Humanists

Philosophy Now meetup groups.

Moderators: AMod, iMod

patmacx
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2016 10:33 pm

Re: Humanists

Post by patmacx »

Hi Belinda, thank you for your post. I wasn't expecting a reply but I suppose, given the tone of mine-somewhat critical-I really should have expected some comeback, so here I am, despite my final sign-off!
Interesting that you should 'admit' that Humanism is a middle class and intellectual interest, even a middle class and intellectual movement. I have just come to that conclusion myself, just as I finished reading Grayling's The God Argument. It seems to me, having taken a renewed interest in the subject in the last couple of years, even going as far as joining the BHA and contacting my local MP on subjects of interest to that organisation, that Humanism will always remain a minority interest, even to the extent of being a minority interest to the intelligent middle class, to whom I most certainly do not belong. My interest is not of interest even to my wife! Most people are not religious and neither are they agnostics or atheists or humanists. Most people are entirely indifferent to the questions which interest me, and you. Births, marriages and deaths, that's as far as the great mass of the population go on matters of religion, and not even that far when it comes to philosophy.
Having read Grayling's book to the end what it seems to amount to is easily summed up: 'If only people could be nice to each other wouldn't the world be a wonderful place.' I'm afraid Humanism is not going to get far on that thin gruel! The world is far to harsh a place for such philosophy, and always has been.
'Colour and ritual are the sugar and the bread'. Very very true. One of the pleasures of being a Catholic, when I was a Catholic, long ago, was the Latin mass, which I considered to be a living work of art, the strange language, the colour, the incense, the whole shooting match, as people say these days. The church made a bad mistake when it went to the mass in the vernacular, the people left in droves!
And my interest in philosophy? I took an OU degree ten years ago now, including a couple of modules on the subject, and have renewed my interest though I don't think I'm ready yet to wrangle with Kant!
Pope Francis? I'm afraid I find it difficult to find words of praise for any Pope, given the rotten organisation he heads up, but I will say he is an improvement of previous holders of that office.
Thank you for your interest.
Belinda
Posts: 8030
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2016 10:13 am

Re: Humanists

Post by Belinda »

Patmacx wrote:
Most people are not religious and neither are they agnostics or atheists or humanists. Most people are entirely indifferent to the questions which interest me, and you. Births, marriages and deaths, that's as far as the great mass of the population go on matters of religion, and not even that far when it comes to philosophy.
I'm surprised that for someone who lives in London you have not located a sizable group of people who have similar interests to your own obviously philosophical interests. If you lived in this East Midlands commercial town you would have legitimate cause!

But like everyone else the Pope has to cut the cloth he has been given by circumstances. I have thought that the Latin mass may suit me an unbeliever in the supernatural order of existence, or what is popularly called an atheist. I like the sound of Latin but can understand it better in print and very little of that.
I've been told that Muslims attach much importance to the lovely sound of Arabic in the Koran.

The Royal Family awoke to the knowledge that they have to tread a careful path between mystique and approachableness. I would have thought that the RC church needs mystique even more than the Royals. I don't mean miracles obviously, I mean ritual colour and all which is art. The other function of church as social welfare seems to me to be an entirely separate function for churches and should be reserved for entirely separate occasions from the mystical-artistic .
User avatar
-1-
Posts: 2888
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2017 1:08 am

Re: Humanists

Post by -1- »

Wootah wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2010 1:56 pm
addymark wrote:Hello.
I know that This is very old post but I want to say that Humanists are atheists and agnostics who make sense of the world using reason, experience and shared human values.
Right .... what is an atheist and agnostic that doesn't use reason, experience and shared human values?
Could be a: viccan, a voodoo maniac, an American FreeMason (libertarian), a non-philosophically minded person, a vegetable (i.e. a person in a coma), a child, an embrio, a fetus, a fertilized human egg, a human fried egg easy over but not scrambled, could also be two or more humanists, could be an ignorant person from 4920 years ago, could be also a dog or tic or sea-urchin that thinks of himself or herself as a human being.
marjoram_blues
Posts: 1629
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2015 12:50 pm

Re: Humanists

Post by marjoram_blues »

jetsetjason wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2009 9:00 am I went to visit some humanists and found a few philosophy grads, I think the Humanist stand is against the principles of 'the open society' BUT it maybe a good place for philosophical people to find friends, and argue, about god, LOL

http://humanism.meetup.com/cities/gb/london/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.humanism.org.uk/home" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Oh, I didn't see this 'oldie' before I started my thread on 'Humanism on my mind' this morning.
Will read through and see if it's a 'goodie' and if any previous PN poster is still alive and kicking :)
Post Reply