Secularism: The Ultimate Peace Treaty for Earth’s Religious Turf Wars

In this episode of Fascinating!, Rik from Planet Vulcan explores the concept of secularism as Earth’s most intelligent meme—a rare idea that just might help this planet’s diverse inhabitants peacefully coexist. Secularism, often misunderstood as a rival religion, is more like a cosmic DMZ, where everyone can practice their faith without insisting others join their club. But alas, the problem arises when true believers think their revelation is the only one, and things get messy when swords are drawn in defense of "truth."

With his signature Vulcan wit, Rik traces the evolution of secularism, from ancient Greece and Rome to the philosophical revolutions of the Enlightenment, offering a crash course on how separating church and state became the key to liberty and justice for all. Whether you’re a fan of religious freedom or simply tired of the cosmic bickering, this episode will have you questioning why Earth hasn’t yet mastered this meme. Live long, prosper, and embrace secularism!

Transcript

Good day to you, and welcome to Fascinating!  I am your host Rik, from Planet Vulcan.  My continuing mission on Planet Earth:  to search for signs of intelligence and to encourage its spread.

We have observed a particularly intelligent meme that has been developed on planet Earth, namely the meme of secularism, the spread of which we very much wish to encourage.

Many Earthlings of a religious persuasion, which from our perspective would of course include followers of Marxism in addition to those who subscribe to traditional theistic religions, evidently regard secularism as a rival religion.  And many are convinced that Earth is not a big enough place to accommodate anyone’s religion but their own.

The supposed creator of the universe has allegedly spoken to many Earthlings over the millennia; the problem being that he did not tell them all the same thing.

But if Earthlings would flip the Necker cube and choose a different perspective, they could view secularism in quite a different way; a way that any reasonable Earthling anywhere, regardless of persuasion, ought to be able to support.

And that way is to view secularism as neutral common ground, a sort of DMZ, a place that allows all Earthlings to subscribe to a common way of cooperating that enables the realization of the ideal of liberty and justice for all.

And no one has to renounce their conviction; everyone can still think of their faith as the one true faith; you just cannot insist that others subscribe to your faith.  

The only thing that absolutely has to change in the minds of true believers is the idea that their conviction of what constitutes THE TRUTH gives them the right to overrule other people’s convictions about what constitutes THE TRUTH.

We Vulcans recognize of course that for various reasons, many Earthlings will be extremely reluctant to surrender this particular conviction.  Indeed, many Earthlings appear to believe that true believers in other faiths must be coerced if they cannot be persuaded, and have demonstrated an appalling willingness to spread their religion by the sword as a last resort, and sometimes as a first resort.  All have taken their turn at this sport.

Earthlings must shed the hubristic notion that their version of revelation is the only valid version, and must be content to let events unfold as they will, in the absence of coercive intervention.

I asked my chatbot to trace the development of the concept of secularism throughout Earth’s history, and this is what it produced:

The development of the concept of secularism has evolved over centuries, deeply intertwined with the history of religion, politics, and philosophy. Here is a brief overview of its evolution:

Early forms of secular thought can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome, where philosophers like Epicurus and Lucretius advocated for a naturalistic worldview that was separate from religious explanations.

Roman law also contributed to the idea of secular governance by establishing legal systems that operated independently of religious authority.

During the medieval period, the dominance of the Catholic Church in Europe meant that religious and political authority were deeply intertwined.

However, thinkers like Thomas Aquinas began to lay the groundwork for a distinction between religious and secular matters by way of their discussions on natural law and reason, although it should also be pointed out that Aquinas himself wholeheartedly approved of the execution of heretics by civil authorities when they could not be persuaded to recant.

Aquinas justified the execution of heretics by arguing that just as the state executes criminals who harm bodies, it is even more justified to execute those who harm souls through heresy. 

He believed that the death penalty for heretics could be a means to protect the faith and the faithful, and to maintain societal order; and he displayed no qualms about methods of execution commonly employed at the time, including burning at the stake.

The European Renaissance saw a revival of classical learning and a focus on humanism, emphasizing human reason and experience over religious dogma.

This period also witnessed the rise of secular art and literature, reflecting a growing interest in worldly affairs.

The European Enlightenment was crucial in the development of secularism as it emphasized reason, science, and individual rights.

Philosophers like John Locke, Voltaire, and Immanuel Kant argued for the separation of church and state, advocating for a society based on rational principles rather than religious authority.

The Enlightenment also saw the emergence of deism, which like theism accepted the notion of a creator but unlike theism rejected organized religion and its influence on governance.  Deists believe in a creator god, but not a god that intervenes in human affairs.

The 19th century in Europe witnessed significant political and social changes, including the rise of liberal democracies and the decline of monarchies closely tied to religious institutions.

Secularism became more prominent in political thought, influenced by figures like John Stuart Mill, who championed individual liberty and freedom from religious coercion.

The 20th century saw the formalization of secularism in many Western democracies, with clear legal and constitutional separations between church and state.

Major events, such as the World Wars and the Cold War, further underscored the importance of secular governance to avoid religious conflicts and ensure diverse, pluralistic societies.

In contemporary times, secularism continues to evolve, grappling with challenges such as multiculturalism, religious fundamentalism, and the role of religion in public life.

Key Principles and Practices include:

Separation of Church and State: A foundational principle of secularism is that government institutions and religious institutions should be separate to ensure freedom of thought and religion.

Freedom of Religion and Belief: Secularism advocates for the right of individuals to practice any religion or none, without coercion or interference from the state.

Equality before the Law: Secular societies strive to treat all citizens equally, regardless of their religious beliefs, ensuring that laws are based on reason and universal principles rather than religious doctrines, and of course treating as anathema the idea that any institution of government could exclusively favor the followers of a particular religion.

Global Perspectives include:

Western Secularism: In countries like France and the United States, secularism is often enshrined in law and constitution, emphasizing a clear divide between religion and state affairs.  Notably, and due to specific circumstances, in France the emphasis has been on freeing government from interference by the church, whereas in the United States the emphasis has been on freeing the church from interference by government.

Variations in Secularism: Different countries interpret and implement secularism in various ways.

For instance, India practices a form of secularism that aims, with inconsistent success so far, to respect and accommodate multiple religions within its legal framework, whereas Turkey's secularism, especially in the 20th century, sought to actively reduce the influence of Islam in public life.

India is on the right track, if they can overcome the problems created by those who would employ government as a means of giving their opinions the force of law, and get it to work.

In summary, the concept of secularism has thus developed from early philosophical ideas to a central tenet of modern democratic governance.

We Vulcans wish to persuade more and more Earthlings to adopt true secularism, i.e., a secularism that functions as an inclusive common ground and not as a rival of other religions, which is the only way forward yet conceived of, for the evolution of Earth’s socioeconomic systems that obviates the conflict that operates as a drag on the common welfare.

And do not fall for the false labeling of certain religious movements such as Marxism as secular, even though they might claim to be secular.  By their fruits shall ye know them.  There is no room in genuine secularism for any group that refuses to agree to live and let live.

I invite you to have a listen to the next Fascinating! podcast and a look at the next video on our YouTube channel, Fascinating@pregodenada.

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Theme music: “Helium”, with thanks to TrackTribe.

Live long and prosper.  

Savor your experiences; treasure your memories; anticipate a happy and rewarding future.

And respect nature’s wisdom.