sew Humanists /moat° the

..NAMING C E R E M O N I E S

..CONFIRMATIONS.

..WEDDINGS. •

..MEMORIAL SERVICES.. FALL 1993, VOL. 13, NO. 4 ISSN 0272-0701 Free limeirjr) Contents Editor: Paul Kurtz Senior Editors: Vern Bullough, Gerald Larue, 3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Gordon Stein Executive Editor: Timothy J. Madigan 4 EDITORIALS Managing Editor: Andrea Szalanski Letter from Berlin, Paul Kurtz / Contributing Editors: Confession Is Good for the Soul, Robert S. Alley, Joe E. Barnhart, David Berman, Timothy J. Madigan / School Prayer Thirty Years Later, Ronald H. James Birx, Jo Ann Boydston, Bonnie Bullough, Paul Edwards, Albert Ellis, Roy P. Fairfield, Charles J. Lindsay / Whose Choice? Skipp Porteous / A Dialogue on W. Faulkner, Antony Flew, Levi Fragell, Adolf Academic Freedom, Vern L. Bullough Grünbaum, Marvin Kohl, Jean Kotkin, Thelma Lavine, Ronald A. Lindsay, Michael Martin, Delos 10 More on "The Incredible Discovery of B. McKown, John Novak, Howard Raciest, Robert Rimmer, Michael Rockier, Svetozar Stojanovic, Noah's Ark" Gerald A. Larue Thomas Szasz, V. M. Tarkunde, Richard Taylor, Rob Tielman SHOULD SECULAR HUMANISTS CELEBRATE Associate Editors: THE RITES OF PASSAGE? Doris Doyle, Thomas Flynn, Steven L. Mitchell, Lee 14 An Affirmative View of Celebrations Paul Kurtz Nisbet 15 Advice to Young Lovers About to Be Wed Paul Kurtz Editorial Associates: 16 Holidays for Humanists Molleen Matsumura Thomas Franczyk, Roger Greeley, James Martin- Diaz, Molleen Matsumura, Warren Allen Smith 17 The Sunday Regression Service George Rowell 20 Surrogate (and Secular) Blessings Richard J. Goss Chairman, CODESH, Inc.: Paul Kurtz 21 Eupraxophic Matrimony Verle Muhrer Chief Development Officer: James Kimberly 22 How Atheists Do It Olga Bourlin Executive Director, African-Americans for 22 Freethinkers' Funerals Gordon Stein Humanism: Norm R. Allen, Jr. 24 A Gay Secular Humanist Memorial Executive Director, Secular Organizations for Service Warren Allen Smith Sobriety: James Christopher 25 Rational Rituals or "Pay No Attention to that Chief Data Officer: Richard Seymour Man Behind the Curtain" Timothy J. Madigan Typesetting: Paul E. Loynes 26 The Trouble with Christmas Thomas Flynn Graphic Designer: J. J. Chrystal 28 A National Day of Blame Norman R. Allen, Jr. 29 Why I Am a Humanist Skeptic— Audio Technician: Vance Vigrass and Still a Jew Sheldon F. Gottlieb Staff: 31 Ceremonies in India Babu R.R. Gogineni Georgeia Locurcio, Anthony Nigro, Ranjit Sandhu 35 Humanist Confirmation and Namings FREE INQUIRY (ISSN 0272-0701) is published quarterly by the Council for Democratic and Secular in Norway Steinar Nilsen Humanism (C0DESH, Inc.), a nonprofit corporation, 3965 Rensch Road, Buffalo, NY 14228- 2713. Phone (716) 636-7571. Fax (716) 636-1733. 40 The Causes of Homosexuality: Copyright ©1993 by CODESH, Inc. Second-class postage paid at Buffalo, N.Y., and at additional A Scientific Update Vern and Bonnie Bullough mailing offices. National distribution by International Periodicals Distributors, Solana 48 Jane Addams: No Easy Heroine Malcolm Bush Beach, California. FREE INQUIRY is available from University Microfilms and is indexed in 50 The Unkindest Cut of All Robert Gorham Davis Philosophers' Index. Subscription rates: $25.00 for one year, $43.00 for 54 REVIEWS two years, $59.00 for three years, $6.25 for single issues. Address subscription orders, changes of Ancient Histories and Modern Humanities, John R. Lenz / Strange address, and advertising to: FREE INQUIRY, Box 664, Bedfellows Divorce, Timothy J. Madigan / The New Gnosticism, Buffalo, NY 14226-0664. Lois K Porter / A Visionary Humanist, Warren Allen Smith / Manuscripts, letters, and editorial inquiries should be addressed to: The Editor, FREE INQUIRY, Box 664, False Accusations Against Planned Parenthood, Bonnie Bul- Buffalo, NY 14226-0664. All manuscripts must be lough / Southeast Asian Tragedy, typed double-spaced and should be accompanied by Roy P. Fairfield / Books in a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Opinions Brief expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or publisher. Postmaster: Send address 66 IN THE NAME OF GOD changes to FREE INQUIRY, Box 664, Buffalo, NY 14226-0664. Cover illustration by Tony Marella. "cause" by shifting the ground of argument from the ethical to the psy- chological. Our quarrel with a good deal Letters to the Editor of what goes on under the rubric of "religion" has to do with violations of human dignity, democratic values, and intellectual integrity. When we transform these into diagnostic categories, the Religion and Insanity values: "being concerned with securing outcome is to turn toward ther- justice and fairness in society; believing apy rather than judgment and action. I am an Episcopalian who enjoys your in the fullest realizations of the best and And that, as we've seen in other contexts, magazine for its boldness and courage noblest that we are capable of as human e.g. in dealing with evil, is a dead-end in addressing the problems posed by the beings." I do not agree that these kinds path. fundamentalist world. Being a "reli- of aspirations bring a "meaninglessness" gious" person is not easy these days, or void into our lives. I, in fact, propose Howard B. Radest especially when most religion is defined that, if firmly believed in and courage- Hilton Head, S.C. by hucksters and televangelists. None- ously lived by, "the transcendence" theless, I value my religious experience achievable in "this" world can be a good as self-affirming and important to my prescription for mental health. I embrace The question "Is religion a form of life. Nietzsche's "ubermensch," the ideal of insanity?" is unanswerable until one FREE INQUIRY'S Summer 1993 issue, "self-overcoming," and I concur with this specifies which religion, which branch of which asked the question, "Is Religion existentialist philosopher as he considers that religion, and which version of that a Form of Insanity?" was especially one's moral health to be inextricably branch. It seems that when the word interesting to me. Yes, religion can connected with his or her "mental religion appears in your journal the become a form of insanity, but it is not health." writers mean theistic religion, but this necessarily so. Some of us manage to is never made clear. I am a humanist function as normal human beings Jeannette Lowen who is a member of the Unitarian (however that may be defined). Last I Deerfield Beach, Fla. Universalist church, consider myself very checked, I still shower and shave every religious, and also definitely not insane day, and I manage to take nourishment (a few quirks, maybe). often enough to stay alive. Sounds pretty I've just finished reading "Is Religion a normal to me. Form of Insanity?" As usual, the R. Thomas Myers material was interesting and provocative, Kent, Ohio Jeffrey Needle but, alas, misleading and unfair. I find Chula Vista, Calif. it troubling that a definition for the term religion was nowhere to be found. The I was surprised that neither David lack undercuts the attempt to formulate Berman ("Religion and Neurosis") nor Re John F. Schumaker's "The Mental an hypothesis since empirical references Albert Ellis ("Are Atheists Really More Health of Atheists": I am keenly inter- cannot be clearly assigned. Using a Psychologically Disturbed than Reli- ested in his attempts to correlate being familiar approach, we could as easily gionists?") pointed out a large problem "mentally healthy" with being "religious" prepare texts in the following form: "Is in Schumaker's work: The tests upon or "secularly humanistic." I, however, see Politics a Form of Insanity?" or "Is which he relied involved a sample of a weakness in his position when he Economics a Form Of Insanity?" etc. We "normal" people and a sample of chooses the traditional criteria for such could find numerous instances that "insane" ones and recorded the signif- determinations. If mental health is provided seeming verification to these icant difference in the responses of the defined as the absence of psychopatho- questions. groups. But the "normal" sample prob- logical symptoms, we are then limiting On the other hand, if the issue is ably had about 90 percent religious ourselves and aspiring merely to being fundamentalism, orthodoxy, and in people. Had the tests been validated by "well-adjusted." If, on the other hand, general that rigidity in thinking patterns giving them to a sample of "non-insane" we assume "humanistic" definitions of that accompanies paranoid schizoid atheists, their responses would have been mental health, we are looking toward behaviors, then a case could be made. labeled as "normal," and the responses self-actualization, self-determination, But, the case would have to do with of the "non-insane" religious would be responsibility for ourselves and for each patterns of thought and perception that "abnormal"! other. These are the ideals held by are not unique to religion and, indeed, Charles M. Selby humanists. might even be found on occasion in our Christmas Valley, Ore. The ideological basis of humanism is own humanist and freethought circles. an affirmation of such principles and I think we do a disservice to our own (Letters, continued on p. 64)

Fall 1993 3 public schools, to prohibit abortion, and to institute theocratic censorship. With the collapse of communism, secular Editorials humanists are virtually the only viable opposition to such policies. Indeed, the Vatican recently abandoned its inde- pendent "Commission for Dialogue with Nonbelievers," which was supposed to Letter from Berlin enter into discourse with atheists. Given the virtual disappearance of commun- ism, it apparently feels that there is no Paul Kurtz further need for dialogue. Moreover, the papacy has expressed its intention to "re- recently attended, along with the over post-communist Eastern Europe Christianize" the whole of Europe, Ieditors of FREE INQUIRY, the first and Western countries. The theme was weakening secularism and rupturing the Congress of the European Humanist "Democracy and Human Rights," with separation of church and state. Federation, which convened in Berlin special attention devoted to "ethnic Western European delegates likewise July 25 through 30, 1993. The Humanist cleansing" and the resurgence of religious expressed concern about these develop- Federation was established in 1991 to nationalism and racial hatred. The ments. They were also worried about the present the humanist outlook and defend delegates were unanimous in their emergence of virulent forms of racism the rights of unbelievers in Europe and criticism of such phenomena in the in their own countries, especially against before the Council of Europe and the Balkans and the former republics of the recent immigrants from North Africa, European Parliament. There are now Soviet Union. There was a strong defense the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. humanist organizations in nineteen of immigration as a positive develop- Given the deep recession and widespread countries from the Atlantic to the Urals.* ment. Some delegates pointed out the unemployment, quasi-Fascists in As far as we can determine, this is the virtues of intermarriage (or metissage, France, Austria, and other countries fan most powerful grouping of humanist and as the Frenchman Professor Jean- chauvinistic feelings. freethought organizations ever assem- Claude Pecker described it). Some, such These nationalistic trends are espe- bled in Europe, cutting across all fron- as the noted Russian author, Aleksandr cially ominous in Germany, where Nazi tiers. Hence, the Congress was of con- Granin, head of P.E.N. in St. Petersburg, racial tyranny has soaked the soil of siderable historic significance. defended the virtues of cosmopolitanism, Europe with blood. In recent months The Federation is part of the world- a transnational attitude that had been there has been an intensification of wide International Humanist and Eth- strongly condemned by Soviet dictators. attacks on foreigners, especially Turks ical Union, a nontheistic organization The first surge of optimism, which and Muslims, by skinheads and neo- founded in 1952 that is committed to Eastern European countries experienced Fascist hooligans. In Berlin there is a the view that human beings are respon- only two and three years ago as they large Turkish minority of 400,000. sible for their own self-determination broke away from communist totalitar- Brought to Germany to replenish the without need of supernatural support. ianism and attempted to democratize, labor pool during the years of rapid The European Congress was hosted has been replaced by grave pessimism. economic expansion, they are now by the Berlin Freethinkers, who have just Massive economic dislocations and viewed by many as unwanted intruders. changed their name and have become inflation have thrown millions of people Moreover, Turks and other foreigners part of a new All-German Humanist out of work; strident forms of religious are denied the rights of German citizen- Union (Humanistischer Verband nationalism are engendering intolerant ship and other political freedoms, and Deutschland). The Congress was held in hatred among ethnic groups who until this applies even to their children born former communist East Berlin, not far recently lived together peacefully; new on German soil. from the site of the infamous wall. It forms of authoritarian religious repres- A Turkish taxi driver, a young lad brought together delegates from all sion are taking hold in country after of nineteen, upon learning that I was country. The Roman Catholic church is an American, exclaimed in anguish, *Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, seeking to impose its dogma everywhere "The Krauts have learned nothing. They Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Nether- lands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, it can, including Croatia, Slovenia, hate us and are racists to the core!" My Yugoslavia, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Slova- Poland, and Slovakia. The Eastern efforts to contest this and to point out kia, and Sweden. Orthodox church is similarly reestablish- that democratic attitudes since the ing its official role in Serbia, Russia Second World War have been firmly im- Paul Kurtz, editor of FREE INQUIRY, is (where Christmas has been declared a planted were vigorously denied by him. co-president of the International state holiday), and elsewhere. Attacks on foreigners have increased Humanist and Ethical Union. Everywhere efforts are being made to significantly in the period following the require the teaching of religion in the enactment of a new anti-asylum law on

4 FREE INQUIRY May 28, revoking a right that has existed organization had 650,000 members, and moral values, such as freedom of since the war to allow anyone to enter was especially strong in Berlin. Hitler conscience, tolerance of differing life Germany or to apply for political almost succeeded in destroying the styles, and ethical responsibility." asylum. The number of personal attacks movement. Badly crippled, it attempted "Above all," maintains Werner and arsons by neo-Nazis since the to revive after the war. Unfortunately, Schultz, editor of the Union's journal, passage of the law continues to increase, freethought was often identified in the Diesseits, "we need to build bridges with more than 1,180 such xenophobic public mind with communism, and hence beyond ethnic chauvinism and cooperate incidents recorded since the beginning it was feared and detested. Genuine in creating a democratic world commun- of 1993 until the end of July. The day humanist freethinkers have opposed ity in which the separatist national after the law's passage the world viewed communist tyranny as vigorously as they rivalries of the past are overcome." with horror the firebombing of a house have ecclesiastic repression. All around East Berlin one can see in Solingen which killed five Turks; it The newly established German Hu- evidence of the intensive effort to rebuild. is apprehensive about the possible manist Union, which receives con- The most important challenge today, say resurgence of militant nationalism in siderable sums of money from the state, German humanists, is to continue to Germany in the future. What many fail hopes to organize new groups through- defend human rights, democratic insti- to see is that there are tens of millions out Germany, but especially in the East. tutions, and values. It is in this regard, of Germans who are opposed to any Led by young and dedicated democratic they maintain, that humanism attempts displays of hatred by neo-Nazis, and who humanists, these groups are attempting to transcend ancient religious and ethnic have protested with huge demonstra- to offer moral education in the public loyalties and to develop a new allegiance tions. schools as an alternative to required to the entire human family. It provides instruction in religious education; it a universal set of values as common rganized humanists—relatively enthusiastically defends secular human- ground for a democratic Europe. Ger- Osmall in number—believe deeply in ism, which is an alternative to religion. man humanists earnestly wish Germany democracy, tolerance, and human rights. "One can live the good life without God," to participate in the global community, Germany had been the center of free- declares Klaus Sühl, president of the but they believe that it can do so only thought in Europe before the seizure of German Humanist Union. "Humanism if it maintains its fidelity to democratic power by Hitler. The freethinkers' provides a constellation of inspiring and secular humanism. •

cussed. And the Catholic church was Confession Is Good for the Soul then quite prominent in promoting a traditional, monogamous lifestyle. The priests and brothers who were abusing Timothy J. Madigan children at that time were certainly not inspired by the prevailing culture to rr he pope has come and gone, after relates more to America's immorality engage in such actions. using U.S. tax dollars to help finance than to the church's inability to enforce Second, it is basically because of our his harangues against the American way celibacy with its clergy. Chief Vatican secular society, and the freedom of the of life. Most of his speeches in Denver spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls was press it upholds, that these matters ever were variations on his usual diatribes quoted as saying "One would have to saw the light of day. Jason Berry, in his against "the culture of death," but he ask if the real culprit is not a society new book Lead Us Not into Temptation: did address the issue of child sexual that is irresponsibly permissive, hyper- Catholic Priests and the Sexual Abuse abuse by priests in the U.S. It is estimated inflated with sexuality and capable of of Children (Doubleday 1992) shows in that the church has paid more than $400 creating circumstances that induce even meticulous detail how priestly pedophilia million to individuals who claim that people who have received a solid moral was knowingly covered up time and they were sexually abused by clergy formation to commit grave moral acts." again by the Catholic hierarchy, which members when they were children. Most There is something patently outrage- would usually reassign offending priests of these settlements were made out of ous about trying to pin the blame for to new parishes without alerting com- court to avoid damaging publicity. clergy misconduct on a permissive—and munities to their proclivities and which However, the Vatican is not accepting secular—society. First of all, many of paid hush money to the families of those full responsibility for this scandal. The the abuses coming to light originally who were abused. Berry also demon- pontiff suggested that the problem occurred during the late 1950s and early strates how the local newspapers usually 1960s, hardly a period when the United cooperated in keeping this information Timothy J. Madigan is executive editor States was noted for a promiscuous from the public. His relentless reporting of FREE INQUIRY. climate. Indeed, the very idea of pedo- uncovered over 400 priests and brothers philia was seldom if ever openly dis- who had been accused of being child

Fall 1993 5 molesters. Berry himself is a liberal Catholic, and the tone of his book is one of "more in sorrow than in anger." But thousands of U.S. Catholics are angry—their trust was most violently betrayed. How distressing that many of the church's leading moral authorities were willing to hide the truth, and endanger the children they were sworn to protect. The important point is that it takes a fearless press, one willing to dig for the truth and risk the ostracism

of powerful religious figures, to reveal a Br

this sort of information. Interestingly, it hn

was the liberal journal the National f Jo Catholic Reporter that originally pub- o ion s

lished Berry's ongoing investigations. is

But it was hardly supported by the erm h p national hierarchy. it d w

Navarro-Valls was also quoted as te in saying that the media is guilty of r sensationalism. Certainly the majority of Rep U.S. clergy neither engaged in such actions nor in the cover-ups. And, sad to say, sexual abuse of children occurs in many other contexts, both religious and secular. But he fails to see just why School Prayer Thirty Years Later this issue is so damaging to the church as an institution. It shows a disturbing double standard. On the one hand, the Ronald A. Lindsay church presents itself as an arbiter of morals. On the other hand, when it fails cording to Blaine Bartel, a tive religious leaders or their followers. to live up to its own ideals, it says, A Colorado-based evangelist who Indeed, just recently the outgoing "Others are just as bad." Blaming secular travels around the country conducting chairman of the Virginia Board of society for its problems is a convenient religious revivals for school-aged youth, Corrections, Peter Decker, Jr., placed copout, but if the church isn't able to all that is wrong in this country can be the blame for Virginia's expanding indoctrinate its own administrators or traced back to 1963, when we committed prison population squarely on the properly police them, why should any- "our biggest mistake ... our attempt shoulders of the Supreme Court. More- one put faith in it? at national suicide." Bartel refers to the over, he was not talking about search- One of the benefits of living in a Supreme Court decisions that banned and-seizure cases. Decker contended that pluralistic society is the fact that no one government-sponsored prayers in public "lait the same time that the United States group is able to dominate or dictate its schools. He maintains that the "nation's Supreme Court invited God out of our views. While the Catholic church may foundations have been crumbling ever schools, that's when drugs, violence, and feel that it is being unfairly singled out, since" (Washington Post, February 26, immorality moved in" (Washington it should realize that public disclosure 1993, p. D1.). Post, June 17, 1993, p. D3.). is the price to be paid for existing in Bartel is not unique in his beliefs. Of course, these beliefs are entirely a free society. As Berry points out, the Anyone who reads major newspapers or lacking in empirical support. In fact, they church still has an inherent attitude that newsmagazines (especially the sections are absurd. One would not have to go the clerical state is superior to the lay devoted to discussions of religion) is any further than Mr. Decker's prisons state. In his Denver visit John Paul II bound to run across similar statements, to establish the lack of correlation once again voiced that opinion. The usually, but not always, from conserva- between religious beliefs and moral church touts the need for full confession conduct. If Decker bothered to talk to of one's sins, both of commission and Ronald A. Lindsay, a Washington, D.C., his prisoners he would find that 99 of omission. Now is the time for it to attorney, has represented the Council for percent of them were religious before practice what it preaches. Or has it Democratic and Secular Humanism in their incarceration. forgotten its own litany, "Mea culpa, the federal courts. However, secularists do share one mea culpa, mea maxima culpa"? • sentiment with Bartel, Decker, and their 6 FREE INQUIRY supporters. The 1963 school prayer cases • that there was no constitutional student-initiated prayers at graduation, (Abington School District v. Schempp prohibition of a school district paying and the Supreme Court has reversed, and Murray v. Curlett) were critical for an interpreter for a deaf child when affirmed, or continued to ignore these decisions. These cases established the that child's parents elected to send him cases, we will not know whether the right of religious dissenters, including the to a parochial school (Zobrest v. Jones case represents a trend. irreligious, to keep their children free Catalina Foothills School District). Zobrest, on the other hand, is cause from state-sponsored religious indoctri- These decisions certainly are not for genuine concern. There really is no nation when they attended public welcome, but they do not represent a principled way to make this decision schools. Every court victory in the area major reversal in church/ state jurispru- consistent with prior decisions that of church/state separation in the last dence. I will address them in ascending concluded that funding of any sort of three decades has built on these cases order of probable importance. instructor or instructional service in as a foundation. The Lamb's Chapel case is a permis- parochial schools was unconstitutional. Generally speaking, there has been sible interpretation of current law. Like As a result of Zobrest, taxpayers are progress in expanding the right to be it or not, secularists should get used to funding a sign-language interpreter who free from state-imposed religion. In the "equal access" (even if in practice this will serve as a conduit for religious last three decades, the Supreme Court means unequal support of religious indoctrination. If an interpreter can be has ruled that state funds cannot be used interests). If a school allows its facilities supported with public funds, why not to pay the salaries of instructors in to be used by other community organ- any sort of teacher's aide or assistant? parochial schools, even those who are izations (civic associations, business However, although "parochiaid" teaching secular subjects (Lemon v. groups, local theater groups, etc.), it will advocates will undoubtedly try to utilize Kurtzman); furthermore, secular instruc- have to open its doors to religious the Zobrest decision as a vehicle for tors cannot be supplied to parochial organizations. increasing the flow of public money to schools, even for remedial instruction in The decision not to review the Fifth religious schools, one key fact suggests secular subjects (Grand Rapids School Circuit ruling is more troublesome, but that Zobrest may not have much of an District v. Ball); state-sponsored reli- it is important to bear in mind that a impact: the Court's ruling was the result gious displays, such as nativity scenes, decision by the Supreme Court not to of a 5-4 vote. Justice White voted with are unconstitutional, at least in some set- review the ruling of a lower court has the majority. Although judges are tings (Allegheny County v. American no precedental effect. Often the Supreme sometimes unpredictable, it is unlikely Civil Liberties Union); and state- Court will decline to review a ruling that Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who has sponsored prayers at graduation cere- because the issue it presents is not yet generally been in favor of a strict monies are unconstitutional, even ripe for review. In other words, too few interpretation of the Establishment though students are not required to at- lower courts have addressed the issue for Clause, would have voted the same way tend such ceremonies (Lee v. Weisman). the Supreme Court to consider it as White or that she will be in favor But is the church/ state wall collaps- important enough to resolve. Until other of a broad interpretation of Zobrest in ing? Some separationists have voiced federal appellate courts have discussed the future. concern that a trio of recent Supreme Court decisions has signaled a willing- ness by the Supreme Court to cut back on the protections afforded the irreli- gious from government endorsement / AND THE\ and support of religious beliefs. In June, EXCEPT FOR BAPTIST AND THE I'D SAY OUR WHEN THE CLUBTRIED COMMUNIST MEETING AT the Supreme Court ruled: SHiiTE CLUB . f CONVERT LEAGUE 1K ScHoOL • that a public school district would PICKETED THE OVER THE WENT RATHER have to permit a church to use school THE ZIONIST CATHoL'C l woMEN;CLU SMOOTHLN / ion facilities, after hours, in order to exhibit CLUB,.. CLu6, s is m

a religiously oriented film on family r values (Lamb's Chapel v. Center e h p Moriches Union Free School District); it d w • that it would not review a decision e Us by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the t. Pos i

Fifth Circuit (which has jurisdiction over t a n

Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi) that in inc

graduation ceremony prayers would not C

violate the Establishment Clause pro- The 3

vided the prayers were planned and led 99 by students (Jones v. Clear Creek 01 Independent School District);

Fall 1993 7 Progress in the area of church/ state than not appropriately applied the conservative Republicans no longer con- separation has never been linear. As Establishment Clause. But there have trolling appointments to the Supreme indicated, ever since the school prayer been setbacks, and the decision in Court, this change in direction should cases, judicial decisions have more often Zobrest is one of them. Fortunately, with be short-lived. •

Whose Choice? Choice in Education Initiative. The idea of abolishing public schools is not a new one for the Christian Right. Skipp Porteous In his 1979 book, America Can Be Saved, the Reverend Jerry Falwell s California goes, the rest of the public schools. Proponents claim the wrote: "One day, I hope in the next ten Acountry goes," says Sara Hardman initiative will help all public and non- years, I trust that we will have more of the California Christian Coalition. If public schools, not just religious schools. Christian day schools than there are she's right, California's 1993 fall special The truth is, over 90 percent of nonpublic public schools. I hope to live to see the election is very important. schools are sectarian religious schools. day when, as in the early days of our Earlier this year, Governor Pete Public schools—which are strictly country, we won't have any public Wilson called for a special statewide regulated by the state, and are required schools. The churches will have taken election in November to allow voters to to accept all students, unlike nonpublic them all over again and Christians will choose whether to renew a half-cent sales schools—could be destroyed through be running them. What a happy day that tax that expired on June 30, 1993. lack of funding. will be!" Christian right activists proclaimed the Destruction of the public schools, In 1984, the Reverend Pat Robertson special election "a gift from God!" Steve though, is exactly what the Christian echoed similar words in a sermon Guffanti of Parents for Educational Right seeks. One leading group attacking preached at the Word of Faith Outreach Choice said, "It's going to really help public education is the National Asso- Center in Dallas. He described his vision us win!" ciation of Christian Educators/ Citizens of a future where born-again Christians The anticipated victory to which he for Excellence in Education (NACE/ controlled all aspects of life in America. refers is called the "Parental Choice in CEE), headed by Robert Simonds, a "I want you to imagine a land," Education Initiative." If approved, it former Pentecostal minister. Simonds Robertson ranted, "where little children would provide vouchers worth about believes that his organization is following pray in schools, and they read the Bible $2,700 per child, allowing parents to use "the Lord's plans to bring public to them and they're taught the things them as cash to send their children to education back under the control of the of God ... the church members have nonpublic, Christian schools. Christian community." While the Chris- taken dominion over the forces of the Originally scheduled to appear on the tian Right clearly wants to control the world ... education of the young is going ballot in the 1994 general election, the public schools, its agenda goes even to be in the hands of godly people. proposed amendment appears this year further. because of the special election. In Another California-based group, the In the New York City school board California, citizens can place initiatives Coalition on Revival (COR), is an elections last spring, Robertson's Chris- on the ballot by obtaining enough valid influential Christian think tank. tian Coalition formed an alliance with signatures. The signatures for the Simonds was a member of COR's the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Parental Choice in Education Initiative political arm, the National Coordinating York. Together, they distributed 500,000 had already been validated, and the Council (NCC), and chaired its Educa- voter guides through 1,800 churches. measure was awaiting the next general tion Committee. In 1990, at the time of About half of the 130 candidates they election. Good News, Etc., "San Diego Simonds's involvement, the NCC pub- backed won school board seats. County's Christian Newspaper," pro- lished its twenty-year plan to Christian- The Reverend Terry Twerrell, who claimed, "God—using Gov. Wilson—is ize America. One of the group's written heads the Manhattan chapter of the allowing the earlier vote." goals is to "Work towards replacing all Christian Coalition, was responsible for The Parental Choice in Education local public schools with private schools creating the unholy alliance between the Initiative is the latest round in the radical by 2000 A.D." Catholic church and the coalition. His Christian Right's all-out attack against The NACE/ CEE advocates home comments just before the election schooling as an alternative to public demonstrated the altered mind-set of the Skipp Porteous is the editor of the schools, as well as government vouchers Christian Right. "Believe me, this isn't Freedom Writer and author of Jesus to subsidize tuition at private Christian political," he said. "If it was political, Doesn't Live Here Anymore. schools. NACE/ CEE is one of the I'd never be involved. It's God's work. groups working to pass the Parental We must take back our children."

