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The Preaching Humanist 06.40 Healthy Minded Humanists LOST EPISODE!

The Preaching Humanist 06.40 Healthy Minded Humanists LOST EPISODE!

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 Healthy Minded Humanists | The Preaching Humanist 06.40

Host: David Oliverio Episode

Title: Healthy Minded Humanists Summary: In this episode of The Preaching Humanist, David Oliverio discusses Healthy Minded Humanism and outlines the five key characteristics of an emotionally secure individual. Humanism is presented as a progressive philosophy of life that affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical, moral lives for personal fulfillment and the well-being of all. The conversation aims to provide a message for those who want to become better people. The good life, as promoted by humanism, is guided by reason, informed by science, and motivated by human love, compassion, and empathy. By maturing and growing, individuals become happier, enabling them to help others who are lonely or not emotionally secure. Key Concepts & Characteristics The discussion focuses on the five characteristics that define a healthy minded, emotionally secure person: 1. Trusting Person
  • A trusting person gives others the benefit of the doubt, contrasting with the perspective of those who advise, "trust no one".
  • The host notes that people who struggle with trust have often been hurt or offended.
  • An anecdote is shared about a client who, coming from a fundamentalist Christian and politically conservative worldview with two failed marriages, initially told the host, "if you ever lie to me i will never trust you again". However, the host believes this issue can be outgrown.
2. Confident
  • This characteristic involves exemplifying confidence, not pridefulness.
  • True humility is defined as understanding one's own strengths and weaknesses, differentiating it from the false humility often associated with Christian piety (the attitude that one is worthless or can do nothing without a higher power).
  • Confidence is derived from experiential intelligence, knowledge gained from reading and studying, and living the lifestyle.
  • A healthy minded person acknowledges areas of weakness and depends on others' abilities and skill sets for help in those areas.
3. Optimistic
  • Optimistic people look for the good in others instead of focusing on small flaws or nuances.
  • The host uses the white sheet of paper analogy: A pessimistic person (one eaten up by cynicism) will see the black dots on the white paper, while an optimistic person will see the clean white sheet of paper.
  • The host identifies as a "self-professed positive optimistic cosmopolitan secular humanist and... atheist activist" (quoting Stephen Pinker).
4. Friendly (Amiable Diplomatic Humanism)
  • Being friendly means being outgoing and making eye contact with people.
  • However, friendliness and diplomatic nature can sometimes be misinterpreted by others as aggression, flirtation, or even a sign that the individual has "a screw loose".
  • The host recalls instances where attempts to simply say "good morning" were met with avoidance or hostility (e.g., a couple on a hike who refused to talk, fearing he was a threat, or receiving hate talk from angry evangelical Christians).
5. Open-Minded
  • Healthy-minded people are objective thinkers who remain open-minded.
  • For many secular humanists, atheists, or agnostics, this open-mindedness involved examining both sides, doing research, and concluding there was no evidence for the supernatural.
  • Open-minded people continue to change, listen to others, and remain diplomatic, utilizing checks and balances (though listening does not necessitate agreement).
Philosophical Takeaway Secular humanism promotes a more fully developed human being. The core difference between humanism and primitive religions is the source of goodness: Humanists affirm that goodness derives "from the human animal in nature". The goal is to mature, grow, become better, and let "the light and the compassion of secular humanism shine".

The Atheist Community of Austin (ACA), is a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization based in Austin, Texas. The Atheist Community of Austin is dedicated to promoting atheism, critical thinking, secular humanism, and the separation of religion and government.The ACA serves the local Austin community through outreach programs, providing informational resources and various volunteer activities. In addition, the ACA serves the community-at-large through free online portals including regular audio/video podcasts and social media. We are affiliated with a number of national and international groups devoted to atheism, freethought, or secular humanism.We define atheism as the lack of belief in gods. We see that people can be compassionate, giving, and live happy lives without a god belief. We see that we can have community with each other and work towards a common goal.
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