“In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early Christians entered a town, the people in power became disturbed and immediately sought to convict the Christians for being ‘disturbers of the peace’ and ‘outside agitators.’ But the Christians pressed on, in the conviction that they were ‘a colony of heaven,’ called to obey God rather than man. Small in number, they were big in commitment... By their effort and example they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contests.”


      Martin Luther King, Jr.

             Letter from

             Birmingham Jail

Sadly, some mis-labelled “humanists” of today seem, in many cases, more like inhumanists.  They taunt Christians and religion with a rather childish petulance and, in so doing, reveal their hidden motivation: jealousy and bias.


It’s fine to disagree.  It’s fine to proclaim a belief in atheism.  If atheists view people of faith as The Other, so be it.  Let the dialogue ensue!  We are brothers, after all.


But because atheism’s numbers dwindle while religions bloom, atheists tend to do what people who are losing an argument always do.  They lash out.  They hope to get a rise.  They set out deliberately to diminish and wound the Other — i.e. Christians, so many of whom are African-American.  They denigrate and insult God, knowing full well that 83% of African-Americans believe in Him.  In so doing, atheists seem to commit deliberate and thinly-veiled acts of implicit racism against black America.


It is not “humane” to poke fun at thousand year-old beliefs that hundreds of millions of white, black, and brown Americans (including the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) have held sacred. 


That’s not humanism.  That’s inhumanism.  And it is, of course, a tad sad. 


We in the true American humanist community say Give us faith any day.  Faith compels us to engage in the very different enterprise of trying to understand the Other — rather than insult him or her.  And faith is able to do this because it is working on a foundation of love and charity.  Not mockery.


As a result, faith allows us to do something else that is fundamental to humanism: forgive.  And that is what we gladly do for the atheists who assault faith and co-opt “humanism”.  We forgive them their faults.  And love them.

American Humanism

The 2018 Humanist of the Year: Donald Trump

Truth be told, our selection surprised even us.  Here are seven reasons why we made it...

1. He cares about the African-American cause

African-Americans are the beating heart of this country.  And Trump appreciates that fact. 


Here he is after Harvey, reaching out to victims of the storm (and embodying Christian-humanistic love) in a way that apparently touched the hearts of many.  Who knew the man had this side?  We didn’t.  #LoveWins

3. He’s a facilitator of Tolerance and Diversity

It’s hard to forget Trump’s inaugural Prayer Service, which impressed everyone with its multicultural warmth.  (Embracing other faiths is the essence of Christian humanism.)  Like we said before... who knew?  #Tolerance

Harnessing the power of Christian ethics to help heal the world

Does the president have his faults?  Sure.  And they get plenty of attention.  So it was only fair, we thought, to listen to our colleagues who were saying there’s another side.  And what they shared with us (highlighted in the seven factors, listed above) convinced us.  So, on behalf of the American humanist community, we tip our hats to the 45th president of the U.S... and the 2018 Humanist of the Year.

ORIGINS

Our humanists

are older than

your humanists

Ah

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The New Testament is the very best book that ever was or ever will be known in the world.

         - Charles Dickens

QUESTION

Why must atheists denigrate African-Americans?

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7. He’s a defender of the persecuted and voiceless

“ISIS is clearly responsible for genocide against Yezidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims in areas it controls or has controlled... No one should have to live in fear, worship in secret, or face discrimination because of his or her beliefs.”


As President Trump has said, we look forward to a day when, quote, ‘people of all faiths, Christians and Muslims and Jewish and Hindu, can follow their hearts and worship according to their conscience,’ end quote.”

                                                                               

Even critics say he “seizes every opportunity” to honor African-Americans (including again recently, at an October 2018 Medal of Honor ceremony).  #MedalOfHonor

And then there are the numbers, which do not lie... and which truly show where Trump’s heart is.

6. He’s a champion of Hispanic-Americans

Trump policies have driven the Hispanic unemployment rate to the lowest rate ever recorded by the Dept. of Labor: 4.5%. Perhaps Hispanics sensed this might happen, and that’s why 28% of Latino voters went for Trump in the 2016 Election.  In the words of one Hispanic commentator: “the Hispanics I know want good jobs, not government handouts. That's exactly what we're getting from President Donald Trump.”  

