Secular - Revision history

Daniel Martins: Added content

2026-07-28T04:16:04Z

Added content

Yeschayi: adding

2020-12-13T00:04:12Z

adding

BernieandTrumpFan at 19:23, June 30, 2020

2020-06-30T19:23:39Z

Aschlafly: copy edit further

2019-11-30T20:53:59Z

copy edit further

Aschlafly: better: change "for non-believers" -> "among non-believers"

2019-11-30T20:48:56Z

better: change "for non-believers" -> "among non-believers"

Aschlafly: The term has a positive connotation for non-believers in God, but a negative connotation among those who have faith.

2019-11-30T20:48:25Z

The term has a positive connotation for non-believers in God, but a negative connotation among those who have faith.

Dataclarifier: linked euphemism

2019-10-24T13:23:19Z

linked euphemism

Conservative: /* History of Secularism */

2019-09-11T00:03:05Z

History of Secularism

Conservative: /* Secularism is exhausted and unconfident */

2019-09-11T00:01:44Z

Secularism is exhausted and unconfident

Aschlafly: The term "secular" can be used as a euphemism for atheists, to avoid negative connotations associated with atheism.

2019-05-31T02:43:48Z

The term "secular" can be used as a euphemism for atheists, to avoid negative connotations associated with atheism.

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	In recent years, a number of notable atheists have expressed pessimism about the future of the [[atheist movement]] (see: [[Decline of the atheist movement]]).		In recent years, a number of notable atheists have expressed pessimism about the future of the [[atheist movement]] (see: [[Decline of the atheist movement]]).
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		+	Secularism tends to make society more progressive.<ref>Van Tongeren, Daryl R. et al. "Religious dones become more politically liberal after leaving religion." ''Journal of Personality'', 2025.</ref> Furthermore, it is a sufficient, though not necessary, condition for demographic decline.<ref>Schnabel, Landon. "Secularism and fertility worldwide." ''Socius'', v. 7, 2021.</ref> Secular individuals have significantly fewer children than religious ones.<ref>Kaufmann, Eric. ''Shall the religious inherit the earth?: Demography and politics in the twenty-first century''. Profile Books, 2010.</ref><ref>Stark, Rodney. ''America's blessings: How religion benefits everyone, including atheists''. Templeton Foundation Press, 2012.</ref> This creates problems such as pressure on pension systems and labor shortages. In Europe, this has led to an increase in immigration.<ref>Schnabel, Landon. "Secularism and fertility worldwide." ''Socius'', v. 7, 2021.</ref> These immigrants have made Islam the fastest-growing religion on the continent,<ref>[https://time.com/3671514/islam-europe/ How Islam Became the Fastest-Growing Religion in Europe], ''TIME'', January 16, 2015.</ref> and the non-Muslim population is projected to decrease.<ref>[https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2017/11/29/europes-growing-muslim-population/ Europe’s Growing Muslim Population], ''Pew Research Center'', November 29, 2017.</ref> This has already produced a series of conflicts, mainly—and ironically—with secular individuals themselves.<ref>Ribberink, Egbert; Achterberg, Peter; Houtman, Dick. "Secular tolerance? Anti‐Muslim sentiment in Western Europe." ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion'', v. 56, n. 2, pp. 259-276, 2017.</ref> In Sweden, two atheists staged a protest by burning copies of the Quran.<ref>[https://www.lemonde.fr/en/opinion/article/2023/09/03/charlie-hebdo-s-lawyer-penalizing-quran-burnings-means-embarking-on-an-extraordinarily-dangerous-path_6122010_23.html Charlie Hebdo's lawyer: 'Penalizing Quran burnings means embarking on an extraordinarily dangerous path'], ''Le Monde'', September 3, 2023.</ref> This led to a series of protests, acts of vandalism, and violence.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66706937 Violent protests after Quran burning in Sweden], ''BBC News'', September 4, 2023.</ref> In Denmark, it resulted in a ban on the burning of the Quran.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67651580 Denmark passes law to ban Quran burnings], ''BBC News'', December 7, 2023.</ref>

