SPIRITUAL

HUMANISM

By, Talib Y. Rasheed
SPIRITUAL-HUMANISM
1

ial-umanism is » free pbilsophy that embraces the cssence of bumasity by
anscending the reoctionary inflences pd values of nationlism and cultre. It accepts the
Concept that all people ae aiginlly derived fom the same proto-human; therefre, embody the
same bi-socilogical 300 psycho-spiriue veds.

Spirinal-Humanism s not » religon. 1 bas a5 an objcive the acceptaace, ourtrig.
evelopment, and spirial love of human beiags. It encourages te evoution of moralty 38 fce,
{adividual choice, although t st be bealthy from 8 socilogical nalysi. [t does ot tolerte o
Condone 1o any degres the practcal conradiction of teory. It advocates human-centered, scilly
Consiructive practces and ethics, whereas, lgions isoicaly bave not.

Religons, in genea, re god-cotered, snd tese gods re creatd i the images ofthe
people who worhip hem. Religion ae sdhorarian and bavehitoically incorporaed ino ek
Expresion therepression and pathologiesof e culturesin whic ey opernte. These patbologis
ange from the Ieast 1o the wors of immorliies: The blind indocrinaton of peopl, sexsm,
i, clasi,cppresion,and genocie.

i

‘Some Contrast Between Spiritual-Humanism
‘And Traditional Religious Influences

‘Spirinal Humanism cocoursges cceptace and lov fo onesel 50 tat gmaine cceptance

nd love for tbers s possible acoss racial, e, cltrl, and naionl lnes

+ Religion commands the submision of ose’s ntllct and wil 0 the autbority of fe
doctines. It nfluences bsic reacion of onesel a iberenly depraved, and conempt foc
s who choose o resist the auhoritaran commands

2. Spirtval-Humanism sccepts that each peson shou bave the freedom and excoursgement
10 discover teic o moraliy within he it of ron destucive expresion Posive Sef
deerminaion.

« Religon assers that people have o right 1o free monly, but shoud obey laws and
‘commands revesid 10 someone haly thousand of years ago. Of coure, these Laws and.
commands vady with cach culue lhough ey bave some cormrman bsic precepts.

3. Spiriva-Humanism holds that Love 1 spiralty should be viewed as baly, threfore,
prosched with sacred devoton and respec rom one perso 10 ncthr.

« Religon holds that places and tings are bly, therefre, men mst sometmes il oher
men' i derto protec an conrol by laces ad things.

4. Spirival Humanism ssserts tha social maladie and hnan sckness are he consequences
of popie bing exposed 1o culal pabogens,sbused by corupt authoriis, an xploied

by manopalized economics. Spiriual-Humanis believe that the world's resources shouk,

st and Toremat, be orgaiaed 1o ity te basic needs of sl the card's peope, 5

‘opposed 0 being monopolized and hosrded n excess by th miories i power.

= Religion hods that sl socal maladies an human sicknessare he produet of orginal sin,
a0d can only b cnded by submision to uthortarisn eligious conrl. i

5. Spiriual-Humanist belicve that rough the merality of cvolution people can ouigrow
destructive tendencies where thy e nurtured by healthy cutnl nflucnces and burman
rlationhips that promote growthaad freedor.

= Religionist belive that peopie st always be conrolled by an extémalfrceo ntrnaised
‘uthoiy that threatens punishenent sod depeivtion for disobedicnce.

6. Spirtual Homanist do st beleve that culralrelatviom s bl the ssrif hat cne
cultre can't judge another Spiriual- Humanist understand that il umans are esdentlly
alike befoe we ae branded by cultur, and that beneath the culeanl vel we al re 6
essenilly ik, therfore, a ultre can be judged fom the perspeciv of people from
anotbercutue baed on how it effects human health s how it fucnces soccy.

= Religionist, whercve they exist, have heisown ierest i clir reaiviam becsuse they
e cxprssive ofthe characeristicsofthe cultres tey evolv fom o adap 0, I hey ecl
that tei relipon s superor, socan'tbe legiimately criiqued o odged by outsiders, then
the same can b said bout thei feclings toward cultr. Neod we extract » onfesion When
e cvidence s i the DNA?

il

Many people ar len Spirical-Huroaistbut doa't ko i ecause thei spirivality is
repressed by elgion. They havea't lesrud tat sprtality sndreligion rn't the same.

