The Ethical Movement shares the ethical heritage and ethical concern for people with the great ethical religions. It respects the fact that for many human beings an ethical faith without theology may be inadequate. But the members and Leaders of the Ethical Movement find a common ground for cooperative action on ethical problems with members of all faiths. They think of it as a fellowship based upon a philosophy of life, emphasizing education and growth, social service and social reconstruction with the purpose of helping people live better lives and thus fulfill the aims of democratic society and of peace between the nations. Since increasing numbers of women and men are no longer affiliated with religious institutions and since increasing numbers no longer believe and worship in traditional ways, the Ethical Movement performs an important function in offering a free platform and a free fellowship for the unchurched.
Religious freedom is humanity's most precious freedom.
Members of the Ethical Movement treasure religious freedom for all, and above all freedom of individual conscience. Religious freedom requires religious tolerance. The Ethical Movement believes that everyone has the right to worship according to conscience and the right not to worship at all. By refusing to formulate or require acceptance of a fixed and final doctrine, the Ethical Movement strives to keep open-ended the quest for truth. Human beings will always differ in their interpretations of life and their need for intellectual and aesthetic formulations and ceremonial expressions of the meaning of life.