Bright?
You may have heard of The Brights. Some atheists/non-theists describe themselves as Brights, perhaps because they prefer to avoid the atheist label, which has a host of negative connotations and associated bigotries attached to it. Others may prefer to embrace the distinct philosophy set forth by The Brights over atheism, which is not a philosophy but a lack of theism.
Is Your Worldview Naturalistic?
Think about your own worldview to decide if it is free of supernatural or mystical deities, forces, and entities. If you decide that you fit the description above, then you are, by definition, a bright!
…..
Reason and Purpose
Currently the naturalistic worldview is insufficiently expressed within most cultures, even politically/socially repressed. To be a Bright is to participate in a movement to address the situation. (Note: the upper case Bright signifies someone who fits the definition and registers on this Web site.)
There is a great diversity of persons who have a naturalistic worldview (free of supernatural and mystical elements). Some are members of existing organizations that foster a supernatural-free perspective. Far more individuals are not associated with any formal group or label. Under the broad umbrella of the naturalistic worldview, the constituency of Brights can undertake social and civic actions designed to influence a society otherwise permeated with supernaturalism.
The movement’s three major aims are:1. Promote the civic understanding and acknowledgment of the naturalistic worldview, which is free of supernatural and mystical elements.
2. Gain public recognition that persons who hold such a worldview can bring principled actions to bear on matters of civic importance.
3. Educate society toward accepting the full and equitable civic participation of all such individuals.…..
In all honesty I have no qualms with any of those goals or views. The only quibble I have is with the name of the organization. As much flack as I encounter being an atheist, I'd just feel rather arrogant or elitist calling myself a Bright. Some people already assume atheists/freethinkers/etc. presume themselves superior to their theistic/religious brethren. To me the title Brights would only reinforce that notion. I myself can do without that. Plain old atheist is fine with me. It takes a lot less explanation anyway. At long last, verification that my humble Blog is being noticed by live people and not just comment spam-bots. Re: the neologism Bright From day one, Bright was linked to the Enlightenment — a time for hope that I have found that saying “I am a bright” inevitably leads to a positive conversation. The response is almost always “What is a bright ?” and I follow with “A Bright is a This presents the opportunity to state “I believe that the world is totally natural, The conversation goes on from there. Paul Geisert Thank you for your thoughts, Paul. I’m pleased to discover that my original perceptions about the label “Brights” were in error. It appears I may have been anticipating a particular reaction based on past experiences. You have given me much to think about. Tags: The Brights
Addendum:
science and reason would be the guiding forces of society. It has nothing to do with
intelligence.
person with a naturalistic worldview” which is almost always followed by a strange
look or “What is a naturalistic worldview”?
free of supernatural gods and mystical elements.”
Co-director of The Brights’ Net
