Secular Humanism: From Humanist Reaction To Evil

Secular Humanism exists mainly because of evil. When something terrible happens, people lose faith. If a God is so powerful and loving, why does he allow evil? As the Greek philosopher Epicurus wrote: “If the Gods have the will to remove evil and cannot, then they are not all-powerful. If they are neither willing nor able, they are neither all-powerful nor benevolent. If they are able and willing to annihilate evil, why does it exist?” (A Humanist Discussion of Evil and Suffering humanismforschools.org). Many Secular Humanists stop believing in a higher power after a traumatic event such as death or divorce. Secular Humanism exists because of evil and suffering and their main goal is to eliminate suffering and to better human life on Earth, not in an afterlife.

Secular Humanists’ reaction to evil depends …show more content…
According to Humanist Manifesto III, "Humanists long for and strive toward a world of mutual care and concern, free of cruelty and its consequences, where differences are resolved cooperatively without resorting to violence. The joining of individuality with interdependence enriches our lives, encourages us to enrich the lives of others, and inspires hope of attaining peace, justice, and opportunity for all." (Humanist Manifesto III American Humanist Association). They will try to resolve each problem using logic, reason, and compassion. Secular Humanists value self-sustainability and believe in solving problems independently. In addition to solving small problems individually, humanity must unite in order to address the problematic issues of starvation, extreme poverty, depleting resources, and war. " Progressive cultures have worked to free humanity from the brutalities of mere survival and to reduce suffering, improve society, and develop global community." (Humanist Manifesto III American Humanist