Humanism Church

Image of a rocky coastal cave with turquoise water and sunlight illuminating the rock formations. Overlaid text reads: “Physical reality seems to recede in proportion as man’s symbolic activity advances. Instead of dealing with the things themselves man is in a sense constantly conversing with himself.” — Ernst Cassirer. Humanism Church logo appears at the bottom left, and the text “humanism.church” appears at the bottom right.

Symbols not only enhance our understanding of the world and communicate with others, but through our ability to transform materials we can bring into the physical world symbols. #Philosophy #Humanism #ErnstCassirer #HumanismChurch

Inspirational quote graphic over a scenic mountain landscape with clouds and a wildflower meadow in the foreground. Centered text reads: “The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.” — Rachel Carson Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left corner. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right corner.

The more we appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds us, the less easily we can stomach its destruction. #Humanism #Conservation #RachelCarson #Philosophy #HumanismChurch

Image of a peaceful garden pond with green moss-covered rocks and plants surrounding the water. A koi fish swims near the bottom of the image. Overlaid text reads: “It is perhaps the advantages of our times that bring with them a decline and occasional underestimation of the vita contemplativa. But one must admit to himself that our age is poor in great moralists… that work and industry… sometimes seem to rage like a disease. Because there is no time for thinking, and no rest in thinking, we no longer weigh divergent views: we are content to hate them.” — Friedrich Nietzsche. Humanism Church logo appears at the bottom left, and the text “humanism.church” appears at the bottom right.

Real contemplation cannot be productive. We are not machines to be optimized for efficiency. The closer you get to machine-like efficiency, the farther away from humanity. #Humanism #Philosophy #Nietzsche #HumanismChurch

Image of a snowy forest with tall trees and sunlight shining through the branches. Overlaid text reads: “The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of… We know the truth not only by the reason, but also by the heart.” — Blaise Pascal. Humanism Church logo appears at the bottom left, and the text “humanism.church” appears at the bottom right.

Humans are not purely rational animals, and while we have that capacity, we also have other resources to draw on. Our feelings can give us clarity and guidance beyond comprehension. #Humanism #Philosophy #Pascal #HumanismChurch

Image of a star-filled night sky with a light nebula-like glow in the center. Overlaid text reads: “Language is a labyrinth of paths. You approach from one side and know your way about; you approach the same place from another side and no longer know your way about.” — Ludwig Wittgenstein. Humanism Church logo appears at the bottom left, and the text “humanism.church” appears at the bottom right.

Our language helps us order our thoughts and learn but also help us understand them. The very construction of our language informs how we perceive the world. #Humanism #Philosophy #Wittgenstein #HumanismChurch

Image of a beach at sunset with waves rolling onto the shore. Overlaid text reads: “For the beginning is thought to be more than half of the whole, and many of the questions we ask are cleared up by it.” — Aristotle. Humanism Church logo appears at the bottom left, and the text “humanism.church” appears at the bottom right.

There is always a new beginning available to us, if we're prepared to invest the time and effort into something new. Getting started can be time consuming and difficult, but rewarding. #Humanism #Philosophy #Aristotle #HumanismChurch

Image of a peaceful forest with sunlight streaming through tall trees and illuminating a path on the forest floor. Overlaid text reads: “Nowhere you can go is more peaceful – more free of interruptions – than your own soul.” Marcus Aurelius Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left corner. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right corner.

There is always an impermeable sanctuary within each of us where we can go. It's quiet and still and totally private. #Humanism #Philosophy #MarcusAurelius #Stoicism #HumanismChurch

Image of a natural cave with stalactites hanging from the ceiling and a calm blue pool of water below. Overlaid text reads: “Symbols are not proxy for their objects, but are vehicles for the conception of objects.” Suzanne Langer Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left corner. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right corner.

Symbols are not mere stand-ins for the objects or even concepts we experience but are the tools from which our perception and narratives are crafted. #Humanism #Philosophy #SuzanneKLanger #Symbols #HumanismChurch

Image of a colorful meadow filled with wildflowers with mountains in the distance and large clouds in the sky. Overlaid text reads: “The feeling of awed wonder that science can give us is one of the highest experiences of which the human psyche is capable.” Richard Dawkins Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left corner. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right corner.

Our ability to feel wonder and amazement has propelled human thinking and intellect since the first philosophers, and still drives us today. The universe is brimming with wonder for us to enjoy. #Philosophy #Humanism #HumanismChurch

Image of a tranquil garden with moss-covered stones, greenery, and a pond with a koi fish visible near the bottom. Overlaid text reads: “The still mind of the sage is the mirror of heaven and earth, the glass of all things.” Lao Tzu Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left corner. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right corner.

