Understanding

The concept of understanding is arguably one of our most important goals. To become better secularists, humanists, freethinkers, agnostics, or atheists, we must first understand the very world and the people around us.

As an expansion of our weekly discussions, guest speakers provide valuable insight into such topics as religion, ethics, philosophy, activism, and science. Our goal is to help expand members’ knowledge on these subjects so that we are more firm in our understanding of our (dis)belief, and so that we are better prepared to help others take their first steps to secularism.

FAQ About Secularism

What does secular mean?

Secular is often defined as meaning “not specifically religious,” but this definition is not complete in understanding secularism as a philosophy. Most of our members’ beliefs can be characterized by a naturalistic philosophy—rejection of the supernatural in favor of the use of the scientific method to acquire information and knowledge about our world. Nontheism, the lack of belief in any sort of god or deity, is also a common thread in many of our beliefs.

Wikipedia has an entry on secularism that contains some useful information on secularism as it relates to politics and government.

What do you believe? Do atheists all believe the same thing?

Our members believe many different things. Atheism, agnosticism, freethought, secular humanism, and skepticism are just a few terms that describe members’ belief systems or world views. Secularism, defined above, is probably the best definition that encompasses our shared values, which include the importance of the separation of supernatural belief from the acquisition of knowledge and from government and politics.

Are atheists immoral? Don’t you need god or religion to act ethically?

No, they aren’t, and no, you don’t! Unfortunately, this is one of the biggest misconceptions about secularism, and atheism specifically. There have been many books, articles, and talks on this subject, so I won’t go into the details here. One virtue commonly accepted by people is that of compassion. This desire to help and care for others comes from human needs like the need for social interaction, community, solidarity. As there is no reason to think that these needs come from something ‘outside of us,’ secularists must reasonably conclude that compassion is part of being human. And it is a beautiful thing.

Some questions to think about relating to this topic are: Is it moral to do something because you are compelled by fear (i.e. fear of hell, eternal damnation, pain, etc.) or bribed with rewards (i.e. heaven, eternal life, etc.)? Is it ethically “good” to do something because that action is inherently and absolutely defined as good by some god or deity? If yes, why is the action of killing another human being considered one of the highest immoral acts in some cases, acceptable in other cases, and in yet others unclear (such as in the case of the death penalty) whether it is right or wrong?

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. Visit our Activism if you would like guidance on how to continue.

Why should a secular group exist on the IU campus? What does your group do?

There are many reasons that a secular group is an integral part of any college campus. One important thing to note is how close secular ideas are with the ideals of any university environment. Students of higher learning are encouraged to question, think critically about their beliefs, and open their mind to new ideas. A university is a place of diversity, the advancement of science and reason, and a secular community where a range of beliefs are allowed and respected. Besides this, our reasons for existence and goals as a group are best divided into four parts:

• Community: as mentioned before, we are a safe place for non-believers and believers alike to admit their doubts about faith and religion and discuss these with people who are willing to question everything. We are a place to explore the culture associated with secular philosophies and the social and political implications of our philosophies, which we do not always agree about. We exist for the religious and non-religious community alike to encourage an open, public forum for discussion of faith and belief.
• Activism: though secularists often disagree on social and political implications of their world views, one thing our members agree on is the importance of the separation of church and state. We exist to uphold this separation on our campus and community by being involved and vocal about our situation.
• Service: we uphold that ethical conduct in human beings is not due to a higher power, but to human compassion, a characteristic that is biologically a part of us as a species. Because we are compassionate beings, we see a need to serve our community and help those in need. Also, we see no reason to believe in an afterlife, so we cherish our fleeting existence on earth and respect each individual’s right to happiness in his or her one life. This belief empowers us to act ethically and compassionately.
• Education: There are many misconceptions about atheism and secularism in general, and we want to educate the public about what our members really believe. We also desire to educate the public about the virtues of science and reason, virtues which are responsible for much of the technology many of us use and enjoy in everyday modern life.