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Secularism: The Faith of Unbelief - Richard Smoley
Secularism: The Faith of Unbelief - Richard Smoley
Download handout
Secular Age
Discussion questions
1- Some pockets of the Untied States are not really living in the secular age, but rather, are still living in a culture and society that is dominated by church influence, including, for example, in local legislation. Have you ever lived in such an area? If so, please describe the lifestyle/culture to the rest of the group.
2- Is there an ethical dilemma inherent in any large institution—church or state—trying to impose its idea of ethics onto others?
3a- At present, how does the state attempt to legislate ethics?
3b- At present, how does the state attempt to simply encourage ethical action?
4a- In your own life, has your vision of what is ethically correct action changed during your life? If so how?
4b- What has influenced your view on ethics?
5- The kabala system devotes an entire dimension to ethics.
5a- How would you define a dimension (time, space, etc.)?
5b- Try to describe what a dimension of morality would be.
6- What are the advantages and disadvantages of a secular state?
7- What sort of state/government activities are inherently tied to ethics?
8- How does Theosophy fit into a secular age?
Proposed activities
1- Read the following out loud as a group.
In addition to ethics, another big question in regard to a secular society is the impact on faith and spiritual practice. In Charles Taylor’s book, A Secular Age, he explains that throughout most of history, church and state were, for the most part, so intertwined that a sort of default to faith was the common option for most people. There were still, of course, serious, contemplative, questioning people, but for most, who for whatever reason did not feel inclined to wrestle with the question of Mystery, there was a default to accept the church defined definition of faith with most of its implications. In the United States we live in a society which supports complete freedom of religion and the separation of church and state - historically, a very unique situation. Religious conservatives and extremists decry this situation as a time of anarchy and hedonism. However, there are many, too, who see it as a distinct sign of spiritual maturity or at least the potential for spiritual maturity because now there is no church-state defined default to faith. If one chooses faith in any of its myriad infinite possibilities, or not, it is completely an individual choice. Thus those who do not subscribe to a faith are likely not doing it out of pure rebellion, and those who subscribe to a certain sort of faith or spiritual practice are doing it largely of their own volition. There is more reflection, more self-will, toward the question of Mystery.
2- You will do this creative writing exercise, not in small groups, but as indivudiuals. You will create a small imaginary society and depict it in two ways:
a) as a society completely dominated by the influence of a religion, and
b) as a society which is completely secularist.
You will have about thirty minutes to write-create. Make sure you cover these areas:
A) the geography
B) the economy
C) the population
D) time-period (present is fine)
E) Government (and or dominant religion)
F) the family of Smiths: this family of four, man and wife, daughter and son. One or both of the Smith parents is an intellectual, an avid reader, who questions everything by nature.
G) The family of Jones. Also a family of four, man and wife, daughter and son. One or both of the Jones parents is an extremely hard-working, devotional person, suspect of change and most anything new, not an out-of-the-box thinker, not a reader.
Your task is to design a small society and use exactly the same parameters and characters in both your created religious society and your created secular society. Try to show a single day for both the Smith family (especially the intellectual parent) and the Jones family (especially the devotional parent) in both societies. (Remember: everything should remain the same except for the fact that in one scenario the society is secular and in the other scenario the society is controlled by a religion.) Try to show how these two main characters’ lives will manifest in each situation.
3- Share these descriptions with the group.
Related Resources
Books
Dillenberger, Jane, Image and Spirit in Sacred and Secular Art, 701 DIL ISS
Ellwood, Robert S., The Sixties Spiritual Awakening : American Religion Moving from Modern to Postmodern, 200.973 ELL SSA
Graham, Gerald S., The Secular Abyss: An Interpretation of History and the Human Situation, 122 GRA SA
Hanegraaff, Wouter J., New Age Religion and Western Culture : Esotericism in the Mirror of Secular Thought, 299.93 HAN NARW
Ibn al-Rawandi, Islamic Mysticism : A Secular Perspective, I298 IBN IM
Larsen, Stephen, The Fundamentalist Mind : How Polarized Thinking Imperils Us All, 200.19 LAR FM
Laski, Marghanita, Ecstasy in Secular and Religious Experiences, 152.4 LAS E
Minor, Robert Neil, The Religious, the Spiritual, and the Secular : Auroville and Secular India, H294.557 MIN RSS
Nicholls, William, Conflicting Images of Man, 233 NIC CIM
Wilson, David Sloan, Darwin's Cathedral : Evolution, Religion, and the Nature of Society, 306.6 WIL DC
Zarhofri, Yodifani, The Story of Jesus and What He Had to Say : A Secular Narrative Written for Those Who Know Little or Nothing about Jesus, 232 ZAR SJ
Videorecording
(VR: VHS Videocassette)
Robinson, Daniel N., The Great Ideas of Philosophy, VR 1244 PT.1
Download handout
Secular Age
Discussion questions
1- Some pockets of the Untied States are not really living in the secular age, but rather, are still living in a culture and society that is dominated by church influence, including, for example, in local legislation. Have you ever lived in such an area? If so, please describe the lifestyle/culture to the rest of the group.