', Spitinlity i e wholeheaied, selfembraci g expression of ane's deepest human
qualies sympaty, understandin, compassio, shaing embracing the tut, ustice, squality of
umanity, a0 fove © name e, al put o the srvice o soiey n 0e's own consTGive nerct
for sef and thers. Spirkuality transcends e marow views and iflcacesof et ndlo oationsl
cultre, butt s no e un(ihomable, metsphysica phenomenon.

* None of us can dispute that ail suthoritarian rlgions are ooted in supeiority
‘comples,aad are doctrinally sexis. And in' i tre that we can id in thousands of husches on
any given Sunday a bigoted evereod preaching (o congregaton? We need noteven caborte o1
the sexism enrenched n [slamic counvies,or the Arab Muslins that sr praciing moden ay
slavery in Afic, whie sl sioning women 0 death in Jordan, Pakisan, e

Religon doesat fie the buman i, but teaches most pepie o abandon tllctul nd
aonal thought. 1 enslaves the mind through indoctrination that s 1o o be critically quesioned,
and italsm that bearsbollow .

n every country where relgion s the State there are conflcts and wars with other
eligious roups. Religiocidal massacres. This has been the way o suthorarian elgion fo over
3000 years. And s time for people to understand that it bas o relaton to spiinalty ot
Humanism.

* Do Spiiual-Humanis beleve ia God?

Spirtual-Hummanism ccepts he concept of creatve-evolutionary process, bt reects
defusional beif in Aoly books and relgious gods. Gods ae resid by men and there ave been
thousands of gods throughout hisory. Spirual-Humanism docsn't acept the e true relgion
bigory that perpetuates prejoices and oppression around the world.Spirtual Humanism acceps
creton & evolution a5 one rocessbeter lemodundestood s crealuion.

1 our approsch 1o reallfe we must e o0 the reasonable. I a Spiritua Humanis.
choosesto [oelev i relgous allegores bolshe i frec 0 o o pirincy

‘What we know about the elgions gods peesented 10 us i ity is that they have been
and are the heads of hierarchies that practice ehnocentric supremay, genocide, sexism, child
sbuse, d every ober form of scil appression youca think of that resulfs bumman suffring.

I the ook of Josbua,a god orders Joshua o take his arny ino Jeicho and ill every
iman, woman, and child. This was n act of ethic genocid, This god spcifically orders that o
Jrichoans ae o be lf aive, Not even the babies. Kill verying and veryone.

“There s anotbe scton i the KIV Bibe, for cerain | have read i, where tis all-loving
mercifl god tlsth iraclies tat fthey do ot cbey bislows be will punih then with s0 much.
bunger and sarvation hat they'll ave o il and eat heic ownchildren.

* Picture an cmpty feld in your mind, the ground covered with it and rocks. Now
imagioe a young, hepless woman completely covered from bead o toe sqating ia that feld.
magine a rowd of men surounding ber aod burling siones and rocks st be unti she des. I our
tim s i il being praciced s relgious aw i sam.

I Todia, where under Hinduism cows are sacred and no 1o be klld for food, it is
‘common for femle fnsesto be aborted or murdered shory afier birth because the men aimast
invariably want sons instead of daghers 1's sl considred accepabe by the men 1o bur thie
wivs to deth insicad of divorce them. This is done with impunity whie ris are eaed with
revereace by worhipper.

= iow about dropping your so off at the church then finding out yeasslter that he man.
0u st s the spiial mecistor between you and god bd been sexally molesig your son.
You entrusted your chid o a predtor o the most perverted sexual natur, child rape though
peycialogieal coureion and sutboriarin intimidacion.

“Thcse revergpds and Catholic pricsts all across Amecica opere undr he coak and
banace of refgious mrality. Thse men, especialy Catolic pricss who ae ot supposed t marry,
therefore no have sex — bave for decades bad sex with inocent, blplss chidren. I the.god of-
thei Bible couldorderthe slaugher o thousands of nnocent woren and childea then ' not bard
10 s why thei religon a well s al the other authoriaian rligions, bave notbeen 8 detereat,
bt rther 3 means f raonalizron o some of he crueliesthuman behavior for aver 3000 years.
And all of these prctices are sl going on today. Religon snderes more aciis than
imaginsble.

