Atheist Ethics in 500 Words
Atheism means looking at ethical questions as an adult among other adults. Religious morality consists of obeying the alleged will of God. But obedience is not morality, and morality is not obedience.
The Ethics of Jesus
A survey of the Gospels, to summarize the ethical teachings of Jesus

homosexuality (n.)

Relevant Book:

Religious Roots of the Taboo on Homosexuality -- LAURITSEN, John

Relevant Articles:

The Strange Universe of the Homosexual Christian

Quotations: Gore VIDAL

How We Believe
The Search for God in an Age of Science
SHERMER, Michael
Keywords: religion science
W. H. Freeman & Co., New York
2000

One can be forgiven for having high expectations of Michael Shermer, publisher of the excellent Skeptic magazine and author of Why People Believe Weird Things. How We Believe is a disjointed compendium of various topics, many taken from previous articles in Skeptic. Much of the material is useful and interesting for the reader who has not already seen it in the magazine. It is debatable whether Shermer succeeds in delivering the explanation promised in the title.

Further discussion: A review of Shermer's How We Believe

humanism (n.)

a system of philosophical thought in which human interests and values are taken to be of primary importance

devotion to or study of the humanities, i.e. literature, philosophy, art, etc., as distinguished from the sciences

Normally, the rejection of supernatural belief is included in the definition. Interpreted in this way, humanism is a synonym of nonbelief and includes atheism. Indeed, humanism may be seen as simply atheism viewed from the point of view of morals; i.e. humanism is atheistic morality.

See: Is Humanism Much More Than Atheism?

humanist (n. or adj.)

an individual who ascribes to the principles of philosophical humanism; or relative to that humanism

an individual devoted to or well versed in the humanities; or relative to the humanities

Given that rejection of the supernatural is normally included in the définition of humanism, a humanist is thus a nonbeliever (hence an atheist), or at least he or she accepts that universal humanist principles must take precedence over any particular supernatural dogmas in which one may believe.

Some nonbelievers who identify as humanists exhibit an intense aversion to the words atheist and atheism and avoid using them, in public at least, to refer to themselves. This is an example of internalized atheophobia. Such humanists may appropriately be called closet atheists. See: Is Humanism Much More Than Atheism?

HUXLEY, Thomas Henry

Book:

Agnosticism and Christianity

Scientist, philosopher, skilled orator and great campaigner for the ideas of his contemporary, Charles Darwin. It was T. H. Huxley who coined the terms "Agnostic" and "Agnosticism" (the capitals are his) to describe the skeptical attitude which, in his opinion, should be adopted towards preconceived notions.

The Repertory H

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