The Impact of Secularism

While it is important to know from whence we have come, it is also important, although difficult, to know where we now are. It does seem however that we can note markers along the way in our march into the “brave and new world” of secularism:

• The European Commission has been attacked this week for its production of over three million copies of a diary, called Agenda Europa, which neglects to mention Christmas or any other Christian holiday. The diary includes references to Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish and Chinese festivities, as well as to May 9 - Europe Day. However, there is no mention of Christmas or Easter. The diary section dated December 25 is blank, while the bottom of the page reads the secular message: “A true friend is someone who shares your concerns and will double your joy,” London’s Telegraph reports. (as reported by LifeSiteNews.com)

When this “oversight” was brought to the attention of the EU commission,

• A commission spokesman in Brussels, Frederic Vincent, said the “blunder” would not be repeated in future editions. “We’re sorry about it, and we’ll correct that in next edition. Religious holidays may not be mentioned at all to avoid any controversy,” Vincent said, the Telegraph reports.

Well, that sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? Not really! All of our values, decisions, legislative acts, committee determinations reflect our morality and worldviews, hence our religions. When the secularist says, “Religious holidays may not be mentioned at all to avoid any controversy,” it leaves Secularism as the only public fount of religious judgment, influence and teaching. In a sense, secularism is saying, “My religion will be the only one heard. All others will be removed from the public sector because of their potential for giving offense to the others.”

However, secularism is a stealth religion posing as an impartial ideology. It has its judgments and opinions about moral and legal issues, just as any other religion, and it’s just as evangelistic. Just attend a few atheistic/secular humanistic meetings! Although this network of groups disdains any reference to themselves as “religious,” it is interesting to note that they used to refer to themselves in this manner:

• BERTRAND RUSSELL: “The greatest danger in our day comes from new religions, communism and Nazism. To call these religions may perhaps be objectionable both to their friends and enemies, but in fact they have all the characteristics of religions…”

• THE FIRST HUMANIST MANIFESTO (Paul Kurtz, 1933): “Humanism is a philosophical, religious, and moral point of view.”

• JOHN DEWEY, WHO SIGNED THE MANIFESTO: “Here are all the elements for a religious faith that shall not be confined to sect, class or race…It remains to make it explicit and militant.”

• THE US SUPREME COURT (Torasco v. Watkins – 1961): “Among religions in this country which do not teach what would generally be considered a belief in the existence of God are Buddhism, Taoism, Ethical Culture, Secular Humanism and others.”

Why does secularism now disown the idea that it is a religion? “Kurtz understands this, admitting that if Secular Humanism is a religion, ‘then we would be faced with a violation of the First Amendment…’” (All the above quoted from David Noebel’s, Understanding the Times, 16-18)

What does this portend for the future? If the present trend continues, we should expect to see the marginalization of traditional religions and their domination by an increasingly repressive, secular state, all in the name of maintaining peace and order!