#iheu

The International Humanist and Ethical Union is fundamentally aligned with equality — for women’s rights, for sexual minorities (LGBTI), against racism — and promoting genuine freedoms of thought and expression.

Donald Trump, President-elect of the USA, has consistently expressed his opposition to key rights in these areas. As Roy Speckhardt, Executive Director of the American Humanist Association said yesterday:

“Worse than just thwarting the pace of progress, the next president is a true “regressive.” This regressive said, “I am pro-life, and I will appoint pro-life justices on the court.” This regressive said, in response to blasphemy laws, “No leader, especially a religious leader, should have the right to question another man’s religion or faith.”

And this regressive said, “We’re going to protect Christianity, and I can say that. I don’t have to be politically correct. We’re going to protect it.”

I’m terrified that so many voted to reverse the progress our community made under the Obama administration. From gaining marriage equality for LGBTQ Americans to preserving a woman’s right to choose, I had strong reason to believe that America was on the right path toward a better country for all, including humanists, atheists, and agnostics.

I don’t know what will happen in the next four years. But here’s what I do know: all of us at the American Humanist Association are going to fight back. We will not sit idle as our freedoms are gravely threatened.”

Two points from the IHEU Amsterdam Declaration:

Humanism is undogmatic, imposing no creed upon its adherents. It is thus committed to education free from indoctrination.

Humanism recognises that reliable knowledge of the world and ourselves arises through a continuing process of observation, evaluation and revision.

Sometimes I encounter questions such as “If there’s no institutional authority that defines Humanism (such as religious institutions like the Catholic Church define particular religions), then how do we know what Humanism is?”

The two above points answer that question. There is no authority that defines by fiat what Humanism is, and the definition of Humanism has changed over time. However, Humanists have converged on a set of consensus beliefs as represented in the development of the Humanist Manifestos and the Amsterdam Declaration. It is a false dilemma to say that Humanism has to either have a single authority defining it or that it collapses into arbitrary opinion.

Within the consensus is the understanding of Humanism as:

working from the human perspective

understanding that perspective to have limitations

using reason, empirical study and science to help overcome those limitations and solve problems

respecting human rights; encouraging individual liberty balanced with rights of other and the well-being of society as a whole.