I relgion was acully sbout sving bumanity fom the madaess, exploftation,sexsm,
ypocrisy, rcism, thaocenrism, genocid, arvation, corupion, opprsson, nd wars tha exist
today it would have never been overthzown 15 8 Saie utbriy by the pet bourgeoisie in e
wesem natins. Religion operted s & corupt workd power from 1200 BC. to the 16° cenury
AD. Now i s been subjugated by Stte secular power [0 position of pacifit collaboraton i
‘exchangefor u fee saus thelps the Sttecontol Bumarity.

= I i religious acalots agaist aboton and fee choice, who chaim 10 be pro-lif,that
harass and proest againt hose who would sbort the unborn, ye ris 1ot pilch of the voia o 3
inger against the goveruments that toture, i, explot, oppess, nd abst e hope, feedom, and
piitof millons of alrady ving childen. This s an absurd moalcontraicion.

“Spirtal-Humanism is ro-reason and pro-wisdom. It is easoable o believe that 8
‘woman knows bter than anyane clse whethr she wants 1o provide fo 4 love child from
unplanned pregnancy. And it s wise tha i she docsn'wan o love and provide fo the pext 20
years that she ot Kave the child. Growing p n 4 unlovig, unnurturing, axd vnencouragig home.
or cavironment i not a leasnt hurman expeience. It s good fo & hild or socity i the long.

. ProLifers need o st being hypocrtes andsar adopting some of the orphaned cildren
overhewerld.

1n America, relgious groups Bave tendency 1o criicize d challenge the rght of
{odiiduls 1 choose their own moralty, yet ey seem fo have nothing 0 sy about the cboice of
corpraions,bsineses, and goverame Agencies o b compL

“Tacy ack Amerca’s music indusy,the dult sx ndusty, he movie indsiry, sbortion
advocates, s, doctors,ec. Al sreas and ierst tha incividulsare e 0 e o dislike 253
s of choie. But when bave you ever beard of rlyious organization o group atacking the
g sty bt gives docors mancial ncentivs o dope up America'pchildren nd o diagpose
vety cmononal low 5 & chrosic, incunble peychiamc probicn? How many rligous
‘rpizaions bave atacked the auo indusry for iniato all causng thousands of accidents and
undreds o deth. The snswer is none. They wre quick 1. ay that an st shoukd ot be allowed
1o el you cersin recor, & magazin publshe shoukd't be able 105l you 8 nude photo,but &
carmanafctre selling tirs tha fal par causiog deah, o sets tat colaee casing chikien to
e crhed, atact o ateton fom thm. Why doesthis instuton ht cross the counry calecs
{ens of il year in donations have 3ol o say sbou pliica and ecopomic comupion, and
b atecial vaues of the upper an ruling class. Why bave thy o moral protst agaost e IMF,
werd sk, ¢ the sadiste monopaly of technology tht laves millions of cildren wnable 10
ik cean water evry day? Do you know Doss’t it see o contradictmeral sensbliy?

% Spiinal-Humanism docen't challnge individial recdom. 1t doesa't question the
peronal pelrcnces, L6, moral choice of men and women, unlss those choices present an
Cppresive and cxploiative theat t the ighs safty, and freedom o oberindividuals. Spiival-
rimanisn dervands, firs and forenos, e i an gutborarian sstem the basc cxample or
morlsandards ome from the op dows, 5 bow can government sicped n robbcry, misder, 104
enocide be any type of consuuctive model for ts country's ciizens? Because the sysem is
Hirarchicll subortarian and, thereore, conrolled by cercive power, the peope e poweress
o chalenge the government comupton nd exploiation, so many of them become corupt and
aplfaive themelves. I s th goalof Spirial Humgais o undenmine the identifcation people
v wih such a government and e a1d condema e comuption of the Sate, corporaions,
and socicty's insitions by operaing s pilosophy an value sysem tha ransforms the hears
0 mindsof men an women. There e 1o many religio: peopl i the workd ight now thatare
s hesaying goes: S0 ull of heaven tha they e po car Iy good " But i i the boge o aflcnce
‘04 develop eanbly goodness that motivats th Spiriual-1umanist. We need 0 volve o more
it s eqitble soiery.