8 FREE INQUIRY In their book, Church Schools & to have their children admitted to a tutions they, the taxpayers, will sup- Public Money (Prometheus, 1991), Edd nonpublic school, but it is the non- port. Doerr and Albert Menendez blew the public schools that really do the choosing. They choose which students "School choice" is not only discrim- cover off the falsehood of "choice" in to admit or retain and which to reject inatory, it violates the constitutional pro- education. or expel, which teachers to hire and vision for a separation between church which to reject, and which religion or and state. Write to the Committee to Promoters of choice plans that go ideology will permeate the program. Educate Against Vouchers, 18401 Von Now many of these schools want to beyond public schools talk about Karman Ave., Suite 120, Irvine, CA families choosing schools for their choose tax support for themselves children. But they are putting the cart expressly by denying taxpayers the 92715, or call 714-222-5485 to combat before the horse. Families may apply right to choose which religious insti- this campaign. •

A Dialogue on good standing who pay tithes and not only attend religious services regularly but are active participants in them. For Academic Freedom a time in the 1970s there was a standing joke that the only non-Mormon on the Vern L. Bullough BYU faculty was the football coach. Yet at the same time, BYU aspires raditionally there has been a belief least quiescent, it has not kept modern to become a leader in American higher Tamong religious conservatives that secularist ideas from creeping in among education, and it has managed to attract religious ideas do not change. In the the laity. some distinguished scholars. This is a minds of Christian fundamentalists, the All of this is by way of background source of conflict because religious words of Jesus mean the same now as to the growing problems faced by orthodoxy and the intellectual freedom they did nearly two millennia ago. They Brigham Young University. Part of the necessary for higher education are simply do not and simply cannot since modern uniqueness of the Latter Day Saints, as contradictory components. Part of the America is not ancient Palestine. Reli- they call themselves, is that the Mormon trouble is that much of the Mormon gions gradually do change their ideas, church lacks a professional clergy. Every doctrine was set in terms of nineteenth- some at a faster pace than others. adult male in good standing holds the century American ideology and times This raises problems, since if religions priesthood, which boys enter into at age have changed. The Mormons have made become too secular and "modern" their twelve. The expertise that various some changes, most notably in their members see little need to belong. This Mormon leaders acquire in interpreting ideas about people of African descent, appears most evident in the decline in what they call the "gospel" is always but such a change only occurred in mainstream Protestantism, which prob- attributed to inspiration from God, who, response to criticism. ably has been the most accommodating though he inspires all, reserves his Unfortunately for the hierarchy, as to modern concerns. Other denomina- commands about doctrine and practice soon as one issue disappears, others tions have fought against change and to only designated Mormon officials, appear. One of the major issues now insisted on biblical literalism, and some who themselves have usually advanced facing the church is feminism, and as of these seem to be growing. The up the ladder of authority by holding elsewhere in the country university-based Southern Baptists have purged their increasingly important offices within the women are often in the forefront of the seminaries of so-called liberals, and some church. Since all males (and females, demand for change. Recently, one of the Lutheran synods have followed a similar who supposedly share it with their male more outspoken feminist faculty path. Similar attempts to reject modern partner) hold the priesthood, there is no members at BYU, Cecilia Konchar Farr, secularism have occurred within Cathol- seminary that can be purged or no priest was denied tenure. The same thing hap- icism under Pope John Paul II. Though or minister dismissed in order to main- pened to David Knowlton, who reported the purges of faculty and elimination of tain orthodoxy in religious teaching. that the Mormon missionaries in Latin liberal administrators and bishops per- Instead any deviant member poses a America are often viewed as symbols of haps keep the clergy in these denomi- threat, and the target in recent years has U.S. imperialism. Many of the faculty nations and churches orthodox, or at come to be the church-controlled reli- members who belong to the Sunstone gious institutions, of which BYU is the group, a liberal Mormon group, or Vern L. Bullough is distinguished most influential. BYU and the other contribute to the journal Dialogue feel professor emeritus at the State Univer- Mormon colleges are unique among threatened. But how does change come sity College of New York at Buffalo and institutions of higher learning in that about if internal critics are silenced? senior editor of FREE INQUIRY. they are both seminaries and universities. Some Mormon officials have taken The faculty are normally Mormons in pains to emphasize that they are not

Fall 1993 9 simply targeting liberals but are trying It is in this setting that FREE INQUIRY of the Sunstone group. Representing to find a middle ground, and that is co-sponsoring a Humanist/ Mormon FREE INQUIRY will be Paul Kurtz, they are also confronting Mormon Dialogue in Salt Lake City from Friday Gerald Larue, Robert Alley, Bonnie fundamentalists. The result has been a September 24, to Sunday, September 26, Bullough, and myself. Together with any wave of excommunications second to 1993. Among the scheduled speakers are FREE INQUIRY readers interested in none in Mormon history, emphasizing Professor Farr; Allen Roberts and attending we can explore the problems that BYU is not so much the university Martha Bradley, editors of Dialogue; of modernism facing Mormons and the it claimed but simply a sectarian semi- and George Smith, a liberal Mormon possibility of religious change and nary. publisher; as well as other members innovation. •

More on 'The Incredible Discovery of Noah's Ark'

In response to CBS's airing on February 20, 1993, of "The Incredible Discovery of Noah's Ark," the Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion distributed a press release alerting the media to the program's shortcomings. The Spring 1993 FREE INQUIRY published an analysis by Richard A. Fox. Other press reports have followed that focus on George Jammal, whose claims to have seen the ark were featured on the show. Below we print excerpts from the producer's public response, followed by Gerald Larue's reply.—EDs.

Sun International Pictures, Inc., Responds to Critics

he following is our research staffs in Time that he "coached George chairman of the Committee for the Tresponse to the article in the July Jammal, an acquaintance, to perpetrate Scientific Examination of Religion, a 5 issue of Time magazine, and to a the hoax, intended to expose the shoddy group dedicated to refuting Bible claims; similar story released by Associated research of Sun International." was the consulting editor (1987-1989) Press on June 29. Both articles asserted It seems from this statement that Dr. and Emeritus President of the National that George Jammal, one of our fifty Lame is probably conducting some type Hemlock Society, a euthanasia advocacy expert interviewees used in "The Incred- of a vindictive campaign against Sun. organization; and is the senior editor of ible Discovery of Noah's Ark," fabri- This may be the result of his appearance FREE INQUIRY, a humanist magazine cated his eyewitness account of seeing as a skeptic in our show, "Ancient Secrets published by the U.S. Council for Noah's Ark on Mt. Ararat. of the Bible" which aired on May 15, Democratic and Secular Humanism, In examining the controversy gener- 1992. According to Time magazine, Dr. another group with goals of removing ated by these articles, four issues must Lame felt he was "set up as a straw man." religion from society and Bible oriented be addressed. First, who is making the Dr. Lame, despite having taught both programs from public broadcast. The claim that Mr. Jammal fabricated his biblical history and biblical studies at Time article is an attempt to make it Noah's Ark account? Secondly, did Sun USC, is a very outspoken individual on appear that all archaeologists were perform due diligence in its research to a number of controversial issues includ- disturbed over the Noah TV show cites determine whether Mr. Jammal's ing being a frequent Bible critic. In our an archaeologist writing in FREE account was reliable? Thirdly, was the show, he was a critic of the Walls of INQUIRY—the very publication on which alleged Ark wood shown at the end of Jericho falling down. As our TV Special Dr. Larue serves as the senior editor. Mr. Jammal's interview authentic or a is a critic-proponent show, he was piece of doctored California pine? And followed by two proponents of the Did Sun perform due diligence in its fourth is Mr. Jammal's expedition biblical story—Dr. Amos Nur, chairman research to determine whether Mr. account of seeing the Ark still factual? of the Geophysics Department at Stan- Jammal's account was reliable? ford University, and Dr. Bryant Wood, Who is making the claim that Mr. a Syro-Palestinian archaeologist who One news interviewer went so far as to Jammal fabricated his Noah's Ark has written extensively on Jericho for say we pulled Mr. Jammal off the street account? the professional peer journal Biblical swallowing his tale without investigating Archaeology Review. They refuted the account for reliability. This is Gerald Larue, professor emeritus of Larue's argument based on their own certainly not true as we investigated all biblical history and archaeology at the extensive scientific studies. our Noah's Ark eyewitness accounts with University of Southern California says Since 1982, Dr. Larue has served as due diligence before using them in the

10 FREE INQUIRY show. This is the investigative procedure and after his disillusionment with God then Vladimir took both cameras and followed in the Jammal eyewitness for allowing that to happen. His moved back as far away from the Ark personality type would also typically as he could to get a full view of the account: keep something like that a secret until landscape so that if there was an he could be the "star" to announce avalanche, they could still find it and 1. We examined his first and only the discovery of the Ark himself, get back to the Ark. known interview account given on June rather than to pass on the information They made plans to secretly go 10, 1986, to geologist and Ararat to others and allow them to go up down the mountain and not tell anyone until they got a film crew explorer Dr. John Morris. We then made and get the credit. because they wanted credit for finding our own extensive search to locate Mr. it—which you and I would too. Let's Dr. Meier also gave us the following Jammal for a research interview. be honest! But, while Vladimir was Contrary to what Dr. Larue seems on-camera interview regarding Mr. taking a picture after backing up, he to claim in the Time article and the Jammal's account which ended up not slipped and there was a rock slide and I know this is accurate. George wept Associated Press release that he master- being used due to show time restraints: while he was talking about it—and this mined the hoax in 1992, this 1986 was eight years later. Losing his friend I found George Jammal to be the most interview discredits his argument and Vladimir was devastating for him. interesting of the accounts. In psychi- further establishes that Sun did not pull Vladimir was crushed by a rock atric terms, we would call him an Mr. Jammal off the street in 1992-93 slide and fell into a crevasse and "obsessive-compulsive with histrionic George was able to avoid [falling in] and concoct his story for TV. features." even though he was hit by some of 2. After locating Mr. Jammal in What that really means is that he's the rocks. He lost his friend. I believe Long Beach, California, we conducted a perfectionistic performer. He's the that on an unconscious level, George our own two-hour, audiotaped, interrog- personality type that you'd find a lot then, decided, "I was right the first of Hollywood characters or people in time. I don't deserve my father's atten- ative interview. We asked him a wide the limelight a lot. He has a "can do" range of questions looking for flaws and tion. I don't deserve to be a chosen naiveté about himself. one. Why me? Why did God choose inconsistencies in his account. For example, he wanted to be a me to find the Ark? Maybe God 3. We compared Mr. Jammal's 1986 star, so he moved to Hollywood, doesn't want me to tell anyone it's and 1992 interviews and found excellent assuming that he would become a star. here." He wanted to find Noah's Ark, so he consistency between the two accounts, He became bitter and depressed. climbed Mt. Ararat, without knowing although the interviews were given six He developed anxiety and withdrew hardly anything about mountain into himself for years. Then, he went years apart. climbing when he went there. He has to a debate a number of years later We then gave Mr. Jammal's interview that "can do" type of mentality. where he saw people arguing about tapes to Dr. Paul Meier, a well-known At the same time, I found him to whether or not the Bible was true and be extremely conscientious and very California psychiatrist, co-founder of the he thought: "This is bigger than me. perfectionistic. If you asked him a 28 Minirth-Meier clinics across America, I need to get out and let people know question, he would want to make sure that I saw the Ark and not just be and author of 40 books on human you knew every detail so he would go withdrawn into myself any longer." behavior. Dr. Meier, who also served as on and on describing every detail of I find this to be extremely credible. the field physician on Astronaut James things that weren't even closely related He felt ecstatic, special and over- Irwin's Noah's Ark expedition to Mt. to the things you were asking. whelmed with joy when they found He speaks five languages and he's Ararat, was asked to provide a psychi- the Ark. Then, when Vladimir died, a very intelligent Palestinian. He's a he felt depressed for years afterwards. atric and content analysis of Mr. determined dreamer. He wants fame Professionally, the impact of Vla- Jammal's account. and yet he's humble enough to admit dimir's death on George Jammal fits it. A lot of people want fame, but they a post-traumatic stress disorder and Here are Dr. Meier's comments from won't admit it. They act humble, with therapy, he could work his way they're not. He was truly humble. out of this. But he still has a lot of a July 10, 1992, letter addressed to Sun's He wanted to feel special. I get the buried emotions which showed in his Chief Researcher, David W. Balsiger: feeling that when he was growing up weeping during the interview and his he didn't get as much attention as he very honest grief over the loss of his I have listened to the tapes you sent wanted from his father. That's just a friend. of the interviews you did with Ed guess because I don't know him Some of his descriptions were [Davis] and George [Jammal]. I find personally; I've only studied him from especially remarkable. His description both of their accounts totally believ- his tapes. of the Ark fits exactly what I know able; and having been there myself, So, he craves attention and when to be true about the Ark from the I know that their descriptions of the he and his friend Vladimir found the secret government reconnaissance customs of the people and of the Ark, they were absolutely delighted. photos. precise locations are all extremely They felt special—special to God. I found Jammal's account to be accurate. George's childhood dream of being very detailed, very accurate and very Ed and George definitely have acceptable and deserving his father's humble. He was vulnerable. He was different personality types and yet are attention was fulfilled because God honest and said he wanted the fame very credible. Given George's person- chose him to find the Ark. and yet he feels like he's wasted his ality type, I find it logical that he They were delighted and they took life searching for fame. would keep his discovery of Noah's pictures of each other. George took I just find his story extremely Ark a secret after the death of his guide pictures of his friend Vladimir and credible and of the four accounts I

Fall 1993 11 analyzed, I believe his to be the most would not necessarily have proven that pieces without mentioning or quoting credible. His descriptions of the the wood was a forgery or anything else from documents in their possession. customs of the people, of the Ark itself as the sample according to the Time Whether it is ever proven that a and its location, are very accurate. These are things he could not have article was contaminated by baking and complete, partial or no hoax was com- known from outside sources. He had juices. This would have prevented mitted by Mr. Jammal, it's sad and no access to the reconnaissance photos obtaining accurate carbon-14 dating unfortunate that Dr. Larue, a distin- and prior to that year, this information results. guished USC professor, would victimize was not well-known. So, I totally believe George Jammal's account. Mr. Jammal and his family to execute Is Mr. Jammal's expedition account of a third party hoax in which he was the 5. We also had Mr. Jammal's hand seeing the Ark still factual? primary benefactor—the person who drawn map of his three Ararat expedi- says he coached Mr. Jammal into lying tion routes studied by Ararat/ Ark and We still stand by Mr. Jammal's expe- on television, and then exposed him, expeditioneers and climbers. They dition account as being accurate based claiming credit for exposing his own confirmed the accuracy of it, and assured on the due diligence research we have hoax! us that it could not have been drawn conducted. Our position is not expected We also take objection to the charac- by anyone who did not have experience to change unless there is an admission terization by the news media that our with the mountain. by Mr. Jammal of an elaborate hoax, entire Noah's Ark TV special was a hoax. Regarding Mr. Jammal's account of and how he managed to execute such Mr. Jammal was only one of 50 experts his eyewitness encounter with Noah's a clever hoax to convince a professional that provided authoritative interviews on Ark, we as a production company did psychiatrist and several experienced a wide range of subjects relating to the far more investigative research than Ark-Ararat explorers that he was telling Noah's Ark mystery. Additionally, the normally undertaken by "reality shows" the truth . . . or until third party TV special told the Noah's Ark story or most news shows. Based on the collaborating evidence can substantiate as recorded in the Bible along with the outcome of our investigative research on Dr. Larue's account of the hoax. presentation of historical data, scientific the Jammal account, we included it in It's significant to note that on Feb- experiments, and Ararat explorer the show. For the record, we also did ruary 28, eight days after the airing of accounts. the same type of background research the Noah Ark Special, Chief Researcher Furthermore, Mr. Jammal was only on the other eyewitness accounts before David Balsiger received a letter from Mr. one of four filmed eyewitnesses who including them in the TV show. Jammal in which he stated: "Some claimed to have had on-the-ground skeptics claim I was lying. To fight back, encounter with the Ark. Similar due Was the alleged Ark wood shown at the I told them I am willing to take a lying diligence research was done on these end of Mr. Jammal's interview authentic test [lie detector] with Larry Williams other three Ark eyewitness accounts or a piece of doctored California pine? who tested Ed Davis. Yes, Dave, I want before including them in the show. No to be tested, too, to prove to them the one has come forward with evidence that Frankly, we do not know the answer to real truth." any of these remaining eyewitness this question as Mr. Jammal's show It is important to point out that Time accounts are perpetrated hoaxes on Sun segment had to do with his visit to the magazine and Associated Press did in International. We also stated at the end Ark and not whether the wood was fact have copies of all relevant docu- of the eyewitness accounts that it was authentic. ments and files mentioned in this letter. up to the audience to decide whether It has not been the practice of Sun Yet they chose to write one-sided hit their accounts were believable or not! • or other production companies to spend money or time testing and documenting artifacts shown on the air by inter- viewees. If Sun undertook to test every artifact shown by our various experts we would be out of the entertainment business and stepping into the news side of TV broadcasting. This was not the direction or directive for this television network special. Dr. Lame somehow believes it should have been our obligation to run carbon- 14 tests on the wood apparently expect- ing us to "create news" instead of entertaining viewers by telling them what people have to say about this ancient mystery. Besides the carbon-14 test Used with permission from MAD magazine. 01993 by E.C. Publications, Inc. Written and drawn by Sergio Aragones.

12 FREE INQUIRY "etiological legend." That is to say that the story was designed to explain the presence of the city ruins.5 Another Gerald Larue's Rebuttal interpretation rests on the recognition by biblical scholars that the Joshua 6 un International Pictures has ac- Jericho, therefore, has thrown no light account is associated with cultic ritual.6 Scused me of "probably conducting on the walls of Jericho of which the The composers of the legend were some type of vindictive campaign against destruction is so vividly described in the members of the temple cult who knew Sun." Nothing could be further from the Book of Joshua."' that Jericho was an abandoned ancient truth. There is no "campaign," and there 2, The collapsed walls of Jericho that site with collapsed walls. They chose is nothing "vindictive" in exposing the were exposed had fallen long before the Jericho to illustrate their thesis, namely dishonesty in Sun's presentation of "The Hebrews entered the land—according to that, by obeying the regulations ex- Incredible Discovery of Noah's Ark." Miss Kenyon, about 1550 B.C.E., at the pounded by the temple priests as the Like the earlier program, "Ancient end of what is known as the Middle commands of the Hebrew god, Yahweh, Secrets of the Bible I," in which I Bronze Age.2 the people earned blessings; disobedience participated, the "Noah's Ark" program 3. There is no relevant archaeological brought disaster. They concocted a gave the appearance of being designed evidence from the thirteenth century dramatic account—a story that could be as a documentary in which evidence, B.C.E. on the site of Jericho—the time- dramatized in cultic ritual. The re- both pro and con, would be fairly period usually assigned to the Hebrew enactment of the legend may have been presented and discussed by competent conquest. Many archaeologists have associated with the Feast of the Taber- scholars. Unfortunately, the programs commented on the fact that the surface nacles (booths) and the Year of Jubilee proved to be little more than a pseudo- of the site is "denuded." By this statement (Lev. 25).7 scientific pro-religious presentation they mean that, over the centuries, due I chose this latter explanation for without balance. to natural erosion and the removal of several reasons. In the first place, it building materials by later generations, related the account to the Hebrew "Ancient Secrets I" no evidence from the thirteenth or later temple; the ancient Jewish scriptures centuries exists. At the same time, it is were the product of the temple.8 Second, hen I was invited to participate important to note that in no other site it is one explanation that has some broad Was a biblical scholar in "Ancient has all evidence of occupation ever been acceptance within the scholarly com- Secrets I," I was told that I would be completely removed. Therefore, as most munity. Third, it went beyond an asked to comment on the account of the scholars agree, Jericho had been virtually etiological explanation that could imply fall of the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6). abandoned by the Canaanites at the time that the ancient Hebrew writer included I agreed. When the camera crew came of the Hebrew entry into the area. There the Jericho story simply to explain a to my home, they unrolled a large sheet was no occupied city surrounded by a mound of city ruins. of paper containing a statement that had massive wall on the eight-acre site. At My comments were cut from the film. been prepared for me to read as the best, there might have been a small, It became clear that my part in the "opener" to my comments. undefended village.3 program had been crafted so that I would The statement was somewhat more 4. Because Jericho is in an earth- present a point of view (using only the aggressive than what I would have quake-prone area, it is quite possible, words of the producer) without support- preferred, but because I was in general and even probable, that the ancient walls ing statements. I was, as Time magazine agreement with it, I agreed to read it. had collapsed due to an earthquake— reported it, "set up as a straw man." Having read it before the camera, I was but this occurred long before the coming The Sun "Response" is designed to then given several minutes during which of the Hebrews. raise some suspicions about my quali- I could support my position. In other words, Jericho did not fall fications. It states that despite having My comments reflected the following before the Hebrew forces led by Joshua. taught both biblical history and biblical conclusions based on archaeological The biblical account is not history—it studies at USC," that I am, among other research: is legend or religious fiction. things, "a frequent Bible critic." Sun is 1. Excavations at Jericho have pro- Then, the question arises: if the story clearly out of touch with scholarship. It vided absolutely no evidence to support in Joshua 6 is legend and not based on implies that there is a pejorative con- the Joshua 6 account of the collapse of solid fact, why was it included in Jewish notation in the concept of "biblical the city walls and the destruction of the scriptures? It is important to recognize criticism." Actually, the term denotes a city of Jericho by invading Hebrews. The that biblical writers employed many rigorous, balanced, investigation of bib- statement by Miss Kathleen Kenyon, different kinds of literature to convey lical writings—a methodology that who directed the excavation of the their teachings.4 In other words, the Bible includes textual criticism, historical ancient city between 1952 and 1956, has is not a "history" book. One explanation criticism, form criticism, redactional been accepted by competent archaeol- of the Jericho account suggests that the ogists world-wide: "The excavation of story belongs in the literary category of (Continued on p. 61) Fall 1993 13 FREE INQUIRY Symposium Should Secular Humanists Celebrate the Rites of Passage?

