Is secular humanism at odds with atheism?

Question

I ask because in this question:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjrMqp3VbUnt6mWC3QyzV4zzy6IX?qid=20061219214751AAqJGW3

Someone says, "I'm not atheist or Christian; I'm a secular Humanist."

This I find surprising, since I suspect secular humanism is probably the leading philosophy among western atheists.

Answer 1

No. I'm the one who answered that question. We're by no means at odds with atheists, though I guess I consider myself agnostic. I want to believe there is a god or gods, but certainly not a gendered male god. At the same time, I'm open to the idea that there is no god.

Humanists, though often _classed with_ atheists, are distinct from atheists for neither accepting nor rejecting the idea of a god or afterlife. We're sort of champions of conscience:

http://www.americanhumanist.org/humanism/

http://www.americanhumanist.org/humanism/humanismdefinitions.php
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In addition, perhaps one other item differentiates humanists from many atheists/pagans: rather than living by the rule that (I noticed another respondent posted earlier) "If it hurts no one, do what you will," - in other words, leave each person to his/her own devices - we feel a person should be more actively involved for social change and justice in his or her community. The concept of the local community, as well as global community of all one's fellow humans on earth, are the highest "institutions" we recognize. Thus involvement in the community and helping others to fulfill their very human needs (because we're all sort of in the same boat, having never asked to be born) are ways to make our fellow humans' stay on earth slightly less miserable, if you will. Humanists strive to volunteer and give of their time and money and compassion, emphasize the power of the arts, promote liberal education, carry out their civic duties, and fight for social change and equality.

Answer 2

A secular humanist believes that left to our own devices we will get better through education but a Christian believes that without God's light in our life we will drift to our dark side. An atheist doesn't believe there are moral boundaries to judge such matters with since there is no being to impose them. They are different even though they appear similar in some areas.

Answer 3

Of course. Agnostic and secular humanist are both just polite disguises for Atheists (and truthfully, do secular humanists call themselves that? I mean they certainly never read a book of doctrine on SH. Or was the label simply applied by, say, media members who wanted to put a fig leaf on a percieved embarrasing lack of scruples?)

Answer 4

I think it's just a matter of personal preference of labels. The atheist recognizes that he must demonstrate his 'differentness' from theists of all faiths. The secular humanist prefers to define himself without mentioning even the possibility of the spiritual.

I am a Satanist, which might also be called 'spiritual atheist', or even 'natural humanist'.

Answer 5

Other than the fact that the Supreme Court considers Secular Humanism a religion and atheists generally deny having any religion, I see no deep philosophical problems between the two.
http://members.aol.com/Patriarchy/definitions/humanism_religion.htm

Answer 6

As far as I can tell, secular humanists are all atheist (or at most agnostic).

That comment seemed really strange to me too.

Answer 7

No, almost every atheist I know can identify with secular humanism even if they don't choose to label themselves as such.

Answer 8

I attack both. I am actually creating a website right now to deal extensively with the top 15 worldviews today... great stuff...... most of them have so many holes in their beliefs.

Answer 9

i think what that person meant by humanism was a philosophy and a set of rules to live by, somewhat like a religion of it's own.

Answer 10

Isnt that like being a jar of peanut butter but claiming to be peanut free or something like that?