Foreword:
Atheism, denying existence of God is contrasted with theism, which in its most general form is the belief that at least one deity exists. Humanism is the new name which is more humane. With the spread of freethought, skeptical inquiry, and subsequent increase in criticism of religion, application of the term narrowed in scope.
Arguments for atheism range from the philosophical to social and historical approaches. Rationales for not believing in any supernatural deity include the lack of empirical evidence, the problem of evil, the argument from inconsistent revelations, and the argument from nonbelief.
Atheism is accepted within some religious and spiritual belief systems, including Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Raelism, Neopagan movements such as Wicca, and nontheistic religions. Jainism and some forms of Buddhism do not advocate belief in gods, whereas Hinduism holds atheism to be valid, but some schools view the path of an atheist to be difficult to follow in matters of spirituality. While Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, a global 2012 poll reported that 13% of the participants say they are atheists.
Keeping in view the numbers of atheists it is important that they be given due considerations. Hence effort has been made to introduce the concepts of atheism with a view to provide rational and pragmatic approach to monotheism.
Contents:
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ATHEISM & HUMANISM
Chapter-1: A New Religion or Ideology?
Introduction:
Humanism is the philosophy, which
proclaims to provide an alternative to the religion. Its propagation started
from America 12:57 ), once
undertake serious study of the Bible [especially the Gospels]
are disappointed [like their learned predecessors, Arius (336 C.E) &
Michael Servetus(1553 CE)]. The basic teachings of the Church such as Trinity
and Vicarious Atonement find no mention in the Gospels. They fail to find even
a single unambiguous statement in the entire Bible where Jesus Christ himself
says, "I am God" or where he says, "worship me" rather he
is found to say: “There is none good but one, that is, God”(Mathew;19:17). The
verse in the whole of Bible which is interpreted to supports this Christian
dogma [1st Epistle of John; 5:7,8] is not found in any Greek
manuscript before the sixteen century’. Dr C.I, Scofield, D.D. backed by eight
other D.D.'s in a footnote to this verse opine: "It is generally agreed
that this verse has no manuscript authority and has been inserted.”The fundamentalist
Christians still retain this fabrication whereas; in all the modern
translations including the Revised Standard Version (RSV) this pious deceit has
been unceremoniously expunged. Bible
unambiguously mentions about one God [De;6:4; Isa;44:6; Mr;12:29 -33;1Co;8:6; Ga;3:20 ; Eph;4:6]. Jesus Christ is found to says:
“Shama Israelu Adonai Ila Hayno Adna Ikhad ”[“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God
is one Lord”](Mark;12:29 ).
One is amazed to read Paul, the founder of Christianity saying: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men,
the MAN Christ Jesus”(1Timothy;2:5). It is clear that Jesus Christ was a man
and mediator [intercessor, like other prophets] between men and One God, he was
not God! In fact, various verses of the Bible point to the actual mission of
Jesus Christ, which was to fulfill the Commandments and the Law revealed to
Moses (Mathew;5:17 ,18,19).
Indeed Jesus Christ rejected any suggestions that attributed divinity to him,
and explained his miracles as the power of the God (Mathew;12;28, Luke;11;20).
Jesus Christ is found to be reiterating the message of monotheism that was
given by all earlier prophets of God: “Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and
him only shall thou serve.”(Luke;4:8). Jesus Christ through parable urged his
followers to build the house of faith on solid foundations, the rock of his
teachings not upon sand (Methew;7:21 -27).