m

There e o thow shalis o thou shainos r else, i Spirital Humanism. You st ssked
1o is above the corrupt and oppresive iflences of all traditions, culres, d goverumens,
Tcogeiz the eal ifference between religon and spiruality. You are askd fo freely take &
ropsiveconsiretiv.interest. i the evoluion of your own morlity and devlop ¢ Zenuine
suborarian punishment a real moraiy. Moralty is genuioe only when it is e development of
e evoltion witinan ndividul. This s why Spirtal-Humanisn 1 y00 10 brek e nviible
chaing of the herd-mentalit and rligion 5o that youcan begin the evoluion o your morty 15 &
rec-minded individual. Relipon arogantly prescus mythology as b, beie ws factal
Koowtedge, nd deies people moral choice, Individality & diffrence. This causes peope (0
oo . volation of rue morality because it deies thir reodom of choie. The coaflc
ciween e nara desie or e evoluion of mraity and e rifical and forced nermaliaion
‘o ig lws causes . reentes aagonism the pyche of most elgious people. I i why they
e ahways for bewecn wha heyreally wantand bow they are 0 thy shouldbe. They cananly
become peauinely whole witin themsel e, nt by rejecing thmselves as inoiely depraved, bl

by earmig 1o ackept and ove herseics trough the spirita trascendence of radition, cultr,
"o comdmamory eligion. Tis i the oluion of morality. It s e path that lesds to Sprieal-
Huranisn, llowin us 10 ave ursehves, 1 opposed o watiog for beavn st the od of 8 foad of
scnseless sufering.

v
Spiritual- Humanism and Psychology

‘Spiral-Husmasism embrace an ongoing aod thocoughgoing sef-anabyis o aduls. This
s becaus we lve in 4 sociery where most people re self-lezaed nd bave difficuly fcing
{bings about temscivs. In ofher words, people bave & profound lack o selknowledge sad ae
rofandiy issociaed from many aspectsofthei own vesand spirtal eeds. 3

Wt rakes this assrtion indispuable The c ht mostparns see 000 undesand.
e iychic needsofteis htdren a cevelopiog bumga beings. How s i ossble oranicresing
b of chlden cach yea 1o be insttaionalised, pt on dugs ke prozac, rialin, 6 To
Decome vilen toward ther parat,unruly because ey e neglected, unoved, 100 repressed,aot
dersod, i How i i posibi fo parents o be coafused and sbc 0 say 1 don'tknow wbat's
rong, 1 can undestand"? This i possble because thy ar spiinally alienated and cmotonaly
ssociaied from their own chikdboods. T sey are sl presing emeions coopeted 0 unfliled
eeds during thee own chidboods, the. fore, are wknowingly extranged from thie chidres’
Senuine ecds. While the parent re ool following he strctionsof ersality wads tha were
Eatsed by o scially inberied from the._own parens andor othrs in sociey,heir chidrn fel
(ot ey ar puposely being,denied e o, ffection, encougement, reedom, love, e, ..
o tey begin 10 potetor tebel i actve o pasive ways a a idirct demand fo chang n he
mannr of relatons,

Usualy, the pareus - alinated snd dissociaedfrom tei own chikdhoods - dog't ke the
ime o k. "Why dd 1 rebe 35 child? What 6id | rally nced? And what appencd when | did
or Gt gt " Ev i the questions do aris hey et usually onesty snswered because o do
o or atcmpt o, would evoke the repressed emotions connectd 0 them. As 8 consequece of the
rens ot going inide to connct with he sensitve natare of thei ow peycha-cmationl eds
T A s xacerbaed and what began 8.2 deprivtion profest s a0 cle of reprssion v
rtes v epresion Snce i f kel that e parens will gve the child what he (o she) necds
spiriually, then 5 hild i foced o repessthe necd and fclings elated 10 i, mcaning that most
Tikly the neat goeraion willnberi te same emotonal defct i prent<hid relations.

