Is Secular Humanism(left wing liberalism) ruining the Western world?? I say yes. Any other thoughts?

Question

American society is in decay. Violent crime has grown so much in the last thirty years that many people are afraid to go into our cities after dark. Sexual immorality has exploded in our culture since the 1960s. There was a time only a generation ago when premarital sex was the exception not the rule. Now teenagers are having sex at a younger and younger age. Many are even sexually active in junior high school. Young men and women who desire to maintain their virginity until marriage are considered freaks. In the last thirty years American families have been disintegrating. The divorce rate hovers near fifty percent. It is common knowledge that children from broken homes often have more problems functioning in society than children from traditional two-parent families. Adultery is both common and accepted by many in our land. Premarital sex, drunkenness, drug abuse, theft, murder, abortion, lying, cheating, fraud, homosexuality, rape, cruelty and pornography are now a normal part of the American societal landscape.

There is no question that there has been a very large moral decline in American society since the early 1960s (this decline is a matter of record). This decline cannot be explained in terms of poverty, racism and sexism, for these societal elements have been much worse in the past. We live in a period of great material prosperity compared with almost all of recorded history. Yet African American literacy rates and family solidarity were higher in the 1870s (under horrid social conditions) than today, when people in the ghetto live like princes, compared to their ancestors. There is a reason for the decline of American society: we are experiencing the fruit or results of a worldview change that took place in America during the earlier part of the twentieth century.

The worldview transition took place in America primarily between 1870 and 1930. The old worldview which dominated American culture was basically Christian with some right-wing enlightenment thinking tossed in. The Christian worldview had more or less dominated western civilization since the fall of the Roman Empire. This Christian worldview was replaced by materialistic naturalism (or as it’s called today, secular humanism). Secular humanism is the belief that man lives in a closed universe. There is no God who is transcendent above and beyond created reality. The secular humanist presupposes that the Christian God does not and cannot exist—that everything which does exist is merely the product of matter plus time plus chance. The secular humanist presupposes that the only thing which can exist and have importance to mankind is that which is open to empirical verification and observation by man. Therefore, the Christian God and biblical Christianity are ruled out of bounds from the start by the so-called objective materialistic scientist, even before the investigation of reality begins. The essence of secular humanism is that man is the measure of all things. Man, not God, is the determiner of reality, meaning and ethics.

Answer 1

IThe problem with humanism is it removes any moral aboslutes. There is no longer a clear boundary on behavior. Each person is free to interpret right and wrong and apply it accordingly.

Is the lack of spiritualty also a problem? Many claim to be Christians but few people actually live a Christian lifestyle. Other's use the Bible as their personal weapon to support a chosen agenda.

My conclusion is that there are not enough people who are willing to be *true* Christians to determine if this would make an influence in society. If Christians were really willing to live a life of love and temperence, we might appear more attractive to the world around us. Instead we come across as a hateful and hyrocritical bunch. What ever happened to "Honor God and Love one another'? Instead the "church" has decided to become a battle ground for political arguments.

Secular humanism is really just an response to the horrible representation of Christ that the church has become.

Answer 2

Left wing liberalists are the equalizing factor for right wing religions. The moral decline can be attributed to the decline of the family lead in teaching morality as it should be and the intense bombardment of media with less than passable examples of how to live a moral life. Many people learn what they are given to learn and choose not to seek further information on their own (laziness). Being a secular humanist does not mean amoral values.

The decline of family based teaching is something that has more recently come to light. In most families both parents work or they may be single parents. This and demanding schedules combine to decrease the amount of time parents can spend with their children. Thus when the cat's away----. Anyway, this is common among all beliefs in the country be it Christian or otherwise.

You can't pin all of it on the lack of religion. Many religious families end up with out of control children simply because of lack of parental guidance.

But I do agree some religions create a family bond that sometimes enhances control.(not always)

Thanks, good question but you need to see the big picture.

Answer 3

Well, as for your "matter of record" premarital sex is down, crime is down (albeit reports in the news are up), and things haven't been more Christian than they are now since the 50s.
1) Homicides per 100,000 people are at their lowest rate since 1966.
2) Percentage of high schoolers who have experienced sexual activity has consistently gone down over the past 10 years.
3) Presidential religious affiliation over the past 30 years has increased and the religious sects our leaders follow are more and more conservative.
While Humanists are fighting for rights, I'd say the Christians still have a pretty tight grip on power in our culture.

Answer 4

No, you're wrong. The country between the years is actually being run by presidents of strong religious standings with the exception of Clinton. Carter, Reagen and the two Bushs brings Christianity back into politics. Secular Humanist is not materialistic. You have cited nothing to give us proof of it. Look at the history of Christianity. Who has built cathedrals just to please "god", invaded countries, "converted" people with warfare. Look at the world now, no major wars over religion. The best you got is the Islamic Jihad but in comparisons to the past its barely anything. Also you have your facts wrong, crime rate has in fact decrease the only reason it seems like it's grown is the increased communication and the increase of media output.
Also the typical FBI prototype for the serial killers is middle aged white male who's Christian. Thats food for thought for yea.

Side Note: You really have too much time...

Answer 5

Secular Humanism gives man dignity. Religion takes it away from him. Man IS the measure of all things.

One can talk about decline only with regard to crime. Otherwise if you're not being affected, then please do not call it immoral or unethical. Premarital sex does not harm you. Nor does Homosexuality. Focus on crime that harms other people and not your individual preferences. What people think is Good and Bad changes depending on the culture.

Answer 6

Well, forgive me if I'm wrong, but don't most people here in the United States believe that soon Jesus is going to come back and kill off all the "unbelievers" and destroy the world? What reason do they have to help out in world affairs? They would happily let the planet be destroyed by wars and pollution because they think it's going to end up destroyed anyways. They actually think they're getting some free ride off the Earth. You may think Secular Humanism is "ruining" the West, but Right Wing Conservatives are destroying this planet...and they have to be stopped.

Answer 7

You are living in a dream world, David. A census taken during the founding of the state of Massachusettes found that half of all children were being born out of wedlock. The myth of massive recent corruption is just that - a myth. The world has always been corrupt. Sodom and Gomorrah ring any bells? Or how about that big flood?

Answer 8

wow. all that...

...and just think. Conservatives have controlled both houses for 12 years, and the White House since Dumbya took over 6 years ago,and we have a conservative Supreme Court with a bible thumper as its Chief Justice. And the dems are to blame for societal decay???

Problem is and has been that this country is too religious and too cultist based on bible nonsense. All this crap started declining in the 60's after peopel started putting In God We Trust on our moeny and "under god" in the pledge during the 50's....

too much religion, too many christian cultists!!!!

Answer 9

Well ... given that about 80% of the country is Christian and 95% of the country claim to believe in some form of God ...

That leaves about 5% of the country who are godless.

So - are you claiming that that 5% is controlling everything or is it more likely that the 95% are in-charge?

A

Answer 10

Most people dont know the difference between liberty and liberalism.

The perfect society cannot exist on Earth as it is. All nations, even Sweden, will suffer the decay as the Bible depicts it.

The only perfect model is a direct Theocracy. The one that will be instituted once the Second Coming of Jesus occurs.