Unfortunately the teachings of Jesus Christ were put aside and ignored. Further
study and critical analysis reveals that the doctrines like Trinity,
Salvation through Faith, Original sin are nothing but twisted derivatives from
the corrupted scripture much after Jesus Christ. [More: http://bible-christianity.blogspot.com ]
Thoroughly confused paradoxically some find an easy alternative in
‘Humanism’, which comparatively appears to be rational and scientific, though
focusing on materialism excluding spirituality. Interestingly ‘Humanism’ is the
brain child of Unitarians and followers of Universalism, the anti Trinity
Christians groups. Many resolute people like Yusuf Estates, Dr. Gary Miller,
Malcolm X, Leopold Weiss with little effort find the Truth, available in the
uncorrupted last scripture revealed to the last Prophet, in which God says: “Indeed, the truth deny
they who say, "Behold, God is the Christ, son of Mary" - seeing that
the Christ [himself] said, "O children of Israel! Worship God [alone], who
is my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer." Behold, whoever ascribes
divinity to any being beside God, unto him will God deny paradise, and his goal
shall be the fire: and such evildoers will have none to succour them! Indeed,
the truth deny they who say, "Behold, God is the third of a trinity"
- seeing that there is no deity whatever save the One God. And unless they
desist from this their assertion, grievous suffering is bound to befall such of
them as are bent on denying the truth. Will they not, then, turn towards God in
repentance, and ask His forgiveness? For God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of
grace. The Christ, son of Mary, was but an apostle: all [other] apostles had
passed away before him; and his mother was one who never deviated from the
truth; and they both ate food [like other mortals]. Behold how clear We make
these messages unto them: and then behold how perverted are their minds! Say:
"Would you worship, beside God, aught that has no power either to harm or
to benefit you - when God alone is all-hearing, all-knowing?" Say: "O
followers of the Gospel! Do not overstep the bounds [of truth] in your
religious beliefs; and do not follow the errant views of people who have gone
astray aforetime, and have led many [others] astray, and are still straying
from the right path.”(Qur’an;5:72-77). “AS FOR THOSE who are bent on denying
the truth and on barring [others] from the path of God - all their [good] deeds
will He let go to waste;' whereas those who have attained to faith and do
righteous deeds, and have come to believe in what has been bestowed from on
high on Muhammad - for it is the truth from their Sustainer - [shall attain to
God's grace:] He will efface their [past] bad deeds, and will set their hearts
at rest.” (Qur’an;47:1-2).
This is an
endeavour to briefly introduce ‘Humanism’ with a view to ascertain its
viability viz the strictly monotheistic faith: The Islam.
Religion:
Is Humanism a new religion or ideology? To find an answer one has to
describe ‘Religion’, which may be defined as: ‘A personalized set or
institutional system of beliefs and practices pertaining to the supernatural’.
[Supernatural: An order of existence beyond human experience and observation].
This definition is intended to be as broad as possible, so that it includes as
many of the recognized religions in the world as possible. Religion, as defined
here, in no way depends on belief in the existence of God, gods, or any
deities, whatsoever. This definition includes those who practice Japanese
Shinto, for example, though they may not believe in any God or gods at all. It
also includes shamanistic religions that, rather than focus on gods, focus
instead on "behind the scenes forces", supernatural forces. Rudolf
Otto (1869-1937), the German theologian, philosopher, and historian of
religion, coined the term ‘numinous’ (supernatural, mystical or
spiritual)
to designate the non-rational element of religious experience—the awe,
fascination, and blissful exultation inspired by the perception of the divine.
He believed that religion provided an understanding of the world that was
distinct from and beyond that of science. He said; “The most important part of
religion can not be stated through words. This is (apparently) illogical part
of religion. Stable part of religion is the ideological part which is very
important. But we should not forget that there is more which can not be put in
to words’.
