Secularism

Secularism, promoted by secularists, is the belief that religion should be a private, personal, voluntary affair that does not impose upon other people. Public spaces and officialdom should therefore be religion-neutral. Secularism ensures that religions are treated fairly and that no bias exists for a particular religion, and also that non-religious folk such as Humanists are treated with equal respect. It is the only democratic way to proceed in a globalized world where populations are free to choose their own, varied, religions.

The following is the content of my three main pages on secularism and secularisation:

1. Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?

1. What do Secular, Secularisation, and Secularisation Theory Mean?
2. Secularisation Theory
   1. The Dalai Lama Defends Secularism as a Way to Respect All Religion
   2. S. Bruce Defends Secularisation Theory (1996)
3. Religion in Europe
4. SeculariSation, or seculariZation?
5. The Defiers of Secularisation

2. Anti-Religious Forces: Specific Factors Fuelling Secularisation

1. Introduction
2. Anti-Religious Forces of the Present
   1. Modernism and Compartmentalism
   2. Individualism
   3. Multiculturalism
   4. Science
   5. Intelligence
   6. Human Rights
3. Anti-Religious Forces of History
   1. The Ancient Greeks
   2. Communism
   3. Christian Intolerance for Magic and Gods
4. People of Historical Importance
   1. Those Who Became Historical Movements: Nietzsche, Weber, Freud and Marx
   2. Outstanding Critics of Religion in the Modern Era
5. Blows to Religion According to Moojan Momen

3. Legislation and Faith: Religious Rights and Religious Wrongs

1. As Developed Society Outgrows Superstition, Religion Will Increasingly Contradict Common Morality
2. Purely Secular Government is Superior
3. EU Law on Employment Discrimination
4. Abusive Religious Beliefs
5. Example Conflicts
   1. Accidental Bias: Cathedrals and National Heritage (UK)
   2. Ritual Animal Slaughter
   3. Clothing and Dress Codes
   4. Displaying Religious Symbols on Classroom Walls in Ofena, Italy, 2003
   5. Some Christian Attempts to Exempt Themselves from Having to Treat Homosexuals Fairly
   6. Other Examples
   7. Christian Institute Defends Two Sefton Council Workers Who Demand the Right to Discriminate Against Gays
   8. Fetching Marriages and Muslim European Immigration
6. Muslims are Free to Follow Much of Sharia Without Needing Special Laws
7. UK's Second Chamber: The House of Lords
   1. Bishops in the House of Lords
   2. Prayers in the House of Lords
8. Conclusion

Links

• On my website The Bane of Monotheism: Against Single-God Religions:

  • "Time to Move On: Religion Has Cost Too Much" by Vexen Crabtree (2010)

• The National Secular Society on www.secularism.org.uk.