Three S's

While the Christian Christmas season now moves to a celebration of the Biblical Three Kings, I would like to point out that the three major world religions are actually ruled by three S's: Salvation, Submission and Superiority. As the gooey trappings of Christmas ebb, it is important to sober up and realize that the codified goodness of a major commercial holiday has no real sustained effect on reality. In fact, it is part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Daily practice, whether secular or religiously motivated, entails adopting and implementing all the values touted during the Christmas season in everyday life, whereas those without a daily practice indulge in binging sentimental hedonism and materialism in the name of religious piety and generosity. Packaged religion for convenience or socialization falls short of the ideals of the Christmas message and the better messages of other major theologies. I would be saddened to see packaged humanism follow in the footsteps of packaged religion for the masses. 

I do not believe true humanism can be packaged. It is an individual process, not a marketable product. Many may wish to be humanists after reading about humanist ideals, but few will actually develop a humanist practice. Even fewer will actually succeed to live a humanist life. The reason for this is simple: The path of humanism is difficult and somewhat lonely in materialistic times.