The beliefs and practices may be
religious even though they are non theistic. A theist is in the position of making a positive
claim about the existence of God. They are willing to assert something like
"God exists". An atheist makes a negative claim about the existence
of God. They would assert that "God does not exist". Both the theist
and the atheist are making claims about the existence of entities in the
universe. The agnostic is in a different position. An agnostic might say:
"when it comes to God, I just don't know whether or not God
exists". An agnostic is not willing
to make a commitment either way about the existence of a God in the universe. Religions attempt to answer basic questions intrinsic to the
human mind like: existence of God, creation of universe and humanity, human
sufferings, evil, death and its aftermath etc. The main outwardly focused
Abrahamic religions e.g., Judaism (Hebrews),
Christianity, and Islam attempt to satisfy human quest through the Revealed
knowledge received by the prophets and messengers of God, while inwardly
focused religions like Jainism, Buddhism make use of perception of the true
nature of reality. While exploring the historic development in
theosophical and scientific aspects about ‘The God’ and ‘The Creation’
specifically in the three religions linked to Abraham (who was neither Jew nor
Christian, rather the one who had totally surrendered in obedience to the will
of God). This original religion of Abraham was revived in its unique spirit of
monotheism, fourteen hundred years ago in concordance with the light of reason;
exclusive of mysterious doctrines to cast a shade of sentimental ignorance
round the original truths rooted in the human intellect, representing the
latest development of the religious faculties. The beliefs
supporting the existence of God or against it, including the middle positions
have resulted in an array of doctrines, the most prominent among them are;
Theism, Monotheism, Theodicy, Deism, Agnosticism and Atheism [now also emerged
as Humanism].
Humanism & Religion:
‘Humanism’ does not fit in to the classical definition of religion. It
is an ideology or a system of thought that centers on human beings and
their values, capacities, and worth. However since it presents itself as
replacement of religion it could also be considered as religion. ‘Humanism’ is concerned with the
interests, needs, and welfare of human beings like. The ‘Humanism’ is also the study of the humanities; learning in the
liberal arts. The cultural and intellectual movement of the Renaissance that
emphasized secular concerns as a result of the rediscovery and study of the
literature, art, and civilization of ancient Greece and Rome is also called Humanism. Humanism, as a humanistic philosophy viewed
as a nontheistic religion antagonistic to traditional religion. The
definition of humanism as anthropocentricity or
human-centeredness has a firmer claim to correctness.
Humanism is not a religion in the sense that it has nothing
to say about the supernatural other than to reject it, along with all religious
claims about knowledge of the supernatural.
It does have a lot to say about nature, society and the self. Lamont
says of Humanism in general: "That it is a
philosophy of joyous service for the greater good of all humanity in this
natural world and advocating the methods of reason, science and
democracy."
Humanists believe that all forms of the supernatural
are myth. Nature is the totality of all being, existing independently of any
mind, mentality or consciousness. Physical nature is all there is. It is composed
of matter and energy and it exists in an ever changing state of flux governed
by the laws of science.
Symbols
of Humanism:
‘Vitruvian Man’ By Leonardo Da
Vinci
Though Humanism advocates the equality of sexes, its initial
symbol ‘Vitruvian Man’ is taken from Leonardo Da Vinci's drawing. Leonardo da
Vinci [1452-1519] was an Italian painter, engineer, musician, and scientist.
The most versatile genius of the Renaissance, as a painter Leonardo is best
known for ‘The Last Supper’, ‘Vitruvian Man’ and ‘Mona Lisa’. The pen and ink
drawing by Leonardo da Vinci, depicting a man fitting his body to a circle and
a square by adjusting the position of his arms and legs, is probably the most
famous drawing in the world on the proportions of temples, he states that these
buildings should be based on the proportions of man, because the human body is
the model of perfection. He justifies this by stating that the human body with
arms and legs extended fits into the perfect geometric forms, the circle, and
the square. The circle, being connected to the dome of the sky and the cosmos
with its spherical stars and planets continually circling the earth was a
symbol of Dionysus, the soul. [Dionysus: The Greek god of
vegetation and fruitfulness, known especially as the god of wine and ecstasy.]
The square, on the other hand, is the natural way that humans relate to the
physical world. This is why there are four directions, four seasons, and four
basic elements. It is why a house has four sides and people sit on a
four-legged chair. The square was a symbol of the Titanic human aspect. The
first step to the liberation of the soul is to recognize that we are made of
both aspects. In Pythagorean thinking, if a human can be shown to fit into both
symbols this would be a geometric proof of our dual nature. In Venice
The official
symbol adopted by the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), Great
Britain, a world body for Humanism, it
has also been adopted by many Humanist organisations and individuals
worldwide is ‘The Happy Human’ (originally the Happy Man).
