Reclaiming the language of passion and emotion

Essay Mar 20

Discussion question – To make an effective case to their fellow Americans, secular humanists must reclaim the language of passion and emotion from the religiously correct. But how do you do that?

What would make you get up on a Sunday morning and go to designated place to listen to singing, sing along, hear a prepared sermon, say a prayer, and then go to brunch or home? Yet, every week across our nation millions of people do just that. In part because that’s what they did as a child and when they became parents, they continue the tradition with their children; a never-ending cycle.

Would some of them prefer to stay home and watch TV, probably? Would some of them stay home to watch a sporting event, undoubtedly, which is why sporting events, football, baseball, or basketball games rarely start until after traditional church services conclude.

What can freethinkers offer as an alternative on a Sunday morning? It must be so compelling that people who don’t go to traditional services, wouldn’t want to miss it, and those that do go would consider changing. It must be something not only educational, but uplifting. Something that permeates the culture nationally and is long-term. I honestly don’t know what that would be.

When you consider that worship services have existed for thousands of years any challenge to that system starts at a significant disadvantage. New religious sects are created from the main branch but they are only slight variations from the parent. One way to create a new “religion” would require a foundation book written by or about an individual and I can’t imagine in today’s world someone who will arise out of anonymity to fill that role.

The other way is to tear down the existing structure and I don’t see that as probable in the short-term. I think the ultimate solution is in education and with our public-school systems under attack and with more “religious” families choosing home schooling or “faith-based” schools there will only be continual indoctrination of children into the tradition. Our hope probably lies in the next several generations who will challenge the existing political system and replace representatives with more scientifically knowledgeable individuals, but that may take a while.

I’m open to suggestions.