Seems like we are all over the campuses this week! Aside from the debates happening at the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, we will also have a member of our group speaking at St. Paul’s as well.
Dave Burton (aka: Humanist Dave) will be representing the HAO and the humanist world view on a panel featuring representatives of many religions, hosted by the Dialogue with Diversity (DwD) and Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution (CICR). The Question to the panel will be:
How Can All These World Religions Promote Peace?
- Buddhism
- Hinduism
- Sikhism
- Judaism
- Christianity
- Islam
- Humanism
Here is a list of all the panelists:
- Michael McIntyre
- Shiv Jindal
- Roman Mukerjee
- Rula Odeh
- Jonathan Wouk
- Aisha Sherazi
- Ravi Singh
- Brenda Vellino
- David Burton
- Qais Ghanem (Moderator)
The event will take place on Wednesday, 23 September, 2009: 7:00 – 9:30 pm
Auditorium, 2nd floor, Guigues Hall – free admission
St Paul University, 223 Main St, Ottawa
Info: dialoguewithdiversity@rogers.com – (613) 265-4654
Part of the Third Ottawa Peace Festival, 2009: www.departmentofpeace.ca
2009/09/22 at 3:54 pm
It is great to see Humanism getting shared billing as a world “religion” : )
The debate question is interesting too because “How Can All These World Religions Promote Peace?” can be read two ways:
- How Can All These World Religions Promote Peace?
- How All These World Religions Promote Peace?
I think it is easy and intellectually consistent to defend Humanism as peaceful. However to understand the subject more broadly I’d be interested to know more about if, and under what circumstances, Humanists feel the use of military force is legitimate? Is Humanism inherently non-violent or are Humanist ideals a)worthy of military defense, and/or b)worthy of a military responsibility to protect & defend other nations? Further, c) could Humanists ever contemplate initiating a war for the purpose of imposing Humanist principles other nations? In nutshell, from a humanist perspective, where is the boundary that defines a just war and an unjust peace?
From my view of history, the vast majority of wars are not fought over religion. From the perspective of those orchestrating war, religion can be a useful tool for war propaganda but even visibly religious wars can be more fully explained as dynamics in attempted redistribution of power.
Here is a document from the British Humanist Association meant to stir discussion:
http://www.humanismforschools.org.uk/pdfs/war.pdf
In its appendix is this:
UK Armed Forces Humanist Association
Constitution:
“In battle, and all other operations, high morale equates to the moral strength which gives true ascendancy over the enemy. The duty of bearing arms, of being prepared to fight, kill and if necessary die in
carrying out orders, carries with it the responsibility only to do so in a just
cause. All service personnel have direct and unique responsibility for life
and death. Individually, all service personnel are subject to international
and national law, and must discharge their duties not just according to orders and law, but consciously and clearly for the greater good. Commanders must ensure that all subordinates understand these responsibilities of their service, and that their cause is just. This entails proper understanding of the Laws of War, Humanitarian Law and Rules of Engagement; but it also means an underlying deep comprehension of the moral and ethical responsibility of bearing arms. British servicemen must obey their orders confident that the ends, ways and means are right
morally as well as militarily.”
As a Humanist, I find this passage completely useless. It *presumes* a war the UK has entered is just. It presumes the methods, strategy and tactics soldiers are asked to carry out are just. Even recent history is replete with examples to the contrary.
I’d be interested in thoughts on these questions and links to recommended essays and articles on the topic.
2009/09/22 at 4:00 pm
Woops, I guess the WordPress text editor treats some ascii symbols as special characters and hides the text between the lesser-than and greater-than braces.
In the post above my second paragraph and bullets should read as follows:
The debate question is interesting too because “How Can All These World Religions Promote Peace?” can be read two ways:
- How Can -It Be That- All These World Religions Promote Peace?
- How -Should- All These World Religions Promote Peace?
2009/09/29 at 9:01 am
Talking notes of the Humanist representative Humanist Dave “B” on the religious panel……
I would like to thank Dr. Ghamen very much for
including the Humanist on this panel….
Humanists are not usually recognized, and
accepted as a belief system in the same way that
religions are . ….
And Humanists are not usually recognized, and
accepted as a belief system in the way
that Humanists would like to be, and
think that Humanists should be recognized and accepted
as a belief system…
So being on this panel is a little bit of a first
for Humanists in Ottawa.
And we are very grateful to Dr. Ghanem
for including us on this panel
Humanist have been fighting and struggling to be an
identified, and recognized entity and to be socially
acceptable in Canadian society…
Humanist do believe that nonbelievers are the last
group in Canada that it is still safe to discriminate
against.
And based on Statistic’s Canada’s statistics
– 25% of Canadians are nonbelievers…..
Part of the reason for the non-recognition of
nonbelievers in our society is that nonbelievers tend
to keep a very low profile to avoid discrimination and
bigotry…..
Humanism is a religious free way of life that believes
that it is our responsibility to lead ethical and
meaningful lives for the greater good of all……..
Humanism is not a religion – it is more of a concept
and a movement like enviromentalism, feminism, western
liberalism, libitarianism, free enterprise, capitalism,
socialism, etc.
