Format – clips
of film and art work censorship
Followed by discussion & questions.
It is unusual for an atheists to be allowed to air their views publicly on any subject, let alone challenge the traditional right of the religions to set the public agenda - in education, science, in the media and the arts, books, plays, television. Even though these issue affect the whole society, including the largest single minority – non believers.
There is of course nothing new in the religions trying, and usually succeeding in preventing any dissent, criticism and opposition to their ideas, attitudes, doctrines and practices. In the past through the law, their privileged position in society and ownership and control of education, their domination was all but complete, now with the freedom of expression of the Internet, they can no longer prevent non-believers expressing their views without censorship or misrepresentation.
Unfortunately the internet too is now being harnessed to squeeze out atheist and secular humanist opinion by a deluge of religious opinion and propaganda, It seems that Google and even the once respected Wikipedia are being taken over by this flood of religion.
The religions talk these days a lot about free speech and respect, but they have never allowed free speech to atheists and other religious dissenters – they do not respect our rights and world-wide they still used all forms of suppression, from political and social control through the law, blackmail and fear, cruel punishment and direct and indirect censorship. All of which can still be seen today.
Our present freedoms and liberal society, imperfect as it still is, are due to the courageous efforts of radical politicians, rationalists, secularists and feminists, in education, science, politics and the professions and perhaps most notably of artists and writers of the last 150-200 years.
Sue Mayer – Bromley Secular Humanists
1
How does Religion Benefit Society?
This loaded question supposes that it does! And I would contend that it doesn’t benefit society. In fact I think it is very harmful and dangerous.
That religion is good - is the basic fallacy they preach. It is so often repeated, and largely goes unchallenged - that it goes unquestioned. You give me any example and I will tell you how the trick is worked. You will probably never have heard my arguments because they are not allowed expression for fear that people will at last see through the fallacy of religion as good, kind and compassionate. On the contrary it is punitive and controlling
Forget about the claims that religion claims for itself and question the role of religion for yourself - in conflict, education, health and welfare, science and human sexuality:
In conflict:
Question Sectarianism – be it in family, community or international relations is a curse. Religions are, and always have been directly or indirectly a source of conflict and violence, a method of social and political control – over individuals, communities and countries. Read your British and European history and take more than a passing interest in politics and world affairs today with this in mind.
Question the role of religion in 20th century Europe – the absolute uncritical obedience to and worship of ‘the great leaders’, the ‘saviours’ of gods chosen people, the traditional anti-Semitism of Orthodox, Lutheran and Roman Catholic Christianity.
Question its role and history in education - its closing of the philosophical schools, left education in the ownership of the Christian Church up to the beginning of the last century - its role in the demeaning of women, their subjugation and exclusion from education, the professions, public life & decision-making. The ongoing fight to keep control of children’s minds before they are old enough to resist their indoctrination.
Question the role of Religion in health, the religion of the workhouse, the poor law and Bedlam has nothing to teach us about good health care. Stigma and prudery, fear of unwanted pregnancy and STD as punishment for sinful sex, and undermining evidence based health care, are no way to promote happy healthy people.
Charity is not the best way of addressing need – the better way is though defining and asserting human rights, rational planning, social policies that ensure adequate security of the individual and the family, with freedom and equality for individuals consistent with the public good.. Political systems that protect minorities and those who are disabled or disadvantaged.
Voluntary work – for the unemployed, pea-nuts for labourers & service providers, well paid work for the middle classes, and vast wealth for the few at the top.
Question their attitudes to human sexuality and the plethora of punishments for all sex outside of holy matrimony – only for the procreation of children and the dire effects that that has had on individuals and society, and now overpopulation, starvation and HIV/AIDS.
Question their role in resisting scientific progress that takes planning and control away from their all powerful gods and clerics. Substituting belief and faith, for fact and enquiry is a recipe for ignorance, and ignorance is the root of much evil.
Question the wisdom of their punitive attitudes - that have cause so much suffering to individuals, and do not progress human behaviour. The use of fear, stigma, and cruelty of religious attitudes and prejudices towards women, gays, children and sex outside their narrow confines..
Question the effect of religion on women – demeaned and relegated to subservience – refused education – made into dependents, reliant on the man who owns them and still reliant on husband for social and economic support because of inequalities in their pay and pensions, child support etc.
www.workshop3.freeuk.com/Women_Without_Superstition.htm
If you mean belief as meaning having ‘faith’ in something regardless of the lack of evidence, then no it is not a belief.
If however you men belief in its other meaning of ‘having confidence in’ something for which there is evidence, then yes, atheists believe in things that have been proved by scientific investigation or empirical evidence – observable facts.
We also believe in our values, that happiness is better than misery, that human autonomy, equality and freedom are good and are worthy of pursuing. That has nothing to do with belief in God and the supernatural.
Another loaded question.
It implies that religion has nothing to do with doing evil. As usual with religions they claim the credit for all that is good, and put the blame for all that is bad onto someone else - the individual, humanity or the devil. “Nothing to do with me mate!”
It is often claimed that believing in God makes people good. This is patently not true. It may make them feel fear and guilt, but it cannot stop bad behaviour –
- People do
bad things for a many reasons. In certain situations, circumstances come
together – personality traits, learned behaviour, greed, provocation,
psychological pressures, indoctrination, mass hysteria and mental
illness and loss of control –
-Some of which can be attributed to attitudes and behaviours that derive from distorted thinking, such as belief in the supernatural – religious attitudes and teaching such as anti-Semitism, homophobia and misogyny.
- These are at the root of much cruelty and violence in the world
today.
- Unquestioning
obedience to authority is dangerous – as is worship and subservience to
great leaders, ‘saviours’ of people who are told that they are ‘God’s
chosen people’ notions of superiority over lesser mortals & so on.
The male dominated patriarchal religions are punitive in nature as can be seen from the emphasis on revenge & retribution in the bible.
i.e. If
people do use religion
– it is because religion has taught certain attitudes and beliefs that
influence their behaviour, and condones or justifies their actions
It could also imply that to do evil and be religious are mutually incompatible. Not so. religious people are the same as everyone else, subject to all the reasons I have given
----------------------------------.
Secularsites directory
Serious discussion, information, humour, wit, satire etc.
www.secularsites.freeuk.com/
Tyrannies of Hitler & Stalin /ReligionandRepression.htm
Oxford Union Debate on ‘Respect for Religion’
World famous writer and broadcaster – bio. & articles.
www.barbara.smoker.freeuk.com
Discussion papers on many topics on which secular humanist perspectives are relevant such as Politics, the US paradox, Halloween, Secular Humanist Values, etc.
www.workshop3.freeuk.com/
Religion & Women, /Women_Without_Superstition.htm
Is religion good for children? / ChildrenandReligion.htm
Campaign for Secular Education
- Definitions of atheism, secularism & humanism
- The education issues, papers and resources.
- Common Fallacies use in argument.
- Atheist Perspectives – on Health, Education, Understanding Belief and
‘Illicit Sex and the God Machine’ by Anne Shaw
June 2006