What Humanism Isn’t: Humanism Isn’t a Cult or a Religion

The Myth: Humanism Is Just Another Belief System

Every so often, when I talk about Humanism, someone will say:

📌 “So, you just chose a secular religion?”
📌 “Humanism is just another belief system—it’s no different from organized faith.”
📌 “You still have rules—you just call them ethics instead of commandments.”

I always respond with the same questions:

👉 “When’s the next Humanist meeting?”
👉 “Who do I send my tithes to?”

Because, spoiler alert: there is no meeting. There is no leader. And there sure as hell isn’t a tithe.

Humanism isn’t a structured belief system with hierarchies, rules, and leaders seeking power.

It’s not about following—it’s about thinking for yourself.

And that’s where the biggest difference lies.

My Story: The Moment I Realized Humanism Has No Structure

When I first started identifying as a Humanist, I did it completely on my own.

📌 I wasn’t recruited.
📌 I wasn’t handed a book of rules.
📌 I didn’t have a weekly gathering to attend.

It was a personal decision—something I arrived at through my own thoughts and experiences.

Later, I learned that others think this way too, but there was no requirement to meet up, no membership, no leaders deciding what was right and wrong.

We just live our lives with kindness, honesty, and responsibility—because it’s the right thing to do.

There’s no spiritual rewards, no punishments, and no external force dictating our morality.

That’s not a religion. That’s just ethical living.

What Humanism Actually Is

📌 Humanism has no leaders seeking power. There’s no pope of Humanism, no prophets, no figures telling us what to believe.

📌 Humanism has no required meetings or rituals. No prayers, no gatherings, no sacred texts to study.

📌 Humanism has no “one true way” to follow. It’s about reason, compassion, and responsibility—but how you live that out is up to you.

Sure, there are Humanist organizations, just like there are book clubs and hiking groups.

But joining one is optional. There’s no central authority controlling what Humanists believe or how they behave.

Because at the end of the day, Humanism isn’t about control.

It’s about choice.

What the Experts Say (Without Getting Preachy)

Philosopher Stephen Law sums it up perfectly:

"A religion typically involves authority, dogma, and imposed belief. A Humanist worldview, on the other hand, is about freedom of thought and the personal responsibility to determine what is right."

Humanism doesn’t tell you what to believe—it challenges you to think for yourself.

The Takeaway: Humanism Is About Personal Responsibility, Not Control

📌 Religions have leaders. Humanism has independent thinkers.
📌 Cults demand obedience. Humanism encourages questioning.
📌 Faith systems require belief. Humanism requires nothing—except a willingness to be decent.

Humanism isn’t a church.
It’s not a cult.
It’s not a doctrine.

It’s a way of choosing to be good—not because someone tells you to, but because it’s simply the right thing to do.

And if believing in kindness makes Humanism a religion, then call me a believer.

Stay curious. Stay human. And always, be kind.

Where This Series Goes Next

🔹 This post is the fifth and final part of my “What Humanism Isn’t” series—debunking the biggest myths about Humanism and what it truly stands for.

🚀 If you’ve been following this series, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Have any of these myths surprised you?

Let’s talk—join the conversation—follow me on Socials or check out more posts.