"Atheism", on the other hand, is a general term. Most atheists do not identify themselves with a particular ideology. Their only common attribute, then, is a lack of belief in gods. Little wonder that atheist groups are so dispersed. Regrouping on the basis of a religion is already a dicey proposition, let alone on a relatively insignificant position as a lack of belief in a particular concept.
Religious lobbies who need a straw man to pin on the atheist mostly use secular humanism for target practice. Its supposed immorality and general impiety makes it a suspect of everything that is wrong with society - some have even proposed that it is a conspiracy. As with anything with religion, however, this outlook is very limited.
Humanism is a general term that designates a gradient of ideologies. There is religious as well as secular humanism, but both share basic principles. Christian and religious humanism seek the fulfillment of man within a religious context. This human-oriented faith, of course, is not biblical - as religious doctrines demand divine obedience above all. As such, religious humanism is a feel-good, pick-and-choose vague idea of what religion should really be like, an ideology that supports human fulfillment.
Secular humanism, on the other hand, is based on the rejection of supernaturalism, and the adoption of science, democracy, and "human compassion" (Frederick Edwords, "What is humanism ?"). In the same way, it is a feel-good, pick-and-choose vague idea of what reality should be like.
Certainly there is a lot of merit in the basic idea of humanism. Human beings are not perfect, epistemically or otherwise, and we cannot rely on divine intervention or revelation to find knowledge. Therefore a rational, human-based approach to reality is desirable. In the same manner, focusing the validation of our actions on human reason and context rather than inhuman religious doctrine, and our society on the fulfillment of human life rather than submission to the clergy or religious principles, are good ideas.
Unfortunately, secular humanism only takes these ideas so far. Granted, it is a pretty vague ideology in the first place. However, what is established about it is enough to determine that it is not a proper basis for man's life.
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