Our ability to quiet our minds and think deeply and profoundly is a gift and a strength. Our minds can be quiet and reflective like still water reflecting nature. #Philosophy #LaoTzu #Humanism #HumanismChurch

Image of a snow-covered forest with tall trees and long shadows cast across the snow. Overlaid text reads: “Words stand between silence and silence: between the silence of things and the silence of our own being.” Thomas Merton Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left corner. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right corner.

Words and symbols are a uniquely human creation and help us understand the world. They bridge the gap between our silent interior selves and the inscrutable universe. #Humanism #Philosophy #ThomasMerton #HumanismChurch

Image with a star-filled night sky background. Overlaid text reads: “Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature, but he is a thinking reed.” Blaise Pascal Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left corner. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right corner.

We may be small compared to the vast unending universe and deep time, but it is our capacity for thought that separates us from all the other small things in creation. #Humanism #Philosophy #BlaisePascal #HumanismChurch

Image of a beach at sunset with waves rolling onto the shore. Overlaid text reads: “I don’t feel that it is necessary to know exactly what I am. The main interest in life and work is to become someone else that you were not in the beginning.” Michel Foucault Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left corner. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right corner.

It's okay to be a work in process, and not sure what you were, what you are, or what you're becoming. We are constantly working on ourselves, and every day is an opportunity to begin anew. #Philosophy #Foucault #Humanism #HumanismChurch

A sunlit forest with tall trees and soft rays of light streaming through the leaves onto a path below. Centered text reads: “And I come to the fields and spacious places of my memory, where are the treasures of innumerable images, brought into it from things of all sorts perceived by the senses …” — St. Augustine. The Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right.

We have inside each of us a sanctuary with the capacity to store endless memories and symbols that we treasure. Not just images but sensation and emotion too. #Philosophy #StAugustine #Humanism #HumanismChurch

A serene cave with stalactites hanging from the ceiling and clear blue water reflecting the rock formations. Centered text reads: “A symbol does not disguise, it reveals in time.” — Carl Jung. The Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right.

We use symbols to understand the world. They are tools, not masks or disguises. The symbols we create and share evolve with time and can even take on new meanings. #Philosophy #CarlJung #Humanism #HumanismChurch

A mountain landscape with distant peaks under a bright sky filled with large clouds. In the foreground is a colorful meadow of wildflowers. Centered text reads: “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” — Carl Sagan. The Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right.

We are truly free in an infinite universe. Wonder can motivate us to explore and learn as well as to think totally new thoughts. The infinite possibilities of existence are out there, waiting for us. #Philosophy #CarlSagan #Humanism #HumanismChurch

A tranquil garden scene with moss-covered rocks, green foliage, and a calm pond with an orange koi fish near the bottom. Centered text reads: “On the contrary, immaterial things come into existence by merely being thought. So then contemplate pure Intelligence, instead of seeking it with your bodily eyes, fix on it your interior gaze.” — Plotinus. The Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right.

The interior world of our contemplative thoughts is real. We can confront notions and concepts in ways exclusive to contemplation. #Philosophy #Plotinus #Enneads #Humanism #HumanismChurch

A snowy forest with tall trees and long winter shadows under soft light. Centered text reads: “A free man thinks of nothing less than of death, and his wisdom is a meditation, not on death, but on life.” — Baruch Spinoza. The Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right.

We should live authentically and in the present. Dwelling on our future or mortality robs the present. #Humanism #Philosophy #Spinoza #HumanismChurch

A star-filled night sky background with a light rectangular overlay in the center. The text reads: “Most people would rather die than think and many of them do!” — Bertrand Russell. The Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left corner. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right corner.

Deep thinking isn't easy or something that can be done idly. It requires effort and concentration and focus as well as commitment. Not everyone makes the effort. #Humanism #Philosophy #BertrandRussell #HumanismChurch

A beach at sunset with waves rolling onto the shore under a warm orange and pink sky. Centered text reads: “Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future, act now, without delay.” — Simone de Beauvoir. Humanism Church logo appears in the lower left. The text “humanism.church” appears in the lower right.