i Humarism cocournges slf-analysis 2 8 means of comecting withthe csscnial
aature of sl thercby, becoming b abie 0 prceive through allshething he cscnil bunan
‘cds of ohes. I seiFanalysis is hot for you, then learn from what others perceive sough
lysis. Toe goul i for people 10 undesand 1nd nururs themscivs, e primary reltionship. 0
Tt all oler relaionships are cotered oo with the potental for spiial evolion, and
construcive growth whenever confics do rise.

v
‘Spiritual-Humanism And Politics

St i view poliics s the policies and picples tht mld soiel nd
conoic s o gy o 5y @ ¢ il

e e s b whihpopl o o e & ith ters i secey and he
weld o b th et s ot i el

e e e . U e o oo devlopmet o oo
iy s . pi it v Y A ol of vy 0+
e of el s wibot sy, ok Vil s e o ety mlad 10
e o it o vty ot ety s eamic o immral,

et ety e pobk sconl o iy s el b e e S f 3
iy v s 7o vl 5 e o vy b concons of snd aios v
o v (o ey, A ol of ey b - albvgh e
o s e 0 et o ol pople e igh o '+ b recesies
‘What people have in America is the opportunity 1o compete against millions of others for the
ilge o o o i iy, 1 ot s whes you raly ik sbut 1.
e sy e st on el e bt o e v o wil sl n e
e vt o -l ot st o v i s vt we ccpt 8
e o sciep e it o o s psn iy o s et
o eierament o s o b ol g 8 gt e ing by B b of
jungle they are in? The de facto law of economics..

e oy ne . Ao sy o o cconcic right o providefor el e
iy, who e ot when B vl 1o v o v 4 0 gEverent st
2 i 1o e e ess? The pion e eveoal accet b i of
s, o B epi’ f hsin 1 cpKg e i ¢ s <ol of
e Enployet o ety syt e

oo e ot o e i b i s of s, Tor's s die
g o S Hamion, pobiconon oy, 1o S crpovernet e

ortinary people

Spirina- Humaoiam encourags people 1o become poliicaly cducated nd conscious, nd
1o anscend th poliial propagands nd docwines ofthe mass modia and those who favor 3 aliics
o inmmorlty s economicsafimmraly, L youbeeve that évry man, woman, ad child bave
2 notural right o sunfive, then you cant believe that Americs's economic rlaons ar 4n
presion of buman natir. That woukd be an ineconcilable contradicion. I st humane for
Peopie o b iving on th srect becaus af pavery whilethere are vacant houses ad buildings in
't naural for peopl 1o be malnourshed nd starving while e g
e e e aporing s of s and vegelables to counies ke Amerc i, be
e sguin ey 100 of it and vegetbles produced by s own famers, becauae ey
antto maiotan b ncraseproft evels.

o wthies of mmorslity reat sbout fooding the bungry, bu feeding e insaiabe
e of - s 1 e s Chrsten Misonriesin Ancics 1 shrud
e orofo o o 1 onste e il of sixy-fve cenis day o fecd cldbe, bouse,
e arving chi. Thy've becn makiog this sppel fordecadcs, bt i seems they nicver
e e, olicans who se th cconomic of immarality that re responsile fo causing tbe
e o 10 m i oy cot 63 2y o L, clohe, bouse, and ductc s Chld
e sl be moraly raged snd i the House and Scote demandin proviinsfox

o b metbd of individuls working with thmscives,learing 10 cmbrace 1 love
e 2 people waniing nd working for plicall and ecanomically moral sociey:

Vi

« Spirimal Humanism s ot a philosophy that acceps imesponsbily. Your monsl
csponsiblin o be il o the asc needs f e bumanbeings sy, cmotonly. 104
i 1 s t, sentaly, 5 i et s 38 srugging b being. Your ol
iy 1o 00 engge n wconstmcive conflct wih peope who.bave 10 consciys
e ives. Spal Hmanim understands tha cvéryone s o ging 0 ogats
umkn—dm;':‘:-mmu.mm Some people bave

Sievbere connect o others.

