All The “isms”
In researching philosophies of religions I came across many “isims” so I put together the definitions of all the isims I came across here. Enjoy:
Agnosticism: a (meaning “without”) gnosis (”knowledge”). Agnosticism is the position where one claims they cannot know whether a God or Gods exists. This lack of knowledge may be viewed as temporary (weak agnosticism) or permanent (strong agnosticism).
Animism: A belief that natural phenomena such as rocks, trees, thunder, or celestial bodies have life or divinity. The doctrine that all natural objects and the universe itself have souls. a belief that natural phenomena such as rocks, trees, thunder, or celestial bodies have life or divinity.
Atheism: a (”without”) the (”deity”, or “god”). Disbelief in any supernatural deity.
Autotheism: The viewpoint that, whether divinity is also external or not, it is inherently within ‘oneself’ and that one’s duty is to become perfect; divine. This can either be in a selfish, wilful, egotistical way or a selfless way following the implications of statements attributed to ethical, philosophical, and religious leaders such as Jesus, Buddha, Mahavira, and Socrates. The doctrine of God’s self-existence. Deification of one’s self; self-worship.
Deism: the belief that a god created the world and then left it to run on its own. Popular during the Enlightenment period. The analogy often used to explain it is that of a clock maker who constructs the watch and then leaves it, allowing it to operate on its own.
Dualism: The doctrine that reality consists of two basic opposing elements, often taken to be mind and matter (or mind and body), or good and evil. Dualism denotes a state of two parts. The word’s origin is the Latin duo, “two” . The term ‘dualism’ was originally coined to denote co-eternal binary opposition, a meaning that is preserved in metaphysical and philosophical duality discourse but has been diluted in general usage.
Eutheism: the belief that there is a god, and that this god is good. (Omnibenevolence) is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “unlimited or infinite benevolence”. It is sometimes held to be impossible for a deity to exhibit this property along with both omniscience and omnipotence, because of the problem of evil. It is a technical term used in the academic literature on the philosophy of religion, often in the context of the problem of evil and in theodical responses, and even in such context, the phrases “perfect goodness” or “moral perfection” are often preferred.
Existentialism: A philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one’s acts.
Fatalism: The doctrine that all events are predetermined by fate and are therefore unalterable.
Hedonism: The doctrine which holds the standard of the good and morality as whatever gives pleasure per se. This theory substitutes ethical purpose for ethical standard, stating (in essence) “the proper value is whatever you happen to value.” Objectivism rejects this formulation.
Henotheism: Devotion to one god, while accepting the existence of others. Much of the Old Testament is henotheistic.
Humanism: is a perspective common to a wide range of ethical stances that attaches importance to human dignity, concerns, and capabilities, particularly rationality. Although the word has many senses, its meaning comes into focus when contrasted to the supernatural or to appeals to authority. Since the nineteenth century, humanism has been associated with an anti-clericalism inherited from the eighteenth-century Enlightenment philosophes. Twenty-first century Humanism tends to strongly endorse human rights, including reproductive rights, gender equality, social justice, and the separation of church and state. The term covers organized non-theistic religions, secular humanism, and a humanistic life stance. The doctrine emphasizing a person’s capacity for self-realization through reason; rejects religion and the supernatural.
Winona LaDuke, is an Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe) enrolled member of the Mississippi Band of Anishinaabeg and is the mother of three children. Winona is the Program Director of Honor the Earth and Founding Director of White Earth Land Recovery Project.
This is part 4 of the series of articles entitled “The People of the Seven Council Fires – Documentary Summary“. Find 
Their roles were taken away. The women could no longer teach and nurture their children who were taken away from them; the men had no buffalo to hunt and mentoring to give.
This is part 2 of the articles entitled “The People of the Seven Council Fires – Documentary Summary“. Find 
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