	== Secular state ==		== Secular state ==

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	Christian theologians differed on their assessment of secular thought. [[Tertullian]] asks "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" On the other hand, [[Thomas Aquinas]] championed secular thought and provocatively starts the [[Summa Theologica]] with the question: "Whether, besides philosophy, any further doctrine is required?"<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.newadvent.org/summa/1001.htm\|title=Summa Theologica\|author=Thomas Aquinas}}</ref> After Aquinas, a harmony between secular thought and religion was the rule until the 19th century. The notion of secularism being inherently anti-religious becomes the norm after the [[French Revolution]].		Christian theologians differed on their assessment of secular thought. [[Tertullian]] asks "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" On the other hand, [[Thomas Aquinas]] championed secular thought and provocatively starts the [[Summa Theologica]] with the question: "Whether, besides philosophy, any further doctrine is required?"<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.newadvent.org/summa/1001.htm\|title=Summa Theologica\|author=Thomas Aquinas}}</ref> After Aquinas, a harmony between secular thought and religion was the rule until the 19th century. The notion of secularism being inherently anti-religious becomes the norm after the [[French Revolution]].
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		+	It was made famous by British Writer [[George Jacob Holyoake]]

	== Atheism, secularism and their bland and uninspiring nature ==		== Atheism, secularism and their bland and uninspiring nature ==

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 * Emmet Kennedy, "The Tangled History of Secularism," ''Modern Age'' (Winter 2000) Volume 42, Number 1;  [http://www.mmisi.org/ma/42_01/kennedy.pdf online edition]
 *  [https://books.google.com/books?id=FyAF86k-EV0C&dq=Hunter+Baker+in+The+End+of+Secularism,&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=A8mcvr9B5N&sig=C31Mrmu3gGtkLqHw5ZH_jOly6yA&hl=en&ei=TXooS6P5OpXdlAeZv6ycDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CBYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=&f=false Hunter Baker, ''The End of Secularism'' ]
 == See also ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:53, November 30, 2019
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−	The term '''secular''' means non-religious. Officially, it is defined as "worldly" rather than "ecclesiastical" or church-based. The connotations of the term have changed over time.<ref>Its original definition preserved its Latin meaning - "of an age" - as evinced in the ''Secular Games'', or the ''Carmen Secularae'' ("Song of the Augustan Age") by Horace.</ref> ~~The~~ term has a positive connotation among non-believers in [[God]], but a negative connotation among those who have [[faith]].	+	The term '''secular''' means non-religious. Officially, it is defined as "worldly" rather than "ecclesiastical" or church-based. The connotations of the term have changed over time.<ref>Its original definition preserved its Latin meaning - "of an age" - as evinced in the ''Secular Games'', or the ''Carmen Secularae'' ("Song of the Augustan Age") by Horace.</ref> Today the term has a positive connotation among non-believers in [[God]], but a negative connotation among those who have [[faith]].

	The term "secular" can be used as a [[euphemism]] for [[atheists]], to avoid negative connotations associated with atheism. Atheism actually isn't secular (common mistake) because in a secular society everyone is considered to be legally equal no matter what they believe in or don't believe in. Atheism is a religious point of view that God(s) do not exist and is therefore not all inclusive.		The term "secular" can be used as a [[euphemism]] for [[atheists]], to avoid negative connotations associated with atheism. Atheism actually isn't secular (common mistake) because in a secular society everyone is considered to be legally equal no matter what they believe in or don't believe in. Atheism is a religious point of view that God(s) do not exist and is therefore not all inclusive.

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:48, November 30, 2019
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−	The term '''secular''' means non-religious. Officially, it is defined as "worldly" rather than "ecclesiastical" or church-based. The connotations of the term have changed over time.<ref>Its original definition preserved its Latin meaning - "of an age" - as evinced in the ''Secular Games'', or the ''Carmen Secularae'' ("Song of the Augustan Age") by Horace.</ref> The term has a positive connotation ~~for~~ non-believers in [[God]], but a negative connotation among those who have [[faith]].	+	The term '''secular''' means non-religious. Officially, it is defined as "worldly" rather than "ecclesiastical" or church-based. The connotations of the term have changed over time.<ref>Its original definition preserved its Latin meaning - "of an age" - as evinced in the ''Secular Games'', or the ''Carmen Secularae'' ("Song of the Augustan Age") by Horace.</ref> The term has a positive connotation among non-believers in [[God]], but a negative connotation among those who have [[faith]].

	The term "secular" can be used as a [[euphemism]] for [[atheists]], to avoid negative connotations associated with atheism. Atheism actually isn't secular (common mistake) because in a secular society everyone is considered to be legally equal no matter what they believe in or don't believe in. Atheism is a religious point of view that God(s) do not exist and is therefore not all inclusive.		The term "secular" can be used as a [[euphemism]] for [[atheists]], to avoid negative connotations associated with atheism. Atheism actually isn't secular (common mistake) because in a secular society everyone is considered to be legally equal no matter what they believe in or don't believe in. Atheism is a religious point of view that God(s) do not exist and is therefore not all inclusive.

