Is anyone familiar with 'The Exclusive Brethren' religious order?

[Mr Goose 10]

Here is the link...

 

http://www.sheffieldhumanists.org.uk/

[Mr Goose 10]

and the national group -

 

http://www.humanism.org.uk/site/cms/

[Phanerothyme 12]

question for humanists - how can you be a 'free thinker' and also state that you reject the supernatural?

 

HUMANISM, this would ensure that everybody was given the same opportunity. Treat others like you would treat yourself!!

Unless you are a masochist.

[Mr Goose 10]

question for humanists - how can you be a 'free thinker' and also state that you reject the supernatural?

.

 

Its because you need to have some degree of selectivity - if ANY evidence EVER came along for ANY supernatural activity I would be interested.

 

However - the list of supernatiral beliefs is very long - unicorns, ghosts, tarot cards, UFO's, crop circles, ESP, crystal twiddling etc - that is in addition to the approximate 2,500 gods "formally" worshipped in human history.

 

Being a "Freethinker" is having an open mind, but not having an open mind to the degree where your brain falls out

 

(I forget who said that first)

[Phanerothyme 12]

It's a good gag.

 

So it would be more correct to say "discriminating thinker" on the website perhaps?

 

Presumably the appearance of God on earth would cause the Humanist Society to disband?

[mikeG 16]

I have a relative who takes her religion very seriously. What her 'church' is I don't know. Her son is employed , presumably as a Minister, with them and is provided with a £18/20,000 car. Money seems no object. Televisions in the house are forbidden. It may be similar to the Plymouth/Exclusive Brethren so I'll do a bit more digging. I know I could ask her but they do go to great pains to avoid talking about their beliefs.

[upinwath 10]

I have had dealing with Plymouth Brethern even doing some of their data crunching for them.

Had quite a sweet deal running for a while with them.

They didn't have TV, believed in the value of being nice to people and were 100% in business.

 

All values that I like and try to stay with myself.

[Mr Goose 10]

 

So it would be more correct to say "discriminating thinker" on the website perhaps?

 

Presumably the appearance of God on earth would cause the Humanist Society to disband?

 

I would say "thinking free of dogma" - ie one of the central thrusts of Humanism is to evaluate moral decisions in light of evidence, rather than religious tradition. Hence humanists argue for issues like the right to die with dignity etc.

 

If "god" did appear on earth (I assume you are talking christian) we would have to see what he had to say on a number of issues. If, as in the OT, he came out with promotions of vindictive violence, homophobia and a misery for women, then there would still be a role for the humanist soc!!!

 

However, as in my last post, there are a lot of other silly things that "could" hapen if you took heed of some peolples beliefs - they include

 

* The alien shape changing reptiles that make up the power groups like the Queen and Prince Charles unmask themselves

 

* Odin, Thor, Zeus or any of the 1000's of hindu and south american gods could turn up

 

* NASA scientists could discover "The Planet of the Clangers"

 

Honk!

[Phanerothyme 12]

I would say "thinking free of dogma" - ie one of the central thrusts of Humanism is to evaluate moral decisions in light of evidence, rather than religious tradition. Hence humanists argue for issues like the right to die with dignity etc.

 

If "god" did appear on earth (I assume you are talking christian)

 

 

I'm talking about a supreme being. Presumably the possibility that one exists is ruled out by the Humanist Soc - but is it a supernatural concept?

We would have to see what he had to say on a number of issues. If, as in the OT, he came out with promotions of vindictive violence, homophobia and a misery for women, then there would still be a role for the humanist soc!!!

 

If god did exist, it would be necessary to abolish him

[Mr Goose 10]

I'm talking about a supreme being. Presumably the possibility that one exists is ruled out by the Humanist Soc - but is it a supernatural concept?

 

A "supreme being" sounds very much like a supernatural concept - i.e. it is used to signify some unknown force that, for reasons unknown decided to create the universe (by methods unknown).

 

The trouble I have with this is pretty much logical.. what was this being doing BEFORE it created the universe? What made it decide to create the universe? What created this being?

 

Answers like "it existed outside space and time" are pretty much like giving answers to children like

 

Q: "Why does the sun shine"

A: "It just does"

 

I think a naturalistic answer to this sort of question is far more satidfying (and fun) (and more mind expanding)

[plekhanov 10]

I'm talking about a supreme being. Presumably the possibility that one exists is ruled out by the Humanist Soc - but is it a supernatural concept?

Of course it’s a supernatural concept, unless of course you can explain how a supreme being could exist within the laws of nature as we understand them.

 

Anyway the possibility that anything exists isn't 'ruled out' by humanists and given sound evidence that one did exist humanists would accept the existence of a supreme being. However there is no such evidence and the probability that a supreme being does exist is so low that to all intents and purposes it is perfectly rational to act as if there is no supreme being.

[Phanerothyme 12]

Of course it’s a supernatural concept, unless of course you can explain how a supreme being could exist within the laws of nature as we understand them.

One would imagine that any supreme being could create the laws of nature to suit them. It certainly wouldn't do for a supreme being to create a universe where they couldn't exist. That would show a remarkable lack of planning.

 

A supreme being is not necessarily unknowable, is it?