SkipCaptcha
29
edits
Changes
Added content
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.
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]]).
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 ==
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]].
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 ==
* 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]
* 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'' ]
* [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'' ]
==External Links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_fMPxIN2UA David Barton Destroys the 'America Is a Secular Nation' Myth | Louder with Crowder] on [[YouTube]].
== See also ==
== See also ==