Shemsi en Tehuti wrote: Salaam (Peace) to all...

Very Good question(s), in my opinion.

"What should be used to determine RIGHT and WRONG? Religion or Humanism?" Well, my answer would be neither of the two...not because either of them is wrong, but because I believe the truest answer is common to both/all of them.

I am of the view that the standard of "right" and "wrong" is intimately connected to the common principle of SURVIVAL.

There was a certain man who learned that the one thing that all Men...and indeed, all LIFE...have in common is the Urge to Survive; and that Man, in particular, is constantly seeking to surviveat the Highest possible State...and doing this on many levels, which he called dynamics.

In short, he stated that Man is seeking to survive on at least eight (8) levels or dynamics:

1. Self
2. Family
3. Group - Race, Nation, Fraternity, Organization, etc.
4. Humanity - The whole human family.
5. All Life
6. Physical Universe
7. Spirit
8. Infinity (Supreme Being)

We all exist as part of each of these dynamics. Therefore, he postulated,for anything to be considered"good" or "Right"it mustbring about more benefit than harm across these dynamics. In other words, the more helpful my actions are to the survival of all these dynamics, the more "good" or "right" those actions are. Conversely, the more harmful my actions are to the survival of all these dynamics, the more "bad" or "wrong" those actions are.

I think this is a good way to look at it...and it does not conflict with my beliefs as a Muslim. Are not all Sacred Texts ultimately concerned with the Survival of Man?

What do you think?

RM