Historical revisionism
The act of reinterpreting the past to serve an ideological purpose.
Cosmic evolution
The belief that humanity is evolving both biologically and spiritually.
Microeconomics
Branch of economics that studies how households and firms buy, sell, and allocate resources.
Macroeconomics
Branch of economics that studies how large economies function as a whole.
Free market/capitalism
Economy in which economic decisions are freely made by households and firms.
Capital
Goods used to produce other goods and services, usually seen as necessary investments.
Adam Smith
The economist who believed that when people are free to pursue their own financial interests, they indirectly promoted the good of society.
Usury
The practice of lending money at an exorbitant rate of interest is called.
Socialism
An economic system advocating either government or communal ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods and services. According to Marxist theory, what is the transitional phase between capitalism and communism.
Biblical stewardship
The act of managing and caring for resources that ultimately belong to God.
Political correctness
The censoring of language, ideas, acts, or policies that are perceived to discriminate or alienate minority social groups.
Shariah law
The moral and legal code that governs the lives of Muslims living within Islamic states.
Anarchism
Belief that government is inherently oppressive and should therefore be abolished, allowing individuals to govern themselves.
Secularists tend to favor which of the following political positions:
Distributive justice & Pure nature view of politics
Social contract
refers to the agreement a citizen enters into with a government to ensure protection from others.
Libertarianism
A political philosophy that advocates for limited government, free market economics, and an ethics based upon the principle that people should be allowed to do whatever they want as long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others.
Political conservatism
Political philosophy is a system of government based on respect for historical precedent, limited government, and adherence to traditional moral principles based on natural law.
Sphere sovereignty
The belief that God ordained three institutions of society—family, church, and state—and that society functioned best when each sphere is properly managing its own area of responsibility.
Progressivism
The belief that political systems/governments can be used to create economic prosperity, minimize risk, and advance society.
Order
Administrative aspect of the law that focuses on ensuring safety and efficiency.
Tort law
Set of laws that establishes remedies for those wronged by others.
The family
According to Christians this holds society together.
Teleological
Ethical system that judges morality by the consequences of the actions.
Deontological
Ethical system that judges morality based upon some principal of duty
Ethical egoism
Belief that we ought to do whatever is in our own best interest.
Situation ethics
Belief that the morality of an action is determined by the unique situation of that action.
Genetic drift
The belief that favorable traits can be passed on or eliminated from one generation to the next strictly by chance.
Monomyth
A popular theory that states that over time various cultures shared the theme about a hero's journey that focuses on the hero's departure, initiation, and triumphant return.
Ecofeminism
This is the concept of women or the female nature being wrapped up in the environment and the idea that female oppression is connected to the environment.
Mao Zedong
The brutal Communist dictator from China that led the cultural revolution from the 1950s into the 1980s. Up to 70 million Chinese citizens died as a result of my cultural and economic policies.
Karl Marx
The author of the Communist Manifesto, spent most of his life in museums and libraries never really having a "real job", and inspired an entire generation of totalitarian jerks that killed tens of millions.
Dialectical materialism
The belief by Marxists that only the material world exists and that class struggles are the best mechanism behind social and economic progress. Basically pitting the bourgeoisie and the proletariat against each other in class struggle.
Capitalism
The system in which capital assets are privately owned and prices, production and distribution of those goods are run based on competition within a free market. The Marxist oppose this "unfair" system.
Communism
The Marxist ideal of a classless and stateless utopian society where all property is commonly owned and each person is paid according to their ability and need.
Bourgeoisie
In Marxism, it is those that own the means of production, the wealthy in society, or the ones resented by the have nots.
Proletariat
Marx's term for the exploited class, the mass of workers who do not own the means of production.
Transhumanism
This is a humanistic movement hoping to advance humanity beyond its physical and mental limitations through application and implementation of technology.
Humanist Manifesto
The primary document detailing the beliefs and agenda of Secular Humanism. The central theme is that there is no value system based on a belief in God.
Materialism
The idea that only the physical world exists.
Hadiths
Traditions of the prophet Muhammad. The oral history of Muhammad's teachings, rulings, and the actions of his early companions.
Jihad
Coming from the Arabic word translated as "struggle," Both the inner spiritual battle of every Muslim to fulfill his religious duties and the outer, physical struggle against the enemies of Islam. Often used by radicals to justify Holy War on non-Muslims.
Shariah law
This code in Islam is the moral and legal precedent that governs the lives of Muslims. The code addresses a wide variety of subjects such as diet, hygiene, prayer, contracts, business, crime, and punishment.
Cosmological argument
The argument that demonstrates the universe was caused, and that the cause is sufficient for its effect.
Test of the real world
Are its consequences good or bad when applied in any given cultural context?
Test of the outer world
Is there some external, corroborating evidence to support it?
Test of Reason
Is it reasonable? Can it be logically stated and defended?
Koran
The holy book of Islam.
Communist Manifesto (1848)
A book written by Karl Marx. It suggested that there would be a social revolution in which the proletariat (working class) would overthrow the bourgeoisie (middle class factory owners) and then set up a classless, socialist community. This book was the blueprint for communist governments around the world.
Postmodernism
A well-thought out and deep philosophical worldview. The father of the worldview, a German philosopher named Friedrich Nietzsche, had many disciples, including Jacques Derrida and Michel Foucault to name a few. All are now dead, but their teachings strongly influence higher education to this day, questioning the objective truth and existence of all things in the past.
Cosmological argument
The argument that demonstrates the universe was caused, and that the cause is sufficient for its effect.
General revelation
The knowledge of God's existence, character, and moral law, which comes through creation to all humanity.
Sophism
Pre-Socratic school of philosophy that taught the art of rhetoric and held skeptical views of truth, knowledge and morality. Often used as a form of manipulation and deception.
Deconstructionism
In a Postmodern world, the method of literary analysis that questions the ability of language to sufficiently represent reality, seeking to look into the roots of original text in order to bring about "fairness" in language for all groups.
Meditation
The art of focusing one's mind to induce a higher state of consciousness.
Yoga
The practice of physically concentrating to become one with ones self and your internal healing capability and energy through posses and stretches'. An ancient art form for the human body.
Channeling
The practice of communicating with disembodied spirits through a medium.
New Atheism
What is the contemporary form of atheism that not only denies the existence of God but also vehemently criticizes and condemns religion?
Liberation theology
What is the political movement that interprets the teachings of Jesus Christ as a call to liberate the poor?
The Enlightenment
According to Secularists, this “age” of human history helped set the world free from Christian “dogma”
Education
Secularism, Postmodernism, and Marxism are most influential in this institution based on the shear number of people it can reach with its messaging.
Worldview
A pattern of ideas, beliefs, convictions, and habits that help us make sense of God, the world, and our relationship to God and the world.