Illogical user of stupid facts person- I cant forget. I think I was a bit more cantankerous than usual that day!

I would prefer to charaterize it- As I slide down the banister of life you are a splinter in my ass.

I can’t argue with you about the cicil rights matter, but I consider that a noble cause.
I consider what Dobson wants to accomplish as an ignoble cause.

For those of you in the remedial class, I shall digress to a simple definition.
Humanism is a category of active ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people, based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appeal to universal human qualities—particularly rationalism. Humanism is a component of a variety of more specific philosophical systems, and is also incorporated into some religious schools of thought.
Humanism entails a commitment to the search for truth and morality through human means in support of human interests. In focusing on the capacity for self-determination, humanism rejects transcendental justifications, such as a dependence on faith, the supernatural, or divinely revealed texts. Humanists endorse universal morality based on the commonality of human nature.
For the edification of those that need it, there is also a branch referred to as Religious Humanism that is kinda, sorta, acceptable to this writer.
Humanism features an optimistic attitude about the capacity of people, but it does not involve believing that human nature is purely good or that each and every person is capable of living up to the humanist ideals of rationality and morality. If anything, there is the recognition that living up to our potential is hard work and requires the help of others. The ultimate goal is human flourishing; making life better for all of us. Even among humanists who do believe in some sort of an afterlife, the focus is on doing good and living well in the here and now, and leaving the world better for those who come after us, not on suffering through life to be rewarded afterwards.
Humanism was “invented” by the most early Homo Sapiens and beyond that (another discussion.)
Pagans were pure humanists and used their array of gods as intermediaries to ask for rain, fetility, etc.
Only later did egos evolve to the point where religion was used as an element of power and control as it is still used today.
It is very interesting to study isolated civilizations practicing their indigenous “religion.”
Most of these are very kind and benevolent to children and the elderly. Some of their welfare systems could be a great model for our own.
As John McGinn so eloquently pointed out above, like it or not, modern christianity grew out of humanisim, but in a superstitious way that describes the world view of the originators of that system.
We must begin to teach our kids about rational value systems or we will end up victims of the Reconstuctionists as outlined by Clark in his post of this morning.