According to the IHEU, the state funding of optional humanist education is in line with the separation of church and state. Theocratic threats of tolerance Out of an historical perspective, the concepts of human rights were developed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Scientific research started to replace revelations in books interpreted as being of divine origin. Self- determination of nations, minorities and individuals got more emphasis compared with authorities who looked upon themselves as representatives of higher powers. In the past and present, many examples can be given of theistic views imposed upon others through legislation.
Theocratic societies act against the human right of freedom of religion or belief.
Those religions or beliefs that explicitly support the right to self- determination of individuals should therefore be respected by all countries. The right to individual and social self-determination also implies the right of adults to believe in supernatural powers more important than themselves. But at the same time, it means that no person has the right to impose their view upon others. Usually, fundamentalism is perceived as a revival of religions, but that's questionable. Fundamentalism also could be defined as an attempt to keep the religious flock together in a secularizing world.