Humanism vs Christianity
... guidelines of happy life for average men. Humanism as a concept embraces various aspects of human nature and while it recognizes reason as the final measure of what is good, true and beautiful, it also points that this very reason should accept and embrace the emotional side of humans. Affirmation of those statements is implemented into one of Humanism’s main goals, and that is to release the emotions from its irrational bonds. Therefore, humanism invokes naturalistic view of the universe, and regards all supernatural as a myth. So the nature becomes unity of being and an ever-changing form of energy. Furthermore, Humanism embodies the science and its facts and beliefs that we humans are inseparable part of the nature so there can be no conscious life after death. Humanism also believes in solving the problems through the use of reason and science and that, humans are the only creators of their own destiny. Morality and ethics are therefore to be considered as the foundations of all human values in this world, which ultimate goal is to bring out happiness, joy of life and freedom in all the humankind. Understanding of art and beauty is created and harmonized together with the love of nature and its wonders. From its socio-cultural stance it brings the unity of scientific method and reason throughout all segments of cultural and political life promoting liberties and freedom. Humanism as a movement puts its trust in the unending questioning of all things, including itself, and therefore its basic concept is forever opened to experiments and new discoveries based on facts. Dawn of Humanism Renaissance Humanism was the rebellion against the medieval Christian views of another world. It was a complete turn away form preoccupation with ones immortality to getting the best out of life in this world. During the Renaissance an ideal human being was not a cleric but a new, universal, man with multiple personality enjoying all kind of achievements of this world. This ideal was characterized by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Also, the Renaissance formed a rebellion against the authority of the Catholic Church and its limitations on knowledge. Therefore, the reliance on reason instead of faith became widespread among the most influential figures of this period. The intellectual awakening led to rediscovery of Greek and Latin classics. However, overemphasized concentration on the culture of Greece and Rome became an obstacle to the broadening of knowledge and the development of modern science. The features of Humanism are an insistence on getting away from religious control of knowledge, the ideal of attractive personality, and stress on enjoying the life in this world to the maximum. Humanism and Christianity The two books of the Old Testament are believed to be among the greatest Humanist documents in all literature. Despite their strong supernaturalism, the Old Testament Hebrews had little faith in immortality. Their main concern was the future of people in this world. When, on the other hand, the New Testament is taken into consideration, its theology is completely unknown to the Humanist perspective. The New Testament Christianity emphasizes the resurrection and eternal life of the individual. Ethics of the New Testament is based on the assumption that the most significant part of our lives is in the realm of immortality. Humanism believes that Jesus’ certain teachings contribute to the human race ethically, and that Jesus, as shown in the gospels is one of the supreme personalities of all time. Various religions, institutionalized in the churches, have acted conservatively in order to preserve the existing, traditional, point of view of life and its social and economic affairs. Humanism, as well as most philosophies, acknowledges the type of relationship that exists between the physical body and the personality as the most important problem connected to the nature and destiny of humankind. Furthermore, Humanism claims that there is no possibility that the human consciousness, along with its memory and awareness of self-identity, can survive the shock of death. Therefore, in Humanism, the body lives, grows and dies together with its personality. Main figures in Humanism One of the greatest Humanists who announced inventibl...