An Affirmative View of Celebrations Paul Kurtz

hould secular humanists celebrate marriage ceremony. Many freethinkers brate the traditional Jewish holidays of the rites of passage? My personal recoil at the horror of being buried in Passover and Chanukah—though with- answer is Yes! by a priest, minister, or rabbi; yet once out any reference to a supernatural I share the concerns of some secular dead some devout relatives have no God. humanists and freethinkers who are compunction in insisting upon it. Aspects of forms of religiosity strike adamantly opposed to anything that An especially barbaric illustration of rationalists as a betrayal of intellectual smacks of religious ritual and cere- this indignity occurred three years ago standards, a failure to stand up for one's mony. when Philip Mass, a dedicated secular unbelief, or to transcend parochial ethni- Certain poignant moments of life humanist and first chairman of the cities. Sheldon Gottlieb, in an article stand out, however, and we need to Robert G. Ingersoll Memorial Commit- below, considers his identity with his commemorate them. Virtually all cul- tee, died unexpectedly and without ancient Judaic (though secular human- tures do. It is, therefore, important that leaving written instructions for the ist) faith rewarding, as did the American humanists, who are committed to the full disposal of his remains. He had inti- naturalistic philosopher George San- realization of life here and now, likewise mated to his friends and colleagues tayana, who, though an atheist, reveled be willing to highlight the passages of beforehand, however, that he wished to in the aesthetic pomp and majesty of time. Humanists need to provide, by be cremated and his ashes cast to the Roman Catholic rituals. Many critics means of social festivals, opportunities winds in San Francisco Bay. In spite of have pointed out that if one can no for human beings to exult in the joyful this his family persevered in burying him longer accept the truths of such religious events in life, such as the birth of a child in an Orthodox Jewish cemetery in St. dogmas, how can one participate in the or a marriage and, during tragic times, Louis next to his parents. I remember mysteries of the ritual? They find such such as death, to express grief in our Phil saying to me, with tongue in cheek, supernatural ceremonies hypocritical communities of friends and relatives. that he "would rather drop dead than and neither beautiful nor rewarding. Rites of passage can be celebrated in a be buried by a rabbi!" secular manner, which can be intensely he proper response to the question, meaningful, intellectually stimulating, ome religious humanists believe in "Should secular humanists celebrate and profoundly moving. Such cele- preserving the trappings of their the rites of passage?" is not whether we brations can provide a powerful cathar- religious heritage, but in breathing should but how. sis. naturalistic meaning into the ancient Virtually everyone partakes of some Unfortunately, we are immersed in a symbols. They still use liturgy and ritual celebrations; life would be dull without religious culture where theological in services, commemorating the rites of them. We celebrate birthdays with rituals still dominate. Many unbelievers passage. The Unitarian Universalist parties, where we light candles on the resist the social pressures to conform. church and many liberal Protestant cake, sing songs, and bestow gifts to Some atheists reject any and all such denominations, for example, offer quasi those we admire or love. We gladly holdovers from orthodox religious humanistic services at naming ceremo- attend graduation ceremonies, marking customs. Although many believers reject nies, marriages, and funerals. Some even milestones in the maturation of our the faith of their relatives, the latter may commemorate Easter and Christmas. children and grandchildren. And there nevertheless insist that their infants be The Society for Humanistic Judaism, an are other significant occasions that we baptized, undergo communion or con- atheistic denomination, has a rabbi willingly celebrate: weddings, anniver- firmation, and submit to a religious perform bar mitzvahs, and even cele- saries, inaugurations, dedications, and

14 FREE INQUIRY retirements. And we honor those who Many secular humanists believe that we the rites of passage with music and have excelled in their fields—whether should reject such holidays, as does Tom poetry, dignity, and significance. These Olympic champions, Nobel Prize Flynn in his provocative article, "The eloquent performances add heightened winners, or successful contestants in the Trouble with Christmas." Be that as it significance to the stages of life. There local bakery contest or spelling bee. may, secular humanists, like others, are already many secular humanist There are also many civil ceremonies enjoy the celebration of those holidays eupraxophers, humanist counselors, and holidays that communities cele- that they consider meaningful and Ethical leaders, and some Unitarian brate—the Fourth of July, Bastille Day, worthwhile. ministers who perform humanist cele- May Day, Arbor Day, Labor Day, and brations for those who wish to avail New Year's Eve. Some holidays are umanists throughout the world, themselves of their service. And it is well archaic and ought to be abandoned: Hfrom Norway and The Netherlands that they do. Good Friday, All Saints Day, Easter, to Great Britain and the United States, In any case, the articles below debate Passover, Christmas, Ramadan. Some are rethinking the role of ceremonies in various aspects of the question, Should humanists continue to celebrate such human life. And they are in the process secular humanists celebrate the rites of festivals, though they wish to secularize of creating entirely secular unconven- passage? We look forward to our readers' them and to return to their pagan origins. tional scenarios enabling us to celebrate responses. •

Advice to Young Lovers About to Be Wed

My wife and I recently celebrated the Of all the wonderful goods of this ... A successful marriage is one wedding of our son, Jonathan, to life, among the best is a beautiful where each partner discovers that it Gretchen Curley. It was held in the marriage. Like health, wealth, a is better to give love than to receive grand court and portico of the Buffalo worthwhile career, or loving children, it. To truly love another person is to and Erie County Historical Museum. it can contribute immensely to a wish that person to develop and Erected in 1901 at the Pan American bountiful life of exuberant happiness. flourish in his or her own terms. Exposition, it is a replica of the pagan Here are some prescriptions for ... In a long marriage there will Greek Parthenon. The celebration you to ponder: be joy and laughter, but also sadness was thoroughly humanistic and non- . . . Passionate romantic sexual and sorrow, harmony and discord, as religious; the bride and groom wrote love is a gift of nature. Enjoy it; it you strive to overcome adversity and the scenario. The bride requested her may not last forever. But never let fulfill your dreams. father and myself to say some words. the romance, allure, and mystique of ... The key value of wedlock is Overflowing with flowers, perfume, the other fade. Like good wine, the that it allows for intimacy between and music, and a moment of exquisite taste and bouquet of a good marriage a woman and a man, who can enjoy delight, the ceremony was a fitting can improve in excellence as it ages. each other's company, share ideals tribute to love, romance, and the vows How beautiful is infantile infatuation; and expectations, confess failures and of fidelity. Below is my own brief but how enriching it can be if it is admit defeats to each other, and yet oration. transformed into mature devotion realize in union the qualities of the and love. good life. Dear Gretchen and Jon, ... Exult in your shared values, . . . As you build your home, It is well that we celebrate the but tolerate and respect your differ- embark upon careers, and raise a passages of life, and perhaps none is ences. No two persons are alike. You family, your marriage can become a more memorable than a wedding. As can't change another person. You may work of art in which both of you a eupraxopher may I share some modify his or her behavior, but you together give it line and form, color reflections about this precious can never completely recast the other. and tone. You will be challenged every moment. No one is perfect, not even yourself. day and in every way to make your A marriage ceremony is like a Accept your loved one's faults as you marriage work. If you do, it can fantasy. Drink deeply, cherish, and do his/her virtues. become a thing of beauty, a joint savor its finery and delicacy. The real ... Never bear a grudge, or go creation of aesthetic spend or and test for you both is in the future— to bed at night angry. Learn to forgive enduring value. to build your marriage so that it will and forget. Always seek to negotiate endure the vagaries of fortune. and compromise differences. —Paul Kurtz

Fall 1993 15 else feels about it, but for me these events are overshadowed by my daughter's December birthday, by New Year's Eve Holidays for Humanists with friends, and by the cooking of traditional Japanese foods on New Year's Day. I wonder whether the impression this story creates is changed when I add that Molleen Matsumura I'm a litigant in a suit to remove a cross from public land, or that when I went hould humanists celebrate holidays of wood-burning stoves. to a Seder this year just to see relatives, Sand ceremonies? This apparently Meanwhile, I was growing up in 1950s I asked a few of them whether they even simple question really consists of several America, where many of us heard in believe in God. In any case, it is just questions: Should humanists celebrate school about the "melting pot" of one of countless stories humanists could cultural holidays prevalent wherever pluralism while living in isolated ethnic tell. Each one has its own variations, and they happen to live? Should they neighborhoods whose borders were different principles enter into the deci- celebrate holidays their families have patrolled by juvenile gangs. In the Jewish sions that must be made. The same celebrated for generations? Should they neighborhoods where I spent some of parent who objects to seeing a hymn on observe life passages in a special manner? my formative years, kids laughingly the program of a December songfest at Should we establish specifically human- sang, "Deck the halls with Matzoh balls," a public school may buy gifts for his ist ceremonies or holidays? There are no and while I heard of"Hanukkah bushes" or her children so that they don't have simple, monolithic answers to these once or twice, I certainly never saw one. to answer "Nothing" when their friends questions. The answers are varied and The usual cataclysmic cultural colli- ask, "What did you get for Christmas?" complex, and many personal factors sion occurred in 1977. Ken and I were Rather than try to arrive a single, have to be taken into consideration. taking an evening walk, planning our sweeping answer to how these decisions Because so many decisions are personal, wedding and imagining our future lives. are made, it is better to think about Ill offer a personal account. For no special reason, I commented, "I considerations individual humanists can Japan, which many of us think of as guess when we have kids, you'll decorate keep in mind while making them. a culturally informed country, is really a Christmas tree together and I'll just Holiday customs occur in public, a place where people are very good at watch benevolently. It really doesn't private, and semi-private contexts. For assimilating new traditions. They prac- mean much to me." example, at work, even when a person's tice a rich melange of customs. It is said, "But of course you shouldn't be left job security isn't threatened, she or he quite accurately, that the average out!" he protested. "Christmas is for may have to balance the desire to express Japanese will be welcomed to the world everyone." I hotly replied, "Oh no it's personal convictions with a wish to help with Shinto rituals (Shinto is the native not!" We must have argued for an hour, maintain friendly working relationships. animistic religion), marry in a Western- and we learned a lot about each other, Refusing to take part in a gift exchange style ceremony where the bride is more preparing the ground for our family is more likely to appear standoffish than likely to wear a lace gown and veil than customs. to communicate a secular message; but the traditional kimono, call a Buddhist I shop for greeting cards, but my if cards are exchanged, one may choose priest to officiate at funerals, and turn husband addresses them; like a person to give a card that shows a winter scene, again to Shinto custom when honoring who gets out of washing dishes because rather than a card bearing a religious the memories of the dead. It isn't of a slight burn on his or her pinky finger, message. In the context of family surprising that after World War II, the I'm glad to have an excuse not to do relationships, a person might choose not Japanese, who take every conceivable all that work. As December 25 draws to give pain to an elderly relative by occasion as an excuse to exchange gifts, near, my husband and daughter select refusing to sing "Silent Night" at a family eagerly added the American-style Christ- a tree, and a particular friend comes over gathering, yet refuse to tell her children mas to their New Year celebrations. to help decorate it. I don't decorate, but that gifts come from Santa Claus. There That's the milieu where my husband I do string popcorn just because it's is a wide range of possibilities and I think spent his first ten years. His Japanese- fun. There is never a nativity scene on that secular humanists should make born grandfather (who had studied in the piano (that's just too religious), but good on their claim that they value America) gave him a painting of a Santa there may be a menorah, depending on diversity by accepting it in this matter. Claus who wore the traditional red suit, when Hanukkah fell that year. The night Those of us who have to accommodate and had almond-shaped eyes and a wispy the tree is trimmed is the one night a to societal pressures deserve understand- beard. His American-born mother year I wash dishes without complaining: ing—and the opportunity to contribute decorated a Christmas tree and told him I don't mind missing the tree trimming, to change in other ways. the usual tales, making him wonder how and it's good to be gracious once in a It helps to remember that the secu- Santa slid down the narrow chimneys while. And I don't know how anybody larization of our society has been a

16 FREE INQUIRY continuous, evolutionary process. Insti- alternative to the church confirmation about connection to figures like Mark tutions that were once the province of ceremonies that are an important rite of Twain and Galileo, and landmarks like religion, like hospitals and universities, passage in their culture. They provide the Ingersoll house. Just as monuments now operate under secular auspices. a service that helps build their member- give meaning to the physical landscape, Where once the churches were the ship and allows young people to follow holidays and memorials give meaning to patrons of the arts and museums, other an important custom without violating the passage of time. The course of secular organizations are. Ethics and holidays their own principles. American human- humanism is the understanding that we are becoming secularized too. When a ists are doing something similar when don't seek a meaning immanent in our child, throughout December I heard they devise their own wedding and world, but create and assign meaning to the words "Merry Christmas" several funeral ceremonies, and this is a positive it. Creating and observing secular times a day; now—at least where I live— development. Ceremonial occasions humanist holidays would be a wonderful people say "Happy Holidays" with the offer us a kind of artistic expression, and affirmation of confidence in the value same neutral pleasantness that they we shouldn't deny ourselves this oppor- of our world view. I hope readers of say, "Have a nice day." That's progress, tunity just because religious institutions FREE INQUIRY will respond to this and this kind of progress, like all monopolized it in the past. symposium with suggestions for holidays evolutionary processes, depends on What about specifically humanist we could enjoy together. diversity. holidays? I think they deserve serious One way evolution works is to allow consideration. I meet so many people Molleen Matsumura is an editorial old structures to assume new functions. who have developed their humanism in associate of FREE INQUIRY and head of An example would be what humanists isolation. They are eager and delighted the Secular Humanists of East Bay, in Iceland have done by developing an to learn of their historical heritage, Berkeley, California.

The Sunday Regression Service position to those administering the rite. He kneels at a low railing in Catholic ceremonies and cups his hand to receive the wafer. Then he is given a sip of wine. George Rowell This is not the Last Supper, but a reenactment of breakfast with mother egression, one of the less compli- in mood chambers called churches. and father serving juice and toast. This Rcated Freudian terms, is easy to There the parishioner steps backward in is accompanied by a litany of soothing define and understand. It means a return time. First, he or she returns to youth commands, again like mother and father to an earlier stage of psychological or and childhood, when the original indoc- talking over the table. Respect, belief, physical development due to tension and trination in the same or a similar church obedience—these are the real messages. fear. It can also be defined as any flight took place. Another step backward is Communion is also a regression in from controlled and realistic thinking. into tradition—the pews, the aisle down time, an ancient ceremony revised and As an ego-defense mechanism, it may the center, the placement of the altar, overladen with heavy portentous mean- be beneficial if it protects the ego from all are part of this. Some churches seek ing. We do not know exactly which devastation, harmful if carried to excess, to invoke medieval aura, incorporating ancient Middle Eastern religion Paul or just a simple release. But what if Gothic architecture, stained glass win- borrowed it from, but we can be sure ordinary normal people are systemati- dows, fonts, and other whimsies. that when it originated, say 5,000 years cally subjected, on a weekly basis, to Two other factors are at play in these ago, or perhaps earlier, the idea of an ceremonies that induce regression? institutionalized regression ceremonies. abstract god was very vague. The bull Christianity, from its foundations on The first is sensory deprivation: all or ram sacrificed and eaten was consid- up, depends heavily on forcing adults to stimuli not meant to influence the ered the god. Eating a good steak makes assume childish, regressive roles in its parishioner are removed. The second is you feel better and keeps off hunger— ceremonies and rituals. These regular sensory focusing: quiet, dim light; some that is the only "salvation." Salvation regressions, repeated every Sunday, are incense and candle scents; and droning itself is related to the Latin word salus, meant to reinforce the religious training incantations. It's a step into the cave, health, and may have only meant thanks that the adults learned in childhood and into the dark abyss of time. for a good harvest or hunt. If the god adolescence. They also serve as remind- Mass, Communion, or Eucharist as was later given a human form, the animal ers of the minister's or priest's power as it is variously called contains several then became a sacrifice to him. There surrogate father and enforcer of social regressive features. The participant is not seems to be little evidence of ritual conformity. sharing a communal meal, as is often cannibalism in the ancient Middle East. Regression sessions are usually held said, but is a supplicant in a subordinate On this ancient shell of a ceremony,

Fall 1993 17 Christianity throws a heavy meaning: ful act of religious psychology. Chris- these translate into only two pallid notes. "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my tianity, here as elsewhere, must use That is why all religious music sounds blood possesses eternal life, and I will hidden psychological motivators to en- the same—even a Verdi Requiem, or raise him up on the last day. My flesh force adherence to its dogmas, because Haydn oratorio. is real food; my blood is real drink" (John they lack psychological validity. Of course, there are some exceptions. 6:53-55 [NEB]). Institutionalized regression is subtly Negro spirituals have a very definite Of course, eating human flesh and carried in another ritual, the responses. political subtext that is well known. blood is a terrible taboo in all civilized Most church services have sections Christmas carols really celebrate the societies, so participation in a ritual where the priest or minister intones a rebirth of the New Year. They are described as this can be assured of line or two, to which the congregation seasonal celebrations, not religious ones, arousing anxiety. Communion, then, responds, and the series continues. Rote- and therefore celebrate the real world, stimulates the anxieties of its partici- like repetition of line, of course, is a not the theological twilight world of pants. Eating the blood and body of regression to the passive learning of hymns. Christ is linked with guilt to bring childhood. "And now let us pray." When the personal anxieties to the surface. These Religious music has a large part in shepherd says this to his flock, the stage are then artfully deflected by a text that most religious shadow plays, except is set for another deep descent into the diverts the conscious mind to another among a few puritanical sects that fear psyche. Prayer is more than just a church subject, that of the participant's "salva- its seductive powers. It is assigned the ritual, though, since people do it at home, tion." A subconscious anxiety is raised important roles of reassurance and and at ad hoc group rituals. It is an to the surface, then harnessed to indoc- reindoctrination (called "reaffirmation" ancient, compelling regression. trinate religious conformity—a master- by believers). Unfortunately, though, But regression it is. The psychiatrist

18 FREE INQUIRY Erik Erikson in his book, Childhood and t is hard to see why mature people the regressive group wailings at definite Society, says: Iwould submit to a mind-numbing intervals, even if there was no real exercise in regression, week after week stimulus for them. Thus, Christians go The paradise of orality and its loss through most of their lives. But the pill to church on Sunday, and Jews to during the rages of the biting stage, is usually sugar-coated; a little hope and synagogue on Saturday. This also as we suggested in the preceding uplift are always thrown in. Then again, insures a steady income for the shaman chapter, may be the ontogenic origin of that deep sense of badness which people are indoctrinated in childhood and maintains his authority. religion transforms into a conviction and youth. The abnormal becomes Two types of religious services are of primal sin on a universal scale. normal. exceptions to this pattern. These are the Prayer and atonement, therefore, One reward for attending is the rites of passage, marriage, and death, and must renounce the all too avaricious sermon. Sermons, strictly speaking, are the seasonal ceremonies, such as Christ- desire for "the world" and must not elements of ritual, but supposedly mas and Easter. These represent man's demonstrate, in reduced posture and in the inflection of urgent appeal, a came into use in the Middle Ages. The unique concept of time, both biological return to bodily smallness, the tech- parishioner can sit back like a child and and seasonal. They have become fixed nical helplessness, and to voluntary hear reassuring verities and chastise- in form and encrusted with ritual, but suffering. I ments repeated. That they are fictional they represent something real. and untrue does not matter to him, just The return to childhood in the church This insight, however brilliant, does the soothing repetition. service makes it dysfunctional. Turning not adequately explain all the reasons Another important reason for going to magic and ancient gibberish hinders, for prayer. Christian tradition divides is the social function of the ceremony. not helps, dealing with the realities of prayer into four types: adoration, The congregation is really a small tribe. the modern age. Even the congregation, thanksgiving, contrition, and supplica- Tribal members go to meet each other the pseudotribe, is a dysfunctional, tion. To find which of these is first and renew tribal bonds. Just how many malign element in modern society. It developmentally would give us the best members of these pseudotribes there are fosters an ingrown, narrow self-right- clue to the origin of prayer. This is in the United States, we do not know. eousness, clings to ancient, irrational obviously supplication, a quite culturally All church-given figures are definitely magical solutions to social problems, and stylized and rarified version of the suspect and there is no objective way isolates its members from social reality. infant's constant cry, "I want." Adora- to find out. What may have been a natural behavior tion, thanksgiving, and contrition are But a tribe must have a leader, and 30,000 years ago is now a dysfunctional also elaborations of a child's interaction that leader is a shaman, though now he social pathology, fostered by priest- with its parents. They just represent a is generally called a priest, minister, or hoods, themselves psychologically obli- slightly higher level of development. rabbi. The role is much more important gatory parasites on their own creation. The prayers themselves, regardless of than most studies of religion show. His With this in mind, atheists and secular their stated purpose, are also examples is a fringe personality, supposedly more humanists should make a sharp shift in óf primitive word magic in the Freudian attuned to the spiritual than others. He the focus of our attacks on religion. We sense. They are a regression to that has abased himself more in oedipal sub- are wasting our time focusing on biblical primal childhood state when word and mission than the average man, and is contradictions and irrationalities. Most thing are one. They are a return to often possessed of a histrionic tempera- Christians have been effectively anesthe- "omnipotence of thoughts," as Freud ment. To compensate, he has the rare tized against criticism of this nature. We describes magic. Perhaps this is why this pleasure of having a congregation of should instead focus our attention on the form of religion gives pleasure to so adult men and women regressing to psychological manipulations, decep- many people. They can regress to childish submission to him. He is the tions, and sleight-of-hand that have childishness in an orchestrated group very kingpin of the whole regression made Christianity the longest running and demand things that would be foolish ceremony. shell game in the West. The institution- in civilized adult discourse. The Sunday service is a collective wail alized regression of regular church serv- But most words used in this magic against misfortune. Perhaps around ices is a prime example of this pathology. are actually devoid of content, or have 30,000 years ago, to choose a hypothet- a content perverted from their everyday ical date, these regressive group wailings Notes use. Edmund A. Cohen has brilliantly occurred only after a defeat by another 1. Erik H. Erikson, Childhood and Society, described this as "logocide" in his book, tribe, or an approaching famine. The (New York: W. W. Norton & Co., Inc. 1963), The Mind of the Bible-Believer.2 For this various elements—prayer, singing, p. 147. 2. Edmund A. Cohen, The Mind of the Bible- reason, every church service is really a shouting, eating the god—probably were Believer, Buffalo: Prometheus Books, 1988. reindoctrination ceremony. Veiled and a syncretic stream of real emotion. The hazy theological concepts must be genius of the shamanic organizers, as George Rowell, a resident of New York repeatedly nailed down and reinforced, they became priests, was to isolate the City for thirty years, recently retired so that they will not vanish from the various elements, and impose rules over from a position as circulation director church-goer's mind. their use. The next step was to schedule for a magazine. Fall 1993 19 only nontheistic recipients of this grati- Surrogate (and Secular) Blessings tude should be the farmers, grocers, and other middlemen who were instrumental in making the food available. Or one could thank the cook for preparing the meal. But these approaches strike me as Richard J. Goss a bit crass, unless one is out to stick it to one's dinner companions. Such a f it hasn't already happened, sooner strategy, unhappily, is hardly conducive Ior later you are going to be asked to to the kind of mutual respect and good- say grace at dinner. As a humanist, you will so important in setting the tone for will probably mumble some lame or a congenial gathering. embarrassed excuse—as I have found A truly sincere expression on such myself doing more than once. Alterna- occasions need not be derisive of reli- tively you could avoid the issue by asking gious practices. Rather, it should be a for a moment of silence, but in either positive statement emphasizing those case you are graceless in more ways than affirmative values humanists genuinely one. Unaware of your true lack of believe in. Ideally, one might aspire to religious persuasion, your companions a commentary so eloquent and ingen- will undoubtedly think to themselves uous that the listeners would hardly be what a klutz you are not to have an aware that the Almighty had been left appropriate blessing ready to be trotted out. In practice, however, a "secular out at a moment's notice. The meal gets blessing" might likely be greeted in stony off to a strained start—only because silence by the more bigoted dinner someone had the audacity to assume that guests. Fellow skeptics, on the other everyone else must believe in God. hand, would probably nod in gratitude It's also uncomfortable to be trapped that someone had finally dared to go at a dinner table when the head of the public with words of wisdom and household does the ecclesiastical honors. sensitivity. On a recent occasion, our host prefaced "A truly sincere expression Such a recitation might run as things by announcing, "If nobody on such occasions need not follows, delivered with head held high: objects, Ill say the blessing." Where- be derisive of religious upon, without waiting for a reply, he Friends, let us appreciate the world launched into a rote recitation of plati- practices. Rather, it should be of nature without which neither the a positive statement food we are about to consume nor the tudes drummed into him by his minister appetite to relish it would have father. When we reciprocated by inviting emphasizing those evolved. Nor should we forget the these friends to dinner at our house, the affirmative values humanists human toil that has made our suste- blessing was conspicuous by its absence. nance available, or those throughout I think in the future we will meet on genuinely believe in." the world who must go hungry still. May we ever strive to protect and neutral ground such as a restaurant preserve the environment to which we where for some reason people seldom commended me on my self-restraint. have become so marvelously adapted, indulge in religious rituals. "Just observing the quaint customs of to rid ourselves of dependence upon Several years ago we visited our son's the local natives," I replied. superstitious beliefs, and to broaden the circle of those we love to include new in-laws in the deep South. Mindful In view of these experiences, it seems all of humanity. that the Bible Belt is an entirely different to me that atheists should rise to the country when it comes to religion, we challenge when invited to offer a Gentle readers, let me now invite you were prepared for the possibility that the preprandial prayer. In lieu of the to compose your own messages suitable meal we were invited to share would not customary blessing everyone expects, for the occasion, hopefully to be pub- go unblessed. "Now you keep your big why not take the opportunity to invoke lished in subsequent issues for the mutual mouth shut no matter what," my wife an inspirational message of a secular edification and utilization of the like- cautioned me. Sure enough, we had nature? Something along the lines of a minded. hardly sat down when my hands were toast, for example, might be in order grasped on either side, heads were (with or without the wine). bowed, and the usual mumbo jumbo If one is inclined to offer thanks Richard J. Goss is professor emeritus of was being muttered. Afterward, my wife (which is what "grace" is, of course), the biology at Brown University.

