What is Humanism and why is it so hard to define?

This question comes up periodically.  And by periodically - I mean all the time. Why? Because people are always in the process of discovering (or rather re-discovering) Humanism.

So - here are a couple of old essays of mine to help you out.

First? What is Humanism?  Is it a religion? A  philosophy or what?

http://sumogirl.com/sumowp/what-exactly-is-humanism/

To quote myself:
"Ultimately how Humanism is classified isn’t all that important unless, of course, you are a person with an agenda that depends entirely on whether Humanism is a religion or not. And if this describes you, you need to get a life.  … My Humanist perspective is that it doesn’t matter what we call it. What matters is that we are all striving to be ethical, compassionate responsible people. "


Second: A really good definition of Humanism:

http://sumogirl.com/sumowp/definition-of-humanism/

To quote the article which quotes progressive living magazine:
"Humanism is an anti-authoritarian philosophy that emphasizes the importance of reason and the indispensability of both evidence and compassion for others in the formation of values. Contemporary humanistic morality judges acts primarily on the basis of their affect upon other human beings. Humanists believe that the purposes of life are found in the meeting of human needs -intellectual, emotional, and spiritual-and in the fulfillment of human capabilities, mental and physical."


What are the main elements of Humanism?

http://sumogirl.com/sumowp/main-elements-of-humanism/

And again - for those with no intention of linking through to the actual article this list is from the Amsterdam Declaration:

1) Humanism is ethical
2) Humanism is rational
3) Humanism supports democracy and human rights
4) Humanism insists that personal liberty must be combined with social responsibility
5) Humanism is a response to the demand for an alternative to dogmatic religion
6) Humanism recognizes the transforming power of art – and the humanities
7) Humanism is a life stance

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