1. Use reason to decide what to believe. Avoid religious dogma. Use critical thinking and argue over ideas, especially if they seem obvious or controversial. Exploring non-traditional beliefs is necessary for us to learn the truth about the beautiful and fragile natural world we live in, as well as how to safeguard living conditions for ourselves and future generations.
2. Be ethical because we want to be, not because we’ve been told to. It’s easy to follow a set of rules someone lays out for you. It’s much more difficult and rewarding to decide for yourself what rules you think you and your neighbors should follow. We leave a positive legacy because we want to, not because the government or a powerful being commands us to.
3. Recognize personal freedoms come before personal preference. Support our neighbor’s legal rights and freedoms when they do not interfere with the rights and freedoms of others. Our preference for or against an action in our daily lives, like a religious activity or abstinence, is no excuse to mandate or outlaw that action across society. We must respect that the law is there to protect our rights and not to limit others’ rights.
4. Practise social responsibility based on our human values. We must make the world into what we want it to be. Things don’t have value unless you value them. If you value charity, practise charity. If you value learning, learn and teach. We have to take our values seriously because we’re the only place they come from. By sharing knowledge, resources, and opportunities, we can set higher standards for the betterment of our communities who need it, as well as for the growth of our personal integrity.
5. Affirm a government’s power comes only from the people they represent. When the government no longer represents voters, or when the government’s interests no longer align with the people’s interests, the government is dictating to its subjects. It is our duty to oppose and decry the actions of dictators, no matter how powerful, all-knowing, or omni-present they are.
