Introduction -- Are you a Humanist?

If your response to most of these declarations is to agree, then you won't be far off the mark if you say "I'm a humanist!"

• Morality should be based on compassion and reason.
• Natural events have natural causes.
• The universe is neither for us nor against us.
• Human beings can figure out from experience what's right and wrong.
• We human beings are responsible, to ourselves and to each other, to do what's right.
• To make it in this life, people need each other.
• Reason is the most powerful tool for solving human problems.
• Scientific method isn't perfect, and it isn't the only way of acquiring knowledge, but it seems to work better than any of the alternatives.
• Instead of expecting a god or the government to take care of human problems, it's better if people get to work on these problems themselves.
• Nobody is going to hand you happiness; you create it for yourself.
• We are not born sinful; we're just born human -- born with opportunities, not with burdens of guilt or promises of privileges. There are no guilty babies!
• What happens to us in this life isn't fixed by the stars and planets or by the gods; very often, it's a consequence of our own choices or of chance.
• It's right to be open to learn from other people and to hear their views.
• Individual human freedom of choice is a part of our humanity and well worth defending.
• We human beings are a part of nature; we belong here, and all life is our kin.
• Human will has the potential to transform the world of human experience.
• Life is a "do-it-yourself" job with no one waiting around to rescue us.

I'm a secular humanist and non-theist, and a member of several humanist organizations. The following statement of principles describes secular humanism. It has appeared often in Free Inquiry magazine, published by the Council for Secular Humanism.

The Affirmations of Humanism: A Statement of Principles

• We are committed to application of reason and science to understanding of the universe and solving of human problems.
• We deplore efforts to denigrate human intelligence, to seek to explain the world in supernatural terms, and to look outside of nature for salvation.
• We believe that scientific discovery and technology can contribute to the betterment of human life.
• We believe in an open and pluralistic society and that democracy is the best guarantee of protecting human rights from authoritarian elites and repressive majorities.
• We are committed to the principle of separation of church and state.
• We cultivate areas of negotiation and compromise as means of resolving differences.
• We are concerned with securing justice and fairness in society and eliminating discrimination and intolerance.
• We believe in supporting the disadvantaged and handicapped so that they will be able to help themselves.
• We attempt to transcend divisive parochial loyalties based on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, and strive to work together for common good of humanity.
• We desire to protect and enhance the earth, to preserve it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless suffering on other species.
• We believe in enjoying life here and now and in developing our creative talents to their fullest.
• We believe in cultivation of moral excellence.
• We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be allowed to fulfill their aspirations to express sexual preferences, to exercise reproductive freedom, to have access to [excellent] health care, and to die with dignity.
• We believe in common moral decencies: altruism, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, responsibility. Humanist ethics is amenable to critical, rational guidance. There are normative standards that we discover together. Moral principles are tested by their consequences.
• We are deeply concerned with moral education of our children. We want to nourish reason and compassion.
• We are engaged by the arts no less than by the sciences.
• We are citizens of the universe; excited by discoveries still to be made in the cosmos.
• We are skeptical of untested claims to knowledge and open to novel ideas and seek new departures in our thinking.
• We affirm humanism as a realistic alternative to theologies of despair and ideologies of violence and as a source of rich personal significance and genuine satisfaction in the service of others.
• We believe in optimism rather than pessimism, hope rather than despair, learning in place of dogma, truth instead of ignorance, joy rather than guilt or sin, tolerance in place of fear, love instead of hatred, compassion over selfishness, beauty instead of ugliness, and reason rather than blind faith or irrationality.
• We believe in the fullest realization of best and noblest that we are capable of as human beings.

Humanist, Atheist, Freethought, Skeptical and related web sites:

• Humanism Sites
  • Council for Secular Humanism
  • Center For Inquiry West
  • The Secular Web - Many Humanism/Atheism/Freethought sites are hosted here.
  • The American Humanist Association
  • Humanist Association of San Diego
  • Humanist Fellowship of San Diego
  • National Secular Society A British organization.
  • Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix - President: Susan Sackett
  • Humanist Association of Salem (OR)
  • Corvallis Secular Society (OR)
  • Washington Area Secular Humanists - WASH has expanded throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.
  • Ethical Culture Society of Queens - A humanistic religious organization inspired by the ideal that the supreme aim of human life is working to create a more humane society.
  • The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU)
  • Prometheus Books - publishers of humanist/atheist/skepical literature
  • Humanist Fellowship of San Diego -- web site not yet active
  
  
• Atheism/Non-theism
  • Atheists United - A nationally prominent organization, located in Los Angeles, California.
  • Atheist Alliance
  • Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF)
  • American Atheists
  • Atheist Coalition (San Diego)
  • Atheists of North Coastal San Diego County
  • The Godless Website
  • Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers (MAAF) - Free membership for all current and past military members, and related civilians.
  • Cliff Walker's Positive Atheism
  • The Atheism Web - Logical Fallacies
  • Agnosticism/Atheistism at About.com
  • Was there no historical Jesus exist? - The "evidence" is woefully inadequate. Mirror site here.
  • Atheism Central for Secondary Schools - Help with homework assignments and general support for atheist students attending religious studies courses in secondary schools in the United Kingdom
  • The Net Atheists
  • Landover Baptist: America's Favorite Church -- a great spoof site
  • Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance - an objective site which discusses all the key issues associated with religious tolerance and intolerance
  • - an "in-your-face" anti-Christian site
  • The Jesus Museum - highlights a new wacky Christian site every day
  • Atheist Meetup - find other atheists in your area
  • Jhuger A unique site
  • Freethought
    • Freethought Debater - Freethought Debater is the on-line journal, book store, forum and product center, that focuses on assessing the actual atheism v. theism and evolution v. creation debates.
    • Freethought Events
  
  
• Skepticism
  • - Internet Infidels hosts Skeptical/Humanist/Atheist/Freethought sites.
  • CSICOP - Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
  • Center For Inquiry West
  • Skeptics Society
  • The James Randi Educational Foundation
  • SDARI Home Page - San Diego Association for Rational Inquiry
  • Skeptic News - The "What's New" page for skeptics
  • The Skeptic's Dictionary - "A Guide for the New Millennium"
  • Resources for Independent Thinking
  • New England Skeptical Society
  • Tampa Bay Skeptics
  • Australian Skeptics
  • Quackwatch - Your Guide to Health Fraud, Quackery, and Intelligent Decisions, operated by Stephen Barrett, M.D.
  • Australian Skeptics
  • Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding - from "Science & Engineering Indicators 2006", bi-annual report of the National Science Board
  
  
• Science oriented
  • Kansas Citizens for Science - "Bringing the enlightenment back to Kansas" -- has extensive links to K-12 teacher resources and other science related sites around the web.
  • Darwin Day - Celebrate February 12th.
  
  
• Others
  • National Organizations - Links to Humanism/Atheism/Freethought organizations.
  • ACLU - ACLU considers separation of church and state issues.