20 FREE INQUIRY same love ends when they both die. Grief is the price we all pay for loving. Tragedy is indeed a component of all love. Yet Eupraxophic Matrimony this does not denigrate marriage and make it more trivial and less important The following statement was delivered at the marriage of Aaron Burger and or valuable. Love and marriage's very LaDawna Howard on December 12, 1992 at the Kansas City Eupraxophy mortalities, their fleeting existence and Center. —Eos. scarcity, make them all the more pre- cious, important, and worthy of respect. We find no empirical evidence for the Verle Muhrer existence of the "traditional" family. The form of the family has always been T ove is a natural human emotion and marriage is a sin against God. We con- changing. Hence it has never been 1 (ethical commitment. It is an emo- tend that an offense against marriage is, legitimately traditional, eternal, or tionally driven and sometimes rationally instead, an offense against all humanity. unchanging. All couples must forge their guided behavior. It is not spirituality. It We heartily deny the notion that the marriage into something new for them- is not a supernatural phenomenon, a woman is to "cleave" unto her husband selves and for their own generation. "gift from heaven," or the mystical and become his servant and helpmate. We reject the notion that religious connivance of a cupidlike creature, Eupraxophers and humanists reject a marriages are better, happier, or more striking women and men with arrows of subservient role in marriage for either stable than humanistic and eupraxophic irrational and blind passions or stirrings gender. marriages. We must strongly caution of foolishness. We cannot accept the notion that that a nonreligious marriage is too often The institution of marriage is a marriage lasts into the afterlife, for we not a eupraxophic marriage. Living peculiar mixture of human contrivance cannot find rational and sufficient evi- without religion does not necessarily and artifice, combined with a natural dence for such fantastic illusions. Mar- mean living humanistically. Eupraxophy selective advantage upon those who are requires that we critically pursue the able and fortunate to cooperatively carry good life, examine the lessons of human on life's struggles. The contrived human "There are many models and history, and accept the guides of phi- institution only seems universal and examples in history and in the losophy and science. We believe that a timeless, appearing in all human history present for marriages without eupraxophic life stance leads to mean- ingful married lives that are satisfying and in all stages of social development. religion, based on reason, that are Its occasion has always brought joy, and fulfilling. There are many models delight, and hope to the community of ones of fulfilling and loving and examples in history and in the acquaintances, friends, and family of the equality." present for marriages without religion, newly married. The institution of mar- based on reason, that are ones of riage has nearly always brought strength fulfilling and loving equality. riage and love must always, sooner or and stability to the surrounding social later, die a natural death. Even in structure. fortunate cases where both partners live Verle Muhrer is the founder of the But social institutions have always a long and happy life together, that very Kansas City Eupraxophy Center. attempted to shape and mold the marriage institution to their own larger and selfish ends. Particularly offensive to eupraxophers has been the use of religious institutions in the name of the supernatural to control women's and men's natural human impulses, needs, and desires and to manipulate these into anti-human ends that are destructive to the needs of the married couple, to the marriage institution, and to society. Such damaging practices by institutions claiming a divine sanction must end. Eupraxophers do not accept the belief that a good marriage is made in heaven, is a holy sacrament, or is in any way a knot supernaturally tied. We hold in Verle Muhrer with LaDawna Howard and Aaron Burger after their ceremony at the Kansas contempt the notion that a sin against City Eupraxophy Center. Fall 1993 21 pleting the task that we employed him to perform, segued into the words, "Father, Son and the Holy Ghost." How Atheists Do It "Whoever they are," muttered Patrick. The man was still smiling. He got his two-bit three-in-one god in. Never mind that he was asked not to. Olga Bourlin And, I wondered, what if I had been Shinto or Jewish or Muslim and spe- bout a year and a half ago, I met many rings we were going to use: "No cifically asked for a non-denominational A Patrick Inniss, who was then rings. And no religion." ceremony—would my request still have president of the Rationalist Society of "No religion," he repeated almost been condescendingly dismissed? St. Louis, at a FREE INQUIRY confer- imperceptibly while he continued to I amused myself for a while thinking ence. To a note he had written stating smile, looking ever-so-slightly addled. A about what the poor man would have that he hoped we would be able to work couple of minutes later, during the done if a gay couple had proffered together for freethought, I replied, "It ceremony, the word God tumbled out themselves to him to be married. will be a privilege and a pleasure." of his mouth, his voice rising a little at I reminded myself that 90 percent of Do atheists fall in love? Is Paris a the end almost like a question, as if to the adults in the United States have an city? indicate he'd caught himself but not quite invisible friend. And that this lunacy is When I told my co-worker Holly I in time. At least that's how I interpreted promoted as a commendable way to be. was going to get married, she asked, it, giving him the benefit of the doubt. "How do atheists get married?" I found But I strengthened my grip on Patrick's an expedient solution to an endeavor I hand. Olga Bourlin is co-chair of the Northwest was about to undertake in the Yellow Soon my grip took on a pumping Feminist Anti-Censorship Task Force Pages, under "Weddings." Listed in our motion, because the man with the and former vice president of the Human- local directory was a place just over the cloyingly mellow smile, just before com- ists of Seattle. state border where one could get married presto-change-o--which is just about the right speed for me when it comes to rituals. Still to be reconciled were the couple Freethinkers' Funerals of thousand miles between me and my man. At his hometown I helped load the truck for the long drive to Seattle. A Gordon Stein few days after the onset of the trip westward we planned to be in Coeur ne of the cruelest tricks that can family plot, that happens to be located d'Alene, Idaho, and get hitched at (Oh be played upon the memory of a in such a sectarian cemetery. Many geeez) The Hitching Post. deceased freethinker is to ignore his or Catholic cemeteries will allow non- We made it to Coeur d'Alene a day her requests for a nonreligious cremation Catholics (or lapsed Catholics) to be ahead of schedule and obtained a or burial. Relatives feel that they and buried in a family plot without a Catholic marriage license. Right across the street not the deceased have the right to choose funeral. This policy varies by diocese. from the courthouse was The Hitching the service. Often it is a religious service If the deceased was a veteran, there Post, covered with an assortment of that is chosen, to the great embarrass- are secular veterans' cemeteries in most signs. One caught our attention: "No ment of freethinking friends of the states. Contact the Department of Appointment Necessary." Even though deceased. Such behavior is selfish and Veteran's Affairs for more information. we were scheduled to be married the next outrageous, but is somewhat encouraged The choice of cremation, of course, day, we decided we just couldn't pass by the fact that it may not be easy to remains, and should be made known to up the serendipitous prospect of beating find a secular or nonreligious funeral the survivors, not just be put in a will. an early retreat from this charming town, service text or a person to lead it. This Cremation can still involve burial in that one of the most publicized bastions of article will discuss how to find both. the "cremains" can often be interred in good ole' American intolerance and The problem of where to be buried the family plot, if desired. There is some other traditional values. (if cremation is not an option) defies easy opposition to this practice among certain It even accepted credit cards. Before solution. Obviously, a freethinker may religious groups (e.g., Orthodox Jews), the delightful observance was to begin, not want to be buried in a cemetery run but many permit it. I related to the man who took the Visa by a religious organization. Then again, The safest thing to do to ensure (but card and who was inquiring about how he or she may want to be buried in a still not guarantee) your funeral wishes

22 FREE INQUIRY will be carried out is to tell them to as (found in volume 12 of the Dresden barbarian, weeping above his dead, many friends and relatives as possible. edition of Ingersoll's Works). Ingersoll's can answer these questions just as well In that way, the few who might want own tributes to his father-in-law (Ben- as the robed priest of the most to thwart those wishes will be over- authentic creed. The tearful ignorance jamin W. Parker), his brother Ebon, and of the one, is as consoling as the whelmed by the sentiments of those who "At a Child's Grave" are masterpieces learned and unmeaning words of the knew what was really wanted. Many that can easily be adapted for use. "At other. No man, standing where the freethinkers may want no ceremony at a Child's Grave" is short yet moving. horizon of a life has touched a grave, all, either in a funeral parlor, cremat- There is not a Judeo-Christian thought has any right to prophesy a future orium, or at cemetery. This is, of course, in it: filled with pain and tears. Maybe that death gives all there is a valid option, but it should be specified worth to life. If those we press and in writing and made known to your At a Child's Grave strain within our arms could never die, friends and relatives. Usually, the lack perhaps that love would wither from of a service works best with cremation. My friends: I know how vain it is to the earth. Maybe this common fate gild a grief with words, and yet I wish treads from out the paths between our to take from every grave its fear. Here hearts the weeds of selfishness and he tradition of a secular/ non- in this world, where life and death are hate. And I had rather live and love religious funeral goes back to at least equal kings, all should be brave where death is king, than have eternal the early 1800s. Of course, the Catholic enough to meet what all the dead have life where love is not. Another life is church was denying burial in "conse- met. The future has been filled with nought, unless we know and love fear, stained and polluted by the crated ground" with a religious service again the ones who love us here. heartless past. From the wondrous They who stand with breaking long before this. It was a fate reserved tree of life the buds and blossoms fall hearts around this little grave, need for heretics. Today, "heretics" want that with ripened fruit, and in the common have no fear. The larger and nobler type of funeral. bed of earth, patriarchs and babes faith in all that is, and is to be, tells If you think that once you are dead sleep side by side. us that death, even at its worst, is only nothing that can occur to your body or Why should we fear that which will perfect rest. We know that through come to all that is? We cannot tell, the common wants of life—the needs memory matters, then you need do we do not know, which is the greater and duties of each hour—their grief nothing about planning for your death. blessing—life or death. We cannot say will lessen day by day, until at last Unfortunately, it can and does happen that death is not good. We do not this grave will be to them a place of that a freethinker is given a full religious know whether the grave is an end of rest and peace—almost of joy. There this life, or the door of another, or is for them this consolation: The dead send-off. I know personally of at least whether the night here is not some- do not suffer. If they live again, their ten cases among acquaintances or where else a dawn. Neither can we tell lives will surely be as good as ours. friends. which is the more fortunate—the We have no fear. We are all children There are several printed booklets child dying in its mother's arms, before of the same mother, and the same fate that give sample secular services and its lips have learned to form a word, awaits us all. We, too, have our or he who journeys all the length religion, and it is this: Help for the suggest poems and music to accompany of life's uneven road, painfully taking living—Hope for the dead. them. To obtain a copy of two recent the last slow steps with staff and ones, write to Prometheus Books, 59 crutch. John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14226 Every cradle asks us "Whence?" Gordon Stein is a senior editor of FREE (phone 800-421-0351) and ask for Jane and every coffin "Whither?" The poor INQUIRY. Wynne Willson's Funerals Without God ($8.95), or Corliss Lamont's A Humanist Funeral Service ($9.95). These two booklets are complementary, not duplic- Gordon Stein Named Senior Editor ative. Willson's is a British production. Gordon Stein, one of the founders of It has more suggestions about how to of freethought. If you would like to arrange a service and internment and is FREE INQUIRY magazine, has been donate books to the library, please appointed as a senior editor and a contact Dr. Stein at P.O. Box 664, loaded with sample ceremonies, opening fellow of the Institute for Inquiry. He Amherst, NY 14226. lines that you can use to build a memorial will also act as the new Director of * * * statement, poems, and music. Lamont's Libraries for the Center for Inquiry. If you are a college student or a faculty booklet has a larger selection of poems, In this capacity, he will help to member and would like to arrange a complete sample service, and musical catalogue the freethought library a debate between Dr. Stein and a selections. Interestingly, most of the which will be housed at our new theist on your campus about the poems suggested in the two booklets are not the same. headquarters. Stein is the editor of existence of God, please write to Dr. the American Rationalist, Stein at P.O. Box 972, Amherst, NY A serious omission from both book- editor of The Encyclopedia of Unbelief 14226. His expenses are all paid from lets are selections from Robert G. and author of several books on the history Ingersoll's funeral orations or poems. a grant. They were little secular masterpieces Fall 1993 23 and how he managed to keep the plastic handcuffs with which he had been A Gay Secular Humanist arrested at a demonstration in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. Memorial Service Three from Agnostics, Atheists, and Secular Humanists with AIDS (an SHS support group) were present, one of whom videotaped the two-hour pro- Warren Allen Smith gram. Another had arranged for the pre- recorded music. Two of the three had pwards of 300 people remembered on life. visited Luke the day before his death, ULuke Stanton on May 16, 1993. It One of the city's best-known choral and were told how pleased he was that has been described as Manhattan's first groups, the eighteen-member Stonewall he had accomplished so much in life in gay secular humanist memorial service. Chorale, sang Gabriel Fauré's "Introit such a short time. Luke, a member of the Secular et Kyrie" and James Taylor's "That "I'd like there to be food and drink," Humanist Society of New York since Lonesome Road." Michael Stanton, Luke had requested, and bountiful 1991 who had designed its newsletter's who gave the eulogy, told how he and supplies of both were on hand following front page, ran an East Side beauty Luke originally had met by computer the two-hour memorial. parlor before his death from Kaposi's modems, dated for six months, then Among the several hundred in attend- sarcoma March 28. The memorial, which legally arranged to have the same last ance were Andy Humm, a nationally he had planned, commenced with "A name. While Luke operated a beauty known gay rights leader, and Manhattan Letter From Luke," the printed program salon, Michael operated his own ceram- Councilman Tom Duane. A previous of which read: ics business. politician, Peter Stuyvesant, the Dutch In the eulogy, Michael thanked director-general of the North American I was raised Roman Catholic and everyone for having accepted as friends colony of New Netherland (1647-1664), spent the greater part of my teenage two who were not exactly the usual lay buried below the memorial site. The years trying to come to terms with the husband/ wife combination. This one-legged Stuyvesant was a harsh, hypocrisies and contradictions of brought much laughter from the many autocratic ruler, intolerant of religious Catholic dogma. The realization that my sexual orientation was homosex- gay and lesbian couples who were in dissenters, so comments were made by ual and the church's adamantly attendance. "The Water Is Wide," which Luke's friends as to how times have really homophobic position opposing all Michael sang and which had been pre- changed! issues that pertain to the Gay and taped, was accompanied by guitarist Lesbian community finally solidified Rick DiRoma. my feelings about Catholics—this religion was not for me.... In my Several in attendance told anecdotes Warren Allen Smith founded the first late twenties, I became interested in about Luke, the thirty-two-year-old of humanist university club, at the Univer- a philosophy called "Secular Huma- Portuguese background who had been sity of Northern Iowa in 1948. In 1949, nism." The tenets of humanism were born in Trinidad. His nurse related how his Humanist Club at Columbia Univer- exactly how I felt about life on planet greatly she had been inspired by both sity secured John Dewey as its first dues- Earth as it pertained to Luke Stanton. paying member. He founded the Secular It gave me quite a bit of joy discovering Stantons. Others told how Luke had this facet of my life and today I am volunteered in a child-care group, how Humanist Society of New York in 1988 very pleased to call myself a "Secular he aided the Gay Men's Health Clinic, and is editor of its newsletter Pique. Humanist." Well, anyway, if anybody knows anything about humanism— it's about the farthest thing from Foster Humanist Growth for Years to Come. Catholicism that you can find. Provide for FREE INQUIRY in your will. The twelve-page memorial program, Please remember FREE INQUIRY (CODESH, Inc.) when planning your estate. Your bequest a smiling photo of Luke on the cover, will help to maintain the vitality of humanism in a society often hostile toward it. ended with the Council for Democratic We would be happy to work with you and your attorney in the development of and Secular Humanism's "The Affirma- a will or estate plan that meets your wishes. A variety of arrangements are possible, including gifts of a fixed amount or a percentage of your estate; living trusts or gift tions of Humanism: A Statement of annuities, which provide you with lifetime income; or a contingent bequest that pro- Principles." It is believed this is the first vides for FREE INQUIRY only if your primary beneficiaries do not survive you. such instance in the New York metro- For more information, contact Paul Kurtz, Editor of FREE INQUIRY. All inquiries will politan area of a memorial program's be held in the strictest confidence. having included the CODESH principles P.O. Box 664, Buffalo, New York 14226-0664. Or call 716-636-7571. as indicative of the deceased's outlook

24 FREE INQUIRY Rational Rituals or 'Pay No Attention to that Man Behind the Curtain'

Timothy J. Madigan

. . . Ritual, prayer, and religious ceremonies might be giving them emo- affirmations generally involve a sus- tional support, they also believe that "We are like Toto, pulling aside the pension of one's critical faculties—a these ceremonies have a supernatural refusal to be completely honest with curtain to see what mechanisms oneself. The situation cannot be origin or sanction. They do not accept assimilated either to beholding or are behind the puff and smoke. that these were essentially created by acting in a play or to participation in After doing so, it is hard to bow to human beings. a game. In all these cases one is willing Like many other humanists, I am the great and powerful Oz." to admit, even if unfeeling interrup- fascinated by the origins of customs and tions are resented, that there is some make-believe. In the case of religion, the ways in which they function. But the hardly anyone would be prepared to students in the head with a stick—to get process of analyzing such customs might admit this even to himself. them to attain enlightenment by stop- simultaneously preclude participating in them. Joseph Campbell, who spent his ping their thoughts about enlightenment. —Walter Kaufmann, life studying comparative mythology, The Faith of a Heretic Perhaps if someone had smacked me with a crozier I might be a Catholic expressed this point of view in his televised discussions with Bill Moyers: he philosopher George Santayana still. (1863-1952) considered himself to At any rate, my faith had a firm rational foundation. I was interested in I have had a revelation from my be both an atheist and a Catholic. His computer about mythology. You buy reasoning powers would not allow him logical justification of beliefs. The rituals, a certain software, and there is a whole to accept the dogmas of the Catholic I felt, served a purpose, but my main set of signals that lead to the achieve- church, but he still appreciated its concern was intellectual integrity. After ment of your aim. If you begin fooling aesthetic charm and its ability to get studying both Western and Eastern around with signals that belong to another system of software, they just philosophy in college, I came to see that across moral truths through the use of won't work.... If a person is really pageantry, ritual, and ceremony. the basic premises of my religion were involved in a religion and really I, too, was raised a Catholic, and I shaky, and I could no longer accept building his life on it, he better stay share Santayana's intellectual qualms them. I still admired the church services, with the software that he has got. But about its doctrines. However, I am but I felt that I could not remain in an a chap like myself, who likes to play with the software—well, I can run somewhat less sanguine about its use of organization whose central teachings I around, but I probably will never have traditions. While I can admire the beauty no longer accepted, regardless of the an experience comparable to that of of a church ceremony, I am also aware comfort of its rituals. a saint. [Power of Myth, Doubleday, of how it can be used to manipulate I suspect that this is why the issue 1988, p. 20] people's feelings and keep them beholden of humanist rituals is so problematic. to the institution. Humanists are by their very nature Campbell went on to bemoan the loss Even as a child I was interested in unconventional. Such nonbelievers as of meaningful rituals in contemporary the ways in which church practices affect Comte, Durkheim, and Dewey assidu- society and wistfully hoped that new one's personal life. I can recall trying to ously studied religious customs and ones would arise. This seems to me akin reach a state of ecstasy by saying the mapped out the ways in which these to those liberal politicians who extolled rosary, something that other Marian helped to meet the existential needs of the virtues of forced busing while making devotees seemed to achieve with ease. human beings while promoting com- sure their own children were firmly While dutifully reciting the prayer munal harmony. Each in turn advocated ensconced in private schools. associated with each bead, however, I devising secular alternatives to these I would take Campbell's analogy was also wondering how the repetitious religious rituals. But in practice such further and say that there are many recital would bring about an altered state secular rites of passage seem artificial, humanists who wish to get beyond the of consciousness. I never did achieve or resonant of a "me too" attitude. The software and study the hardware itself. rapture. No doubt this is why Zen point is, while most religious adherents But in doing so, it is difficult to accept masters are prone to whacking their have some vague sense of how their any software program for pomp and

Fall 1993 25 circumstance, even a program one writes behind the puff and smoke. After doing best able to see its worth. As San- oneself. Instead of taking part in rituals, so, it is hard to bow to the great and tayana perceptively pointed out, "Rea- we take rituals apart. There is, to be sure, powerful Oz. son is powerless to found religions, a sense of loss—like Campbell, we Still, a life devoted to reason has its although it is alone competent to judge probably will not achieve the satori or pleasures. There is the joy of discovery them." perfect bliss of a saint, or perhaps even in examining the many-faceted mores of the comfort found in communal wor- human beings. And there is a social ship. We are like Toto, pulling aside the function as well. It is often those who Timothy J. Madigan is the executive curtain to see what mechanisms are are outside of a given practice who are editor of FREE INQUIRY.

