Humanism, the Religion of Public Education
The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution has been interpreted to mean that public schools should not promote the teachings of any particular religion. With this in mind, it’s hard to see why it is permissible to teach Humanism in public schools.
In 1930, a book came out by Charles Potter, a fallen away Unitarian minister turned Humanist, titled Humanism: A New Religion. Here are a few quotes from that book:
“Humanism is a new type of religion.” P. 3
“The point upon which they (Humanists) are unanimous and most insistent is the rejection of belief in the supernatural.” P. 7
“It is just as inaccurate to say that religion without the supernatural is not religion as it is to say that philosophy without metaphysics is not philosophy.” P.8
“…faith in man is the central doctrine of Humanism.” P. 16
“Is Humanism a religion? It is both a religion and a philosophy of culture.” P. 114
“Education is thus a most powerful ally of Humanism and every American public school is a school of Humanism. What can the theistic Sunday schools, meeting for an hour once a week, and teaching only a fraction of the children, do to stem the tide of a five-day program of humanistic teaching?” p. 128
In 1933, The Humanist Manifesto was published. It stated, “To establish such a religion is a major necessity of the present… We therefore affirm the following: FIRST: Religious humanists regard the universe as self-existing and not created.” This contradicts Genesis 1:1, which says “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The Manifesto was signed by John Dewey, considered the “father of modern education” in the United States. That same year, Dewey wrote: “There is no God and there is no soul. Hence, there are no needs for the props of traditional religion. With dogma and creed excluded, the immutable truth is also dead and buried. There is no room for fixed, natural law or moral absolutes.” (John Dewey, “Soul-Searching,” Teacher Magazine, September 1933, p. 33)
What the Humanists are saying in the Manifesto, and what Dewey is saying, is in complete contradiction to our Declaration of Independence which says “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…” If there is no immutable truth, and there are no moral absolutes, then what isn’t permissible?
In 1957, Margaret Sanger, the founder of what became Planned Parenthood, received the Humanist of the Year award. In 1973, Alan Guttmacher, the president of Planned Parenthood, signed Humanist Manifesto II. That document stated: “Ethics is autonomous and situational… The right to … abortion… should be recognized… individuals should be permitted to express their sexual proclivities and pursue their lifestyles as they desire.” Planned Parenthood now claims that it is the largest distributor of “comprehensive sex education” materials in the United States. These are in many public schools. In other words, Humanist beliefs are taught in public schools. And, lest we think that Humanism is an obscure, irrelevant creed, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was brought up Catholic, received the Humanist of the Year award in 2021, and said, “I regard myself as a Humanist.”
If government got out of the education business, it could not be accused of “establishing” any particular religion. As it stands now, the government is discriminating against those who don’t want to support, or send their child to, a school of Humanism. But those who prefer state controlled education would not “welcome” this kind of “diversity.” They would claim that the state, and not the parents, knows what’s best for the children and claim the exclusive right to determine who shall teach, what subjects they shall teach, and what course materials must be used.
Bishop Sheen once wrote “Submission to a creed as the State understands it, is the principal dogma of the new Totalitarianism.” Humanism is the creed taught in our state controlled schools. Until the day comes when taxpayers are no longer compelled to fund the schools of Humanism, parents need to militantly defend their right to educate their children, and if possible, homeschool, or send their child to a private school. This was the type of education that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin received.
Your station will continue to teach that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that there are moral absolutes. We hope you will continue to support it through your prayers, by telling others, by offering to volunteer and through a financial contribution if possible. We have just ordered over $68,000 in replacement equipment.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
(Note: The book Is Public Education Necessary?, by Samuel Blumenfeld, was a key source for this article.)