Personal Paths to Humanism
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Spring 1987 Vol. 7, No. 2 Personal Paths to Humanism B. F. Skinner Albert Ellis Gina Allen Steve Allen E. O. Wilson Paul MacCready A New Affirmative Statement of Humanism Paul Kurtz Plus The Expanding Friendship Center Movement • Secular Sobriety Centers The Constitution as a Secular Document • The Psychology of the Bible-Believer The Biblical Arguments for Slavery • The `Escape Goat' of Christianity Belief and Unbelief in Germany • Reincarnation • More on Faith-Healing Free %nv ry SPRING 1987, VOL. 7, NO. 2 ISSN 0272-0701 Contents 3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 58 IN THE NAME OF GOD 10 ON THE BARRICADES 62 CLASSIFIED 4 EDITORIALS The Affirmations of Humanism Paul Kurtz / The U.S. Constitution Vern Bullough / Friendship Center Report Robert Basil / Can a Secular Humanist Coexist in Alcoholics Anonymous? Robert Meyer / Secular Sobriety Groups James Christopher / Our Godless Supermarkets Arthur Hoppe I Vatican Sexology John Money PERSONAL PATHS TO HUMANISM 12 What Religion Means to Me B. F. Skinner 13 Biology's Spiritual Products E. O. Wilson 16 Meeting Human Minds Steve Allen 19 The Night I Saw the Light Gina Allen 20 An Evolutionary Perspective Paul MacCready 21 Testament of a Humanist Albert Ellis ARTICLES 22 Psychology of the Bible-Believer Edmund D. Cohen 28 Biblical Arguments for Slavery Morton Smith 32 The `Escape Goat' of Christianity Delos B. McKown 35 Free Thought and Humanism in Germany Renate Bauer 38 The Case Against Reincarnation (Part 3) Paul Edwards CSER's FAITH-HEALING PROJECT UPDATE 50 The Happy Hunters David Alexander 52 An Encounter with Pastor David Epley Kate Ware Ankenbrandt BOOKS 53 Lesbianism in the Convent Bonnie Bullough VIEWPOINTS 54 Secular Is Good Betty McCollister 54 'New Age' Gurus: Shirley MacLaine, J. Z. Knight, and Co. Robert Basil 56 Are Secular Humanists Evil9 Tom Franczyk 56 Thomas Paine, Revolutionary Humanist Thomas S. Vernon Editor: Paul Kurtz Associate Editors: Doris Doyle, Steven L. Mitchell, Lee Nisbet, Gordon Stein Managing Editor: Andrea Szalanski Assistant Editor: Robert Basil Contributing Editors: Lionel Abel, author, critic; Robert S. Alley, professor of humanities, University of Richmond; Paul Beattie, president, Fellowship of Religious Humanists; Jo-Ann Boydston, director, Dewey Center; Vern Bullough, historian, State University of New York College at Buffalo; Paul Edwards, professor of philosophy, Brooklyn College; Albert Ellis, director, Institute for Rational Living; Roy P. Fairfield, social scientist, Union Graduate School; Joseph Fletcher, theologian, University of Virginia Medical School; Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading University, England; R. Joseph Hoffmann, chairman, Department of Philosophy and Religion, Hartwick College, Oneonta, N.Y.; Sidney Hook, professor emeritus of philosophy, NYU; Marvin Kohl, philosopher, State University of New York College at Fredonia; Jean Kotkin, executive director, American Ethical Union; Gerald Larue, professor emeritus of archaeology and biblical history, USC; Ronald A. Lindsay, attorney, Washington, D.C.; Delos B. McKown, professor of philosophy, Auburn University; Howard Radest, director, Ethical Culture Schools; Robert Rimmer, author; Svetozar Stojanovic, professor of philosophy, University of Belgrade; Thomas Szasz, psychiatrist, Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse; V. M. Tarkunde, Supreme Court Judge, India; Richard Taylor, professor of philosophy, Union College; Sherwin Wine, founder, Society for Humanistic Judaism Editorial Associates: James Martin-Diaz, Thomas Flynn, Thomas Franczyk Executive Director of CODESH, Inc.: Jean Millholland Book Reviews: Victor Culotta Associate Director of Public Relations: Barry L. Karr Systems Manager: Richard Seymour Typesetting: Paul E. Loynes Layout: Alain Kugel Audio Technician: Vance Vigrass Staff: Norman Forney, Steven Karr, Jacqueline Livingston, Valerie Marvin, Alfreda Pidgeon FREE INQUIRY (ISSN 0272-0701) is published quarterly by the Council for Democratic and Secular Humanism (CODESH, Inc.), a nonprofit corporation, 3159 Bailey Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14215. Phone (716) 834-2921. Copyright ©1987 by CODESH, Inc. Second-class postage paid at Buffalo, New York, and at additional mailing offices. National distribution by International Periodicals Distributors, San Diego, California. Subscription rates: $18.00 for one year, $32.00 for two years, $42.00 for three years, $3.75 for single copies. Address subscription orders, changes of address, and advertising to: FREE INQUIRY, Box 5, Buffalo, NY 14215-0005. Manuscripts, letters, and editorial inquiries should be addressed to: The Editor, FREE INQUIRY, Box 5, Buffalo, NY 14215-0005. All manuscripts should be accompanied