Secularism

A few weeks ago I got into an argument on a local schools e-list, because I took offense to the characterization offered by many that the quality of public K-12 education began its long sad decline as a result of the banning of school prayer. One person took the opportunity and excoriated my "secular humanism."

For a variety of reasons, I was not systematically exposed to religion until I was about 12 years old. As a result, it was hard to take on faith, "faith," and I am not religious, somewhere between agnostic and atheist, although I happen to like religious architecture.

But because I am not religious doesn't mean that I am unethical or immoral. If you read moral and cognitive development theory, it's quite clear that reasoning capabilities, ethics and concern for others don't have to be based upon religious beliefs.

In short, I don't expect that today is the beginning of the end of the world.