History
of Humanism:
Early Humanism- Ancient Greece: Greek philosopher and agnostic,
Protagoros asserted: "Man is the
measure of all things, of things that are, that they are, and of things that
are not, that they are not." Protagoros was a forerunner to Humanist views
because he emphasizes the primacy of human values. His agnosticism is evident when he asserts:
"As to the gods, I have no means of knowing either that they exist or do
not exist. For many are the obstacles
that impede knowledge, both the obscurity of the question and the shortness of
human life." Protagoros was banned from Athens
Ancient Asian Humanism: Human-cantered philosophy
that abandoned the supernatural can be found as early as 1000 BCE in the
Lokayata system of Indian
philosophy. Also in the sixth-century BCE, Gautama
Buddha is reported to have expressed,
in the Pali literature, a
skeptical attitude toward the supernatural. Jainism rejects the idea of a
supreme being, a creator, a creator spirit, even of creation. They consider
universe to be eternal and uncreated. Confucianism, the scholarly tradition and
way of life propagated by Confucius in the 6th–5th century BC and followed by
the Chinese for more than two millennia. Though not organized as a religion, it
has deeply influenced East Asian spiritual and political life in a comparable
manner. The core idea is ren (“humaneness,” “benevolence”), signifying
excellent character in accord with li (ritual norms), zhong (loyalty to one's
true nature), shu (reciprocity), and xiao (filial piety).
Christian Roots: Rejection of mysterious and irrational doctrine of
Trinity by pragmatic Christians is ongoing process. Arius [256-336 CE, Bishop
of Alexandria] taught that Jesus was human with a beginning and an end. Jesus was a special human being, but human,
not divine. - Arianism was condemned at first Ecumenical Council at Nicea [325
CE], though it survives in different forms even now. In 1553 CE - Michael
Servetus was executed by the Calvinists for declaring the trinity to be a mad
doctrine, declaring God as one indivisible. "Your Trinity is a product
of subtlety and madness. The Gospel
knows nothing of it... God is one and indivisible."
During 1700's -
Deism flourishes in Europe and the United States
Unitarian
Universalists:
They are creedless and deny the authority of dogmas promulgated by
church councils. Their teachings historically have included the unity of God,
the humanity of Jesus, mankind's religious and ethical responsibility, and the
possibility of attaining religious salvation through differing religious
traditions. They emphasize the authority of the individual's religious
conviction, the importance of religiously motivated action for social reform,
democratic method in church governance, and reason and experience as
appropriate bases for formulating religious beliefs. Their traditional concern
for social issues has caused Unitarian Universalists to give active support to
the demands for equality of blacks, feminists, and other groups. Gains in
equality for women within the Unitarian Universalists Association were
significant, but its predominantly white, middle-class membership remains an
issue.
Impact of Medieval Islamic Philosophical Thought:
Islam is the faith based upon knowledge, reason and wisdom,
for it is ultimately knowledge of the Oneness of God combined with faith that
saves man in this world and hereafter. The Qur’an is full of verses urging man
to use his intellect, to deliberate, to think and to know, for the objective of
human life is to ascertain the Truth, which could be achieved by recognizing
and exploring the sings of God all around. Qur’an says: “Are the knowledgeable
and the ignorant equal? In fact, none will take heed except the people of
understanding.”(Qur’an;39:9), “He also made subservient to you whatever is
between the heavens and the earth; all from Himself. Surely there are signs in
this for those who think.”(Qur’an;45:13), “O’ Lord ! Increase my knowledge”
(Qura’n;20:114, “[All this have We expounded in this] blessed divine writ which
We have revealed unto thee, [O Muhammad,] so that men may ponder over its
messages, and that those who are endowed with insight may take them to
heart”(Qur’an;38:29).
