RS a level DCT - the challenge of secularism

ao1 and ao2

which UK census was the first to show less than 50% of England and Wales was Christian

2021

what is the secularisation thesis

the theory that religious belief would decline as technology and democracy evolved

to modern sociologists accept or reject the secularisation thesis (on the most part)

reject

what was the findings of the 2014 British Social Attitudes Survey

less Christians than non-religious people

two atheists who believe society would be better off without religion. why do they say this?

Freud and Dawkins: Christianity is infantile, repressive and causes conflict

what 3 desires does Freud suggest causes people to be religious

desire for a father, desire for fairness, desire for immortality

example given by Dawkins where religion causes conflict

Protestants and Catholics in northern Ireland

quote by Dawkins suggesting religion to be parasitic and a delusion

the mind is “hijacked by religious faith”

what does Marchant argue regarding the influence of religion on well-being

it can be beneficial, as people feel like they’re a part of something bigger which helps them to cope

how is France a case study of secularist tradition

the French revolution saw the removal of religion from positions of power

no state-funded religious schools

1905 official separation of government and church

French government banned religious clothing and symbols in public spaces in 2011

when did the burqa ban come about in france

2011

an example of a case that highlight conflict between religious ideas and public life in Northern Ireland

Lee v McArthur: ‘Gay cake case’ of 2016

how many children in the UK are educated in CofE or Catholic schools

1.8 million

what does the British Humanist Association argue regarding state-funded faith schools

they should be eradicated, replaced with inclusive and secularist schools

summarise Dawkin’s view on faith schools

against them: schools that teach creationism as a legitimate theory are dangerous and unquestioning faith should not be taught as a virtue

what are the two types of secularity

non-inclusive and inclusive

what is non-inclusive secularity

seeking to remove religion from public spaces

what is inclusive secularity

creating pluralistic public spaces

what two types of secularism does Williams define

programmatic and procedural

define Williams’ programmatic secularism

non-inclusive, any public expression of faith is offensive; public spaces should be “neutral”

define Williams’ procedural secularism

inclusive, permits as many public voices as possible, including all religious perspectives without privileging any voices

quote from Dawkins labelling religion infantile

“there is something infantile about the presumption that someone else has a responsibility to give your life meaning”

quote from Jim Wallace suggesting secularism is not the solution to religious issues

“some people believe the alternative to bad religion is secularism, but that’s wrong”

4 of the 7 core humanist values as established in the 2002 Amsterdam declaration

ethics

rationality

human rights

social responsibility

Quote from Pope Benedict XVI on Christianity in increasingly secular societies

“exposed now to an intolerant pressure… in the name of an ostensible rationality”

Quote from British Humanist Association on the lack of need for religion

“we want non-religious people to be confident in living ethical and fulfilling lives on the basis of reason and humanity”

what is militant atheism

the view that religion is harmful even as a private belief, thus society would be better off without it

Freud quote on projectionist view of religion

“religion is the process of unconscious wish fulfilment” as people are “unable to cope with the idea of a godless, purposeless life”

what does Freud suggest the 11th commandment would be

“thou shalt not question”

quote from Dawkins on the ‘God of the gaps’ idea

religious belief is “the worship of gaps”

quote from Dawkins on removing religion’s influence

“I would like religion to become gentler and nicer and to stop interfering with other people’s lives, stop repressing women, stop indoctrinating children… to see religion go away altogether”

how does Hitchens describe religion

“a threat to the idea of a peaceable community,” as there is no such thing as private religion due to the mission to convert

McGrath’s criticism Dawkins’

militant atheism is just as extreme as religious fundamentalism

Dawkins “wants to write a work of propaganda” rather than academic work

reduces religion to irrational delusion without actually understanding it, ignoring thousands of years of theology

science does not negate religious belief; they address different things

how does Dawkins argue religion creates conflict

creates an in and out-group: ““they” as opposed to a “we””

how may some theologies overcome Freud’s critique that religions limit autonomy

Fletcher’s and Hick’s liberal theologies

e.g. autonomy in relativist decision-making, autonomy in soul-making

quote from Ratzinger

we need to “reflect on the sobering lessons of the atheist extremism of the 20^th century”

Freud quote on religion as neurosis

a “universal obsessional neurosis”

John 8:7 showing positive implications of Christianity on society

“let anyone who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her”

how does Gandhi describe religion

a “personal affair”

role of guilt in Freud’s view

during the Oedipus complex boys feel guilty for replacing their father with the father-God

translates to subservience and worship

define wish-fulfilment

projecting need for comfort and security on an imaginary figure - God

Freud’s argument supporting secularisation thesis

as society matures, it should outgrow the need for divine protection

religion is a force of societal stability, but this comes at a cost - loss of individual freedom

Dawkins’ argument labelling religion cruel

faith is evil because it requires no justification i.e. it’s trickery

2 analogies of religion given by Dawkins

a virus

an online meme

:both spread without justification or purpose

term to describe Dawkins’ approach

scientific naturalism

Feuerbach

proponent of the projectionist view or religion

humans despair at the idea their lives have no purpose, so they make up a God with no empirical evidence

McGrath’s criticism Freud

argues Freud is speculative and unfalsifiable

simply psychoanalytic theory and philosophical assertion

“Freud’s explanations are largely untestable psychological speculations rather than scientific conclusions”

McGrath’s criticism of the wish-fulfilment critique

applies equally to atheism as well as religion - a desire for freedom from moral-accountability

why is religion being infantile not an appropriate criticism of Christianity? use evidence from the bible

children are thought to be a model of faith

Matthew 18:3: “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”

C.S. Lewis

the human desire for God is an indicator of something real: “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world”

Keith Ward

criticizes Dawkins' simplistic view of religion

William James

spiritual experiences can be rational and meaningful; not neurotic