The Trouble with Christmas Infidels should hold out for some- thing more creative and less corrupted by pre-Christian superstition than the winter solstice. Thomas Flynn Do as I Say, Not as I Do s associate editor of FREE INQUIRY and co-editor of Secular Humanist members of an unpopular out- Bulletin, I've gotten to know atheists, A group, we should consider the mes- agnostics, freethinkers, secular human- sage we send the larger culture when we ists, rationalists, and other infidels from yield so easily to Christmas. In multi- all over the world. A distressing number cultural America outgroups get respect of them celebrate Christmas or some by highlighting their differences, not by analogous festival like the winter solstice. hiding them. Accommodation earns only In my opinion, we would all do better contempt. to sit out yule. Ultimately, any festive observance at It is too much trouble to defy the the end of the year, whether winter sol- holiday altogether, these infidels tell me. stice or Chanukah, strikes mainstream "If we infidels are committed to Some argue that, though Christmas is Christians as acquiescence in the holiday admittedly shot through with super- truth and critical thinking, how can as they perceive it. Our careful silences stitions, only the explicitly Christian ele- we condemn certain superstitions are drowned out once we join in the ments are worth opposing. After all, it and embrace others? Doing so common shout. If non-Christians keep is fundamentalist Christians, not Druid feasts so much like Christmas that the seems counterproductive if we priests, who are electing creationists to difference goes unnoticed, the myth of school boards, banning textbooks, and wish to be taken seriously as religious and philosophical unanimity in bending the Constitution to their beliefs. proponents of rational living." American life is reinforced. More evi- So why waste energy trying to stamp dence for the "America is a Christian out the pagan solstice? Yet if we infidels nation" gang! "Look," I can imagine Pat are committed to truth and critical think- observance from our lives if we replace Buchanan saying as he spots a Christmas ing, how can we condemn certain super- it with an even older superstition? I can't tree in another atheist's window, "Every- stitions and embrace others? Doing so get excited just because the days are one's Judeo-Christian at Christmas seems counterproductive if we wish to getting longer. What does excite me is time." be taken seriously as proponents of that, thanks to science and technology, We infidels have a stirring, even rational living. most of us get through the winter inspiring message. We tell of an unde- painlessly. If infidels want a humanistic signed, unintended, and unmanaged The Solstice: A celebration, let's not celebrate the supine universe filled with possibility. We pro- Workable Alternative? hope that spring will soon return, which claim that this life is all we have, that amounts to obsessing on human impo- the only meanings we can depend on are ome infidels feel they get the best of tence before the elements. Instead let us the ones we create for ourselves. We Sboth worlds by observing the winter celebrate our human achievement in embody the ideals of life and love without solstice. Is the winter solstice a brilliant keeping them at bay. What images and religion. Yet who will listen to us if we compromise? Does it let infidels join rituals might be appropriate for such a appear as hypocrites because we cannot society's biggest party without betraying celebration of mastery? The traditional muster the will to forgo a holiday whose their beliefs? festivals, including winter solstice, traded history and principles we would reject in I don't think so. What do we gain in human helplessness. I doubt they will any other setting? by ousting one outmoded superstitious have much to offer. I cannot think of a more graphic way

26 FREE INQUIRY for atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, and when an overwhelming majority of tornado are still homeless, but at least secular humanists to "out themselves" Americans kept Christmas in a distinctly they are not simultaneously homeless and than for large numbers of us to live our Christian way. As American non- mystified as to what hostile spirit has beliefs openly, and unmistakably sit out Christian religious groups grow in influ- done this to them. the winter holidays. ence, we can expect traditional Christmas We should never underestimate the to seem less like the culture's default progress this represents. It is utterly Zero-Basing: Why Have holiday. When infidel children can view unprecedented. It overthrows all the Christmas at All? Christmas as "something that some other pessimistic assumptions about life that people do," not as "something everybody guided hundreds of thousands of years ne way to shake off the effects of but us gets to do," the lure of forbidden of biological and social evolution. Life Opast accommodation is what fem- fruit will lose much of its sting. is far from perfect, but the terms on which inists call "getting outside the culture." There is another flaw in the forbidden it is lived have changed more in the last It is an intellectual and emotional process fruit argument. By definition, infidels two hundred years than in all the rest of peeling away the assumptions, prej- have chosen to give up much that makes of human history. I suspect that they have udices, and past accommodations that other people comfortable—the idea of changed so drastically that the whole idea have accreted onto one's life. I call it personal immorality, for example. If we of a holiday—that is, a special day set "zero-basing," after the accounting try to spare our children everything that aside from the humdrum grind of life for principle of zero-based budgeting. In might lead them to envy religionists, the enjoyment of socially approved ordinary budgeting, you draw up each sooner or later we will wind up restoring excess—no longer serves real social or new year's budget by altering last year's; guardian angels, life after death, heaven emotional needs. old decisions that informed that budget and hell, and indulgences. At some point Sprees of gluttony whenever possible get validated without review. Zero-based we have to stop squirming, accept our made sense in cultures attuned to priva- budgeting solves this problem by starting differentness, and admit it to our kids. tion. Do they make sense in a culture from scratch. Nothing is carried forward; of plenty? Or is the very idea of a holiday each line-item starts from a base of zero Holidays at All: A Bad Idea irrelevant when so many of us live lives and must justify its base allocation anew. of agreeable consumption day in and day Try it. Imagine zero-basing your life. hile we're zero-basing, let's move out? Regard the unthinkable and laugh. Wbriefly beyond Christmas and ask When we confront the modern world Uproot your deepest assumptions to see a really broad question. If we were of purpose and possibility, we cannot what's underneath. Conceive a method starting from scratch, might we opt to know for certain what is right. But we of inquiry that owes nothing to the old do without holidays altogether? Have we can know that almost without exception, transcendental assumptions you have humans grown up so far, so fast, that our instinctive assumptions, our received rejected. Feel free to try anything new, we no longer have need of festivals and social forms, our musty rituals and to reject the familiar, to follow inquiry for the ritual and ceremony that went ancient traditions are wrong. They where it leads. If you could go through with them? developed in response to and were the cafeteria line of life all over again, Our ancient holidays developed in a superbly attuned to a world of mystery wholly unfettered, would you put Christ- world of mystery and privation quite and limited expectations that no longer mas on your tray? unlike the world most of us inhabit today. exists. Consequently, whatever may be "I'm not unfettered," comes the Consider the revolution that science, the appropriate social and cultural objection. "I have kids. I can't just chuck technology, and the naturalistic world- response to the conditions of modern life, it all and say that they won't have a view has wrought. Today, at least in the it is far more likely to be an innovation Christmas any more." First World, most humans die of old age. yet unthought of than to be any hand- To which I can say only, Why not? Most children live to become adults. me-down of our past. Why not rescue their young minds from There is usually enough to eat. Many Yet can humans really live without all the burden of superstition and false diseases are curable. Small families are these happy irrationalities? Don't they expectations past Christmases have im- sufficient to ensure that society goes on. scratch psychological itches that burn posed? Why not spare the very young Men and women can view the phenom- deep inside us? Don't we need all those the whole dubious experience from the ena of nature with understanding and little lies to insulate us from the sterile start? respect, instead of with superstition and truth that the universe doesn't give a One might worry that raising children uncomprehending fear. Even when a damn for us? If we confront that truth Yule-free may create a forbidden fruit natural disaster is unavoidable, there is too directly, mustn't we go mad? effect, priming them to adopt Christmas often advance warning. Aid comes I have heard that argument advanced and the religion it symbolizes all the more quickly, and the victims can confront by thoughtful humanists who believe that ardently when teen rebellion sets in. If their experience fortified by their under- people are not yet ready to cast away true, it is the only compelling argument standing of the physical processes in- their myths. Of course, I hear the same against denying infidel children the volved. Moderns whose homes are argument from religionists defending the holiday. Perhaps it was true decades ago, destroyed by a storm, earthquake, or "necessity" of believing in life after death, Fall 1993 27 eternal justice, faith healing, or the power of tea leaves to foretell the future. How can I accept an argument from humanists that I reject from the religious? A National Day of Blame Self-awareness, reason, language, sci- ence, and technology have given human beings the power to change their world Norm R. Allen, Jr. faster than biological evolution can keep up with. It is up to us to update our uring the Thanksgiving season last There are also many questions about natures, to remake ourselves in the image year, I did a lot of thinking about war we could ask him. If he helped us of the world we are creating as we go. this special day of thanks. Americans to "win" the war against Iraq, why did Why us? There is no one else. Why not routinely thank God for historically he cause us to lose in Vietnam? And why wait for nature? It is too slow. If we try blessing the United States with land, did he wait until after Hitler killed to limit intellectual evolution to biology's abundant harvests, health, wealth, and millions to make us victorious in World pace, our ingenuity will surely kill us. many other good and desirable things. War II? And most of all, why did he But I have come to the conclusion bless us with the nuclear bomb which The Answer to Christmas that if it is good to thank God for the today threatens our very survival? good things in life, it is only fair and Certainly, if we have much for which ter all we've seen of the trouble with fitting that we blame Him for the bad we should be thankful, it logically AChristmas, what is the answer? For things. After all, God would likely be follows that there may be much for which infidels, the most appropriate answer is insulted if we were to lower our own we should be angry. Perhaps on this "Ho ho ho? Thanks. I'll pass." standards of accountability just for His special day we could initiate contests for More atheists, freethinkers, and secu- sake. I therefore propose a National Day those who have the most to complain lar humanists need to treat Christmas as of Blame (which could possibly be held about. Perhaps we could even have "just another day." Skip the feasts. Sit the day following Thanksgiving). special interest groups present God with out the exchange of gifts. Put in a normal On this special day we could blame a long list of grievances. Native Amer- day's work if you can. Infidelity is hard God for either causing or refusing to icans could ask why God "blessed" for believers to take seriously when its prevent natural catastrophes such as America at their expense. African advocates so visibly cashier their prin- earthquakes, hurricanes, and volcanic Americans could ask why God blessed ciples rather than pass up an excuse to eruptions. We could blame him for either America via the Middle Passage. eat, drink, and be merry. causing or refusing to prevent cancer and Borrowing from Catholicism, we A respectful but uncompromising various other devastating diseases. We could have nationwide confessions. denial of Christmas is consistent with could blame Him for hardening the People could go to their moral leaders most infidels' convictions about religion hearts of pharaohs, rapists, muggers, and say things like: "I blame God for and rationality. What most of us do murderers, war mongers, and various blessing me with a job, and then allowing instead is not. Living without religion, other mischief makers. We could blame my factory to go bankrupt, leaving me without ritual, and without superstition Him for promoting sexism, patriarchy, poorer than I have ever been in my life." may seem more attractive to members slavery, parochialism, and genocide. We Or, "I blame God for saving my life when of other communities when we carry could blame him for being inconsistent my house was on fire, while he allowed ourselves consistently and look comfort- and contradictory in his sacred texts. my other family members to die in the able doing it. We could also ask God many ques- fire." Or, "I blame God for blessing me Some infidels find my approach tions—and demand logical answers. We with the talent to become a champion overzealous. They think it carries too could ask him why, if he is responsible boxer, only so I could go on to suffer high an emotional cost. Or they think for our plentiful harvests, does he not permanent brain damage at the end of it's too much work. They dismiss it as bless starving Africans, Asians, Central my career." one more case of throwing out the babe Americans, and South Americans for a A National Day of Blame. What a with the bathwater. Yet many of us— change. And why did he decide to concept! But will the Congress go for certainly those of us who gave up destroy all life on the planet with the it? Probably not. But that does not mean Christianity to become infidels—threw Deluge, though only human beings were that we cannot recognize it in our own out the Babe long ago. The mystery is, supposedly responsible for the planet's way without official approval. Why are we so reluctant to part with mismanagement? We could ask why, if The National Day of Blame is an idea the bathwater? Eve had to be punished with pain during whose time has come. I strongly suggest childbirth, were all women consequently that all Americans observe it just for Thomas Flynn is head of CODESH's cursed? Furthermore, why did God curse the sake of consistency. Inquiry Media Productions and author all female animals with pain during of The Trouble with Christmas (Prome- childbirth, simply because one woman Norm R. Allen, Jr., is executive director theus Books, 1993). "sinned"? of African Americans for Humanism. 28 FREE INQUIRY catechism, no single central voice of authority issuing edicts on faith or morals that must be accepted without Why I Am a Humanist discussion. There is no injunction in Judaism about what to study, nor a requirement that a particular conclusion Skeptic — and Still a Jew be reached. An individual may spend a lifetime in study and never reach a conclusion, especially concerning the existence of a deity or the nature of the Sheldon F. Gottlieb deity. An intriguing intellectual aspect of Judaism is the lack of a requirement am Jewish—a humanistic skeptic if that individuals are obligated to believe Inot outright atheist but still a Jew. in a deity. I have no need to deny my Judaic As I got older, I had more time to heritage and its influence on the genetic delve into aspects of halakah, Talmudic, and environmental bases of my physical and post-Talmudic Jewish literature. I being, intelligence, personality, charac- was intrigued with the range of subjects ter, and thoughts. I choose to identify it covered that were concerned with with the humanistic aspects of Judaism. human needs and values. I came to Before discussing them, and the reasons realize that mutual respect is greater than for my identification with them, two universal love—an unrealistic goal and important distinctions need to be men- one that is impossible to attain; that it tioned. is only through a strong sense of justice Judaism is unlike other religiously that true respect can be expressed based belief systems in that Jews may between and among people. Don't relinquish the deistic aspects of the humanists stress the importance of religion and still consider themselves to justice and mutual respect? be culturally and ethnically Jewish. Also, "Isn't it humanistic to In the Talmudic book Pirkei Avot or rational rejection must be distinguished question and study? Isn't it The Sayings of the Fathers Rabbi Hillel from self-hate or anti-Semitic renunci- is quoted as asking three interrelated humanistic to study law ation of the deistic aspects of Judaism. questions: "If I am not for myself who As I developed a skeptical, secular and its meaning and to find is for me? Being for my own self what humanist perspective, one of my reasons new significance and am I? If not now, when?" for not needing to deny my heritage was interpretations for an ever- From the time I was introduced to my realization that there is something these ethical questions, they profoundly changing society?" special about Jewish culture that is worth influenced my life. I believe these three preserving. I considered the enormous penetrating questions, with their multi- contributions that Judaism has made to As a child, I was inculcated with levels of significance emanating from the civilization that place it alongside, if not Orthodox Judaism based on the central- depths of Jewish culture, provide hu- in front of, the great Greek and Roman ity of ethics with emphasis on the rational manists with a fundamental approach to cultures in influencing the development wisdom of Rabbi Hillel. Hillel taught understanding the basis of humanism. of the modern world. Even the perverse, that each generation was entitled to The Talmud, while not presenting an ugly, despicable, anti-social reactions derive new meanings from Torah organized, systematic philosophy, has a that these contributions sometimes through the use of logic and reason. fascinating intellectual and philosophical produced gave rise to important socially Hillel exemplified this concept when, approach to solving practical and constructive outcomes. The non-deistic challenged by a prospective convert to theoretical problems of life. The law is aspect of the Decalogue and Jewish recite the entire Torah while standing on stated within a framework of questions, religious philosophy provided the basis one foot, he responded: "That which is followed by detailed discussions about for denying the Divine right of kings, hateful unto thee do not do unto thy the law's interpretation. These are open- and, thereby, formed the philosophical neighbor. The rest is commentary. Now ended discussions based on never-ending basis underlying the American Revolu- go and study." questions. I find that the proper study tion. Jewish experiences through the ages Thus, a Jew can be a skeptic. A of Talmud leads to the development of helped the American Founding Fathers skeptic can be a Jew. It is incumbent a questioning mind which has applica- develop the concept of freedom of upon one who doubts God's existence tion to other phases of life as well. Isn't religion that is embodied in the Bill of to study. Judaism has no central core it humanistic to question and study? Isn't Rights. of dogma, no official theology, no it humanistic to study law and its Fall 1993 29 meaning and to find new significance and ers of people's need to reexamine their interpretations for an ever-changing lives and provides opportunities for them "I respect—and selectively society? to do so. practice—many aspects of Jewish Many of the Jewish festivals are also ritual, not because of their eligion is suffused with ritual, associated with natural cycles pertaining Rfestivals, and holy days. I respect— to agriculture. They remind us of our deistic mandates, but because of and selectively practice—many aspects dependence on nature. their great humanistic and of Jewish ritual, not because of their The philosophy underlying the ethical values." deistic mandates, but because of their Kosher dietary laws contains powerful great humanistic and ethical values. insights into the sanctity and meaning religious Jews. Immigrant and first- Let me quickly review what I perceive of life. generation Chinese, Japanese, and other to be the humanistic values of the It is fascinating that, to a large extent, Asian families demonstrate similar festivals and practices that I respect. The these religious festivals center on chil- behavior patterns. In fact, all people with first few honor human freedom and dren. Thus, from an early age, children a strong sense of family tend to behave dignity, core concepts of humanism. are inculcated with humanistic values, similarly. It is interesting to note that Passover, commemorating the first with the need to develop questioning the ethnic groups mentioned, like Jews, recorded fight for human freedom, has minds, with the importance of living are tied to an ancient philosophical become the paradigm for the fight under rules of law, and with the impor- tradition that may be considered reli- against slavery. This concept of personal tance of study. In fact, as I reviewed the gious in nature. freedom was emphasized in the uniquely deep and penetrating meaning of the The Bible is and should be used as Jewish concept of the Sabbath. The holidays and rituals associated with a book of history, values, ethics, liter- Sabbath, in commemorating the free- Judaism, I found that virtually all of ature, and philosophy. It is the early dom of humans and animals from the them are concerned with developing history of a people—starting with their drudgery of work, honors the need for human potential and honoring the humble origins and continuing through humans and animals to renew their sanctity of life and, thereby, are conso- their rise to greatness—showing their strength through physical rest and, for nant with the finest concepts of human- nobility and ignominy. It is the story of ism. those so inclined, to renew their spir- the continuing relationship of these ituality. One day of rest per week was The synagogue developed as an insti- people with their concept of god, with a revolutionary social innovation. It even tution having a threefold function: A other people, and the interweaving of has meaningful ramifications in our lives house of worship, a house of study, and these relationships with a specific piece today. The five-day work week and a community meeting place. This mul- of land. When using the Bible as a work academic sabbatical year are derived tifaceted function helped the community of philosophy and ethics and a guide to directly from the concepts of the Sabbath to develop and perpetuate its cultural, correct behavior, one must read it not and the Mosaic law requiring the land social, and religious values while instil- only as a free-standing literary work but and vineyards to lie fallow. ling a strong sense of identity and ethnic also in the light of rabbinical interpre- Chanukah is not only the first pride. Other than for worship, secular tations and an understanding of the recorded fight for freedom of conscience, humanist centers will serve secular it is also one of its most powerful humanists in a similar manner. Humans political, economic, social, and military statements. Purim is a reminder of the are social creatures and the fellowship situations at the time the various need for constant vigilance against those of likeminded individuals is important, commentaries were formulated. Without who attempt to prevent freedom of not only for strengthening their convic- such analyses, one can easily be misled. conscience. In fact, in Judaism there are tions and bonds of friendship, but also Judaism is thus in harmony with the several Purims. Purim reminds us that for reinforcing their common ideas and finest secular humanist traditions. people of good faith, working together values. Secular humanists, by developing Judaism emphasizes deeds, not faith— in a civilized society, can defeat those social centers, are beginning to develop a view that is completely consistent with aberrant individuals who display heinous the rudiments of societal roots and the best of humanistic philosophy. Even behavior. Burke's famous aphorism, identity for their participants. the prophets would have done away with "The only thing necessary for the Identification with a group can yield ritual in favor of good deeds and proper triumph of evil is for good men to do increased societal stability and develop- behavior. Personal and social behavior nothing," is merely Purim's reverse. ment in that such identification tends to are the overt manifestations of intent. Shavuoth emphasizes the need for a foster stable family relationships. I civilized society to live under the rule believe the evidence is clear that religious Sheldon F. Gottlieb is professor of of law. Simhath Torah celebrates the Jewish communities have some of the biological sciences at the University of continuous cycle related to the study of lowest rates of child and spouse abuse, South Alabama in Mobile and Research the law and, by extension, the impor- abandonment, drunkenness, adultery, Director of the Jo Ellen Smith Memorial tance of study in general. Rosh drug abuse, and criminal behavior. That Biomedical Research Institute in New Hashanah and Yom Kippur are remind- social behavior is not just found among Orleans. 30 FREE INQUIRY and primitive religion and this is evident in the various aspects of life, both personal as well as public. It appears that Ceremonies in India it is this backwardness that manifests itself in the antiquated cult of national- ism and in the renewed calls for tribal loyalty to language, clan, caste, and religion. I suspect that in the endless Babu R.R. Gogineni speeches we make in India, and in the solemnity with which resolutions are few months back, in the now fully passed and societal changes "willed" literate Indian state of Kerala, during seminars and congresses, we more than 1,100 educated couples betray a subconscious belief in the gathered to perform a ritual called the potency of the spoken word and in the Putra Kamesti Yaga. This antediluvian magical power of the mantra. In the Vedic fertility rite, which is an insult to celebration of festive occasions in modern science, supposedly guarantees contemporary India, in the human a male child to the couple performing sacrifice that accompanies them in the it. In a brazen display of sex-bias and form of communal violence, in the in spite of opposition from rationalist idolatry of political leaders and (even and progressive groups, the ritual was atheist leaders), in the transformation of conducted as planned, under open offi- the electoral process into a seasonal cial patronage. Apart from the consid- ritual, I see India's religious bent of mind. eration that male children are immensely profitable in the marriage market, there An Area of Darkness appear to be more compelling spiritual reasons underlying the Indian fondness "Life in India, for the most part, is ith these preliminaries, let me take for male progeny: no Hindu is permitted still conceived in tribal and magical you to the living museum of to enter Heaven if his or her funeral rites W terms. Perhaps there is something rituals where you will encounter the are not performed by a son. fetishism of the lower cults, tree and Ceremonies like this, however, have in the collective unconscious of this animal veneration, the totemic worship not limited themselves to helping the nation, something that makes its of tools, relics of sympathetic magic, distraught secure a safe passage to people go back again and again to ancestor worship, and phallic worship Heaven. They help Indians—as they the primitive and the irrational." along with harvest and spring festivals. have always done—in relieving drought There are of course ceremonies to mark and in fighting famine by reminding the the important events of one's life: con- rain gods of their sacred duties. But since opportunity to interact with the tantrik ception, birth, adolescence, marriage, in India elections have become more underworld in my city when I was and death. Most started as secular cele- regular than the monsoons, there is now interpreting for two French black-magic- brations and ways of expressing joy or a flourishing business of providing men who came to India to learn new marking rites of passage, but soon be- special prayer services and sacrifices that skills. During this transfer of technology came handmaidens to the highly formal- help politicians win elections. But these from the South to the North, I discov- istic Hinduism that depended on ignoble politicians too, like humanists, ered more rites and rituals, whose utility ceremonies and rituals for the reinforce- believe in the worth and value of human ranges from silencing the enemy to ment of its worldview among the masses. effort and so they happily manipulate controlling nagging mothers-in-law to the elections anyway. Here is some seducing neighbors' wives! The Hindu Circle of Life consolation to the saddened humanist: Sadly, India is a nation "infested with it is not very often that in India Man saints, sorcerers, and god-men who he Varna and the later caste system is trusted more than God. thrive on the carrion of popular super- Tof "graded inequality" made its We have ceremonies to purify the stition." Life in India, for the most part, appearance in all aspects of life. During elements and to set right the ecological is still conceived in tribal and magical a naming ceremony tradition decrees imbalance as well as ceremonies to bring terms. Perhaps there is something in the that the first part of a Brahmin's name peace to the world. There must surely collective unconscious of this nation, should denote something auspicious, a be one for the recession; if friends from something that makes its people go back Kshatriya's name should be associated America are interested, I offer to look again and again to the primitive and the with power, a Vysya's with wealth, and up the Vedas for you. Last year, for irrational. Indian life is built on the a Sudra's name must express something about ten action-packed days, I had the substratum of sociological backwardness contemptible and should denote service. Fall 1993 31 The end of babyhood is usually marked In a perversion of human values, some for their sophistry, these men were by a ceremonial tonsuring of the head men were made "untouchables" and known to practice "the science of in a temple. women—along with the lower castes— disputation, sophistry (haitukas), and Upanayanam, the initiation or con- were relegated to a position of extreme casuistry" (vithanda-vadasattham). The firmation ceremony during which the inequality. An absurd theogony along fourteenth-century compendium of sacred thread is given to the initiate and with the ancient prattle of the Vedas and Indian philosophic thought—the Sarll the mysterious Gayatri mantra taught, the Puranas helped in the propagation adarsanasamucchaya by Madhava— is still limited to the upper Varnas. of ignorance in this nation of pilgrim- says "it is difficult to refute the Manu, the second century B.C.E. law- ages. Astrology—the panchangam—and Charvakas." giver, had decreed that the Brahmin child other such dismal sciences that flour- What kind of men were these who could be initiated at age eight, the ished tightened the noose around the troubled the Hindus and the Buddhists Kshatriya at eleven, and the Vysya at people's necks. All this brought about and the Jains with their irrefutable logic? twelve. The sacrament in Hinduism is cultural decay and the atrophying of a We know that in logic they admitted the called a Samskara, and once initiated, once great civilization. That was of validity only of perception and rejected the twice-born—the dvija—is declared course a great human tragedy in the inference as a valid means of knowledge; eligible to perform the respective caste drama of Indian life. The tragedy was they anticipated modern skepticism duties. Girls, however, have no right to compounded because much before the 2,000 years before Hume. Though often the sacred thread and, on attaining revival of Brahminism, the germs of castigated for their lack of morals, in pubescence are considered impure dur- equality had already been laid in India. the Mahabharata we see a Charvaka ing menstruation. Nearly six centuries before Christ, the who meets his death for having admon- Since prolonged virginity is consid- Buddha did not recognize caste in his ished the emperor for destruction caused ered a disgrace, infant and child mar- order. He had also reacted against the in a war. About morals, these despicable riages—still practiced on a large scale— excessive ritualism and sacrificial nature creatures had this to say: "Morality is became natural. Gandharva Vivaha or of the Vedic religion. natural; it is a social convention and marriage by mutual consent was permit- There were of course many people convenience, not a divine command. ted, though stigmatized! Marriages who did protest against the ritualism of There is no need to control instincts and could be contracted by a man with Hinduism, but it is no easy task to talk emotions; they are commands of nature. women of his own caste and in no case about them! All that we know about the The purpose of life is to live; and the should he aspire to marry above his own opponents of rituals has been obtained only wisdom is happiness."2 From the rank. During the ceremony itself, largely by exhuming Hindu mytholog- accusations made against them we also recitations from the Vedas are permitted ical and philosophical literature, apart know that they were sexually liberated. only to the upper castes. from examining a few scanty, independ- There is no independent extant work by Since the mantras are in Sanskrit, not ent sources. Some of those who declared Charvakas or the Lokayatas, and their many understand their shamefully lewd themselves against the religious cere- works are suspected to have been and obscene contents. After the mar- monies or sacrificial Yajnas (rituals) were destroyed between the seventh and the riage, the priest claimed the right of jus variously called the ritual-less people, tenth centuries after Christ. The legend- primae noctis. Prolonged widowhood Nastikas (atheists), Lokayatas, or the ary Brihaspati is the first rationalist we and the shocking—but not universally Charvakas. Manu classed the Buddhists know by name and this is all that remains practiced—sati need little mention. and the Jains along with these infidels. of what he said: Mortuary or funeral rites are very The Samaveda, a Hindu "revealed" important for the Hindus, though scripture, is one of the earliest records No heaven exists, no final liberation, ghastly. Only a son or a male member of Indo-European race and is dated to No soul, no other world, no rites of of the family can light the funeral pyre. around 1500 B.C.' Even in so ancient a caste .. . The triple veda, triple self command, A death in the family still makes the document we find a charming invocation And all the dust and ashes or house impure (like the law of Moses in to Indra, the chief of the then pantheon repentance— Israel) and a purification ceremony has of Aryan gods, "O Indra, control and These yield a means or livelihood for to be carried out. Shraddh rites continue punish the anti-yajna (sacrifice) men, men to be performed for the dead and gifts remove ritual-less men from around our Devoid of intellect and manliness homes ... may our enemies the atheists are made to the priests to ensure How can this body when reduced to happiness of the departed soul. be ever wanting and our holy prayers dust succeed." Revisit earth? And if a ghost can pass A Wounded Civilization The Svetasvatara Upanishad, which To other worlds, why does not strong dates back to 700-600 B.C.E., makes affection references to the materialist heretics who For those he leaves behind attract hus, in the name of Hinduism, the him back? Tsocially incestuous caste system regarded matter—bhutani—as the ulti- The costly rites enjoined for those who thrived, creating a society where literacy mate principle and hence rejected rituals die and knowledge were matters of privilege. and prayers. Mostly reviled and despised Are but a means or livelihood devised 32 FREE INQUIRY by sacerdotal cunning—nothing more India. festive days, the birthdays of the Buddha, Back in Andhra Pradesh in 1855, Christ, and Rammohan Roy too are While life endures, let life be spent Samineni Muddu Narasimha Naidu, the celebrated. A good part of Tagore's in ease And merriment; Let a man borrow little-known pioneer of the popular twenty-nine festivals are extremely money language, the widow remarriage, and the secular in nature and use carefully From all his friends, and feast on later rationalist movement, wrote Hita- selected couplets and recitations from the melted butter.3 suchani, a book that denounced popular Vedas and the Upanishads. Some fes- superstition and belief in alchemy, and tivals are Dionysian and celebrate the Since their emphasis was on feasting advocated scientific education and regenerative power of the Earth while and celebrating life, one wonders how rejected the marriage institution as it others celebrate the art and craftmanship these first known rationalists/ humanists existed then.6 The Maharashtra State of man. For this nature-poet, the of the world celebrated the important saw the birth of Gopal Rao Deshmukh— seasonal festivals are, as a friend put it, events in their lives. We do know that famous as Lokhitwadi—who criticized "the theoretical centre of the Shanti neither they nor the lives and teachings priests and aristocrats alike and advo- Niketan educational experience." The of many religious and nonreligious cated the swadeshi movement long arrival of seasons like autumn and spring reformers have been successful in before Gandhi. He was followed by is welcomed with sowing, plowing, changing, to a large extent, the views Jyotirao Phule (1827-1890) and Agarkar singing, drama, and fancy dress. and practices of the common man, which (1856-1895), who sought "to open their is why nearly 2,000 years later in the [people's] eyes to the pleasures of the Marriage and Morals seventeenth century C.E. we hear this rich and free life—courtship, clothes, impatient admonishing by the games, festivals and the enjoyment of ut these movements were started by rationalist-deist Telugu poet Vemana: poetry." It is interesting to note that in Bmen who were in the first phase of protest against Agarkar's revolutionary their development toward full-blown The solitariness of a dog! The med- ideas, the Brahmins of his town cere- humanism. The one name that comes itation of a crane! The chanting of an monially performed symbolic funeral ass! How are you better for smearing to mind is Tripuraneni Ramaswamy your body with ashes? An ass can rites, wishing him dead! (1886-1943), one of the most able and wallow in dirt as well as you.... The profound thinkers who enriched Telugu books called Vedas are like courtesans, A Festive Secularism literature. In 1930, during his deist phase, deluding men and wholly unfathom- Ramaswamy wrote his book Vivaha able.... Will a cord cast over your eanwhile in Bengal, some seventy Vidhi—The Method of Marriage, where neck make you twice born? Why should we constantly revile the pariah? Myears before Erich Fromm (1900- he proposed that marriage vows be taken Are not his flesh and blood the same 1980) articulated his views about the in the Telugu language and not Sanskrit, as our own?4 need for reviving collective art and ritual which no one understood. Until then all on a non-clerical basis7 and eighty years marriage ceremonies, however progres- Not long after Vemana, in the Bengal before Sir Julian Huxley's call for sive, were conducted in Sanskrit, like the state, Raja Rammohan Roy (1772-1833) translating our ceremonies into a new liturgical services in Latin. Some of the helped in the abolition of the abominable framework,$ Rabindranath Tagore traditional practices of mangala sutram sati. This scholar and reformer, well (1861-1941), the reluctant humanist and kanya danam were retained in versed in Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, and under the influence of Brahmo Samaj, Ramaswamy's method. A fire too was later Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and English, was experimenting with secular festivals lit around which the couple had to go was deeply impressed by Western science in Shanti Niketan, his experimental in order to fulfill a legal requirement. and technology and advocated modern university. Tagore's festivals succeeded This was later modified in order in order education in "Mathematics, Natural in longevity where the French Revolu- to make it more modern and completely Philosophy, Chemistry, Anatomy and tion's "Religion of Reason" failed humanist. In the first five years, only other useful sciences." He established his because of his genius in combining the seven marriages were conducted in this own movement of Brahmo Samaj cyclical changes in nature, Indian manner. Kavirajashramam—the ashram against idolatry and other Hindu prac- tradition, and the educational activities of the poet king—established by the tices. Henry Vivian Derozio (1809-1831) of Shanti Niketan. In a celebration of rationalist-humanist philosopher Venka- and his group of Bengal radicals came humanity, he was able to incorporate the tadri and associates has been conducting after Rammohan Roy and they rejected color and gaiety of the Indian festival such marriages since 1943 in the Chirala caste, polygamy, and the various taboos along with the joy of reunion that comes area of Andhra Pradesh. This is also a and rituals connected with pollution and from the intermingling of people. One major rallying center for Telugu- purification. They advocated emanci- such festival is Ananda Bazaar—the Joy speaking radical humanists. Since then pation of women and equality of the Market—where a handicraft fair is many, many hundreds of marriages have sexes. They sought to subject every belief organized. There is a festival where man's been conducted by humanists, with no and practice to the scrutiny of free creativity—his making things as distinct rigid ceremonial procedure. My estimate inquiry.5 This was an exciting time in from tilling—is celebrated. On some is that an average four to five marriages Fall 1993 33 per month are still conducted in this Usually, it is the religious symbol Om enough for a grand family reunion and manner. There are no paid officiants, but for the Hindus. Muslims too have a attractive enough for humanists to local humanist leaders officiate and at similar way of marking this important adapt, so that the celebration takes care the end give a small speech about the occasion. With suitable amendments, to incorporate an important event in the significance of the marriage ceremony. this could be adopted by us and, in fact, woman's life, too. At this function that signifies once more this could be one of the major ceremonies The humanist's alternative to a regu- the "triumph of hope over experience," humanists may take up. Can there be lar cremation would be advocating the they advise the newly wed couple on their a more beautiful and joyous occasion use of electric crematoria in order to save duties toward each other and their future in an illiterate country than the learning valuable wood, if the humanist has not offspring. A visit to the registrar of of reading and writing? already donated his or her eyes to the marriages completes the ceremony. In a society where we have not learned eye bank and his or her body for medical Mahila Abhyudaya Samstha, the to treat each other as equals, "the coming research. Usually, humanists hold a Centre for Women's Development in of age" ceremony could be a symbolic memorial meeting a few days after the Hyderabad as well as the Atheist Center initiation into the human tribe, when the cremation. Non-believing children of in Vijayawada still conduct secular values of tolerance are introduced religious parents, however, frequently marriages and offer marriage counseling formally to the child. This could replace find themselves making the difficult services, among other things. the traditional Upanayanam. Adoles- choice between a humanist funeral cere- In 1925, Periyar (1879-1973), the cence could be marked by a ceremony mony and a religious funeral ceremony. militant dravidian leader, swept the state that takes the opportunity to introduce Rakhee is an interesting nonreligious of Tamil Nadu with his strong anti- secular values and education about good festival where sisters tie a colorful thread Brahminism and anti-Gandhism. His citizenship. An exposure to the different on their brothers' wrists, asking the idea of Self-Respect Marriages was exciting fields available for a developing brother symbolically to protect them. totally secular and devoid of religious human being could also be done at this Students of women's colleges visit vows. All the social reformers encour- stage. Dr. Indumati Parikh's syllabus for prisoners in jail on this day, to tie the aged inter-caste marriages. But, my nonformal education for adolescents Rakhee and express their solidarity. Dr. sympathies do not lie with this advo- seems to be appropriate. Since the home Parikh introduced a reciprocal tying of cating of inter-caste marriages because and the school do not take up the re- thread ceremony wherein a brother too one tends to forget in the process the sponsibility of sex education, this too symbolically asks his sister to protect fact that marriages are ultimately must be an essential part of any such him. In Delhi, humanists take the between individuals and not between activity. opportunity provided by the celebration castes. I have seen with distress such In India, where mate selection is done of Holi—the festival of colors—to help marriages performed because of a vested on a commercial basis and marriages are members of the Muslim and Hindu interest in the inter-caste marriage. The occasions for a vulgar display of wealth, communities come together. communists and the Arya samajis— the obvious answer would be to human- Ugadi, the traditional New Year day, adherents of a late nineteenth-century ize this institution. Dr. Parikh has and Diwali, the festival of lamps, are Hindu reform movement—also had formulated a new version of the Sap- occasions of much joy and celebrations designed reformed marriage rituals. It is tapadi—the traditional Indian marriage and preparation of delicious sweets. interesting, however, to note that most oath when both the bride and the groom Humanists already adopt them, rejecting of these reformers have not concentrated together take seven symbolic steps, the astrology and mythology surround- much on funeral rites. taking a particular oath at each step. Her ing these days of celebration. formulation, different from the tradi- New Wine? tional oath that betrays male superiority, Darkness at Noon also expresses enough commitment to an modern-day humanists make the families of the bride as well as the o humanist ceremony can be any additions to the already rich groom, reflecting the Indian concern for Nhuman without fun and humor. repertoire of ceremonies? I think so. aged parents. In view of our population However, notwithstanding the fact that Ceremonies that have a properly focused problems, any wedding ceremony must many humanists may not want any social and individual purpose could be be accompanied by an explanation of ceremonies at all, I am of the considered designed with some creativity. the need for small families and planned opinion that ceremonies cannot be the There is a wonderful celebration in parenthood. During naming ceremonies, highest priority of humanists in India as the Indian tradition with which I have parents could take care to avoid names things stand. Was it not Julian Huxley no quarrel. Aksharabhyasam, "the that indicate caste. who said that ritual expressions are introduction to writing" ceremony, is There is a charming family celebra- determined more by the beliefs of the when a child is initiated formally into tion, shastipoorthi, when the male head people than the other way around?9 the world of literacy and is made to write of the family attains his sixtieth year, Many have tried and attempted to some letters of the alphabet of his mother the couple's children perform their change and reform Indian society, tongue in sand, rice, or on a slate. parents' second wedding. This is reason attacking the superficial expressions of 34 FREE INQUIRY its beliefs. I put it to you that the only reconcile her authoritarian, centralized and the most wide-spread higher education which institutions with the present incipient has existed at any time—if we have no collective redemptive metaphor is the metaphor of expression of our total personalities, no common rebirth. I put it to you also that human- democratic aspirations of her people. art and ritual?" Erich Fromm, "The Sane Society, ists in India believe in rebirth. Not the Breaking apart for the wrong reasons, p. 302. Hindu or the Buddhist concept, but the troubled by terrorism, this country is 8. "All religions provide for some ceremonial sanctification of life, especially of events like humanist concept of rebirth, that of a reluctantly recognizing its plural char- birth, marriage and death, and those marking the humanist renaissance. Long ago, in 1935, acter. I think the Indian Nation is trying transition from one stage of life to another Will Durant wrote in his book Our to come to terms with its own identity, ... (man's) emergent religion must continue to do this, though it must translate the ceremonials Oriental Heritage, "India awaits with while the torturous search for a consen- into terms that are relevant to the new vision unformulated longing her Renaissance, sual secular basis of nationhood con- and the new circumstances of his life." Sir Julian her Reformation and her Enlighten- tinues. It is this kind of work that Huxley, "The Humanist Frame." 9. Sir Julian Huxley, "The Humanist Frame" ment." Such a revolution is imperative humanists in India may have to be busy and "Religion Without Revelation." in contemporary India. The Indian with for a long time. nation today is caught in the cultural Babu R.R. Gogineni is a French crossfire of weary religiosity and trou- Notes bled modernity. With a newfound cul- language teacher in Hyderabad, India. tural fundamentalism longing for the I. Balgangadhar Tilak dates the Vedas as far He is Joint Secretary of the Indian decadent past and the progressive's as 4000 B.C.E. Radical Humanist Association and 2. "Materialism" by M. N. Roy, 1940, p. 95. Rationalist Association Andhra Pradesh Sehnsucht towards the uncertain future, 3. Translation by Monier Williams. the country is painfully coming to terms 4. Barnett, "The Heart of India," p. 112. and a member of the National Council with its atavistic social heritage and the 5. Prof. Sib Narayan Ray, "The Intelligentsia: of the Indian Rationalist Association. He Two Essays." is co-editor of the book Rationalist present economic disaster. There is now 6. Published posthumously by his son in 1862. an attempt at least by some—to 7. "What help is it to have almost no illiteracy Essays.

