Freethinkers' Forum: Can secular humanism meet our spiritual needs?

Discussion prompt:
Religion has long claimed to be the source of meaning, transcendence, and connection — needs that are often called “spiritual.” But if we reject the supernatural, do those needs go away? Or do secular humanists also experience a yearning for awe, wonder, and a sense of belonging to something larger than ourselves? If so, how do we meet those needs without belief in gods, souls, or the afterlife?

Some find fulfillment in art, music, nature, or science. Others adapt rituals or create new traditions. Still others reject the very idea of “spirituality” as unnecessary baggage from religion. So: Do humans really have spiritual needs — and if they do, what are they?

Can secular humanism itself provide experiences of meaning and transcendence? What would spirituality look like for an atheist? Do we need new rituals, language, or communities to fill that role — or is secular humanism already enough?

Let’s talk honestly about how we each understand spirituality, what role (if any) it plays in our lives, and whether secular humanism can meet those needs.

You can bring dinner! We are allowed to have food and drink inside the community room at the library (we just can't have heat sources). Since we are meeting around dinner time, we invite people to bring take-out dinner or snacks. We also have the space from 6 pm, so welcome people to come early to socialize before we begin the discussion.

***All participants are asked to familiarize themselves with and agree to follow our code of conduct.

About the group:
The Freethinkers' Forum is a monthly gathering facilitated by the Secular Humanist of the Lowcountry to discuss topics of interest to freethinkers, atheists, agnostics and other non-religious people. The purpose of these gatherings is to foster respectful dialogue of interesting and intellectually stimulating topics. The focus is discussion and so we will not have speakers. We may have brief presentations to introduce topics, but those will be restricted to 15 minutes or less. There may be optional readings or television or film recommendations to stimulate discussion.