Reply #21: Not trying to argue either...

[onager]

But I do prefer to emphasize the human. I'd say secular humanism is closer to atheist than pantheist.

When I hear "pantheist" I immediately think of multiple deities. And the phuckheads who only believe in one are causing enough trouble.

It almost seems like a retrograde step, even if you carefully try to limit it to something like "scientific mysticism." (I have to think about that phrase for a while, too. Science is generally the opposite of mysticism. It's true that Isaac Newton wrote more books about alchemy than he did about math OR the Buy-bull, but that was a long time ago.)

I say "retrograde" because of an interesting article recently about the evolution of religion. (Trying to find a link...)

Humanity started out with the worshipping of many gods. The number of gods gradually dwindled, until monotheism got in the saddle via Judaism, Xianity and Islam.

The article ended by noting that in general, the world is probably moving toward the next logical step after one god.

i.e., we all know what "1 minus 1" equals...;)