Humanist Confirmation and Namings in Norway

Steinar Nilsen

n Norway, if you are a relative or a does not like it. She will come to the Iclose friend, you go to the ceremony baby naming as a Christian, she will for a new child, and you attend con- leave it as a Christian. There is no way firmations, weddings, and funerals, until that her affiliation will change. But her it's your turn. attitude may have changed. Humanists, Norway is about 90 percent Christian in her mind, are no longer the ministers officially. Most of these "Christians" are of evil and disruptors of society. After members of the Lutheran State Church, all, the music was so nice, the poems but only about 4 percent belong to other were so lovely, the words spoken were Christian societies. More Norwegians do actually important and meaningful. And not believe in heaven (44 percent) than the people that ran it seemed to be more those who do (39.1 percent). And two- or less ordinary people like everyone else. thirds (68.7 percent) do not believe in Humanism is wrong, of course, but not hell; only one-fifth (19.3 percent) do. really bad any more. Just mistaken. The results of opinion polls show low At the ceremony you might also find Sunday service attendance (about 2 widower Grand Uncle George. He is a percent). The average Norwegian uses state church member, too, but he never the church as a master of ceremonies. goes to services (well, maybe on Christ- Research shows that roughly 20 percent mas eve for the nice mood), and he does of the Norwegian population is really wegian humanists are State Church not really care much for the True Faith. Christian, 30 percent somewhat attached members. The humanist naming ceremony may to Christianity, another 30 percent are When mom and dad humanists take be what finally makes up his mind. indeterminate, and 20 percent are their newborn child to the baby naming, Humanists can do ceremonies, which humanists, meaning that most Nor- State Church grandma goes along. She means he does not really need the church.

Fall 1993 35 After having checked that humanists also do decent funerals, Grand Uncle George is in. About a million people attend hu- manist ceremonies in ten years. Norway has 4.3 million inhabitants. The average Norwegian will be in the audience of a humanist ceremony once or twice in his lifetime. Everybody knows a little about what we stand for. There are more ways of making people interested in humanism than ceremonies. But nothing beats cere- monies in getting across to people outside our movement that humanism exists and humanists are mostly nice people who do nice and important things. These two are vital if we want to gather support for humanism.

The Ceremonies in Norway Norwegian Humanist Association Name-Giving Ceremony at banquet hall in 0slo City Hall.

ome of our ceremonies and the way tion, given a few years. should relax and not feel embarrassed. we do them may not apply in other Here is the recipe for the baby The whole ceremony is run by volun- countries. For instance, confirmation, naming: We start out by finding out how teers, members of the local chapter of the most popular humanist ceremony in many people want to participate. Some Human-Etisk Forbund (Human-Ethical Norway, has no corresponding tradition will contact us themselves, or we may Association). in many countries. use advertisements and other kinds of Civil Confirmation. When children We call our ceremonies civil cere- published announcements. When we reach the eighth grade they are fifteen monies, as opposed to religious ones. have the approximate number of par- years old, and it is time for civil Actually we inherited, or borrowed, this ticipants we find a suitable location. It confirmation. term from the state, which has run civil may be the town hall, a theater, the grand Many cultures have rites of passage weddings for nearly 200 years. So now ballroom at a hotel, or something simi- connected with coming of age. In we have civil baby naming, civil con- lar. We decorate with flowers, flags, and Norway this was a virtual monopoly for firmation, and civil funerals. We are just leafy branches. the State Church for centuries. Up to starting to think of whether we should A typical program may look like this: 1912, confirmation was compulsory by change the name to humanist cere- law. Ninety percent of Norwegian youths monies. Welcome words (by the leader of the still participate. Until 1950 church Baby Naming. For many years the local humanist chapter). confirmation was the only choice. The Norwegian humanist way of baby Everybody sings (lyrics printed in the along came Kristian Horn, a professor naming was to print a little leaflet and program). at the University of Oslo, who founded a song book. The leaflet told you how Greeting from the town (by the mayor, wearing chain of office). the Association for Civil Confirmation. to have a celebration in your home, and Piano music. Thirty-four youngsters took part in the the book gave you songs to sing for the Poem. first confirmation. Civil confirmation occasion. Then, about five years ago, one Celebration speech (by a prominent remained an Oslo phenomenon for many of our local chapters tried a more public figure, often a humanist). years. ceremony. They put ads in the local Classical guitar music. The parents are handed diplomas In 1956 the Human-Ethical Associ- newspaper, rented a suitable locale for (usually by the speaker). ation of Norway was formed, again by the occasion, and started an avalanche. Poem. Kristian Horn, and the Association for When the first ceremony was over and Singing. Civil Confirmation dissolved itself into television and newspapers had reported the Norwegian humanist movement. it, people all over Norway started con- The whole ceremony takes about This is yet another sign to show that tacting their local humanist chapters. forty to sixty minutes, and is accompan- ceremonies are important to Norwegian Norway went from having no baby ied by screams, gurgles and laughter by humanism—our movement virtually naming ceremonies in 1987 to 928 in 1990 the babies themselves. We are always grew out of an organization started to and more than 1,200 today. It may well careful at the start to tell the parents fulfill the need for alternative cere- grow to equal or surpass civil confirma- that we expect sounds, and that they monies. Around the end of the 1970s

36 FREE INQUIRY confirmation was offered in a few places, Welcome words (by the leader of the special dispensation, which is quite mostly major cities around Norway. The local humanist chapter). rare. The family decides which type of Everybody sings (lyrics printed in the funeral they want. Humanists partici- membership accelerated, and along with program). it civil confirmation. Any fairly large String quartet. pate in two ways: by counseling the community, anywhere in Norway, now Piano music. family on how to do a civil funeral and offers civil confirmation. It is available Poem. by providing the speaker if that is in about 110 different places. Even then, Celebration speech (by a prominent requested. figure, often a humanist). since we are a large and sparsely popu- There are about 400 civil funerals in Classical guitar music. Norway each year. Half of them are all lated country, some may have to take The confirmands are handed civil confirmation by correspondence. diplomas. run by the families concerned, the other Four out of five confirmands are State Thanks for the course (speech by one half have a speaker from the HEF. This Church members. We demand no mem- of the confirmands). is surprisingly small considering that Poem. HEF has 50,000 members over fifteen bership in HEF or any sort of declara- Singing. tion to take part in civil confirmation. years and 14,000 children in the members' families. But HEF does not The essence of civil confirmation is It is not too different from the way not the celebration, but the preceding yet have many elderly people, and state we celebrate baby naming, although the church traditions are much more firmly course for the confirmands. With local confirmands rarely scream and gurgle variations this usually contains: established among the older segment of through the event. the population. Among other factors, Discussions of life stance and world this will change. religions. "Nothing beats ceremonies in If humanists are involved with a Humanism and ethics. getting across to people outside our funeral, we start out with planning the Human sexuality. program together with relatives. One or movement that humanism exists Human rights and civil duties. two meetings will bring forth material Parts of Norwegian law related to and humanists are mostly nice for the speech and the contents of the youngsters. Growing up/ making choices. people who do nice and important program. The meeting with the relatives Parties for participants. things. These two are vital if we will often function as humanist counsel- Weekend-trips, often to a cottage out- ing. side of town. want to gather support for The program for a funeral may be humanism." agreed upon as follows: The goal is to help young people to decide independently, to stimulate cri- Music, often organ music. tical thinking. Discussion is a vital part Civil Wedding. As mentioned earlier Poetry. of the course. The social portions are civil weddings have been conducted for Singing. important for the feeling of togetherness. nearly two hundred years by the state Speech. of Norway. The location may be dec- Music. The course usually goes over eight to Laying of wreaths. twelve evening classes, each lasting two orated, but more often than not it will Poetry. or three hours. A book, "Yes to Human- be a dull office. There is room for the Music. ity," has been written especially for the couple to be married, the witnesses, and course. Each year now 5,000 youngsters perhaps a few guests. The choices of poetry and music will learn about critical thinking and human- The ritual is performed by a judge usually be the deceased's favorites. ism. Humanism already has an impact and takes five to ten minutes. The Although classical music is chosen most on Norwegian society. It is growing, celebration is somewhere else. Com- often, we have had jazz, folk music, and and civil confirmation will ensure its pared to the pomp and circumstance of even Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade growth. church weddings this is not much. What of Pale." The speech concentrates on the The final celebration may be any- about the humanist alternative? So far, deceased's interests, hobbies, family, and thing from a small ceremony in Alta we have not made weddings a part of work. The emphasis is on remembering, with six confirmands and one hundred our ceremonial agenda. As a result, as a funeral should be. guests in the local house of culture to people who might choose a humanist The humanist funeral ceremony is a medium-size one in my home town wedding may go to the church simply important for humanism. Although it is of Alesund with thirty-five confirmands because there is more festivity to the constructed out of Norwegian experi- and five hundred people crammed into ceremony. Devout humanists have the ence, it may be valid in most other the town hall, up to the imposing state civil wedding, of course. Our 1993 countries. Quite often we get new ceremony in Oslo City Hall with two congress decdied to form a committee members after a funeral run by HEF, to three hundred confirmands and to suggest what to do about weddings. often the spouse of the deceased and thousands of guests following the cele- Civil funeral. Since 1969 Norwegian close relatives. The main reason for this bration. law says that burial in a community is that the participants are forced to This program is typical: graveyard is mandatory, unless given a confront their beliefs. Unless one really Fall 1993 37 believes in Christianity, the church funeral leaves you cold or is even offensive. At a humanist service, every- thing you hear reminds you of your friend or relative—the poetry, the music, the speech. The subject of death is avoided in Norway, and civil funerals are the least- known humanist ceremony. I have had people ask me, fully seriously, if human- ists are dumped on the communal garbage heap when they die. We at times discover that an elderly person really is a humanist, but what keeps him or her in the State Church is that he or she wants a funeral. It is sincerely believed that only the church can provide that. When we get to tell the person how we do it, we have a new member.

The Resources Behind Norwegian Humanist Association Civic Confirmation (Humanist coming-of-age ceremony), the Ceremonies 0slo City Hall.

he teachers of the course for con- Tfirmands are mostly, but not always, paid. The speaker in a civil funeral is generally paid 800 kroner, which is about $110 u.s. The pay is not large considering the time necessary, especially for a funeral speaker. The rest of the work is done on a voluntary basis by members of local and regional chapters all around the Norway. Two to three thousand people are regularly involved. Local and regional chapters have weekend courses where newcomers learn how to run baby namings, confirma- tions, and funerals. They talk with those who have experience, and they work together in workshops for practice. Support is also given from our main office in Oslo. Although participants in all ceremonies pay a fee, the drain on our main budget is considerable. Civil Humanist Funeral Crematorium, 0slo. confirmation takes about 25 percent of our resources. are practiced where you live. Certainly engine, you may have a boat that looks there are new babies, there are weddings, the same on the outside. But the Adapting Ceremonies and there are funerals. And there may contents, the safety, the performance of in Other Countries be other things as well. the vessel are quite different. Creating Look at what the dominant religion humanist ceremonies is not copying. It hose of you who are not Norwegians or religious do. See what you can use, is fulfilling basic human needs, and doing Tmay wonder how you can follow our and do not let yourself be intimidated it in a new and different way. example in your own country. Certainly by the usual clerical response: "All you I once met a Lutheran minister in a it will not work to try to introduce civil humanists do is steal from the churches. debate. I offered to give confirmation confirmation in a country that has no You have nothing original, you are just back to the church if it would hand over tradition for confirmation. I suggest you miserable copiers." When you tear the the winter solstice celebration to ordi- take a close look at what rituals of life mast from a sailing boat and put in an nary people and stop calling it Christ-

38 FREE INQUIRY

mas. So far the offer has not been taken. establish humanism and they make a free This is not thieving, of course. It is life stance choice easier and lessen the cultural adaptation, the changing of old hold of religions. Steinar Nilsen was president of the customs, and it is a natural process. With Which is all to the good. Promoting Human-Etisk Forbund (Human Ethical our humanist ideals we have positive humanism is what it is all about. After Association) of Norway from 1987 to messages to promote through our cere- all, for us, humanism is the best life 1993. He is a vice president of the monies. Directly and indirectly they help stance in the world. European Humanist Federation. INSTITUTE FOR INQUIRY 09/93 presents "Jesus and the Gospels: A Secular Humanist Approach" With Joe Barnhart, Professor of Philosophy, North Texas State University, and Randel Helms, Professor of Engiish, Arizona State University and author of Gospel Fictions Friday, January 21, to Sunday, January 23, 1993 at the Doubletree Hotel at Houston International Airport Houston, Texas Topics to be discussed include: "How Can Humanists Fruitfully Read the Gospels?", "Fact and Fiction in the Gospels," "St. Paul's Influence on the Early Church," and "Did Jesus Exist?" Sessions will be from 9:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M. on Friday and Saturday with a Luncheon on both days. Sunday's session will be from 9:00 A.M. til Noon.

