The relationship between humanism and religion has always been difficult, since the Renaissance. If we look at the Humanist Associations active today in the world, we find that the relationship has become almost a dec...The relationship between humanism and religion has always been difficult, since the Renaissance. If we look at the Humanist Associations active today in the world, we find that the relationship has become almost a declared war. Religion appears to be the greatest enemy of humanism, i.e., of the humanity. Authentic humanism seems to be exclusively secular and atheistic： you can do good only if there is no God. In this contribution I look at some programmatic documents of Humanist Associations to understand the reasons for this contrast, in the background of secularization. The result is that some criticisms of religion -- its potential for violence and obscurantism -- are historically and theoretically justifiable but partial. Indeed, they show a poor and narrow vision of religion that leads to a narrow view of the human experience. A more complex vision of man requires a more complex vision of religion. A complex vision of man includes the most ＂irrational＂ and enigmatic aspects of our being, as love, death, pain, desire, imagination and even freedom and creativity. On this basis we can appropriately understand the historical and existential role of religion. Otherwise, if God is the one painted by humanists, God would not be good, let alone a good humanist.展开更多
China traditional culture, our culture, the root of all the children of the Yellow Emperor. Ancient poetry, the essence of traditional Chinese culture, but also the world’s cultural and artistic treasure house of a b...China traditional culture, our culture, the root of all the children of the Yellow Emperor. Ancient poetry, the essence of traditional Chinese culture, but also the world’s cultural and artistic treasure house of a bright pearl. Chinese culture has a long history, broad and profound, poetry is always the highbrow type of aesthetic elegant, attracted many devout followers, especially those in the thoughts and feelings, wisdom and creativity in a famous through the ages, although after thousands of years of vicissitudes of life still shine, while dancing alone in the modern civilization and tired of noisy. Never forgotten.展开更多
文摘The relationship between humanism and religion has always been difficult, since the Renaissance. If we look at the Humanist Associations active today in the world, we find that the relationship has become almost a declared war. Religion appears to be the greatest enemy of humanism, i.e., of the humanity. Authentic humanism seems to be exclusively secular and atheistic： you can do good only if there is no God. In this contribution I look at some programmatic documents of Humanist Associations to understand the reasons for this contrast, in the background of secularization. The result is that some criticisms of religion -- its potential for violence and obscurantism -- are historically and theoretically justifiable but partial. Indeed, they show a poor and narrow vision of religion that leads to a narrow view of the human experience. A more complex vision of man requires a more complex vision of religion. A complex vision of man includes the most ＂irrational＂ and enigmatic aspects of our being, as love, death, pain, desire, imagination and even freedom and creativity. On this basis we can appropriately understand the historical and existential role of religion. Otherwise, if God is the one painted by humanists, God would not be good, let alone a good humanist.
文摘China traditional culture, our culture, the root of all the children of the Yellow Emperor. Ancient poetry, the essence of traditional Chinese culture, but also the world’s cultural and artistic treasure house of a bright pearl. Chinese culture has a long history, broad and profound, poetry is always the highbrow type of aesthetic elegant, attracted many devout followers, especially those in the thoughts and feelings, wisdom and creativity in a famous through the ages, although after thousands of years of vicissitudes of life still shine, while dancing alone in the modern civilization and tired of noisy. Never forgotten.