S envonibly s th aplcationof your knowledge, undersanding, nd inelc (o e
besofyou s induy fli, It doing wht you soulddo when th tme s Sght 0 do L 1
o algatons wih morl respet fo self and e in al focets of scial,polien, 108
cconomic ife.

o choos o evle ot Sl Humaist sccep a you s spprosch e with
« bigher comminent 1o responsibily, nd » decper sensiviy 1o human sufferiog. Where
i i ad you s o o o canofe ossible solutions 1 do . To el ke b
e s e ospossibe and moral conadiction o Spiitual-Humarisn. This philesophy
i shoy e prteses of iy and i ' sbout e gewine cvluion ol erly,

e umanism, makes o0 atenpl 0 indoctinse you As saed, (s 3 fee
hiosoph Fre your mind from il fors of reacionary polilal, cuurl, and (el
B e e e evoltion of moraly,tcrelore oppres the sprt of humanity urd
e erepaney btwecn soiety’s poenial and sctual achevement tovard decreasing
ot ol n o vord. O your ey o the nusic and comptin sl wound
)

beciuse we are governed and influenced by poliics and economics of inmorally, and suthorarisn
sbuse of power.

* Sprtual-Humanisrs sk tht you search fo the ruth n whatever socity you ive. Sec

g el it dey ey bty e pcpe o comple i
{2 therfor he privleg o suvive. We ncd 3 ke (sciey) whee ot Fight o suvive cant
be legally denicd by greed, comupton, powr, ccomomic monopely and xlaiacon, an he
polites of mmoraiy. We need Sprtal Hupanism.

Noe: The evluionof e morality does't egae the exiiice of cxsntal (siversl)
mora v,

Nt s ony esonable and wise o bsr rom he bl wha s st without being
sbictd it the biblocenic,eliious dociine. The il ke ay e book, e ot b
essos, which can be e i e sty of umanbehavior i sty

SpitalHumaniem docsxt stemp to Giparnge people imply because they are
eligou. It doss, howeves, oppose relgon s s bave Hisoriclly ko 300 s egions
peope 1 e the truth abot rlgion 0d bow it wasnolsscomup, oppeesiv, and xploaie
0 e S when it s the St el L., b th church bsrchy o

Loan o the ruth bou ligous s snd oo, For exumpe, he s pracice
ofoning belples women o deathf ur e b s g in O Tesament L.

Neider Matbew, Mact, Luke, or John folloved Yabshun (ess) whe b wabked the
. Al he gopels were writin n four iffrnt counics at diffrnt times. Mack wi i,
fom which Matt nd Luke cpied. St. Jobo was write in the seond ceaury. Nove of e
were sy ol 0 weaeld by i,

Mot ot 10 exised n Egypian law before Moses was ven bors, Sck
e . Fre the mind fom dcepion.

SPIRITUAL-HUMANISM
On The Basics of Human Development

“The lae Bruce Lee s considered (b greaest maal ars 0 have ever lved. But what —
7pe of matal art did be pracic? He id't beleve i closed systern, bt advocaed absorption of
what i wsefol from everyhing one cncounter. I tis same wy, Spirital-Humasism approsches.
Kanowledge,philosophy, and e prnciples, bsorbing wha s seful fom whateve source witout
becoming aborbed by th sourc ane draws fom.

i his rca dealng with the basi nees of uman development e draw 8 quote from the
New Testanen: llegdly satd by Yahsbua, (caled Jesu post monem): Man shall ot Ive by
bread alone. but by every word ihat proceeds from the mouth o God. This can't b viewed s
simply ssement o the Judaic or Chrstian rlgion. Yahahua wasn't s Chritan, nor ws be 3
il Jew. He rascended e rhodox v & hypcrie moity of many Jews. e s
spiitallows.
“The mou of God symbolizes the soul, cach lving person. Andthe word symbolzes the 17
sptinal needs we have. Meaning that we must ulil our busc sicinal eds and no jut oue
physical ones 0 b healthy b beings who fe conten and stisied.

