Towards Peace via Humanism

I feel it only fair to let you know that I do not subscribe to any faith. I am a humanist.
I consider myself a very spiritual being, at one with the universe and the natural order of things. I feel the rhythm and harmony of Mother Earth and wish to fit in with that. I love all people, and animals and nature, even if sometimes I don't like them very much. My motto is "If it harms none, do what you will".
I feel I have a clear idea of right and wrong, good and evil, depending upon and according to the circumstances surrounding these concepts. I believe that Peace will prevail when humans can honour and respect each other, despite their religious beliefs, which are just beliefs, invented by men with vivid imaginations and a brilliant capacity for storytelling, to rule and control their fellows.

It is unfortunate that religious leaders and state rulers have adopted one faith or another to help them in their chosen task. When faith becomes inseparable from state law, therein lies scope for prejudice, bullying and unfairness. I know in my heart that for Peace to work in the world, Church and State must exist separately.

I understand that for many adults their faiths are deeply held and I honour that, but I do advocate that only mature adults can choose this path. Brainwashing our children is wrong. They do not have a chance to think for themselves until it is too late to break free, because they are enmeshed in the patriarchal system set up centuries ago.

Adult people, in my opinion, are free to choose what they believe, but they are not permitted to enforce other adults to their belief system. Most wars have one or other belief system behind them, as does so called ethnic cleansing, and most of the issues between men’s and women’s rights have some religious base. It is not the belief system itself that is wrong, but the interpretation of it that is very often flawed.

All religions disempower the ordinary people. If only we could all feel enabled to take full responsibility for ourselves and our own thoughts and beliefs, without this need for a higher authority telling us what we are allowed and not allowed to do and think, there would be far less need to scrap and quarrel like children, and we could get on with important things, like living fulfilled lives, realising our own potential and feeling empowered to do so.

It does seem that to challenge any religious faith is taboo and just not allowed. But I put it to you – First we are Humans who need food, water, warmth, safety and love.
Second we are humans who should have all these basic needs in place, after which we can consider our various belief systems, and decide for ourselves which is real and which is false.

All of our present day religious belief systems are patriarchal. All of them advocate Peace! But because they are based on myth and superstition, they are not real. I believe that to start the Peace Process, we need to get back to basics, before religious belief systems were invented!