Philo wrote: It is obvious that humanism has adopted teachings as taught by Jesus Christ 1300 years earlier. … Again Jesus taught the laws were made for men for moral boundaries; and not thet man were made for laws as posed by Judaism.

Dear Philo,

Jesus lived and died a Jew, and his best teachings came from Judaism. "Love thy neighbour as thyself" is from Leviticus. The Ten Commandments came from Judaism, also. Christians often denigrate Jesus’ religion. Other people constructed a new religion in the name of Jesus.

Whistler wrote: where do I get the idea
that secular humanism
accepts the mythology of a creator god
as a repository of knowledge?

from the same place you got the idea that it is:
"more reasonable to assume
that God is merely a human invention"

Dear Whistler,

That is really not an answer. Secular humanists have told and written their ideas. I have talked to many and have read humanist literature, and I have never heard of any secular humanist who accepted the idea of a creator god. I repeat: Where did you get that idea?

TRUTHNOW78 wrote: humanists like Stalin, feminists (abortion), and Hitler only cause death. These humanists all believed they would "improve the living conditions of humanity and the world environment", and they put human knowledge before divine, universal truths.

Stalin was not a humanist. He subscribed to a rigid philosophy called Marxism which had little consideration for humans that opposed that philosophy. Hitler was a Christian who used the hate inspired by hundreds of centuries of Christian bigotry to order the Holocaust which was applied Christianity.

Christians such as Pope John XXIII, Bishop Spong and the Evangelical Sisters of St. Mary have recognised Christian responsibility:

http://www.johnshelbyspong.com/bishopspongon_theTerribleTexts.aspx

RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY:
"No one comes to the Father but by me" (John 14:6) 
This text has helped to create a world where adherents of one religion feel compelled to kill adherents of another. A veritable renaissance of religious terror now confronts us and is making against us the claims we have long made against religious traditions different from our own.

Dear Horus,

Well you've certainly given me some food
for thought - I'll have to think about
things a bit more and get back to you.
It won't be for a couple of days though -
as early tomorrow we're leaving for a 'mini'
holiday in rural Victoria - doing a
tour of the wine regions.

In the meantime - take care.

I find your six points pretty reasonable, David.
Having said that, I find myself being in partial agreement with Runner, oddly enough. The sticking point is item 3, concerning morality.
Can we be certain the morality of the secular humanist is entirely his/her own, and not a byproduct of the society they grew up in?
Even though I dispute the divinity of Jesus, I cannot deny my moral code probably comes largely from my Presbyterian Sunday school upbringing. As Philo pointed out, Jesus was a bit of a Humanist. Even in Sunday school, I was struck by how much time JC spent talking about how people should get along together, and how little was really said about God, and Heaven.
As I have said on other posts, I would consider the defining characteristic of Humans, is their ability (or at least, the ability of some of them) to imagine themselves in another position; even to the extreme of animals they prey on, and to apply the ethic of reciprocity.
Happily for secularists, it could reasonably be argued that the most bizarre and abhorrent practices, accepted in some communities, are the result of religious, or quasi religious beliefs.
I'm curious, Runner. What do think happens to prostitutes and homosexuals, of both sexes?
And what do you think should happen?

whistler,
So you imagine there is no absolutes in morality and that God is merely a human invention. Then where did secular humanism originate other than some ones ideas of reality based on previous teaching.

It is not Secular Humanism that is motivating the majority of change in this world. It pities the plight of dispossed, but does nothing. It is the Churches that have organised projects for the betterment of the poor, sick in under developed countries. Find out the philosophical motivations of those working in these nations.

Most Secular Humanists I know sit at their desk and espouse their virtues but do nothing. In my community it is the Christians I see that reach out a helping hand; that are going to poor countries to teach them skills and help in personal development. They have learned sacrifice from their master - Jesus.

I am personally involved in programmes for intellectually disadvantaged young adults because We believe their quality of life can be lifted to perform with dignity

Grim, Runner, Philo et al,

There isn't a religion that does not have the same or similar values.

That they are the values needed for society to function, it could be argued that the religious values are a construct of the society they came from.

Hello Grim

You ask
I'm curious, Runner. What do think happens to prostitutes and homosexuals, of both sexes?
And what do you think should happen?

The Scriptures declare salvation only through Jesus Christ. Most people are to proud to even admit that they need a Saviour and hence mock God. Homosexuality like fornication, adultery, lying and thieving is sin. All have sinned because of our adamic nature and choices in life. Unrepentant sinners have chosen their path to hell by rejecting a merciful God who sent His Son to die a horrible death for them.

You ask me what should happen. Well that is not my call. All I know is that the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. I strongly believe that God desires for all to come to salvation and takes no delight in the death of the unrepentant arrogant, the immoral or the god denier. People who refuse to teach their kids the way of salvation are really child abusers.