By: Albertus Magnus Re: Is humanism a religion? The Court says NO From a message sent out

By: Albertus Magnus
Re: Is humanism a religion?  The Court says NO

From a message sent out to a list I'm on:

Next time a religious right type says, "The Supreme Court says secular
humanism is a religion," you won't have to get into dreary discussions
of the Torcaso footnote (and if you don't know what I'm talking about, it
won't matter.  Just tell them that The October 7, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
Decision in Peloza v. Capistrano Unified School District, says "Charitably
read, Peloza's complaint at most makes this claim:  the school district's
actions establish a state-supported religion of evolutionism, or more
generally of 'secular humanism.'...We reject this claim because neither
the Supreme Court, nor this circuit, has ever held that evolutionism or
secular humanism are 'religions' for Establishment Clause purposes.
Indeed, both the dictionary definition of religion and the clear weight
of the caselaw are to the contrary...."