❑ YES, I(we) plan to attend the Institute for Inquiry Seminar "Jesus and the Gospels: A Secular Humanist Approach"

❑ Registration for person(s) $125.00 each $ ❑ Friday Luncheon for person(s) $12.00 each $ ❑ Saturday Luncheon for person(s) $12.00 each $ Total $ For accommodations at the Doubletree Hotel, call 1-800-222-TREE. Mention "FREE INQUIRY' to receive a special room rate of $55.00 single/double occupancy. For more information about the seminar, call or write Tim Madigan at FREE INQUIRY, 1-800-458-1366, P.O. Box 664, Buffalo, NY 142264)664. Check enclosed — MasterCard Visa # Exp

Signature

Name

Address Daytime phone

City State Zip Code

Fill out and mail to: FREE INQUIRY, P.O. Box 664, Buffalo, New York 14226 Or use Visa or MasterCard and call toll-free 1-800-458-1366.

Fall 1993 39 The Causes of Homosexuality: A Scientific Update

Bonnie and Vern Bullough

ublic policy issues related to homosexuality have been data gives slightly lower figures but is within a similar range. brought to the fore by two contemporary events. Of Using data from five sample surveys done between 1970 and several anti-gay proposals voted on in the November 1990, Roberts and Turner estimated that a minimum of five 1992 election, a Colorado statute passed. It was less prejudicial to seven percent of the U.S. men have had some same-sex than some of the other proposals, but it nevertheless was a contact as adults, although only one-quarter of that group clear expression of public anxiety and a lack of understanding had male-male sexual contact in the last year.' regarding homosexuality. The state referendum canceled three anti-discrimination statutes that had been passed in Denver, Beginning Research Boulder, and Aspen and amended the state constitution to outlaw anti-discrimination statutes focused on sexual omosexuality has been explained in a variety of ways preference. Thus, it is still illegal in Colorado to deprive citizens throughout history. Early Christians condemned it as of equal opportunity for employment or public accommo- sinful, but not a sin of major proportion. In the eighteenth dations on the basis of race, ethnic origin, sex, or age, but, and nineteenth centuries a shift in the paradigm governing if their sexual preference departs from the norm, they are the control of sexual behavior occurred as the various Christian fair game. churches lost enforcement power. Sexuality, as other aspects The other issue that has come under scrutiny is the long- of human conduct, increasingly fell under the purview of the standing policy of dishonorably discharging gay and lesbian state and the medical establishment. The state had been grad- members of the armed forces if their sexual preference becomes ually moving into the business of controlling sex since the known. Most NATO countries that have similar policies have medieval period, but by the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries already changed them, and the United States has recently that interest had broadened to include attempts to control modified its outright ban. Since a significant proportion of marriage, contraceptives, prostitution, homosexuality, and the armed forces have always been gay, any policy other related behaviors. People whose activities departed from discriminating against gays is wasteful, and probably does the norms of society were likely to be adjudged criminals nothing to change individuals' sexual preferences. instead of sinners. As this happened, judges, serving as the Change, however, is not easy, and there is a real lack of decision-makers on sexual matters, found traditional descrip- public knowledge of the dynamics of homosexuality, which tions of sexuality were inadequate, and they encouraged schol- contributes to a fear of the unknown. This situation has led arly interest in sexuality, particularly stigmatized sexuality. to what may be a foolhardy effort to try to review and The first scientific explorations of sexual preference were synthesize the current literature on the topic. We say foolhardy carried out by German physicians and scholars of the late because the research literature is in a period of rapid expansion nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Karl Heinrich Ulrichs and is often marked by significant disagreements as to the (1825-1895) was probably the first researcher into the meanings of the findings. We will, however, give our own phenomenon and also the first self-proclaimed homosexual.2 interpretations. Ulrichs coined the term urning to describe what we now call At mid-century, the Kinsey study classified sexual homosexuality, and argued that urnings were a third sex. orientation on a seven-point scale, from exclusively Between 1864 and 1879 he published twelve monographs on heterosexual orientation through bisexuality to homosexual- the topic.3 Carl Westphal (1833-1890) is the physician who ity, and identified five percent of adult males as primarily is usually given credit for putting the study of stigmatized or exclusively homosexual, with approximately three percent sexual behavior on a scientific basis.4 Delving further into of adult females preferring same-sex partners. More recent the subject was Richard von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902), who invented or popularized many of the diagnostic categories Vern and Bonnie Bullough are among the leading experts now applied to differing expressions of sexuality. His major on sexology in the world and the authors of numerous works work, Psychopathia Sexualis, was first published in 1887. It in the field. went through many editions, revisions, and translations and was probably the most well read and influential medical work

40 FREE INQUIRY on sex before the Kinsey reports. Krafft-Ebing, although orientations from homosexual to heterosexual.12 Finally, the influenced by Ulrichs, believed that the purpose of sex was time was right. More gays and lesbians were coming out of reproduction and that all sexual activities undertaken without the closet and standing up for their rights. Being labeled sick that ultimate purpose were "unnatural practices" or without evidence to support the charge seemed unfair. "perversions of the sexual instinct." These activities were the Homosexuality was redefined partly because the gay focus of his book and with each succeeding edition of the community demanded that it be reevaluated. book new "perversions" and new case studies were added.5 In the aftermath of this public relations triumph many Magnus Hirschfeld collected a vast library of case histories gay spokesmen moved to the other extreme and argued that and published a journal devoted to homosexuality. Together each person could freely choose a sexual preference just as these German scientists were able to clearly establish that male an occupation or a hobby is chosen. It followed that the homosexuality was a common occurrence, but they were phenomenon is thus too ephemeral to have a label. Some unable to explain its origins except to say as Hirschfeld did adherents of this argument were social constructionists who that people were born that way. None of them explored sexual asserted that homosexuality per se does not exist; rather, it preference in women in any depth, partly because most is a concept constructed by the society in which we live. Social nineteenth-century men firmly believed that women were not constructionists point out that different societies have interested in sex of any kind. However, even after female organized their understanding of homosexual acts in varied sexuality was discovered in the twentieth century, research ways, including giving places of honor in society to gays. For about lesbians remained sparse, with the first major study example, in some Indian tribes there are institutionalized cross- being done by Katherine Bement Davis in 1929.6 gender roles (berdache for nurturing men and nadles for The early research establishing the phenomenon of warrior women). They point out that some cultures lacked homosexuality was adopted by the developing field of our modern concept of homosexuality, as evidenced by the psychoanalysis, which classified all sexual deviations from fact that ancient Greece lacked words for "homosexual" and societal norms as illnesses that could be treated by "heterosexual." This makes it futile to try to understand these psychoanalysis. The cause in males was often identified as acts in the light of any assumed underlying phenomenon of an Oedipus complex, and in women the problem was thought homosexuality. to be penis envy. The therapeutic process was aimed at helping Although there is important truth in the social construc- the client to remember the incidents that caused the Oedipus tionist point of view, it should not be taken too far. Even complex or penis envy.' though the Greeks did not use the term and did not stigmatize A major step forward in psychiatric understanding and homosexuality, they could and did report the behavior using treatment of the problem occurred when Irving Bieber studied other linguistic devices.13 More important, young men and 106 male homosexual patients who were being treated by him women growing up today in our culture who realize their or other psychiatrists and found that early cross-gender sexual orientation is different from the mainstream norms behavior, including patterns that are thought of as feminine, clearly go through great anguish as they address the social was the most common element in their backgrounds. He thus stigma and punishment that lies ahead for them in this realized that the phenomenon that became homosexuality homophobic society. To say that they can freely and easily among adults actually started very early, long before the change their sexual preference is to trivialize their real situation. hormonal surge at puberty focused the attention of the young man on sex. However, Beiber was also the source of another A Combination of Factors idea that seems to be an oversimplification or an error in interpretation: he attributed this early behavior to parental hose who are outside the social constructionist camp patterns that emphasized a strong binding relationship with Twould now attribute homosexuality to a combination of mothers and weak or absent fathers.8 causes, including a genetic predisposition, a cluster of Homosexuality remained an illness until a 1973 vote of physiological factors, and socialization patterns that support the American Psychiatric Association dropped ordinary the genetic and physiological variables. homosexuality from the list of diagnoses that it publishes Male and female differences are determined by combina- periodically in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.9 tions of chromosomes, with two X chromosomes producing Various factors helped to bring about this change. The a female and a combination of XY chromosomes producing illness model did not hold up under serious scientific scrutiny. a male. But there are many variations and deviations from Probably the key study was done by Evelyn Hooker and this pattern. Major genetic errors that have outcomes for published in 1957. She studied the psychological profiles and gender identity, such as those that cause Klinefelter's or life styles of a small group of homosexual men in depth and Turner's syndromes have long been known, but the details compared them to heterosexual men, finding that the scores of the genetic process as it relates to all of the less obvious on tests of psychological adjustment were similar and that variations is still being researched. Recent findings by Hamer the life styles of the gay men (with the exception of their and his associates identified DNA markers on the X sexual orientations) were varied.10 Subsequent research chromosome related to male homosexuality. Since this genetic supported this conclusion." In addition, psychotherapy did tendency is on the X chromosome it is passed through the not prove to be particularly useful in changing sexual female line."

Fall 1993 41 Historical data reported by Vern Bullough in Sexual well with what is already known about genetics.20 Variance in Society and History indicate that in every major society there are some homosexual people.15 There are Family Studies variations in the roles and functions they carry in the society and in their stigma or place of honor, but, if sufficient data genetic factor is further supported by family studies. are available to adequately study the society, variations in AIn a comprehensive review of these studies, Richard sexual preference are clearly present. The historical data C. Pillard found substantial evidence that sexual orientation furnishes a powerful argument in support of a genetic influence is familial. Several of these studies have used samples of on cross-gender identities. lesbians and or gay men and have found that relatives are Frederick L. Whitam has arrived at a similar conclusion more likely to be homosexual than would have occurred by using cross-cultural data. After investigating homosexuality chance.21 The most well known is a 1952 study done by Franz and cross-dressing in a wide variety of contemporary cultures, J. Kallman involving two sets of twins, one identical and one including the countries of the Pacific Rim, Latin America, fraternal. In the forty sets of monozygotic twins (one egg) and the United States, he noted that: all were concordant for sexual orientation while only one- third of the dizygotic twins (two egg) were concordant.22 An Although all people in all societies with rare exceptions are on-going study by Milton Diamond, Frederick Whitam, and socialized to be heterosexual, the predictable, universal J. E. Dannemiller was first reported in 1987. At that time appearance of homosexual persons, despite socialization into heterosexual patterns of behavior suggests not only that there were ten sets of monozygotic twin brothers among the homosexual orientation is biologically based but that sexual sample, and they found an 80 percent concordance for orientation itself is also biologically derived.16 homosexuality. There are now thirty pairs of twins in the sample, eighteen monozygotic and twelve dizygotic, and the Certainly the anthropological studies collected in the human findings remain similar. There is a 72 percent concordance relations files support the observation that homosexual for homosexuality among the one-egg twins and a 33 percent patterns among both men and women are a widely dispersed to 50 percent concordance for homosexuality among the two- phenomenon in primitive societies and that these patterns are egg pairs.23 This high percentage of concordance, particularly accommodated in a wide variety of arrangements.17 among the monozygotic twins, is a powerful argument for a genetic factor in the causal sequence for homosexuality.24 Sociobiology Feminine Boys f there is a such thing as a gene or genes that causes men and women to be homosexual, why did it develop? What everal longitudinal studies have been done following young survival value would such a gene have for our prehistorical boys who are very effeminate. Although folk wisdom has ancestors? Edward O. Wilson hypothesized a possible genetic long linked feminine behavior among boys with later predisposition for homosexuality in certain humans by using homosexuality, more is now known about this group. The a theory that he calls "inclusive fitness," defined as the sum most comprehensive of these studies was done by Richard of the individual's reproductive successes plus the reproductive Green, who followed fifty feminine boys who had been referred success of others who carry that person's genes. He explained to the University of California at Los Angeles gender center. that there are homosexual genes that exist not only in the These boys had all started cross-dressing as girls very early individual who is homosexual but in his relatives. Homosexual (94 percent by age six); they played with dolls, preferred girl persons contributed to the survival of the family by not having playmates, and indicated they wished they had been born children so they were available to support and help other girls.25 When they reached their adult years, three-fourths of family members, by serving in roles such as aunt, uncle, the members of the sample who could be located indicated shaman, or medicine man. Thus genes for homosexual they were homosexual with only one homosexual man in the orientation increased in frequency, not because they aided fifty-member matched control group.26 the homosexual person in his or her own survival but because Other longitudinal studies include those of Bernard Zuger, they aided the relatives who shared his gene pool. This broader a psychiatrist who followed sixteen boys;27 Phil S. Lebovitz, spread of the genes helps explain how persons with the who followed sixteen young men who were first seen at the homosexual genes could be reproduced, since they themselves University of Minnesota Hospita1;28 six young men who were often did not produce offspring.18 seen as children and reinterviewed by John Money and Wilson and his followers call this approach "sociobiology." A. J. Russo;29 and ten feminine boys who were seen after When his first book on the topic was published in 1975 it ten years by Charles Davenport.30 Homosexuality was the was widely criticized by people at opposite ends of the most common outcome of cross-dressing as a child, but not continuum. People who were hostile to gays and lesbians felt all cross-gendered children became homosexual. Rather, the that it took away some blame that homosexuals somehow data suggest that a childhood cross-gender identity and deserved, while friends of gays argued that it took away behavior is the precursor to four types of adult patterns: freedom.19 Careful analysis suggests that sociobiology, if it homosexuality; adult cross-dressing (transvestism); trans- is not pushed too far, is a reasonable approach that fits in sexualism; and ordinary heterosexuality without any dis-

42 FREE INQUIRY "The Price of Reason"

"If there is anything on which social critics and philosophers of all camps are firmly agreed, it is that modern society is in an intolerable state of disarray. "General conditions involv- ing political corruption, sexual excess, criminality, funding of military terror, financial greed, and overriding selfishness are nothing new...." —Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion, and Morality

In today's heated debates about moral values, we humanists, both secular and otherwise, have a contribution to make. This small but growing minority of rationalists and freethinkers has much to say that is not being heard or heeded. The humanist movement must have a home. That's why I was happy to accept the co-chairmanship of the Price of Reason campaign now being conducted by FREE INQUIRY's corporate father, CODESH, Inc. This new home will feature facilities that have been badly needed for a long time: It will have the world's largest freethought library, starting with some 12,000 volumes. It will have seminar and meeting rooms, where the exchange of advanced and rational thought will be facilitated in one convenient location. And it will have its own radio and TV production facilities, so as to spread the enlighted word about humanism to all parts of the globe. And finally, it will be located in Amherst, New York, conveniently situated one-tenth of a mile from the largest campus of the largest state university system in the United States (the State University of New York). It is only 15 miles from Canada, where another rapidly growing humanist movement is setting an example for the entire world to witness. I have committed myself to be helpful in the Price of Reason campaign. I would like you to do the same. Please use the postage-free business reply card located near this ad, and indicate your interest so that we can all benefit from a stronger humanist movement.

Sincerely,

Steve Allen 9/93 cernable non-normative sex pattern. The strength of the urge bodily reactions that are interpreted as masculine and feminine. for the cross-gendered behavior and the social learning that These hormones in turn exert influences on neural pathways takes place probably helps to determine the pattern of adult and the neural endocrine axis (the link between the behavior. The biological factors seem to be strongest in the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the other endocrine transsexual children: they start cross-dressing and modeling glands). These neural pathways control future hormonal their behavior along feminine lines while they are in their production and consequently influence sexual behavior.34 preschool years. The boys who become homosexual or cross- Human embryos of both sexes develop in an identical dress only intermittently as adults usually start the feminine fashion for the first two months of gestation. Chromosomal behavior a little later and seem less compulsive. Then to sex, established at the time of conception, guides the process emphasize the fact that social factors are also influential, some and directs the development of either ovaries or testes. If testes (although a minority) of these very feminine boys grew up develop, their hormonal secretions direct the development of to become heterosexual. These studies all suggest that there male secondary characteristics. Without the hormones from are some common dynamics linking homosexuality and other the testes, the embryo remains female. However, given the cross-gendered behaviors, and they reinforce the importance appropriate genetic message, slightly more than half of the of all three factors: genetic, physiological, and social. embryos will secrete androgens that trigger and support Retrospective studies of adult men support the longitudinal differentiation into males.35 studies; apparently at least half and perhaps more adult As the research continues and additional hormones and homosexual men report a childhood marked by feminine processes are identified, it becomes apparent that the prenatal behavior.3 course of development is complex and variations in the pattern Another interesting facet of the studies of feminine boys occur. One type of research that is particularly relevant here is the fact that most of them are not overtly feminine as adults. are the studies by Anke Ehrhardt and Heino Meyer-Balburg They apparently go through a defeminization process during of children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic defect adolescence. Many homosexual men were overtly cross- that prevents the adrenal cortex from synthesizing cortisone. gendered as boys, but by the time they became adults most Instead the cortex is stimulated to release excess adrenal were defeminized and became conventional in their dress and androgens both before and after birth. If the child is a genetic other outward aspects of gender, with only a minority of the female her external genitalia are masculinized. If the child male gay community remaining feminine. Joseph Harry points is a genetic male his external genitalia are normal. Treatment out that social class is a major factor in determining which is with cortisone, which suppresses the excess androgens. of the feminine boys go through this transition, with working Studies of the girls who started treatment when they were class men more likely to remain feminine than the men from born (so they were no longer exposed to excess androgen) a higher socio-economic level.32 are of particular interest because they provide a natural To date there has been no longitudinal study of girls who experiment to assess the effect of prenatal male hormones are tomboys, probably because cross-gender behavior in girls on a female fetus. Ehrhardt and Meyer-Bahlburg report that is considered less problematic. Whitam and Mathy have, these girls differ significantly from siblings and other controls. however, done retrospective studies of homosexual and They enjoy rough and tumble play, associate with male peers, heterosexual women in four societies: Brazil, Peru, the and they are identified by themselves and others as tomboys. Philippines, and the United States. All of the groups were They show low interest in rehearsals for the wife and mother volunteers who were located through clubs, bars, professional role. The boys who had extra male hormones before birth groups, student groups, and friendships. Childhood behavioral exhibited higher energy expenditure in sports and were patterns were significantly different from those of the somewhat more likely to initiate fights than their peers. The heterosexual women. The homosexual women were much fact that the masculinizing influence remains after the more likely to have been called tomboys, played with boy's hormonal stimulation has ceased may mean that the neural toys, and played dress-up in men's clothing. The heterosexual pathways controlling masculinity and femininty have been women were most likely to have paid attention to women's affected.36 fashions and played dress-up in women's clothing. The authors A recent study of a sample of ten young women who were consider these cross-gender childhood behaviors to be followed and treated for congenital adrenal hyperplasia in precursor patterns for women who later develop a lesbian The Netherlands found similar patterns. Members of the group life style.33 preferred boyish play as children and their masculine gender role preferences have continued into adulthood. Although all Physiological Influences on Gender Identity indicated they were heterosexual, only one had any sexual experience when they were interviewed at ages sixteen to thirty- he physiological mechanism by which the genetic three. However, the article points out that repeated surgery Tinfluences on sex are translated into actual behavior is was needed to correct the anatomical defects of the external probably neurohormonal. This assumption is based on a vast genitalia, (which caused them to have what looked like male and growing literature documenting the hormonal influence genitalia at birth) so some family members may have had on gender behavior and the impact of prenatal hormones on difficulty treating them as girls. In addition they experienced the brain. The sex hormones are the messengers that cause late menarche and irregular periods so there were a variety

44 FREE INQUIRY of factors influencing their behavior.37 socialization tend to be provided by the broader culture. The animal studies using rats and hamsters done by Gunter Sometimes the cultural patterns are outdated (cultural lag), Dorner and his colleagues from Germany have identified two but they remain powerful forces even when they may be different mating centers in the hypothalamus: one for male dysfunctional to the goals of the society and the individual. behavior and one for female behavior. Sex hormones injected In our society, babies in the nursery are often covered with into the appropriate areas stimulates the sexual behaviors and sex-appropriate blankets. Blue is used for boys and pink for destructive lesions inhibit the behaviors. Genetic males that girls, and although these colors have only been used since experienced a temporary androgen deficiency during the the beginning of the century, they allow nursery personnel hypothalamic developmental period, but with normal and the babies' families to begin sex-role socialization from androgen levels in adulthood, were sexually aroused by same- the first day of birth. Studies of parental behaviors indicate sex animals. The higher the androgen level during the that they treat their girl and boy babies differently, playing hypothalamic differentiation period the stronger the male more roughly with their boy babies and allowing them to behavior and the weaker the female behavior, irrespective of be more aggressive. Boys are given trucks and other toys that genetic sex. For humans Dorner believes that the critical hypothalamic differentiation phase may occur between the "It is no longer possible to argue that either fourth and seventh months of gestation.38 The hypothalamus nature or nurture alone is the answer; it is was also the area of the brain in which Simon LeVay identified differences between homosexual and heterosexual men. clear that both are involved in producing Unfortunately the sample LeVay could obtain was not sexual preference." particularly representative, so the meaning of these differences 39 is yet to be identified. encourage large-muscle movement, while girls are started on Richard Pillard and James Weinrich suggest that there the task of anticipatory socialization for motherhood with should be further differentiation of the neural influences on dolls and related passive toys.44 This happens in spite of the gender behavior because there are separate components of fact that the nurturing skills will probably not help the young the nervous system that control masculinization and defemi- women in today's world succeed in the competitive business nization. Masculining and defeminizing of the hypothalamus world or achieve eminence in her chosen profession. probably occur at four to five months of gestation. The Unfortunately contemporary American gender identity norms masculinizing androgens are known, but the defeminizing have fallen victim to a cultural lag. They are pronatal at a agent(s) are not yet identified, although it may be Muellerian time when the world is overpopulated, and they undervalue Inhibiting Substance (MIS). Some people argue the women. masculinizing and defeminizing agents are the same but they The malleability of human beings was documented by the operate at different critical periods.49 findings of Joan and John Hampson and John Money in As the evidence for a biological explanation of homosex- their study of sixty-seven children identified as hermaphro- uality and other cross-gendered behavior accumulates, there dites. Each child had one or more of the biological markers has been no shortage of critics who have questioned various for sex that were not congruent with their sex assignment aspect of the work. In 1980, Garfield Tourney reviewed sixteen at birth. Nineteen members of the sample had been assigned studies linking hormones and homosexuality and suggested a sex that was not congruent with their chromosonal sex; more carefully controlled studies are needed before definitive twenty persons had abnormalities of their internal or external conclusions are drawn.41 Other critics have argued that this sex organs; twenty-seven had hormonal stimulation that was research overemphasizes the role of biology in predicting not synchronized with their sex assignment. The decisions complex behavior and that it supports a medical or illness about sex assignment had often been made without all of mode1.42 A comprehensive review of all of the literature the data that is available in the big medical centers, so each suggesting biological determinants of sexual orientation was of the children were revaluated as teenagers or young adults done by Louis Gooren, Eric Fliers, and Keith Courtney in to decide if the original decision should stand. Only four of 1990. They were totally opposed to any belief that homo- the seventy-six patients opted to change their sex from their sexuality is biologically determined. They were unable to assignment at birth. The authors concluded that the sex of discount arguments that certain prenatal biological factors assignment and rearing was a better predictor of gender role could facilitate a homosexual orientation later in life, but they than any biological tendencies. They argued that gender point out that irrefutable evidence is presently lacking.43 imprinting starts before the first birthday and reaches a critical period by about eighteen months. By the age of two-and- Culture and the Socialization Process one-half years, gender role is established, and change after that time is difficult for the individual.45 he biological processes are not, however, the final word. An opposite conclusion was reached by Julianne Imperato- TThey are further influenced by the socialization process, McGinley, who studied children who have a prenatal deficiency which shapes people into their assigned gender roles. in an enzyme needed to produce dihydrotestosterone. These Socialization takes place primarily in the small group settings boys, who live in one village in the Dominican Republic, such as the family and the peer group, but the patterns for lack a penis at birth but develop one at puberty. Seventeen

