A common complaint heard about Humanists is that we lack spirituality. People point to spirituality as a piece of the puzzle that we call humanity. Unfortunately this complaint is also heard among Humanists themselves.

The complaints focus on our reliance on science and reason to solve human problems. People say that science and reason can’t answer every question or solve all the problems. Questions that don’t seem to be answered are like “Why are we here?” and “Is this all there is to life?”.

Humanists should know, by knowing our philosophy, that we can’t answer all the questions. We don’t even make such promises. We know that if there are unanswerable questions, someday there might be an answer and then again maybe not.

We know why Theists make the charge that we lack spirituality, then why does it seem that some Humanists are sinking back into the tar pit of irrationality by wanting Humanists to be more spiritual?

A simple explanation would be the basic human emotion: fear. People fear the unknown and questions like those mentioned above raise the specter of the unknown and unknowable. The same sense of inquiry that drives science also breeds irrational fear of the unknown. People want to know and they want to know now. If answers aren’t available, people will accept any answer that seems reasonable to them even if that answer is irrational or based on the irrational.

I wish that explanation gave the only reason why “spirituality” has crept back into some people’s idea of Humanism. Some Humanists prefer to redefine religion and religious language to fit into their idea of Humanism. Since Humanism isn’t a strict dogma like Christianity, such redefinition occurs quite frequently. Unfortunately, this quest for “spirituality” is part of trend that harms Humanism and mashes us together with Theistic religion.

No matter how “spirituality” is defined, I have a serious problem with the complaint that Humanists lack “spirituality” and even if “spirituality” is needed in Humanism.

I think the supposed need for “spirituality” is part of the cultural indoctrination that many Humanists experienced during their exposure to Theism in their younger years and living in a world dominated by Theists. Even though they reject God and the other dogmatic teachings of Theism, they feel comfortable with the other trappings of Theism like the holidays, the fellowship and the music. They adapt those things into their Humanism.

Instead of celebrating their differences with their previous Theistic life, they seem to want hide it and blend in. This prevents the philosophical progress that is the hallmark of Humanism.

Some seem to backtrack to “spirituality” to cope with the unknown or deal with negative life experiences. We don’t need some religious justification for dealing with such events. All of us can get together with friends and loved ones and work through times of trouble.

As for clinging to “spirituality” because of the unanswerable questions like “Is this all there is to life”, I say why bother? We have to ask ourselves, is answering questions like that important to our overall well being? I don’t think so. Sure it might be a hoot to debate such questions around the dinner table, but if we worry about them to much, we might not get anything else done. Besides what effect will an answer have on our everyday life? Will an answer feed those who are hungry? Will it end war? Will it pay the mortgage? There is an answer to that: No.

As for “spirituality” being redefined as the expression of pleasure or awe we get from aesthetic beauty, obviously, those who redefine it that way don’t know humans. We create art and like art whether it be a painting or an old building. I love old houses and buildings. I recently had an experience of awe when I saw the movie “Pandora’s Box”. It starred Louise Brooks and I was in total awe of her beauty. She was a movie star in the Silent Era. She had used her beauty to seduce some of the most powerful men in Hollywood and some of the women back in the 1920’s and 30’s. If I lacked “spirituality” I wouldn’t have noticed Brooks’ beauty even 70 years after it was first caught on film.

“Spirituality” in any form does exist in Humanism and those who complain it doesn’t should just acknowledge it does and cast off the tentacles of Theism. Why do we insist on adapting Theism to Humanism? Why do they get to define who we are and what we need or don’t need?

“Spirituality” only describes us being human. We all have it.