Humanism in Mesopotamia
Editorial note: This is a guest post by Faisal Saeed Al-Mutar, the 20 year old Iraqi founder of the Global Secular Humanist Movement – a forum for the discussion of rational humanism with 42K fans on Facebook.
It started when I was a child and has never stopped since then: the desire to know things and to question.
I am in no sense a gifted person; this desire exists in every child in the world. But what stops many from following their natural curiosity is forceful indoctrination from their parents and/or the society they were born into.
Being born in Iraq was not my choice, and the consequences were tough enough to make any person desperate. But the reason I am writing this article is not to get your sympathy. Rather, I hope to inform you about what is happening in one side of our beautiful planet.
Why would a man in his 20s or 30s behead a 9 year old girl (as I have witnessed with my own eyes) in the middle of street in Baghdad? For money? For reputation?
The answer, in my opinion, is simple: Dogma!
Dogma, ladies and gentlemen, is not a virtue but a disgrace.
Basing his life on ideas with no evidence to support them, having faith in a heaven filled with virgins, is what led this man to kill an innocent child because her parents belonged to a different sect born of the same dogma.
Unfortunate incidents like these, which I wish for no human, made me realize many things: most importantly, that the world needs more compassionate thinkers and skeptics who do good for goodness’ sake, and fewer people who believe they are doing good just because they will get a reward from deities in the afterlife.
I didn’t become a Secular Humanist because of my hatred for organized religion but because I understand them. Secular humanism is not a way of revenge but a way of life that all humanity needs.
As a result of that, I started the “Global Secular Humanist Movement” because I want people from all around the world to celebrate reason and science, make informed choices and celebrate goodness and compassion without expecting supernatural rewards. I want people to attempt to understand the world, appreciate it as it is, and create justice on earth by cooperating with each other here on earth rather than looking up to the skies in expectation of the Apocalypse.
In Humanism, there are NO leaders and NO prophets. YOU are the leader. If you dare to think for yourself , the doors of knowledge are open to you, the secrets of the universe are waiting to be discovered, and the world is waiting to be better understood.
As the late Christopher Hitchens said: “Take the risk of thinking for yourself. Much more happiness, truth, beauty and wisdom will come to you that way.”
Author : Faisal Saeed Al Mutar , 20 years old , Born in Iraq – Babylon .
Founder of Global Secular Humanist Movement
Secular Humanist / Skeptic / Writer.