“I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States… to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also… fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.”


Abraham Lincoln

  Thanksgiving Proclamation

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Christians are “the most persecuted” religious group in the world, in the words of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.  They’re killed, dispossessed, and silenced in record numbers.  Many in the West turn a blind eye, due to widespread anti-Christian bigotry (and maybe because many targeted Christian groups are dark-skinned?).  Not Trump.  He raises his voice and fights for them.  Admirable.  His State Dept. determined that in Iraq and Syria, ISIS is “clearly responsible for genocide” against Christians. 

KEY STATS

NEWS

Empowering African-Americans: Trump honored inner-city black civic leaders by inviting them to the table for the first time, and these leaders pulled no punches in explaining how much it meant to them.  Because of a sad and latent racism that seems to plague Big Media, this round-table was not widely covered.  (Because it featured too many self-assured African-Americans, perhaps?)  Anyway, we found this footage on the WhiteHouse youtube site.  (Curiously, we’ve noticed that most of Trump’s humane/humanist achievements are not given much attention).

   From the Chicago Tribune:

2. He’s made history empowering women as leaders

Trump appointed the first female CIA Director, Gina Haspel.  He empowered the first woman (Kellyanne Conway) to ever run a successful presidential campaign.  His first UN ambassador was a woman.  And his second Supreme Court pick, Brett Kavanaugh, is being hailed for his trailblazing pro-woman move: all four of his clerks are women (a Supreme Court first).  #FemaleFirsts

a news / commentary / opinion site

4. He’s made LGBTQ history

Despite opposition (we were surprised to read that most senate Democrats voted against Grenell. . . yikes. . . we’re Democrats), Trump never flagged in his commitment to appoint the first gay U.S. Ambassador to Germany, a diplomatic post which surely ranks as one of the most important in the world.  What really struck us was that Vice President Pence made sure to acknowledge Ambassador Grenell’s partner during the swearing in.  Gutsy in his practice of tolerance, Pence showed that humanism and love have a place in politics, too.  #LoveConquersHate

DISTURBING

FACTS

5. He’s a pro-immigrant pioneer 

Trump is the first President to bring a First Lady to the White House who is actually an immigrant herself.  Surprising fact: Melania is the first First Lady with a foreign accent.  Seems Trump goes way beyond mere talk about loving immigrants: he practices it.  And, as a result, many now consider him an immigration pioneer. 

And for her part, Melania has seized the opportunity, launching a love pilgrimage.  #FirstImmigrantFirstLady

   

GOOD

WITH GOD

Some more rockstars who gave nods to God...

CONGRATULATIONS

Sergeant Major

John Canley

Medal of Honor recipient

Trump made Elaine Chao the first immigrant ever to become Secretary of Transportation.  Secretary Chao is also the first ever Asian-America woman to hold the post.  “An immigrant who arrived in America at the age of eight speaking no English, she received her citizenship at the age of 19” (from Whitehouse.gov).

Secretary Chao and Trump are targeting sex trafficking.  Above, Trump signs the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act.

Christian Humanism dates to the 2nd Century, when Justin Martyr began to formalize the tradition, belief, and practice of recognizing that human freedom and dignity are intrinsically enhanced by (and often reciprocal with) Christian faith and doctrine.  Since then, a who’s who of intellectual rockstars have added to the momentum, including:


  1. Erasmus, champion of free will, and champion of education for women as well as men. 

  2. Thomas More, the Catholic who created the concept “utopia” and envisioned one with complete religious tolerance and equal education for men and women -- 500 years ago.  He stood so firm in his principles that he was beheaded for them. 

  3. Thomas Jefferson, who created a highlight reel of the bible that he named “The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth”, which he thought of as “the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man.”

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”


       T. Jefferson (and others)

              Declaration of

              Independence


https://www.c-span.org/video/?422134-1/president-vice-president-attend-national-prayer-service
AMERICAN
HUMANISM

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