Written by a committed Humanist
A Journey to Humanism.
Brought up as a Catholic in Connacht. Mother very devout. Father, an old IRA man who had been excomunicated for being such, but, attended mass on Sundays, had to, the town was run by the bishop, priests, nuns, and brothers. Everyone had to kowtow.
At home, father made no secret of his extreme distain for some of the clergy. However, I was put through all the hoops. Forced to by schools, run by nuns, brothers and priests in succession, and fear, no doubt.
As a child, aged about five, I started to doubt the reality of God, or at least, if he was there, I wanted a sign from him, proof. Did not get it. Was given childish, silly answers.
However, I was always top of the class at religious knowledge in secondary school. Won prizes.
This study awakened curiosity and then more doubt. No solid answers to reasonable questions. Palmed off with stupid, incredible nonsence from the priests who were our teachers.
In my twenties I read, and studied, the New Testament books again, and a lot of the Old. Became convinced that it was unacceptable. Did not stand up to scrutiny.
Met one or two others who thought the same. Read the Greeks, the early church and Constantine, noted the doctrine of ‘homoousios’, read Russell, Huxley, Charles Bradlaugh, MacLeod Yeardsley, J.M.Robertson, G.Elliot Smith, Thomas Paine, Llewelyn Powes, Gilbert Murray, John Stuart Mill, Winwood Reade, ‘The Riddle of the New Testament’, the history of the Popes, Voltaire, The Inquisition, Toland, etc. etc. Also read Catholic magazines and books to balance the intake.
Investigated the origins of gods of Egypt , Greece, Phrygia, Syria, Persia and Israel. Looked at the frequency of ‘Trinities’ in older religions. Looked into the person and names, of the ‘Mothers’ of the various ‘Gods’.
Came to the realisation that churches were private organisations which, through their connections with politicians, often being related to them, sought to impose their will on the general population, to control education, health and morals, and to amass wealth. This, for a while, suited the politicians, until the Germans revolted and kicked them out. Kept the lid on the pot. It was done by fear. The fear of eternal Hell, which could be avoided only by confessing to, and being given the benediction of, a priest. This was power. People believed this, and still do.
What did religion contribute to the welfare of man? Nothing as far as I could see. Being Christian, or adherents of any other faith, did not prevent countries from fighting wars. From killing. Members of all religions waged war, slavery, engaged in torture, not to mention the Catholic Church and its shocking ‘Holy Office’, ‘The Inquisition’ and the shameful ‘Crusades’. Members of the same religion waged war, both sides praying for victory to the same ‘God’ and being prayed for to the same ‘God’ by their priests. It did not make sense. And of course Pope Nicholas V issued the papal bull Romanus Pontifex in 1455.It authorised Alfonso V of Portugal –‘- to invade, search out, capture, vanquish, and subdue all Saracens and pagans whatsoever, and other enemies of Christ wheresoever placed, and the kingdoms, dukedoms, principalities, dominions, possessions, and all movable and immovable goods whatsoever held and possessed by them and to reduce their persons to perpetual slavery,”
When I was a young man, living in the country, ‘Platform Dances’ were popular. A platform was erected in a field near a village. In the village where I lived the Parish Priest objected. ‘Pairs of young people were seen strolling home together!’ The Platform was closed down. At once. No dances in the hall, which was privately owned, could be conducted on a Saturday night as that might result in people not attending Mass on Sunday morning. At Advent and Lent strict instructions were given as to what could and could not be eaten. The amounts of money contributed by people to the various collections conducted during the year were read out in public from the altar. This shameful practice showed the standing of each household in the community. Stick-carrying priests roamed the roads at night to hunt out courting couples. Drunken priests gave sermons from the altar on the virtues of sobriety. Priests were mysteriously moved from parish to parish. People whispered of affairs.
Later of course all the paedophilia among the clergy, long suspected, came out. Where was ‘God’ when little boys were being sexually assaulted by ‘his’ priests in the sacristies of ‘his’ churches in ‘his’ presence? In His presence!’
Long before all of that I had come to the conclusion that I could not believe the teachings of the Christian, or any other, church. I was on my own. This I regretted, I did not want not to believe, but did not, could not. Meandered through the entangled garden of philosophy. Liked Wittgenstein. Mad as a hatter, but brilliant. Montaigne, a sane gentleman, Eriugena, a Platonist. etc. etc. All fun.
However, the freedom I felt, having chosen reason over what Kant called man’s ‘ self-incurred tutelage’, i.e. his ‘inability to make use of his understanding without direction from another’, was such that it was as though a great cloud had rolled away and revealed the sunlight. I looked at people who claimed that they had the power to change a piece of bread into the ‘God’ who had created the whole universe. This piece of bread was now actually ‘God’! I wondered about its ultimate fate.
I was attracted to the Sceptical Society, joined it, and then came across the Irish Humanists. An Irish Humanist society! This was a great relief. To be in the company of reasonable people was, and is, a wonderful experience. Thank God there is no ‘Inquisition’ being run by the Vatican at the moment. But watch out. The world is teeming with madmen
A Journey to Humanism.
