What is Humanism?
An excellent explanation of Humanism from David Pollock, the former President of the European Humanist Federation, which some of you might like. Here’s an especially good bit:
But Humanism is different from almost all other religions and beliefs, because Humanism is not an “-ism” in the sense of a body of more or less unquestionable doctrine. You don’t ‘convert’ to Humanism and then have to take the rough with the smooth.Humanism is a label for a certain range of beliefs and values. To the extent that you do or do not share these beliefs and attitudes, so you may be more or less inclined to call yourself a humanist. Taken together, they are a set of beliefs and values which constitute a view of the world – a philosophy by which many people live their lives.In this it is different from most – maybe all – religions. It has no sacred texts, no source book of unquestionable rules or doctrine, no liturgy, no founding figurehead, no structure of authority.
http://david-pollock.org.uk/humanism/humanism-beliefs-and-values/