It is obligatory for all the Muslims both men and women to
acquire the knowledge of all sciences including the religious sciences to
understand the signs of God and to harness the powers of nature. In early days
of Islam, the knowledge of Din (faith) and dunya (worldly affairs) were not
separate entities. The early Muslim education emphasized practical studies,
such as the application of technological expertise to the development of irrigation
systems, architectural innovations, textiles, iron and steel products,
earthenware, and leather products; the manufacture of paper and gunpowder; the
advancement of commerce; and the maintenance of a merchant marine. Thus during
first half of millennia of its history, Islamic civilization has been keen to
gain knowledge, be it physics, chemistry (alchemy), algebra, mathematics,
astronomy, medicine, social sciences, philosophy or any other field. A critical
analysis reveals that most of Muslim scientists and scholars of medieval period
were also eminent scholars of Islam and theology. The earlier Muslim scientific
investigations were based on the inherent link between the physical and the
spiritual spheres, but they were informed by a process of careful observation
and reflection that investigated the physical universe.
Islam established the right of intellectual freedom for both
men and women. As long as Islam preserved its immaculate character, it proved
itself to be the main defender and promoter of knowledge and civilization and
the ardent ally of intellectual liberty. Islam advocates to maintain balance
between the life of this world and struggle for the reward in hereafter, thus
asceticism and monasticism are not part of Islam. The blending of religious and
other knowledge at lower and middle levels prior to separation at higher lever
for specialization in a particular discipline, would broaden the vision and
provide adequate depth to the students of religious and other sciences. This
will enable the Muslims to regain the lost leadership, prestige and respect.
The moment
extraneous elements got attached; Muslims lagged behind in the race of
progress. The great tragedy of Muslim history occurred over five centuries ago,
when the study of Islamic sciences was separated from the other branches of
knowledge in the Islamic learning institutions. An extract from Encyclopaedia
Britannica is an eye opener for the Muslims:
“The decline of Muslim scholarship coincided with the early phases of
the European intellectual awakening that these translations were partly
instrumental in bringing about. The
translation into Latin of most Islamic works during the 12th and 13th centuries
had a great impact upon the European Renaissance. The Europeans picked up the
concepts of system of learning, universities and libraries form Muslim Spain,
Cairo and Baghdad” According to Will Durant, the Western scholar, “For five
centuries, from 700 to 1200 (C.E), Islam led the world in power, order and
extent of government, in refinement of manners, scholarship and philosophy”.
The use of intellect and scientific inquiry by medieval Muslim intellectuals
had profound effect on Europe ; the Humanists
can not deny the indirect influence as far as the pragmatic approach is
concerned. Unitarians and Universalists get the encouragement because the
Doctrine of Trinity and other deviations to the original teachings of Bible and
Jesus Christ are also rejected by Islam, which accord high status and glorifies
Jesus Christ as the last Jewish prophet of God who preached monotheism and
prophesised advent of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).(John; 16:12-14,7, 14:16 also Deuteronomy;18:18,19,
Song of Solomon;5:16) [More details at ‘The Last Prophet’ ,
http://faithfourm.wordpress.com]
ATHEISM & HUMANISM
Chapter-1: New Religion or Ideology
Chapter-2:Religious Humanism, Manifesto, Beliefs
Chapter-3: Types of Humanism
Chapter-4: Existence of God
Chapter-5 Philosophical Arguments for God
Chapter-6: Criticism on Existence of God
Chapter-7 Proof of God & Scientific Facts in Qur’an
Chapter-8: Conceptualization of Faith
Proof that God exists/ Atheism:
The Creator?
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Humanity, Religion, Culture, Science, Peace
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A Project of
Peace Forum Network
Books, Articles, Blogs, Magazines, Videos, Social Media
Overall 2 Million visits/hits
Peace Forum Network
Books, Articles, Blogs, Magazines, Videos, Social Media
Overall 2 Million visits/hits
http://JustOneGod.blogspot.com
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