2- Is there an ethical dilemma inherent in any large institution—church or state—trying to impose its idea of ethics onto others?
3a- At present, how does the state attempt to legislate ethics?
3b- At present, how does the state attempt to simply encourage ethical action?
4a- In your own life, has your vision of what is ethically correct action changed during your life? If so how?
4b- What has influenced your view on ethics?
5- The kabala system devotes an entire dimension to ethics.
5a- How would you define a dimension (time, space, etc.)?
5b- Try to describe what a dimension of morality would be.
6- What are the advantages and disadvantages of a secular state?
7- What sort of state/government activities are inherently tied to ethics?
8- How does Theosophy fit into a secular age?
Proposed activities
1- Read the following out loud as a group.
In addition to ethics, another big question in regard to a secular society is the impact on faith and spiritual practice. In Charles Taylor’s book, A Secular Age, he explains that throughout most of history, church and state were, for the most part, so intertwined that a sort of default to faith was the common option for most people. There were still, of course, serious, contemplative, questioning people, but for most, who for whatever reason did not feel inclined to wrestle with the question of Mystery, there was a default to accept the church defined definition of faith with most of its implications. In the United States we live in a society which supports complete freedom of religion and the separation of church and state - historically, a very unique situation. Religious conservatives and extremists decry this situation as a time of anarchy and hedonism. However, there are many, too, who see it as a distinct sign of spiritual maturity or at least the potential for spiritual maturity because now there is no church-state defined default to faith. If one chooses faith in any of its myriad infinite possibilities, or not, it is completely an individual choice. Thus those who do not subscribe to a faith are likely not doing it out of pure rebellion, and those who subscribe to a certain sort of faith or spiritual practice are doing it largely of their own volition. There is more reflection, more self-will, toward the question of Mystery.
2- You will do this creative writing exercise, not in small groups, but as indivudiuals. You will create a small imaginary society and depict it in two ways:
a) as a society completely dominated by the influence of a religion, and
b) as a society which is completely secularist.
You will have about thirty minutes to write-create. Make sure you cover these areas:
A) the geography
B) the economy
C) the population
D) time-period (present is fine)
E) Government (and or dominant religion)
F) the family of Smiths: this family of four, man and wife, daughter and son. One or both of the Smith parents is an intellectual, an avid reader, who questions everything by nature.
G) The family of Jones. Also a family of four, man and wife, daughter and son. One or both of the Jones parents is an extremely hard-working, devotional person, suspect of change and most anything new, not an out-of-the-box thinker, not a reader.
Your task is to design a small society and use exactly the same parameters and characters in both your created religious society and your created secular society. Try to show a single day for both the Smith family (especially the intellectual parent) and the Jones family (especially the devotional parent) in both societies. (Remember: everything should remain the same except for the fact that in one scenario the society is secular and in the other scenario the society is controlled by a religion.) Try to show how these two main characters’ lives will manifest in each situation.
3- Share these descriptions with the group.
Related Resources
Books
Dillenberger, Jane, Image and Spirit in Sacred and Secular Art, 701 DIL ISS
Ellwood, Robert S., The Sixties Spiritual Awakening : American Religion Moving from Modern to Postmodern, 200.973 ELL SSA
Graham, Gerald S., The Secular Abyss: An Interpretation of History and the Human Situation, 122 GRA SA
Hanegraaff, Wouter J., New Age Religion and Western Culture : Esotericism in the Mirror of Secular Thought, 299.93 HAN NARW
Ibn al-Rawandi, Islamic Mysticism : A Secular Perspective, I298 IBN IM
Larsen, Stephen, The Fundamentalist Mind : How Polarized Thinking Imperils Us All, 200.19 LAR FM
Laski, Marghanita, Ecstasy in Secular and Religious Experiences, 152.4 LAS E
Minor, Robert Neil, The Religious, the Spiritual, and the Secular : Auroville and Secular India, H294.557 MIN RSS
Nicholls, William, Conflicting Images of Man, 233 NIC CIM
Wilson, David Sloan, Darwin's Cathedral : Evolution, Religion, and the Nature of Society, 306.6 WIL DC
Zarhofri, Yodifani, The Story of Jesus and What He Had to Say : A Secular Narrative Written for Those Who Know Little or Nothing about Jesus, 232 ZAR SJ
Videorecording
(VR: VHS Videocassette)
Robinson, Daniel N., The Great Ideas of Philosophy, VR 1244 PT.1
Tags: faith, secular, secularism, smoley
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