Secularism and Atheism

[Med911]

Re: Secularism and Atheism

@ajazali

It is said that atheism is not same as secularism, and atheism is not same as humanism. Practically, there is link between secularism and so-called humanism as most of the secularists use the term humanism as a tool to spread secularism. I think there is a positive correlation between secularism and atheism and secularism and atheism will be going hand in hand in future.

If there is no link between secularism and atheism, then why all the secular countries have higher rate of adopting atheism?

I dont think Secular countries have more atheists, they simply have more freedom for atheists to express themselves. I suspect there are many closet atheists in places like Pakistan and Saudi etc, but they simply dont have the freedom to come out and admit it, for fear of being ridiculed or ostracized.

Secularism doesn’t create atheism, it just gives them the freedom to be open about it. If there is any direct correlation between Atheism and Secularism it only to the extent that secularism doesnt impose any specific relgious belief on anyone, thereby allowing for independent thought. Its hard to think independantly in a religion saturated country like Pakistan.