Do I have this right? A humanist is not another word for an atheist. A humanist doesn't believe in God but does have a strong moral and ethical belief system regarding fellow human beings and all of nature. An atheist doesn't believe in God . . . he may or may not be a humanist.

Why do people consider Buddhism a philosophy and not a religion? Buddha himself ordained a clergy of monks and nuns. He gave a body of canonical discourses or teachings. He taught many faith based views such as the existence of past and future lives, etc. He comissioned the construction of monasteries and temples. Sounds like all the components of a religion to me.

What is interesting is that the word religion has become a dirty word much like the word faith. Religion for many in our secular society has come to represent a mixing of religion and politics which magnifies all that is terrible in human nature.

Indeed this view of religion was expressed by A.C. Grayling when he said at the outset of the interview that had such a secular work existed in ancient times many tragedies could have been averted.

The "*do* unto others" version is the Christian one. The way Hillel put it was, "What is hateful to you, do *not* do to your fellow person," which might be more to Mr. Grayling's liking (it is to mine, for the same reason!).

And the contradictions he mentioned in holy books are the source of volumes of midrash, stories that arose out of discussions about those very contradictions & attempts to explain or resolve them--a process that continues today. So they aren't something Jews are told not to think for ourselves about.

Unlike the prior segment which was just right-wing anti-government propaganda disguised as something else, this segment was truly thought-provoking.

Brian, you got it slightly wrong. Hillel actually said "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man. This is the law; all the rest is commentary; go and learn it."

The distinction between the positive versus the negative phrasing of the Golden Rule is very important.

Peter DeScioli Phd has written one of the most compelling solutions to the mysteries of morality published in the journal, Cognition. It seems that the main goal of religion is to furnish a moral code and format through which to solve moral conflicts. I am a secular humanist, myself, and really appreciate someone asserting an ethical framework consistent with atheist values.

This is TERRIFIC! As a mother of four, I have struggled to pass along some religious/spiritual tradition to my children. They are being raised Catholic at my husband's bequest but they have LOTS of questions which I tend answer in a humanistic manner. I can't wait to read this! thanks

I've often said I'm mad at Gene Roddenberry. He showed us this world where we've moved beyond a lot of today's pettiness but didn't tell us how to get there.

Perhaps this Bible is a first step on that journey.

"Thou shalt have no other God" can actually enable independent thinking since, of course, it means that one should not submit to the ideology of a priest, pastor, or other worldly representative of God.

Also - The Islamic tradition has it's own concept of independent thinking known as "Ijtihad." Your guest seems unfamiliar with such concepts, which permeate the world's religions and not simply secular humanism.

Take the "humanist" out of your Bible. Perhaps its time for human wisdom to expand. Your 'Respect Nature" commandment needs to be expanded upon. Let this human focus broaden to the environment and the capacity of animals to feel and experience full life cycles. We must do this to survive on the planet.

Thanks for this. Important for atheists or cosmic uncertain-ists like myself to have affirmative source material.

Here is one commandment to live by:
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.....

Stealing from Spider Robinson, who might have stolen it from someone else:
Joy shared is joy multiplied, pain shared is pain divided.