Unlike the previously mentioned concepts and movements,
Humanism does involve a world view of Humanity, and
how humans should live their lives and deal with their
problems and the problems of Humanity.
Humanists do feel that we should be recognized, and
accepted as a presence and a voice on the moral and
ethical landscape of society..
Some of the Humanist values and beliefs do involve
religious issues.
Humanists are strongly in favour of the separation of
religion and the state.
Humanists are strongly in favour of a completely
secular state.
Only in a completely secular state will all religions
and belief systems be really free.
One thing that Humanists have in common with all of the
other religions is that we do believe that we are right
and all of the rest are wrong..
Humanists do believe in respecting the values and
beliefs of others, unless their values and beliefs are
degrading to Human dignity…
Humanists do believe in respecting the values and
beliefs of other, even if they do
not agree with them, especially if they do not agree
with them, unless they are trying to impose their
beliefs on others..
Ancient Greek philosophers have been identified as
being Humanists….
Democritus (469-370BCE)…Greek philosopher, asserted
that human beings can set higher standards of personal
integrity and social responsibility by rational, moral,
fair and compassionate means rather then involving
the supernatural and a supernatural being or beings…..
Greek gods at that time – of which there were many –
were not particularly moral or ethical..
Some early Christians in the 4th & 5th century of the
common era were considered
Humanists by some….Because of their concern about human
suffering and their attempts to do something about it…
Ie. St Francis,
So sometimes Humanism is referred to as Secular
Humanism to differentiate it from the Humanism of some
of the early Christians…
And to emphasize its non-theist beliefs…
The concept of Humanism was suppressed for 2000 years
from the time of the Greek philosophers to the time of
the Renaissance when it re-emerged during the
Enlightenment, and the age of Reason…..at a time when
free thinkers faced social stigma and risked death by
coming out as atheists and agnostics.
At a time when dogma was the unquestioned and accepted
norm……
This was the era when the Unitarian Church came into
being – which does not call itself a church but a
congregation. The Unitarian Congregation’s
main guiding principle is to respect the beliefs of
others – no matter what those beliefs are – including
atheism – therefore it has attracted a lot of
atheists…there are also theist in the Unitarian
Congregation..
Humanism is concerned with humans and humanity and is
not concerned with a God or Gods or the after life.
It is based on
REASON
FREEDOM
EQUALITY
COMPASSION
RESPONSIBILITY – for ourselves and for others
FAIRNESS
RESPECT FOR THE VALUES AND BELIEFS OF OTHERS, UNLESS THEY TRY TO IMPOSE THEiR BELIEFS ON OTHERS, OR THEIR VALUES AND BELIEFS ARE DEGRADING TO HUMAN DIGNITY..
DO NOT EVANGELIZE (PROSELTIZE) – HUMANISTS WANT NONBELIEVERS TO BE AWARE THAT THEY EXIST AND THAT THEY ARE A SAFE HAVEN FOR NONBELIEVERS AND A COMMUNITY OF LIKE MINDED INDIVIDUALS…
Humanists are very concerned with human rights
(especially freedom of speech),
freedom/equality/democracy, human suffering and
separation of the state and
religion……and are opposed to any form of
discrimination, racistism and
bigotry……..
Humanism is a worldwide movement with Humanist
Associations all over the world. There is a Humanist
Association of Ottawa, a Humanist
Association of Canada and an International World
Humanist Association.
The Humanism in its modern form is several centuries
old….
QUESTIONS:
1. Why am I a Humanist??……..
Because I do believe in Reason, Logical Rational Thinking, Science,
Freedom(democracy), Equality, Compassion, Responsibility for ourselves and others, and respect for the values and beliefs of others unless they are trying to impose those beliefs on others…I believe in a secular state…
2. When all religions preach love and peace, why is there so much war in the world??….
Humanism’s view on this question is that religions are often the cause of wars because of their intolerance and lack of respect for the values and beliefs of others. Religion is not the only cause of wars. Wars are also the result of poverty, human suffering, competition for resourses including land, and male egos….It will take more than preaching love and peace to end wars. It will take action to end human poverty and suffering and reason and rational, logical thinking to over-ride male egos to end wars..
3. What is your religion’s (belief systems) position on the female role in society??…..
Humanism believes in equality for everyone – that we are all equal..
The female’s role in society is not an issue in Humanism anymore then is the male role in society…
4. How can Humanism promote peace in the world??:::::
Humanists can promote peace in the world by promoting respect for other and respect for their values and beliefs, by promoting the use of reason and rational, logical thinking in dealing with problems and by working to end Human suffering..
The symbol of Humanism, is the Happy Human,
Humanist want all humans to be happy..
Humanist Dave “B”
THE END
What are your comments on Humanism, or
what does Humanism mean to you???????
2009/09/29 at 9:55 am
[...] Tags: Humanism, humanist, Humanist Dave "B", Religious panel | Leave a Comment Humanism was represented on a religious panel of seven representatives at St. Paul’s University on Wednesday of last [...]