Brought up as a Catholic in Connacht. Mother very devout. Father, an old IRA man who had been excomunicated for being such, but, attended mass on Sundays, had to, the town was run by the bishop, priests, nuns, and brothers. Everyone had to kowtow.
At home, father made no secret of his extreme distain for some of the clergy. However, I was put through all the hoops. Forced to by schools, run by nuns, brothers and priests in succession, and fear, no doubt.
As a child, aged about five, I started to doubt the reality of God, or at least, if he was there, I wanted a sign from him, proof. Did not get it. Was given childish, silly answers.
However, I was always top of the class at religious knowledge in secondary school. Won prizes.
This study awakened curiosity and then more doubt. No solid answers to reasonable questions. Palmed off with stupid, incredible nonsence from the priests who were our teachers.
In my twenties I read, and studied, the New Testament books again, and a lot of the Old. Became convinced that it was unacceptable. Did not stand up to scrutiny.
Met one or two others who thought the same. Read the Greeks, the early church and Constantine, noted the doctrine of ‘homoousios’, read Russell, Huxley, Charles Bradlaugh, MacLeod Yeardsley, J.M.Robertson, G.Elliot Smith, Thomas Paine, Llewelyn Powes, Gilbert Murray, John Stuart Mill, Winwood Reade, ‘The Riddle of the New Testament’, the history of the Popes, Voltaire, The Inquisition, Toland, etc. etc. Also read Catholic magazines and books to balance the intake.
Investigated the origins of gods of Egypt , Greece, Phrygia, Syria, Persia and Israel. Looked at the frequency of ‘Trinities’ in older religions. Looked into the person and names, of the ‘Mothers’ of the various ‘Gods’.
Came to the realisation that churches were private organisations which, through their connections with politicians, often being related to them, sought to impose their will on the general population, to control education, health and morals, and to amass wealth. This, for a while, suited the politicians, until the Germans revolted and kicked them out. Kept the lid on the pot. It was done by fear. The fear of eternal Hell, which could be avoided only by confessing to, and being given the benediction of, a priest. This was power. People believed this, and still do.
What did religion contribute to the welfare of man? Nothing as far as I could see. Being Christian, or adherents of any other faith, did not prevent countries from fighting wars. From killing. Members of all religions waged war, slavery, engaged in torture, not to mention the Catholic Church and its shocking ‘Holy Office’, ‘The Inquisition’ and the shameful ‘Crusades’. Members of the same religion waged war, both sides praying for victory to the same ‘God’ and being prayed for to the same ‘God’ by their priests. It did not make sense. And of course Pope Nicholas V issued the papal bull Romanus Pontifex in 1455.It authorised Alfonso V of Portugal –‘- to invade, search out, capture, vanquish, and subdue all Saracens and pagans whatsoever, and other enemies of Christ wheresoever placed, and the kingdoms, dukedoms, principalities, dominions, possessions, and all movable and immovable goods whatsoever held and possessed by them and to reduce their persons to perpetual slavery,”
When I was a young man, living in the country, ‘Platform Dances’ were popular. A platform was erected in a field near a village. In the village where I lived the Parish Priest objected. ‘Pairs of young people were seen strolling home together!’ The Platform was closed down. At once. No dances in the hall, which was privately owned, could be conducted on a Saturday night as that might result in people not attending Mass on Sunday morning. At Advent and Lent strict instructions were given as to what could and could not be eaten. The amounts of money contributed by people to the various collections conducted during the year were read out in public from the altar. This shameful practice showed the standing of each household in the community. Stick-carrying priests roamed the roads at night to hunt out courting couples. Drunken priests gave sermons from the altar on the virtues of sobriety. Priests were mysteriously moved from parish to parish. People whispered of affairs.
Later of course all the paedophilia among the clergy, long suspected, came out. Where was ‘God’ when little boys were being sexually assaulted by ‘his’ priests in the sacristies of ‘his’ churches in ‘his’ presence? In His presence!’
Long before all of that I had come to the conclusion that I could not believe the teachings of the Christian, or any other, church. I was on my own. This I regretted, I did not want not to believe, but did not, could not. Meandered through the entangled garden of philosophy. Liked Wittgenstein. Mad as a hatter, but brilliant. Montaigne, a sane gentleman, Eriugena, a Platonist. etc. etc. All fun.
However, the freedom I felt, having chosen reason over what Kant called man’s ‘ self-incurred tutelage’, i.e. his ‘inability to make use of his understanding without direction from another’, was such that it was as though a great cloud had rolled away and revealed the sunlight. I looked at people who claimed that they had the power to change a piece of bread into the ‘God’ who had created the whole universe. This piece of bread was now actually ‘God’! I wondered about its ultimate fate.
I was attracted to the Sceptical Society, joined it, and then came across the Irish Humanists. An Irish Humanist society! This was a great relief. To be in the company of reasonable people was, and is, a wonderful experience. Thank God there is no ‘Inquisition’ being run by the Vatican at the moment. But watch out. The world is teeming with madmen