Introduction
Some people of a religious persuasion have asserted that atheism is a faith. Hearing this, Bill Maher stated, If atheism is a religion, then abstinence is a sexual position. Similar analogies rebutting the jejune concept that non-belief could be a religion are out there, this sort of as, if atheism is a religion, then ‘bald’ is a hair shade and ‘off is a Tv set channel. You get the concept.
By definition, those who comply with a religion share a established of typical beliefs. The only thread atheists have in common is disbelief – in a god or gods. Which is not much of a faith.
Wikipedia suggests there are about 4200 religions on earth earth. How are religions frequently recognized? For starters, they are related with arranged, outlined sets of beliefs or worldviews. Religions have narratives, symbols and anticipations that customers are expected to satisfy. Religions have supernatural traits, with perception in the existence of things for which there is no proof or naturalistic rationalization. Illustrations contain beliefs in heaven and hell, an afterlife, miracles, peace in the Middle East or in the efficacy of prayers – or other ritual (e.g., rain dances, voodoo) made to adjust the brain of an imagined Infinite or change the program of character.
Atheists by any title (e.g., freethinkers, secular humanists, infidels, agnostics and so on) maintain no this sort of religious views. On this basis, it appears that True wellness, a philosophy that embraces and extolls explanation and all that science involves, would hardly qualify as a religion.
A Stunning Statement
Properly, that is what I imagined. Then I observed the artwork and protect designed for Wellness Orgasms: The Exciting Way to Live Properly and Die Healthier, my most current function co-authored with Dr. Grant Donovan, the enigmatic philosopher from Perth, Australia. In a final edit, Grant experienced composed an odd sentence in the protect blurb that I recommended we rework. The sentence study as follows:
Orgasms, wellness orgasms, that is, have by no means sounded so healthful, so appealing or so useful as the authors current Real wellness as the only faith.
OMG.
Donovan’s Pondering in Labeling Actual Wellness A Faith
Considering that atheism by any name is not a faith, unless of course the definition of faith is so stretched as to be meaningless, the sentence appeared in require of mend. Surely we would not want to signify Genuine wellness as a faith. I wrote to Grant and made my scenario.
The wonderful polymath explained the rationale for this unsettling clarification:
Au contraire, fantastic Tzar of WO. The previous sentence personifies irony, satire, sarcasm and hyperbole all in 1 tiny, very small corner of infinite area. It will be the sentence they examine at WO universities and seminaries a hundred a long time from now, and question in amazement.
I can also see a Fox reporter interviewing you when the ebook is introduced.
Fox Reporter: ‘Dr Ardell, you denounce religion in your guide but then you assert Genuine wellness and WOs are the only faith. Is that not a tad hypocritical?’
Don: ‘Not in the least, Mr. Peabrain. It has been confirmed during the complete history of human meaninglessness that most people need to have mind-altering medications and virgins in the clouds to make their miserable existence activities even mildly bearable. WOs and the pursuit of Genuine wellness provides indicating to wretched life in a quasi-secular, spiritual-variety way. Besides, ISUS (irony and satire in the U.S.) is a far exceptional spiritual motion to ISIS. We just require to carve out a WO-based mostly caliphate from Tampa to New York.’
Properly, I do really like irony, satire, sarcasm and hyperbole, even much more when it really is bound in a small, little corner of infinite room. And, if this sentence will spark an interview at Fox Television set and offer a little bit of fodder for undergraduates in the 22nd century, why stand in the way?
Even if Actual wellness is somewhat joined with religion in this playful tongue-in-cheek method, couple of viewers of WO will error either of us as fans for religion. Soon after all, we each believe, alongside with Pat Condell, that religion (other than True wellness) disapproves of authentic believed the way Dracula does sunlight.
Be nicely and search as significantly as you can on the vibrant facet of life-and purpose.
Postscript
A federal district court docket in Oregon declared Secular Humanism a faith! Holy horrors, what was that about?
Not theology, philosophy or deference to standard usage of English, it turns out. The decision by Senior District Choose Ancer Haggerty was rendered to find the money for the non-theistic community the exact same lawful rights as spiritual groups. The Plaintiffs in the case, the American Humanist Association (AHA) and Jason Holden, a federal prisoner, sought recognition of humanism in purchase that Mr. Holden could have the very same legal rights as prisoners of a spiritual persuasion. Humanism, far more or considerably less like atheism and other forms of affiliation including True wellness, is outlined by AHA as an ethical and lifestyle-affirming philosophy cost-free of perception in any gods and other supernatural forces.
The choose cited current lawful precedent and mentioned that that denying humanists the identical rights as groups these kinds of as Christianity would violate the Institution Clause in the U.S. www.almostheretical.com/woman (i.e., Congress shall make no regulation respecting an establishment of religion).
The court docket finds that Secular Humanism is a religion for Establishment Clause reasons, the ruling read through.
Although most humanists and other godless sorts do not want to be affiliated with any form of religion, in this occasion, at the very least, the larger pursuit of equivalent legal rights trumped such typical and authorized classifications.
Greg Epstein, the chaplain at Harvard, was quoted as follows relating to this uncommon verdict:
I truly do not treatment if Humanism is known as a religion or not. But if you happen to be likely to give unique rights to religions, then you have to give them to Humanism as well, and I believe that is what this case was about.