Most parcts think tha fulfilling the mateial needs of teir chikdren is all that's
nccsssay i raising them. Inotber words they seem 0 blive it man c lve by bread alone,
{berefoe negictthe basicspiritual neds of theirchilden. Thi is pervasive problem i American
society. becaus it undermines th spiritual cohesionof s of millons o nclea filies 1od scts
35 social it hat et pased down hrough geacrations.

e s concern about what alieaaes o many children from thes prents,
a0d why these clildre grow up 1o become parets linated rom thee chidren, I s 8 cyce fo
some familes tht traces back hundreds o years, bcause no 0o ever ok the time 10 undersand.
themselves and break it No on ever examined the s of cause and effct i the development of
‘stranged human eltions. A b sociey we must lear o scivly vlue he principls of spirinal
Jreedom and growih. We st dvelop atitudes that ranscend the effec of negaive causs from
e past. We must lear 0 bave courge i face of the many challenges o self, subural, and
‘community bealing. We mastlean 0 give children the conditons of e that will alow them 10
row, 10d then waich them row a5 opposed o trying 1 mold ther iso obecient loncs. You
don', for instance, bave 1y o force your child o belew the miscooceptons sad myhs and lics:
hat society o your parnts lodly beleved and taught you. Instesd, encourage your ik o
develop a good reading comprebension, thea teach him or her 1o be analytcal & investigative a5 1.
means of eaching teir own wel-nformed conelusions. There's ¢ problem in many cultres of
children being restricte 1o the peychologicalsats of stadent and pever being rged 10 awaken the
{eacher vithin themselves. Spirval-Humasit wish to remove this caltrl rstrsint %0 that the
childre of today will Aave the nner freedom o changelimprove the buman relations o socity
{omorrow. And it begins withthe paents bete understandin th dynamics sod peiniples of basic
human development. Parnts bave an obligation 1o urture the peycho-motionl & spirial needs
oftheir childen. ' in this way tha they bocome mr ntegrated nd belthy buman beings than
the previous generation. In this way that sociey can docrease nstead of perpenat o incresse he
culura il ha plague it A child e notbe adequately mised on bread oo

I}

- Abrabam Masiow's Hierichy of Neads -
I thissection 1 want o deal with Maslows lrurchy of Basic Necds. He oulned them

Physiological necds .
Safety eeds

Belongingnes and Love nceds

Seif Esteem ecd

Self Actalzaion eed

Py

He considere it ecesaryfo al these necds 0 be flfille inorder for a wel-ntgratd,
bealthy buman being o socially & psychologically evolve. He bascaly stated thi if these five
ower ncds weren't fulflld, then our higher needs would rest on shaly foundaton, because
{hese lowerneeds would abvaysbeckon or theie own satisfaction.
I considr this beckoning 1 bean unconscious longing that cescs 3 compulsiv desiee for
baric need compensation.

“The ghy siological needs include fod, clothing, shlter, and belth. This is where too
many parets ove focus t he expense of neglcing 10 pay atrion 1o the others. It i also the
eed that childen bave lileablty to flf hemselves. They are dependents.

What the child who.resches the sge where socil ierction is daily, is primasily
oncemed with, s his or her ned 1o felsgf. L this ned i no satsid ten the child'y psychic
<nerky becomes absorbed by a struggle fo create defensive acics & SUBICE 10 COpEwih the
cnvironment & people who cause snxiety, thraien, o intimidate he child, whetber s the pareats
themselves, other adul, or children. Orce the chils energies ar sbsorbed in maintaining &
defensive sructre, otber ares of peychicspirital growthare stagated.

Because the child doesa'tfcl safe, blshe can't fcl 8 sease g belongig & scccptance.
beonging and scepane Love) s bt b st oy dvelop A,
seleseen is debiiaed or not iven 8 chance 1o develop, then t st somcbow intefee with
slf-achalzaton (developing and exefsingonc's pontal

s importanttht paretsbe mindfd ofall thesc oeds. By enurin tat the it three e
‘dequaely ulfiled the child wil b fre and secure coough witin bis e bersell to develop &
heslthy exprssion of the othr two. I this way th chid can evolve toward Spirtual-Humanism
nd relte 1o the Righer needs rom a posidon ofsabily.

