock and that whites will triumph in future race wars, which are inevitable.
So yes, I’m OK with the practice of humanist beliefs being allowed in prisons.
As an atheist I tend to look for a rational, real-world explanation for everything. In the U.S. we imprison too many people for too long in a system that often does not meet basic human needs, let alone provide meaningful rehabilitation for perpetrators or any restorative justice for victims.
To me there is no doubt that within this bleak landscape, prisoners requesting that their religion be accommodated are strongly motivated by the “time and space for activities, visits by pastor or chaplains, and access to literature and study materials” that such recognition allows.
I approve of humanism as described by the prisoner for whom the American Humanist Assn. brought the lawsuit, as I suspect would most believers of any religion. Oregon inmate Jason Holder says, “As humanists, we believe in the ability of mankind to transcend their differences and find common ground. You know, make the world a better place.”
Well, maybe a Wotanist would disagree.
Roberta Medford
Atheist
Montrose
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As a humanist, of course I think this is a great thing and long overdue. It’s amazing to me that prisoners would not be granted equal rights to have activities, visits by experts and access to literature no matter what they believe as long as it isn’t hurtful or damaging to themselves or others.
Humanists are atheists, but rather than focus on what we don’t believe, we focus on the positive: a respect for rational thinking, our Earth, and our fellow humans.
Nonbelievers of any ilk get a bad rap and, as a humanist celebrant, I feel it is my responsibility to spread the philosophy in a positive and respectful manner, erase the negative connotations associated with humanism, atheism, agnosticism and the like and carve out an equal place of respect in society for those who have the same philosophy as me.
I truly believe that because of the stigma attached to it and the bullying that is prevalent in our society, there are millions of “closeted” nonbelievers out there who are unwilling to “come out.” I feel this effort by the prison system is a step in the right direction toward making it safe for all to express what they truly believe.
Joshua Lewis Berg
Humanist Celebrant
Glendale
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Religion, by definition, is the practice of spiritual development. How can something that is not spiritual be thus considered a religion? Could not anything at all then qualify? Hedonism, communism, anything that you could suffix with an “ism” could be a religion. I’ve known people who are “devout” drinkers, so maybe alcoholism should be declared a religion.
And while there may be special days observed by humanists, how does that entitle religious designation? If simply marking dates on the calendar qualify as “holy” (regardless of the fact that they’re specifically not spiritual) then couldn’t National S’mores Day on Aug. 10 be classified as a “religious” holiday for the Girl Scouts? Besides their sweet invention, would the fact that they also congregate, take oaths, and believe in certain values qualify their troop a religion as well? If it’s just about grouping together, indoctrination and celebrating notables, then couldn’t every college and university be called a church?
If everything is religion, then I suppose there will be nothing that cannot be immoral or wrong because everyone’s defense would be to simply invoke the 1st Amendment. And that’s another thing; the fact that the U.S. Army pronounces humanism a religion should cause us all to scratch our heads. Every soldier takes the Oath of Enlistment saying, “I, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution … so help me God.” The Constitution, by the way, concludes Article VII with “in the year of our lord…” Is their oath invalid? Both servicemen, and those serving time, who reject heaven for humanism have done as Scripture declares: “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator” (Rom 1:25 NIV). Without the Creator, the lord God, they are truly lost, and they are without religion.
We now witness a time when people can make a religion of anything and likewise worship what is not God or even spiritual. It reminds me of when the Apostle Paul entered pagan territory and announced, “I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship — and this is what I am going to proclaim to you” (Act 17:22-23 NIV). Folks, we need to get more serious about proclaiming true religion and defending it. And the linchpin of true religion is Christ.
Rev. Bryan A. Griem
Tujunga
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While I believe in a God who actively involves himself or herself in the affairs of humankind, I recognize that others do not. As long as these prisoners use the concept of the “nondeity” and “human rationality” to carry on moral activities that lessens deviant behavior and fosters a positive community belief, then I welcome them.
As regards Charles Darwin day, we must remember that Darwin had a Bible at his bedside on the Beagle, and his concept of evolution does not differ from Creationism except in terms of time. Time for the Humanists to think about that.
Rabbi Mark Sobel
Temple Beth Emet
Burbank