We are all truly free, to change our minds or our lives simply because we feel like it. Don't risk tomorrow to make the changes you want. #Philosophy #deBeauvoir #Existentialism #Humanism #HumanismChurch

Image of a sunlit forest with tall trees and light streaming through the leaves onto a path. Overlaid text reads: “Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson Humanism Church logo at bottom left. Text at bottom right reads: humanism.church

We must each be true to ourselves and our own convictions and beliefs. We hold these truths inside ourselves where we're truly free. #Humanism #Philosophy #Emerson #HumanismChurch

Image of a rocky coastal cave with turquoise water and natural stone formations. Overlaid text reads: “Signals and symbols belong to two different universes of discourse: a signal is a part of the physical world of being, and a symbol is part of the human world of meaning.” — Ernst Cassirer Humanism Church logo at bottom left. Text at bottom right reads: humanism.church

Symbols are human creations that exist separately from the physical signals that we all experience. Since we can only perceive signals through the veil of our senses symbols and signals are equally real to us. #Philosophy #Cassirer #Symbols #Humanism #HumanismChuch

A scenic landscape of a wildflower meadow and mountains under a cloudy sky. A text overlay features a quote by Albert Einstein: 'The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mystious. It It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead – his eyes are closed.' The Humanism Church logo and website humanism.church are at the bottom.

The feeling of awe and wonder has motivated humans since prehistoric times. It is an inexhaustible and inextinguishable source of human fascination and achievement. #Philospohy #AlbertEinstein #Humanism #HumanismChurch

Image of a tranquil garden pond with moss-covered stones and greenery. Overlaid text reads: “All men know the use of the useful, but nobody knows the use of the useless.” — Zhuangzi Humanism Church logo at bottom left. Text at bottom right reads: humanism.church

Contemplation is the oppositive of action. If it were to be productive it would cease to be contemplation. We all must make time for it in order to actually live instead of just counting time. #Humanism #Philosophy #Zhuangzi #HumanismChurch

Image of a snowy forest with tall trees and soft sunlight filtering through. Overlaid text reads: “If I were a physician, and if I were allowed to prescribe just one remedy for all the ills of the modern world, I would prescribe silence.” — Søren Kierkegaard Humanism Church logo at bottom left. Text at bottom right reads: humanism.church

Silence can be a respite and rejuvenating, especially when daily life is overwhelming. Don't let the demands of survival convince you to avoid or even destroy silence. #Philosophy #Kierkegaard #Humanism #HumanismChurch

Image of a star-filled night sky background. Overlaid text reads: “The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.” — Robertson Davies Humanism Church logo at bottom left. Text at bottom right reads: humanism.church

Our experiences and knowledge shape our perception of reality. In order to experience more and grow and understand we must be open minded and willing to learn. #Philosophy #Humanism #RobertsonDavies #HumanismChurch

Image of a sunset over the ocean with waves rolling onto a sandy beach. Overlaid text reads: “In that part of the book of my memory before which little can be read, there is a heading, which says: ‘Incipit vita nova: here begins the new life.’” — Dante Alighieri Humanism Church logo at bottom left. Text at bottom right reads: humanism.church

We have the capacity within us to turn over a new page and start a new beginning. We have the ability to do the unexpected, to make a change, and do something totally new and fresh. #Dante #Philosophy #Humanism #HumanismChurch

A peaceful forest with tall trees and sunbeams shining through the leaves onto a woodland path. Centered text reads: “The present moment is the only moment available to us, and it is the door to all moments.” — Thich Nhat Hanh. The Humanism Church logo appears at bottom left, and the text “humanism.church” appears at bottom right.

The present moment is where we truly exist. By not dwelling on the past or ruminating on the future we can find a peaceful sanctuary just being and living. #Philosophy #Humanism #ThichNhatHanh #HumanismChurch

A serene cave scene with turquoise water and rock formations reflected in the pool. Centered text reads: “Symbols are capable of revealing a modality of the real or a condition of the world which is not evident on the plane of immediate experience.” — Mircea Eliade. The Humanism Church logo appears at bottom left, and the text “humanism.church” appears at bottom right.

Symbols are just as real as the physical world we inhabit. The meaning of symbols in our minds is every bit as real to us as the world revealed by our senses. #Philosophy #Symbolism #MerceaEliade #Humanism #HumanismChurch

A mountain landscape with wildflowers in the foreground and soft clouds above distant peaks. Centered text reads: “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” — John Muir. The Humanism Church logo appears at bottom left, and the text “humanism.church” appears at bottom right.

Humanity has spent millennia in awe of nature. Our connection to it is eternal and no matter how diminished our personal connection is it can be rejuvenated. Don't let daily life stop you from enjoying nature. #Humanism #JohnMuir #Philosophy #HumanismChurch