The following questions about secularism are an excerpt from our group’s general informational brochure (links to a PDF file).  Any further questions may be directed to our group email, secular (at) indiana (dot) edu.

Doesn’t morality depend on religion?
No! Like everyone else, secularists consider themselves moral people and strive to be ethical in everything they do.  The difference is not the presence or absence of one’s morals, but the origin of them.  As humans, our ability to reason about ethical problems is a product of our cognitive ability and social nature.  As secularists, we trust in our ability to rely on logic and our own experiences to make decisions about our actions.

Isn’t secularism just atheism?
Not necessarily.  While many of our members would characterize their secular belief system as synonymous with atheism, others prefer to use ‘agnostic,’ ‘humanist,’ or another term.
what about an afterlife?
Generally, secularists do not believe in an afterlife.  This concept may seem scary, but consider that there are many times that we not conscious or aware of anything (before birth, during dreamless sleep, etc.).  Resuming a calm non-existence is only natural, and it is nothing to fear at all.
There are even benefits to not believing in an afterlife: life becomes more precious.  Our actions can be motivated not out of fear of eternal torture, but by the wonderful pleasure we feel when helping others and doing good deeds for oneself and for society.

Are secularists just anti-religion?
No; we recognize many redeeming qualities of religion and spirituality, but we do feel that blind faith poses a major problem for society, as it denies the pluralism and public discussion that drive progress and the democratic process.  We support religious tolerance, but we also believe religious claims should be evaluated with the same standards as everything else.  We certainly don’t expect to eliminate religion from the world.

Without religion, what’s left to believe in?
Many things! Basic human rights, the scientific process, and the importance of reflective public discussion, for example.

Doesn’t secularism inevitably lead towards communism, fascism, or anarchy?
No.  Secularists possess a wide spectrum of political beliefs; in fact, some of our most passionate disagreements are on political and economic matters.  Members of our group identify with as widely divergent beliefs as socialism and objectivism.

Isn’t secularism just another religion?
The difference between religion and secularism is considerable.  The very definition of religion is the acceptance of the existence of a supernatural being or power, based on spiritual apprehension instead of empirical evidence.  However, secularism is the absence of faith, religion, spirituality, or belief in the supernatural.

What if i am questioning my faith?
Many people question long-held beliefs, and many secularists even question their secularism.  Questioning beliefs and coming to rational, reasonable conclusions is what we are all about; we invite you to come talk to us about your beliefs, whatever they may be, because we’re always willing to listen.  Check out the calendar for upcoming events to attend, or follow the instructions to join our listserv.  New people are always welcome.  If you have any further questions, email secular (at) indiana (dot) edu.

Hey folks,

The new site, saiu.org, is finally up. The old IU-hosted site now redirects here. This is your official source for information about the Secular Alliance, especially our current events and what we’re all about.

So far the new site has been tested on Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, Chrome and Opera, but if you notice any glitches in your browser, let us know!

Event: Russell’s Tea Party
Date: 9/21/08
Time: 12pm (noon)
Location: Indiana Memorial Union (IMU) Charter Room

Discussion topic: How do you feel about the “new atheist” movement, and how does this fit into your desires for the SAIU? We’ll also discuss the possibility of a 21+ Skeptics in the Pub night for of-age members, and go over upcoming events for those who are interested.
Description/explanation: Bertrand Russell coined the analogy of a celestial teapot, now dubbed “Russell’s Teapot,” which is now one of the first examples of a parody religion. These parody religions include the Flying Spaghetti Monster (www.venganza.org), the Invisible Pink Unicorn (Wikipedia page), and the Church of Google(www.thechurchofgoogle.org), among others. Following is Russell’s original description of the flying teapot analogy:

If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.

The Russell’s Tea Party is, for SAIU, a time for discussion. Dry tea is provided, but we’ll borrow hot water from the IMU Starbucks or food court, or purchase other desired drinks or food there.