m

One of e problers in America i that thre i no securiy for most pople i regard 0 the
physiclgicalneeds. Tens of milions will svays be citherunderemplayed o unemployed. Tens of
nillons of thers, though working, must iv with the constant saias and aaxcic o nok making
‘nough I is o wonder the tat e physiclopcalneeds sbsorso much energy nd acenton from
the parci. They hcbor the felig: T put food a the table,cothes on yourbac, and a oof over
your bead. Tha's my job and T've dine it well, 0 you (e chikd) should have 5o complaiats or
reason 10 rebel.” Ouce agai [ quote: man cantlive by bread (physolgical fulfimen) alone... |
hink any beakthy child, any child period, would g0 loager disance in e f the scle weighed
heavier o e side of love, afeton, guidanc, and cncouragement, than it 6id 0 theside of vlgar
mateiasm. 1 child i given ansbundance of all te Physiogicl reqirements, bt al e other
needs are neglected the child may never gas.a bealty, constrctive sense of ideniy, sef-
deternintion, and purpose i ife. However, if e 1 i bisically et bu #2 & ¥ are sufficiently
stisfied the child will s, mre ikely than not, develop a stroag sense of identiy, consiructve
slinteres, and pesonal powes 10 fuce ife through bisher own fulment of bsc need #4 & #5
i the ierarchy. The povery of achld's persoality is much more baemful tha the pavery of
economic lfe. Poverty of personalit robs the spii in # pervasive way. Economic povery is
barmful 00, bu aser o transcend than peycbological, emoional, & spicual deficiecies,

‘We mast be ever mindful of the blance and interacion of hese needs i relation (0 the
socalcontradictons i sociey. As poited out at the begiing, America doc ot give us e egal
o socal right o ] ou cconomic needs. We oaly bave the opportuaityto compet withmillions.
f thes fo the riviege o il ou bsic survival nceds. n s cas how caa ¢ i the logan

hat we sl have the ight o1, bet, and the pursuit of appines, when there's n basic righ 1o
Sobssence?

Although this fact i 3 constan inth subconscious of most parents they need 10 examine
if & why they overcompensate for the basic anxiey atiached o it. Children need reltons in the
home for thee emationsl & spirital devlopmert, materal provisions & biel paent child
encountrsare no spirnally producive i human growh.

v
‘THE HIGHER NEEDS

What id Masiow mean by saying if te lower needs were not fled the igher nods
would st on shaky foundaton”

"An example of higher needs would be, fo cxample, the need o love onesel, o love
companion, nd 10 love others. The noed 1 suender cneself 1o something bigger tan gged
individulism. Spicuality toward otber buman beings, brthrbood, o & purpose o bumaniaran
gou,fo example. The need s lose oneself i creativ o risic nterest. I t posible forpeople o
ensinely embody thes hgher nceds ftei lowerbasic needs are no stably stsfied? Can chid
never given a chance 1 develop 8 scase of belonging nd beng loved, self-<steem and sef-
confidenc taly grow up 1 be someone who fels acceped and who loves self aod thers, i o
constructve vents o relatonships changed th tragy ofcaclie evelopmens? Can a person who
has 3 newroic inocurkty sround othes ly develop gevine eelings of brotherhood? We would
logiclly have o think no. n the same way (hat person can't buid & szong and heslhy bodyif
8¢ nurent consumption i insuffcent.

Spicival-Humanis cocourages you (0 cxamioe th st of your chid’s basc,lower
ceds flfilment, a0d 0 look st bow you have i th past a0d re now deling withthem. I 3
Baic reaity of hanan development that: 1) children ca't develop on bread lone. 2) Al lower
nesds must be met in 3 comprebensive way with easonable baance, and 3) that Spirval-
Humaism can ooly cvlve ou of the rocess of becoing whale wihin. There i 1 socilogical s
‘well 853 pycholoica resson or the violet titudes of rary youth today. Childen aliaated
rom their parets ead (o grow vp aliensted from sacety and eveatully ther'own seves. This
conditon of uman eltons can produce nothing bt rusirted and hostle beings. If socal
eltons and umman development n sociey are going o ke postive, spicitual leap forwar, ten
parets st begin o ushr out of the age of valgar matcalis,(ocilize withther chldre) s
sher i the ageof Spirnal-Hummanism. Nooe ofus can reach uman lfliment a long a5 we act
s though we ca liv by bread slone.

I the spiit of umanism,

b Y. Rasbecd
South Chicogo
ABC Zine Distro
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