Humanism as a religion?

Ruse really doesn't make a lot of sense... he waffles on at great length, expressing tired old, long-refuted ideas.

It's not a question of science versus religion, it's religion versus rational thought...

Thanks for that link bags - I have bookmarked it and will read it thoroughly when I have stopped tatting about on gransnet and finished what I am meant to be doing!

Interesting article Bags, thank you for posting it. I need to do more studying around this subject in preparation for my son's return home from uni at Christmas. He thinks Dawkins is right about everything and I don't (but don't have sufficiently well researched or considered arguments to refute that). It could be fun to have something to say and avoid yet another lecture

I'm not sure, baubles. At the very least, they seem to see it as an acceptable label, even though I pointed out that having humanist values does not make me not an atheist!

But really, I think they're just desperately short of leaders. They'll have to adapt or the scouting movement will collapse in favour of less discriminatory groups such as the Baden-Powell Service Association. Scouts within the original Scout Association are speaking out more and more as well, via the organisation called Inclusive Scouting. There's even a badge. I've sewn one on my uniform. The discriminatory die-hards may object, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. The only reason for wearing the badge is so that people ask what it's for. It's a badge for awareness-raising.

I regard my Humanism as a philosophy, or a stance for living. I suppose you could define religion in the same way, but for me it involves a belief in some supernatural intelligence.

Bags I think it is interesting that you were able to become a Scout leader as you were a humanist. Did they see it as some sort of religion?