Humanism has the answers
 

Humanism is the understanding that we are all alone on this planet in determining the moral and ethical standards for ourselves as humans, without so-called "divine guidance". In fact, humans have determined the factors that provide for a manner to live together in a ethical manner since the beginning of the species. Often, however, humans have also overlaid humanist findings with myth and superstition and called it "religion".

I read The Stranger by Camus once also.

So then the Sermon on the Mount was just superstition? I'm curious as to how loving one's neighbor as oneself would be such a terrible thing? I will grant you than Man has taken Christ's teaching and distorted them to amass great amounts of money. Or to erect great edifices instead of teaching people to think. The money spent on that Crystal whatever would have been better spent on schools. If someone would be so good as to show me where in the New Testament such things were recommended I would be delighted as perhaps I have missed it with my failing eyesight. There are other threads here in PC describing the hatred that seems to have taken hold in this world, Yet I do not recall my Mother (the former Sunday School teacher) suggesting to me that God is Hate. Rather she stressed the words of Saint John - "He that knows not love knows not God, for God is Love". It is a powerful force I know from experience. I am certain that there were times when I disappointed my parents but their love never wavered. If there is anything in my character that is worthwhile it surely is because of that love.

So welcome to PC, always good to see fresh ideas here.

I don't think it is said that the sermon on the mount is pure superstition. You are not correctly separating ethical teachings from religious teachings, and so assuming the ethical teachings are being attacked. The questions, rather, are about things like the claim that the person who gave the sermon on the mount was the Son of God or some such.

Yep. And we must not overlook how politicians use religion to hoodwink the faithful. "Vote for me or God will be pissed!". They do it all the time.

Dave

Does it matter? That does not invalidate his teachings. If a person believes then in a sense we are all his children. What also must be remembered is that the original texts of the New Testament were translated by men with all their potential mistakes. Then of course Constantine had his boys work it over. :rolleyes:

BTW it was man that insisted or determined that following Christ's teaching was a 'religion' and so despite the translation errors I sincerely doubt that he ever called them such.

Our attempt at humanistic government was an unmitigated disaster.

Pete

Our attempt at government based on your imaginary friend and his omnipresent Dad was even worse.

We committed all sorts of nasty human rights violations when we thought it was our "God" - given right. :rolleyes:

Dave

Worse than Soviet Russia?

Pete

The big problem with Soviet Russia, I submit, was not humanism, it was totalitarianism. Stemmed from the foundation of the state by angry nihilistic revolutionaries, who sought to annihilate all power and institutions in society not subservient to themselves, and succeeded all too well.

Humanism was, for them, just one of their weapons.