Talking with the Humanists

After Amanda went to bed last night, I sat down to blog. As I logged in to Blogger.com, they had a little scrolling marquee with blogs that had been updated recently. I saw one entitled Humanist News so I thought I'd go check it out. No, I'm not searching for answers, but I try to get a glimpse of what non-Christians are thinking sometimes, and I thought this might be a good opportunity. The first article I read was 'Not One Nations 'Under God'. There was a comment there that caught my attention. It said, "Also, we need to remember why 'under God' was put in the Pledge in the first place: for the sole purpose of distinguishing Americans from atheistic communists, thereby establishing that all Americans ascribe to a religion that involves a belief in God." I thought this was wonderful. It was the first time I have ever heard a Humanist admit that our government purposely desired to be Christian. If you've read any of the writings of our Founding Fathers, you know that our great nation was founded on Biblical principles and a faith in the God of heaven. But so many people today try to push the separation of church and state issue to make it sound like America was created to be a religion free country. I was so excited to hear a Humanist admit, in a way, that our government desired to be a nation that acknowledges God I just had to comment on their post. They did not particularly appreciate my comment and two writers from the blog commented. It did not help me look particularly intelligent when I commented on America's 2,000 year heritage! I know it has not been 2,000 years since 1776, so I have no idea what I was thinking! Anyway, posted again to correct my mistake (which they pointed out) and to comment on their comments.

So after this "adventure", I was curious enough to check out some of the links on their site. Next, I went to the American Humanist Association web page. The first article I read there was New National Day of Prayer a Diversion (the link on their site is not working at the moment so I cannot link you to the story). Here's the lead in to the story, "Now the president is manipulating religion and disregarding the rights of those of minority faiths and philosophies in order to deflect criticism from his administration’s poor response to the Hurricane Katrina crisis..." The guy complained that Presiden Bush left out Buddahists and other religions by calling for a National Day of Prayer, and then there was the ever-present attack against President Bush saying he was using this as a diversion because of his supposed failures concerning Katrina. I couldnt' take it anymore, so I sent the author an e-mail. I think I rambled a lot in the e-mail because instead of better understanding how Humanists think, I was more confused after reading some stuff on their web sites. At the end of my e-mail, I asked Mr. Speckhardt:

1. What hope to American Humanists offer?
2. How would a Humanist define what is good and bad?
3. With all of the opportunities to help people and do "good" in America (again, what is the Humanist definition here), why is getting God out of American public life such an important priority?

With all that needs to be done to help Katrina victims (and the Humanists even have a link on their page to help them), is getting President Bush not to have a day of prayer a big priority? And it just does not make sense to me why Humanists would spend so much time and energy trying to kick God out of American public life if they don't even believe He exists? And if they hate God being part of who America is, why don't they go to a country where God is not welcome (there are a lot of them)? I'm not saying "you have to believe like me or leave", but why try to destroy our heritage as a great nation just because YOU have a beef with God? Humanists would say we were a nation founded on their "right" not to believe in God. Ok, I could maybe go along with that. But we were never founded as a nation that turned it's back on God or refused to recognize His divine hand on us as a nation. In America, you don't have to believe in God, just don't try to change our country into something our Founding Fathers NEVER desired...a godless nation.

As I read back over my e-mail to Mr. Speckhardt and my original post on the Humanist News blog, I easily saw that my questions and comments were not nearly as refined as all of their writings. I want to dialog with these people, but as reasonable and logical as my faith is to me, I will never be able to communicate on the level of their writings. This reminded me of what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:17-31 (NASB)

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE." Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."

I'll let you know if anything comes of the dialog.

- Rob