Universal Inclusive vs. Sectarian Exclusive Values

One argument that sectarian fundamentalists make--Christians, Muslims, or, for that matter, militant atheists or Marxists--for their particular ideology is that under their preferred set of values, ideals and principles, everyone would benefit equally,and a new and complete utopia would be enjoyed all. Even putting aside whether any of these ideologies could actually work, this is a logically flawed statement. This is why it is flawed:

Certain values can be said to be universal, and essentially inclusive of all people, of all human beings. These include such values as freedom; equality or at least equity; individual choice and autonomy; compassion; friendship; reason; and creativity, imagination, and/or enterprise. These values are universal, and inclusive, because all people can embrace them and realize them in the world, even while experiencing very divergent identities and situations otherwise. To believe in liberty, justice, and other humanistic values, there is no obstacle in being Christian, Muslim, pagan or agnostic; in being American, Chinese, or Somali; in being young, old, rich, poor, handicapped, or gay. All that is required is that you are a human being, who desires for oneself and other human beings the best things that life can bring: love, freedom, happiness, fulfillment, self-worth and dignity. That is why these are universal values: they are "basic common denominator" values upon which everyone can agree, regardless of particular demographic or other traits.

Sectarian, exclusive values, however, are of a different nature. If you are a fundamentalist Christian, and insist upon the acceptance of Christ and the practice of Christianity as the sole route to heaven and obtaining real human happiness, this is by definition a particularist and exclusive claim; for it allows full happiness, full value, not to any and all human beings, but to only a particular category of humans, that is, practicing, devout Christians, to the exclusion of non-Christians. If you are non-Christian, you may be tolerated, prayed for, even loved and accepted after a certain manner; but an exclusive claim for Christianity as the path to happiness cannot allow for you as a non-Christian to be entirely fulfilled, or to be fully loved and respected as you are, because the assumption is made that these things are contingent on the belief in Christ. The same holds true for an exclusionary Islam, an exclusionary Wicca, or an exclusionary atheism as well.

This is not to say that one can't follow a certain religion or ideology, and even believe it to be the best choice or path for oneself and others, while simultaneously upholding the universal, inclusive values. It is more a matter of how you are a Christian, or Muslim, or so forth, than necessarily whether and which you are in particular. If you are a Christian, and worship Christ and believe in Him as the best salvation for all humankind; yet can still recognize other positive, viewpoints as being valid, at least as applies to the material world; and therefore work for liberty, justice, and fulfillment for and with all people, irrespective of their particular religious or ideological choices and beliefs; then you can be both a devout believer, and a humanist as well.

Thus, humanist values supersede particular sectarian values not only because they are universal in their enjoyment and application; but for the specific reason that, while a fundamentalist claim necessarily denies a full and universal humanism, humanism does not deny but rather allows people to follow any number of additional belief systems as well, provided individuals do not deny full worth and dignity to followers of different beliefs.