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 The term '''secular''' is generally used to mean "worldly, as differentiated from ecclesiastical."  The term has changed meaning dramatically over time.  Its original definition preserved its Latin meaning - "of an age" - as evinced in the ''Secular Games'', or the ''Carmen Secularae'' ("Song of the Augustan Age") by Horace.
-The term "secular" can be used as a euphemism for [[atheists]], to avoid negative connotations associated with atheism. Atheism actually isn't secular (common mistake) because in a secular society everyone is considered to be legally equal no matter what they believe in or don't believe in. Atheism is a religious point of view that God(s) do not exist and is therefore not all inclusive.
+The term "secular" can be used as a [[euphemism]] for [[atheists]], to avoid negative connotations associated with atheism. Atheism actually isn't secular (common mistake) because in a secular society everyone is considered to be legally equal no matter what they believe in or don't believe in. Atheism is a religious point of view that God(s) do not exist and is therefore not all inclusive.
 The United States was founded as a secular [[republic]], where religious freedom is affirmed in the Constitution and where no special religion is established. However, 'secular' here is ''not'' a synonym for 'atheistic' as secular society includes both Atheists and believers. Moreover, it is impossible to fully separate a legislative or educations system from moral beliefs and its sources, and the Bible overall was the primary foundational single source for America's principles and precepts.

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	Christian theologians differed on their assessment of secular thought. [[Tertullian]] asks "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" On the other hand, [[Thomas Aquinas]] championed secular thought and provocatively starts the [[Summa Theologica]] with the question: "Whether, besides philosophy, any further doctrine is required?"<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.newadvent.org/summa/1001.htm\|title=Summa Theologica\|author=Thomas Aquinas}}</ref> After Aquinas, a harmony between secular thought and religion was the rule until the 19th century. The notion of secularism being inherently anti-religious becomes the norm after the [[French Revolution]].		Christian theologians differed on their assessment of secular thought. [[Tertullian]] asks "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" On the other hand, [[Thomas Aquinas]] championed secular thought and provocatively starts the [[Summa Theologica]] with the question: "Whether, besides philosophy, any further doctrine is required?"<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.newadvent.org/summa/1001.htm\|title=Summa Theologica\|author=Thomas Aquinas}}</ref> After Aquinas, a harmony between secular thought and religion was the rule until the 19th century. The notion of secularism being inherently anti-religious becomes the norm after the [[French Revolution]].
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		+	== Atheism, secularism and their bland and uninspiring nature ==
		+
		+	*[[Atheism and inspiration]]
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		+	*[[Atheism, secularism and their bland and uninspiring nature]]

	==Further reading==		==Further reading==

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 ''See also:'' [[Decline of the atheist movement]]
-[[File:Jacques Berlinerblau.jpg|thumbnail|250px|left|In 2011, atheist [[Jacques Berlinerblau]] declared: "The Golden Age of [[Secularism]] has passed."<ref>Berlinerblau, Jacques (February 4, 2011).  [http://chronicle.com/blogs/brainstorm/obama-at-the-national-prayer-breakfast-raging-christ-fest-secular-wake/31816 "Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast"].  The Chronicle of Higher Education/Brainstorm blog.  Retrieved on May 29, 2015.</ref>]]
+[[File:Jacques Berlinerblau.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|In 2011, atheist [[Jacques Berlinerblau]] declared: "The Golden Age of [[Secularism]] has passed."<ref>Berlinerblau, Jacques (February 4, 2011).  [http://chronicle.com/blogs/brainstorm/obama-at-the-national-prayer-breakfast-raging-christ-fest-secular-wake/31816 "Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast"].  The Chronicle of Higher Education/Brainstorm blog.  Retrieved on May 29, 2015.</ref>]]
 [[Eric Kaufmann]], an [[agnosticism|agnostic]] professor whose academic research specialty is how demographic changes affect religion/irreligion and politics, wrote in 2010:
 {{cquote|Worldwide, the march of religion can probably only be reversed by a renewed, self-aware secularism. Today, it appears exhausted and lacking in confidence... Secularism's greatest triumphs owe less to science than to popular social movements like nationalism, [[socialism]] and 1960s anarchist-[[liberalism]]. Ironically, secularism's demographic deficit means that it will probably only succeed in the twenty-first century if it can create a secular form of 'religious' enthusiasm.<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/uploadsepk/JQR%20Demography.pdf Shall the religious inherit the earth? - Eric Kaufmann]</ref>}}