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THE CHALLENGE OF SECULARISM - Coggle Diagram
THE CHALLENGE OF SECULARISM
secularism
the view that religion and government should be seperate. religion should be a matter of private belief
challenges the truth, political power and social benefit of religion
freud
argues belief in religion is caused by a fear of chatotic, unpredictable world and fear of adult life and its responsibilities
during childhood, order is represented by the father. so religious people find comfort projecting an order - an eternal father
illusion based on wish fulfilment
freud believed that religion was an illusion based on wish fulfilment
believes that in certain circumstances, the human mind will create beliefs and images to satisfy its most basic longings and desires
reasons for relogion
created by the mind to help us overcome
external forces of nature
internal forces of nature
need for a father figure
dawkins
not based upon rationality but is a product of wishful thinking and faith
simply no reason to believe in gods existence and plenty of contrary evidence such as the existence of evil
danger of religion
religion is not only blind and irrational but also dangerous
causes wars, misery, death and prevents the progress of science
people commit suicide in the name of religion and destroy other people including unbelievers and those of different faiths, in the process
concerned with fundamentalsim
dawkins is concerned with the rise of christian fundamentalism
this approach causes the greatest harm to scientific advancement about the origin of the universe
should christianity play a role in public life?
british humanist association
campaighns against schools with religious character
danger of religious schools
could become a place where radicalisation takes place
some religious schools are anti-science
faith schools can increase intolerance as they can teach that all other faiths are mistaken or even evil
dawkins view
religious schools replace evidence based approaches to understanding our world with superstitions
argued that teaching evolution alongside other theories, such as creationism in science classes, fails to credit the evidence of evolution
dawson - dangers of secularism
argues that secular education is problematic
where education systems are anti-religious - such as in communist countries - religion becomes endangered
removing religion from culture, art, music, nit only deprives religion but also people who are trying to make sense of theor own culture
are spiritual values merely human values?
can be argued that spiritual values and human values are very similar
'do not steal' and 'do not kill' are commandments that are laws in the vast majority of societies, including more secular societies
distinct values
christians would argue that if the two are the same then christianity is not distinct, which is not neccesarily true
upholding dignity and the sanctity of human life over personal choice and loving your enemies are examples of christian values that makes it distinctive
salvation
christianity adopts the idea of an afterlife and a creator god, which the rest of society doesnt believe
many values are based around salvation and it it could be said that it is a christians incentive to do good
is there proof that christianity causes social problems?
causes warfare
christianity has caused wars when tyring to gain supremacy - crusades
rejects science
dawkins argues that certain denominations of christianity reject the indisputable advances of science and hold society back - for example beliefs about creationism
old fashion views
some christian ethical stances are at odds with modern, progressive society
views about homosexuality, women having rights over their bodies and people being allowed to decide when they want to die
you could argue that any absolutist approach to life is intolerant of the views of others and damaging to society. mary daly argues that christianity is patriarchal and sexist
good work of church
mlk
educating the poor
major contribution to art
drive charity values
ethical messages based on jesus' teaching, like love your neighbour are driving forces behind many charities, both christian and non christian
has secularism caused christian thought to develop
updated church teachings
christianity has had to develop new ways of thinking and acting over its 2000 years
church brings in new teachings to be more in line with societal advancements
has evolved in an increasingly secular society
mullieris dignitatum
technological advancements
social media to evangelise
pope twitter
secularism has given christians the chance to look at what makes their religion distinctive
need to resist change
some argue that now, christians need to stand up for the truth revealed through christ
if christianity is side lined, religion may be able to affect the lives of far fewer people