"Why not just call it pantheism? What's the difference?"
Because pantheism worships all gods identifying the Deity with the various forces and workings of nature.....humanists don't worship any supernatural being.....I would say Christianity, particularly Catholicism, comes closer to pantheism what with believing in a major god and several lesser gods.....
I am not looking for a religion but I never realized my thoughts were closest to humanist until about 15 years ago after reading local letters to the editor by some wack job who was accusing the local school district of teaching the "religion" of secular humanism. After a few letters I decided to find out what secular humanism was and to my surprise found out it was pretty much my own philosophy. To most conventionally religious people, if the subject comes up, I tell them that in their view I am no doubt an atheist. To my way of thinking, however, I am agnostic since I don't have the answer or the knowledge to explain the universe. I am simply very unconvinced there is or was a supernatural force involved. People a hell of a lot smarter than me, on the other hand, e.g. Thomas Jefferson ," believed that there was a God or a creator of the universe who after setting it in motion abandoned it, assumed no control over life, exerted no influence on natural phenomena, and gave no supernatural revelation" (American Heritage Dictionary) |