by two additional copies and a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or publisher. their children to school, and in particular, does the government have a right to force parents to subject their children to various LETTERS TO THE EDITOR influences of which the parents do not ap- prove? In my book, the answer is a resound- ing no, because the forced intrusion of the government into such intimate family mat- Education Battles in Alabama As a humanist, I am happy to try to make ters as the rearing of children is a significant and Tennessee it worthwhile. As a realist, I am not very step along the road to totalitarianism, irre- optimistic that we can succeed. spective of how well meaning or enlightened Corliss Lamont's article, "Naturalistic Big Brother—or, in this case, Big Teacher— Humanism" (FI, Winter 1986/87), was accu- F. Norman Higgs may be. Indeed, in this context, let us not rate but a bit misleading. Sullivan County, Bay City, Mich. forget the words of Thoreau, who declared Tennessee, where I live, abuts Hawkins that, should he see someone coming toward County, where the infamous textbook trial him who wished to do him a good turn, he would involving Vickie Frost was held. All but one Fundamentalist parents condemn fairy tales run for his life. person with whom I have spoken has been like "Goldilocks," "Jack and Jill," and "The Oh, you say, but we only want to teach furious with Frost and the presiding judge. Wizard of or as being destructive to the the students Science and Truth—surely there The case has opened a can of worms and thinking and morals of our young people. could be no harm in that! But you forget will further impair an already deficient After coming out of one of the most one thing, as J. B. R. Yant has so aptly school system, and will probably have ill fanatical sects of fundamentalism, I'm here stated, "Truth is a matter of opinion." effects for others throughout the country. to tell you that there is nothing more Most parents are resentful that their children destructive to the morals and well-being of John Bryant will not receive an in-depth education in the our young people than the Bible. At one South Pasadena, Fla. arts because of the elimination of `objection- time I had a book called My Book of Bible able" material from the curriculum for all Stories, which was a book printed especially students. The entire fiasco appears to be an for youngsters. A picture accompanied each On Creationism attempt to introduce religion into the school story. There were pictures of Cain killing system via the "back door," in defiance of Abel, the Flood, in which people were My husband and I have been reading your the Supreme Court. scratching and clawing at the Ark as they magazine for about a year, feeling comforta- drowned, Sodom being destroyed by fire, bly distant in our academic and professional William P. Templeton, M.D. Abraham trying to cut Isaac's throat, Jonah environment from creationists and other Kingsport, Tenn. being swallowed by a fish, King Solomon Bible-mad deviants. However, a distressing holding a baby by his heels and threatening episode recently revealed to me the extent to cut him in half, Samson pulling down of their grasp. As Paul Kurtz reports in "The New Inquisi- the temple on himself and everyone else I am a classicist and a member of the tion in the Schools" (FI, Winter 1986/87),, (blind because his eyes had been poked out American Philosophical Association, which the resurgence of fundamentalism in spite by his enemies), the Egyptians drowning in held its annual meeting in San Antonio last of overwhelming scientific evidence render- the Red Sea, the Israelites slaughtering the December in conjunction with the Archae- ing its basis as untenable is a very puzzling Canaanites, and on and on, finally ending ological Institute of America. Although I phenomenon. One explanation may be found with the typical picture of Christ dying on a am not an archaeologist, I attended an AIA in the notion that the mind is a separate, torture stake for our sins because God session titled "Time and Chronology: Con- independent entity from the brain. It's diffi- needed a human sacrifice for atonement. No trasting Views of Creationists and Evolu- cult to accept that the mind is a function of matter how it is presented, the fact is that tionists." The title alone, indicating with the the brain, especially since it rules out the the Bible simply is not suitable reading word evolutionist that a doctrine or point idea of immortality. In addition, increas- material for young people, or people of any of view was to be discussed, rather than a ingly, scientific evidence has reduced the cos- age for that matter. discipline or science, lowered my respect for mic significance of the individual to zero. this otherwise excellent professional organi-