Is Humanism a religion?

Let's just examine this shall we?

Similarities:
It requires a lot of faith. More than you may have available on any given day. Well, most days.
It has strict rules of conduct.
It involves suffering.
The meme of humanism seeks to replicate itself.
Other religions attack it like it is a competing meme. In a Religious theocracy, Humanism would be a crime punishable by death.

Differences:
There is no historical myth. No one owns access to secret information.
The strict vow not to kill. No killing for ideas. No killing for the sake of memes(ideologies,honor, bibles etc).
Values free will and independent human imagination rather than valuing compliance to meme rules.
Does not have any problems whatsoever with the human body. It's the highest art form.
All Humanists die martyrs. As a Humanist, you can't martyr by killing humans.
As a Humanist, you have to tolerate the expression of human imagination that is religion. All of them.

You are the jury now. What say you? Is humanism a religion?

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

Religion is that which comes to us on its knees when its not in a position to kill us...no its not a religion.

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

What are the rules of conduct in Humanism?

a reply to: Grimpachi

Rules of conduct of Humanism:

1. Wipe out religion without using physical violence.

2. Diminish those that are religious without using physical violence.

3. Sue or threaten to sue any group that has signs, symbols or pronouncements that are of a religious nature....peacefully.

4. Be somewhat more tolerant of those that are not Christian-just somewhat.

5. Label any candidate for office that declares himself to be 'religious' as an extremist, peaceful means only.

6. Do the above....religiously..

a reply to: nwtrucker

Do you have a source link for those or are you just making it up?

No, it is not a religion. Without God it is just another form of Atheism.

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

No Humanism is the religion, the only religion, the only possible religion, all religion based on life and its goodness and potential goodness, is a religion of Humanism.

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

S&F. Very thought provocing. Especially with the "love your neighbour like yourself" popping up in the back of my head and then a few good arguments I recently read in the "how paul destroyed the true message" or similiar thread...
Maybe, Jesus was just very far ahead of his time and found out there can be no peace without understanding, respect and tolerance.
But basic humanism is to me: Others have their reasons for their actions, everybody is a product of his environment and a mirror to it. So don't blame the individual, if he/she tries, with open arms and eyes nobody, can blame him/her.
Should be a message to end all religious wars. I'm pretty sure God doesn't give a #, what name you give him, or what picture you're focusing on, when you speak to him. After all he is either not existing, or all-knowing. Which implies it doesn't matter at all, or the dirty old bastard knows where it's coming from.

I'm planning on a humanist funeral. Too many times I've been to a funeral and it's all hymns and religious stories.nothing to do with the person that died. I don't want that for myself, so I'll have a combination of readings from friends some stories and music I like. I don't want everyone wearing black weeping and being lectured to by a priest singing songs no one knows the words to. So humanism can replace the role of certain religious ceremonies

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

It seems to me that humanism is a philosophy, rather than a religion.

It has no deity, it offers no insight into the afterlife, it contains no ancient doctrines of mythical origin. Therefore I would say that it is not a religion by any reasonable definition of the word.

No.
Religion is for people unwilling or unable to think for themselves. It is mankind's finest method of abdicating responsibility for ones own actions, a security blanket for grown ups. Carrots and sticks.

Humankind is still in its infancy and like all children needs guidance and discipline. Hence the role of religion.
Ask yourself this:
Would you be happy to fly on a completely pilotless plane?
Would you feel safe and comfortable letting a computer control the entire flight with no human at the controls?

Even though a computer ultimately is in control, people are reassured by having a human with his hands on the levers, which as we all learned last week is far from infallible. But we are reassured by thinking that someone in control has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo (ie not crashing the plane)

Humanists simply take responsibility for their own actions, deeds and destiny and don't hand over responsibility to a third party.
So no humanism is definitely not a religion.

a reply to: TrueBrit

"A religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence."

I'd prefer to turn the question on its head. Is 'religion' religion any more?

Perhaps once we cross the line into discussing life philosophy and world views we should be using different words, even if some of the world views are religiously informed.

a reply to: ImaFungi

Humanism is not a cultural system. It is abandonment of cultural systems pre-existing, supposedly because its advocates assume that in abandoning cultural concerns, they are more likely to respond to their fellow human beings positively.

Middle English refers to religion as meaning "life under monastic vows", while the Old French suggests that religio, the word they used instead, and a root form of the word we use today referred to an obligation, reverence or bond. The Latin, religare meant "to bind".

Humanism does not fit into that.

a reply to: TrueBrit

I suppose humanism is the nature of secular law? Religion is the nature of secular law claimed to be divine?

originally posted by: Pinke
I'd prefer to turn the question on its head. Is 'religion' religion any more?

Perhaps once we cross the line into discussing life philosophy and world views we should be using different words, even if some of the world views are religiously informed.

Hey Pinke, you are awesome.

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

The only true religion is to love all creation
-Budha (I think he said something like that)

I think that to determine this, one first has to decide on what is religion. To me, that has always been represented by the requirement to seek "evidence" and direction, only from official sources, i.e. the Bible, Koran, clergy etc. If Humanism requires this, then it's a religion.

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

What, exactly, do you mean by "Humanism?" You are talking about it as though it is an organized movement with a set of beliefs and structure.Who establishes these beliefs? Who determines what is orthodox and what is heretical? Are there differing factions? You claim it requires belief. Belief in what? How can you discuss something without defining it? The only thing you have made clear here is your personal agenda.

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

It involves suffering

It does?

So much that it's comparable with the suffering in the abrahamic religions?