What are secular values?
I keep hearing the phrase "secular values," and much like "family values" I'm not sure what it means. What are, in your opinion the values that atheists/ skeptics/ secularists should uphold?
In thinking about this briefly, I've come up with a few. Perhaps the community can help me with wording them/ add their own:
The rejection of the supernatural in explaining our world.
The use of reason, science, and critical thinking as the best way to interpret our experiences.
Respect for all people based on their actions rather than inherent traits.
The defense of individual freedom.
Thoughts?
In thinking about this briefly, I've come up with a few. Perhaps the community can help me with wording them/ add their own:
The rejection of the supernatural in explaining our world.
The use of reason, science, and critical thinking as the best way to interpret our experiences.
Respect for all people based on their actions rather than inherent traits.
The defense of individual freedom.
Thoughts?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John Garbutt on -
Secular values...I would say absolutely first and foremost, the separation of religion and state.
This is not to say that religion should be forbidden or obliterated; far from it. What it does mean is that everyone in a society should be free to be religious or not (provided that it doesn't harm anyone else) and no particular position (religious or otherwise) should have greater political influence than any other.
Laws and political decisions should be based on moral sense and hard evidence. They should never be based on "Person A should be given certain privileges, which are not extended to Person B, because Person A has a specific religious belief."
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Permalink Reply by Ernesto Iglesias on -
Great Start!
My two cents:
-Unconditional self-acceptance – Regardless of actions, accomplishments or failures.
-Accept the inherent worth/value of all living organisms as equal.
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Permalink Reply by Ernesto Iglesias on
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It is difficult to explain in a coule of words, but here it goes:
Uncoditional Self Acceptance - Is the process of acceptiong yourself as your are... regardless or your status, creed or accomplishment and flaws, a mayor key to fullfilment. By the way, only by accepting yourself is that you can start acception those around you.
Living Organism - We are evloved from the same blob of amino acids... therefore there is no hierarchy of existance ..... this planet was not created by a old man in the sky for humans to exploit. In the mist of all things... we are as trivial in this universe and the fly you refer to.
Just my beliefs... nothing more.
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Permalink Reply by Matt Coulthurst on -
What section endorses specifically the private ownership of means of production? I can't find that phrase, but it IS Friday here (praise Freya!) and my eyes are tired.
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Permalink Reply by Matt Coulthurst on
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That's how I read it too - least I know I'm not going blind. Thanks for taking the time.
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Permalink Reply by Matt Coulthurst on
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Couldn't agree more. There seems to be very little of Rand in what I read there. And I would have to agree that calling Ayn Rand a philosopher does a disservice to philosophy and philosophers.
I could also be suffering from a massive outbreak of confirmation bias.
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Permalink Reply by Reggie on -
A friend of mine once said, "I hate f**king libertarians. They don't even believe in seatbelts." I laughed my ass off.
Hahaha!
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Permalink Reply by John Siqueiros on -
Well, the statement also talks about the right for trade unions to organize. That's not exactly something Ayn Rand would endorse.
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Permalink Reply by Matt Peters on -
OH NO!!!! I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THIS SITE WAS FULL OF A BUNCH OF ATHEIST SOCIALIST COMMIE NAZI LIBERAL GAYS!!!! GET ME OUT OF HERE!!! ;)
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Permalink Reply by Matt Coulthurst on
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Oh come on now!
Not all of us are atheists.
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Permalink Reply by Dan Jensen on -
My big secular values:
1) Mitigate suffering in all its forms
2) Embrace beauty in all its forms
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