Fall 1993 45 out of the nineteen who were wrongly assigned to the female York: Dover Publications 1956). First published 1924. sex had changed their gender identity at puberty.46 Of course 8. Irving Bieber, Harvey J. Dain, Paul R. Dince, Marvin G. Drellich, it is important to remember that the Dominican Republic Henry G. Grand, Ralph H. Gundlach, Malvina W. Kremer, Alfred H. Rifkin, Cornelia B. Wilbur, and Toby B. Bieber, Homosexuality: A Psycho- is a male-oriented society, and as the defect became known analytic Study (New York: Basic Books, 1962). the village population eased the trauma of the sex-change 9. Frederick Suppe, "Classifying Sexual Disorders: The Diagnostic and process. Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association," Journal of Homosexuality 9 (Summer, 1984), 9-28. Probably the most comprehensive study of the social factors 10. Evelyn Hooker, "The Adjustment of the Male 0vert Homosexual," related to sexual preference was done by Alan Bell, Martin Journal of Protective Techniques, 21 (1957):18-31. Weinberg, and Sue Hammersmith in San Francisco in 1981. 11. J. C. Gonsioreck, "The Empirical Basis for the Demise of the Illness Model of Homosexuality." Homosexuality: Research Implications for Using path analysis, they studied a large-scale sample of both Public Policy, Edited by J. C. Gonsioreck and J. D. Weinrich, Newbury homosexual and heterosexual men and women. Lesbians and Park, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1991. homosexual men were more likely to report poor relationships 12. K. W. Freund, "Should Homosexuality Arouse Therapeutic Concern?" Journal of Homosexuality, with their fathers than heterosexual members of the study 2 (1977) 235-240. 13. J. D. Weinrich, "Homosexuality," Encyclopedia of Sexuality, edited group, but it is not clear whether this separation was initiated by V. and B. Bullough (New York: Garland, in press). by the father of the child or whether it was part of the causal 14. Dean H. Hamer, Stella Hu, Victoria L. Magnuson, Nan Hu, and Angela M. L. Pattatucci, "A Linkage Between DNA Markers on the X- sequence or a consequence of the child's failure to conform Chromosome and Male Sexual 0rientation," Science 261 (July 1993) 321- to gender norms. The most common element in the childhoods 327. of both groups was the type of gender nonconformity that 15. Vern L. Bullough, Sexual Variance in Society and History (Chicago; University of Chicago Press, 1976). was reported in the longitudinal studies of feminine boys. 16. Frederick L. Whitam, "A Cross-Cultural Perspective on Homosex- Many of the boys had developed a homosexual pattern in uality, Transvestism and Trans-sexualism," Variant Sexuality: Research their teen years although there was no evidence that this as and Theory, Glen D. Wilson, Editor (London: Croom Helm, 1978). 17. Dennis Werner, "Cross Cultural Perspective on Theory and Research due to a lack of opportunity for heterosexual interaction.47 on Male Homosexuality," Journal of Homosexuality, 4 (Summer, 1979), 345-411, and Bullough, Sexual Variance, passim. 18. Edward 0. Wilson, On Human Nature (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Summary and Conclusions University Press, 1978), 142-148. 19. T. F. Hoult, "Human Sexuality in Biological Perspective," Journal lthough the research on homosexuality is in a rapidly of Homosexuality, 9 (Spring 1984), 137-155; D. J. Futuyma and S. J. changing state, there is evidence accumulating to suggest Risch, "Sexual Orientation, Sociobiology, and Evolution," Journal of A Homosexuality, 9 (Spring, 1984), 1576-1668. that sexual preference is the product of a complex interaction 20. Michael Ruse, "Are There Gay Genes? Sociobiology and between three factors: (1) a genetic predisposition; (2) Homosexuality," Journal of Homosexuality, 6 (Summer, 1981), 5-34. 21. Richard C. Pillard, Jeannette Poumadere, and Ruth A. Carretta, physiological factors; and (3) the socialization process. It is "Is Homosexuality Familial? A Review, Some Data and a Suggestion," no longer possible to argue that either nature or nurture alone Archives of Sexual Behavior 19 (1981), 465-475. is the answer; it is clear that both are involved in producing 22. Franz J. Kallman, "Comparative Twin Study on the Genetic Aspects of Male Homosexuality," Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 115 sexual preference. Given the power of these influences and (1952), 283-298. the small amount of control exercised by the individual, 23. Milton Diamond, "Bisexualities: A Biological Perspective," a paper punitive political policies seem out of place. It seems just as read at the Third International Berlin Conference of Sexology, Berlin, 1990. The paper indicates the findings will be published in book by Milton silly to discriminate against someone for his sexual preference Diamond, Frederick Whitam, and J. E. Dannemiller. as it does for his race or age. 24. Judd Marmor, "0verview: The Multiple Roots of Homosexual Behavior," Homosexual Behavior: A Modern Reappraisal (New York: Basic Books, 1980), 3-22. Notes 25. Richard Green, "0ne-Hundred Ten Feminine and Masculine Boys: Behavioral Contrasts and Demographic Similarities," Archives of Sexual I. Susan M. Rogers and Charles F. Turner, "Male-Male Sexual Contact Behavior 5 (1976), 425-446. in the U.S.A.: Findings from Five Sample Surveys, 1970 to 1990," The 26. Richard Green, The "Sissy Boy Syndrome" and the Development Journal of Sex Research 28 (November, 1991), 491-519. of Homosexuality (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1987). 2. Hubert Kennedy, Ulrichs: The Life and Work of Karl Heinrich 27. Bernard Zuger, "Effeminate Behavior Present in Boys from Ulrichs, Pioneer of the Modern Gay Movement (Boston: Alyson Publishers, Childhood: Ten Additional Years of Follow-up," Comparative Psychiatry 1988). 19 (1978), 363-369. 3. Numa Numantius (Karl Heinrich Ulrichs) Forshungen ueber das 28. Phil S. Lebovitz, "Feminine Behavior in Boys: Aspects of Its Raethsel der Mannmaennlichen Liebe (Leipzig: Heinrich Matthes 0utcome," American Journal of Psychiatry 128 (April, 1972), 1283-1289. Publishers, 1864-1879). Edited and published by Magnus Hirschfeld 12 29. John Money and A. J. Russo, "Homosexual 0utcome of Discordant vols. (Leipzig: Spohr, 1898). Reprinted (New York City: Arno Press, 1975). Gender Identity/ Role in Childhood: Longitudinal Follow-up," Journal of The complete works have been translated into English by Michael A. Pediatric Psychology 4 (1979), 29-41. Lombardi-Nash and will be published by Prometheus in 1993. 30. Charles W. Davenport, "A Follow-Up Study of 10 Feminine Boys," 4. Vern L. Bullough, "The Physician and Research into Human Sexual Archives of Sexual Behavior 15 (1986), 511-617. Behavior in Nineteenth Century Germany," Bulletin of the History of 31. M. T. Saghir and M. D. Robins, Male and Female Homosexuality Medicine, 63 (1989) pp. 247-267. (Baltimore, Md.: Williams and Wilkins, 1973): Gabriel Phillips and Ray 5. Richard von Krafft-Ebing, Psychopathia Sexualis: With Especial 0ver, "Adult Sexual 0rientation in Relation to Memories of Childhood Reference to the Antipathic Sexual Instinct: A Medico-Forensic Study. Gender Nonconforming Behaviors," Archives of Sexual Behavior, 21 (1992): Translated and adapted from the twelfth German Edition by F. J. Rebman 543-558. (Brooklyn, New York: Physicians and Surgeons Book Co., 1933). 32. Joseph Harry, "Defeminization and Adult Psychological Well-Being 6. Katharine Bernent Davis, Factors in the Sex Life of Twenty-two Among Male Homosexuals" Archives of Sexual Behavior, 12 (1983), I- Hundred Women, New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1929. 19. 7. Sandor Ferenczi and Otto Rank, The Development of Psycho- 33. Frederick L. Whitam and Robin M. Mathy, "Childhood Cross- analysis, New York; 1956 Authorized Translation by Caroline Newton (New Gender Behavior of Homosexual Females in Brazil, Peru, the Philippines,

46 FREE INQUIRY and the United States," Archives of Sexual Behavior, 20 (1991), 151-170. (November, 1987), 425-454. 34. A. P. Arnold and R. A. Gorski, "Gonadal Steroid Induction of 41. Garfield Tourney, "Hormones and Homosexuality," Homosexual Structural Sex Differences in the Central Nervous System," Annual Review Behavior: A Modern Reappraisal, edited by J. Marmor (New York: Basic of Neuroscience 7 (1984), 413-422; John Boncraft, "The Relationship Books, 1980) 41-58. Between Hormones and Sexual Behavior in Humans." Biological 42. Eli Coleman, Louis Gooren, and Michael Ross, "Adversaria: Determinants of Sexual Behavior. Edited by J. B. Hutchison (Cinchester: Theories of Gender Transpositions: A Critique and Suggestions for Further John Wiley & Sons, 1978): 494-519. Research," Journal of Sex Research 26 (November, 1989), 525-538; Lynda 35. Jean D. Wilson, Fredrick W. George, James E. Griffin, "The I. A. Birke, "Is Homosexuality Hormonally Determined?" Journal of Hormonal Control of Sexual Development," Science 211 (March 20, 1981), Homosexuality 6 (Summer, 1981), 35-49. 1278-1284. 43. Louis Gooren, Eric Fliers, and Keith Courtney, "Biological 36. Anke A. Ehrhardt and Heino F. L. Meyer-Bahlburg, "Effects of Determinants of Sexual Orientation," Annual Review of Sex Research, Prenatal Sex Hormones and Gender-Related Behavior," Science 211 1 (1990), 175-196. (March, 1981), 1312-1317. 44. Stanford Dornbusch, "Afterword," The Development of Sex 37. F. M. E. Slijper, H. J. van der Kamp, H. Brandenburg, S.M.P.F. Differences, edited by Eleanor E. Macoby, pp. 205-219. de Muinck Keizer-Schrama, S.L.S. Drop, and J. C. Molenaar, "Evaluation 45. John Money, Joan G. Hampson, and John L. Hampson, "An of Psychosexual Development of Young Women with Congenital Adrenal Examination of Some Basic Sexual Concepts: The Evidence of Human Hyperplasia: A Pilot Study," Journal of Sex Education and Therapy 18 Hermaphroditism," Bulletin of Johns Hopkins Hospital 97 (1955), 301- (1992): 200-207. 319; Joan L. Hampson, "Determinants of Psychosexual Orientation," Sex 38. Gunter Dorner, Wolfgang Rohde, Fritz Stahl, Lothar Krell, and and Behavior. F. Beach Editor (New York: John Wiley, 1965). Wolf-Gunter Masius, "A Neuroendocrine Predisposition for Homosexuality 46. Julianne Imperato-McGinley, Ralph E. Peterson, Teofilio Gautier, in Men," Archives of Sexual Behavior, 4 (1975), 1-8. and Erasmo Sturla, "Androgens and the Evolution of Male-Gender Identity 39. "News and Comment: Is Homosexuality Biological?" Science 253 Among Male Pseudohermaphrodites with 5a-Reductase Deficiency," the (August 30, 1991), 253, 257-259. New England Journal of Medicine 300 (May 31, 1979), 1233-1237. 40. Richard C. Pillard and James D. Weinrich, "The Periodic Table 47. Alan P. Bell, Martin S. Weinberg, and Sue Kiefer Hammersmith, of the Gender Transpositions: Part I. A Theory Based on Masculinization Sexual Preference, Its Development in Men and Women (Bloomington, and Defeminization of the Brain," The Journal of Sex Research 23 Ind.: University of Indiana Press, 1981). •

Introduce someone to FREE INOHRY Don't forget a subscription to FREE INQUIRY, for friends, relatives, or your local library. A gift card will be sent in your name.

Your name (2) Name Address Address City City State Zip State Zip Daytime phone (3) Name Subscription # (SUR from label) Address ❑ One year $25.00 each City ❑ Two years $43.00 each ❑ Three years $59.00 each State Zip Total $ (4) Name Charge my ❑ Visa ❑ MasterCard ❑ Check or money order enclosed Address Exp City Signature State Zip

Send to: (5) Name (1) Name

Address Address

City City

State Zip State Zip Mail to: FREE INQUIRY, P.O. Box 664, Buffalo, NY 14226-0664; or call 800-458-1366 to charge. 09/93

Fall 1993 47 alike as formal beliefs though she took inspiration from both. "My creed," she said, "is everyone be Jane Addams: sincere and don't fuss." The inspiration she took from her reading of the life of No Easy Heroine the early Christians was humanitarian. Jesus, she insisted, had no set of truths labeled "religious." "His teaching had no dogma to mark it off from truth and action in general." Man himself was the Malcolm Bush organ and the object of revelation. References to God made her distinctly ore than one hundred years ago, sanctity, she consciously resisted formal uncomfortable. Writing about another MJane Addams (1860-1935) took creeds of any kind, and said and did philanthropist she said, "She does up residence in a "fine old house" on things that would annoy just about every everything for other people for the love Halsted Street in Chicago, convinced part of the current political spectrum. of God, and that I do not like." that "it would be a good thing to rent Addams was the original secular human- She dealt with political creeds in the a house in a part of the city where many ist, rejecting Christianity and socialism same way—steering clear of them to primitive and actual needs were found." The house, which was surrounded by the teeming slums of recent European immigrants, was Hull House, the site of her great experiment. Jane Addams will be remembered for a myriad of achievements that sprang from Hull House. Some memorialists will be tempted to justify current social and political campaigns by her words and actions. Others might succumb to the temptation of canonizing Addams, lingering over images of the preservation of ethnic culture, saving the city waif, standing up to city corruption, and rolling up her sleeves to tackle everything from garbage collection to negotiating settlement of strikes. But those who do that risk the scorn of her ghost, for this lady would not in her life and does not in memory fit into easy categories. Jane Addams was a self-declared urban missionary, splendidly middle class, living on rents from her properties in the country to bring moral and intellectual uplift to the city slums, along with clean water and good drains. She was not above quiet amusement at the more peculiar customs of recent immi- grants. Even more devastating for those who would wrap her in the odor of

Malcolm Bush is vice-president of Voices for Illinois Children and author of the book Families in Distress: Public, Pri- vate, and Civic Responses (University of California Press).

48 FREE INQUIRY concentrate on political realities. While women's movement approve her conclu- could solve the problems of the "over- she fought the corruption that devastated sion that the first generation of college accumulation at one end of society and poor neighborhoods, she was adept at women had taken their learning too the destitution at the other." That task pulling political strings. Not for nothing quickly and had departed too early from required a belief about human relation- was she the daughter of a state senator the active emotional life led by their ships that was constantly tested and who himself was a correspondent of grandmothers, "thereby losing that sim- recreated in actuality. The belief included Abraham Lincoln. It was not that she ple and almost automatic response" to the egalitarian conviction that the ignored socialism; she formally rejected the human condition? To those of us who "things that make men alike are finer it. Political theorists of any stripe were approve subsidized day care for the and better than the things that keep them welcome at the Hull House debating children of working parents, she would apart" and the passion for "the equal- clubs but the more purist the debates bemoan the "wretched conclusion that ization of human joys and opportuni- the more uncomfortable Jane Addams a woman can both support and nurture ties." The method for testing the belief felt. "I saw nowhere a more devoted her baby." was the one Add ams thought the early effort to relieve that heavy [economic] To the champions of the private Christians used and she sought to pressure," she wrote, "than the socialists sector, she pointed out that private emulate: "They longed to share the were making, and I should have been beneficence was totally inadequate to common lot that they might receive the glad to have had the comradeship of that deal with the vast numbers of the city's constant revelation." Or as Sartre said gallant company had they not firmly disinherited. To the champions of the in a long-winded way, "a philosophy insisted that fellowship depends upon remains efficacious so long as the praxis identity of creed." which has engendered it, which supports "Addams was the original secular it and which is clarified by it is still alive." It was partly that Jane Addams was humanist, rejecting Christianity by instinct a mediator. While she was No separate but equal here as the an ardent champion of safer conditions, and socialism alike as formal center of her view of democracy. While poverty existed Jane Addams insisted on she played the momentous Pullman beliefs though she took inspiration facing it and living with it, day by day. strike straight down the middle, approv- from both." Only then did she feel comfortable ing the strikers' goals but not their talking about it, and acting to change methods. It was partly that she doubted public sector she insisted that no one who it. For her an alliance between the classes the effectiveness of the theorists. had not lived among the poor could learn for the greater social good depended first "Abstract minds ... grow less ardent to regard public institutions from the and foremost on physical proximity. in their propaganda while the concrete perspective of their clients rather than Today that theory is an enormous minds, dealing constantly with daily from the perspective of the managers. challenge to a nation physically separ- affairs, in the end demonstrate the reality The last piece of wisdom, it turns out, ated by class and race. of abstract notions." is not just one more of her insights, but Perhaps Jane Addams could have a key to her life. Jane Addams did Her conscious search for a rhetoric been effective somewhere other than the articulate a set of beliefs, her own to describe her place between theory and slums of Halsted Street. But she would idiosyncratic mixture to be sure, but they action was also a consequence of the not approve any celebration of her life discomfort she felt at the difference had a central theme. That theme is likely at Hull House that did not come to terms between her economic security and her to make most of us uncomfortable. with her reasons for living there. • neighbors' poverty. Her critics also We do not like to acknowledge, she noticed the peculiarity of her position. said, that Americans are divided into two Leo Pfeffer Dies Samuel Gompers, president of the nations, broken up into classes. For her American Federation of Labor, had that was a threat to democracy. Her Leo Pfeffer, one of America's most particularly harsh words about settle- reasons were practical as well as moral. prominent attorneys, has died at the age ment houses. "The workers," he said, The good we seek for ourselves, she of eighty-three. Pfeffer was a a strong "are not bugs to be examined under the wrote, is precarious and uncertain until defender of church/ state separation, and lenses of a microscope, by intellectuals it is secure for all of us. The way to a frequent contributor to FREE INQUIRY. on a sociological slumming tour." achieve that good was an alliance Active with the American Jewish Con- Her discomfort with belief that between the classes. But that alliance gress from 1945-1964 and from 1964 on strayed from her perception of reality would only occur, in her view, if physical with the Committee for Public Education was reflected in a variety of ways. While separation by class was abolished. The and Religious Liberty, he argued some of she treasured the fruits of learning and city, and society by extension, would the most far-reaching legal cases regarding culture, she was wary of the university, only be good for everyone if its life church and state, including the 1961 warning young women of the "snare of were an organic whole. For that to Torcaso v. Watkins, which led to the preparation" and bemoaning the habit happen concerned citizens would have Supreme Court ruling that states could of "men of substantial scholarship" of to vote with their feet to protest against not compel officeholders to declare a leaving the intellectual life of the masses "the overdifferentiation" of modern life. belief in God. to the charlatan. And would all of the Neither creed nor unrooted theory Fall 1993 49 The Unkindest Cut of All

Robert Gorham Davis

hether to treat the male sex organ heavens opening and a great sheet let Jesus be circumcised and follow the Wwith elective surgery seems an down by four corners onto the Earth. Torah. Peter, to Paul's great scorn, gave unlikely subject for religious debate, but It contained "all kinds of animals and in at once. Whereupon, as he claims in in the generation after the death of Jesus reptiles and birds of the air." Galatians, Paul confronted Peter before it was the principal issue dividing the A voice said "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." others and denounced his inconsistency. leaders of the rapidly developing Chris- Peter protested that he had never eaten Finally a conference was arranged in tian church. It may not be going too anything "common and unclean." Com- Jerusalem in 44 C.E. in hopes that the far to say that the future of Christianity mon meant not ritually prepared. The matter could be finally settled. On one hung by a foreskin. It also led Paul of voice said, "What God has cleansed, you side of the debate were the leaders of Tarsus to utter shocking—or at least must not call common." the church in Jerusalem, first among angry obscenities in two of his letters, At Caesarea Peter and the Jewish them Jesus' brother James. The church further complicating our sense of that friends who accompanied him joined was then under attack from the Phari- difficult, disputatious man. Cornelius and his kin and friends at sees, who were rousing the Jewish The question was whether Gentile table, though it was unlawful, as Peter population of the city against the Jesus converts to Christianity had to become reminds everyone, "for a Jew to associate movement with the charge, generally religious Jews before they became with or to visit any one of another false, that it rejected Mosaic law. In Christians. The need to observe dietary nation." response Judaizing Christians tried to be laws was bad enough, ruining ordinary Cornelius told of his angelic visitor, as strict in their observance as the social life outside the church. But the and Peter said, "I perceive that God Pharisees themselves and impose their idea of having your penis cut and shows no partiality ... in every nation strictness on Gentile converts in and out permanently scarred was even worse. It any one who fears him and does what of Palestine. Foremost was the require- aroused strong emotions, including, if is right is acceptable to him." The Holy ment of circumcision. In fact, the Book Freud was right, castration fears. Fellow Spirit fell on the whole company and of Acts refers to the Christian Judaizers Gentiles would make fun of you if they they began speaking in tongues. Peter as "the circumcision party." noticed it. Why was the act necessary? baptized the Gentiles in the name of On the other side of the debate was Gentile wives, for whom there was no Jesus Christ. When, according to Acts, Paul of Tarsus, the brilliant theologian such similar requirement, were notably the "circumcision party" in Jerusalem and energetic, wide-traveling apostle to easier to convert than their husbands. heard about this and criticized Peter, he the Gentiles, the real founder of Chris- At first St. Peter was in favor of told them of his vision and they fell silent. tianity as we know it. His highly abandoning the laws of the Torah where In the Letter to the Galatians, how- successful missionary work among Christian converts were concerned. A ever, Paul accused Peter of hypocrisy, Gentiles in vast areas beyond the miraculous vision suggested that this was based on their later encounter at Anti- Mediterranean would be crippled if his God's idea, too. To a pious Gentile och. There, the rapidly growing Chris- converts had to conform to laws that centurian in Caesarea named Cornelius tian church in a largely Greek city was seemed to them to have nothing to do an angel had appeared, instructing him dominated by Gentiles who rejected with faith in Christ. As the International to arrange to be baptized by Peter, then Judaic law. Peter, visiting and preaching Critical Commentary puts it, "the in Joppa. While the emissaries of in Antioch, went along with the majority, conflict between the Christianity of Paul Cornelius were on their way to Joppa, and perhaps still under the influence of and that of the ultra-legalists was radical. Peter, on a rooftop, waiting for break- his vision at Joppa, ate with Gentiles, The former sought to reach the nations fast, fell into a trance and saw the ignoring dietary laws. When James, at the risk of becoming offensive to the "brother of the Lord" and leader of the Jews; the latter would win the Jews at Robert Gorham Davis is professor emer- Jerusalem church, heard of Peter's the sacrifice of all other nations." itus of English at Columbia University. tolerance he sent emissaries to Antioch Paul, who had once been a strict to demand that Gentiles believing in Pharisee himself, did not hesitate to

50 FREE INQUIRY argue his attitude toward the Torah with hearers that makes his martyrdom escaped massacre. One of the charges apostles whom Jesus had chosen during inevitable: "You stiff-necked people, against "proto-martyr" Stephen had his earthly life. No doubt there was a uncircumcised in heart and ears, you been that he, remembering the words of certain jealousy behind this. After all, always resist the Holy Spirit. As your Jesus, had prophesied the destruction of in his mystical visions, beginning with fathers did, so do you." He accuses the the Temple. the crucial one on the road to Damascus, Jews he is addressing of killing "the Paul had encountered Jesus too and had Righteous One, whom you have now n his letters, Paul's attitude to Mosaic received special instructions directly betrayed and murdered." Thus, early law often appears complicated and from him or from angels. Like Enoch begins the charge of deicide, or Christ- contradictory. In practice it was simple. and Muhammad, Paul had even been killing, which was to justify Christian It was important to bring Gentile transported in a vision to paradise. He anti-Semitism for two millennia. converts to Jesus. If the law helped, spoke with divine authority, or so he Aroused to fury by Stephen's accusation, follow it. If not, ignore it. claimed. his hearers "cast him out of the city and When there was good reason to sit The contest between Paul and Peter, stoned him, and laid their garments at at table with Gentiles, Paul did not ask an angry one on Paul's part, was in a the feet of a young man named Saul, how the animal they were eating met its sense a battle of visions. Nearly all and Saul was consenting to his death." end, whether it had been sacrificed to prophecy is visionary in this sense. The Particularly significant concerning idols or strangled with its blood still in prophet has a vision not shared with Paul is Stephen's emphasis in his closing it, which would have made most Jews others, which he then describes. There denunciation on the contrast between reject it with horror. In fact, as we is no way of judging its validity. Paul learned from Peter's remarks at Caesa- speaks regularly of his actions as being "It may not be going too far to rea, observant Jews could not even eat guided by "revelations" (the Greek term say that the future of Christianity with Gentiles. is apocalypsis), which are divinely hung by a foreskin." Circumcision of Christians Paul also transmitted to him. Ten out of the twelve took to be an indifferent matter. With times the word appears in the Greek spiritual circumcision and the literal kind his own hands he cut off the foreskin Testament it is in the letters of Paul. done with a knife. The first is referred of his protégé Timothy because he Had Paul ever seen Jesus in the flesh? to in the phrase "uncircumcised in heart thought it would help their mission to Joseph Klausner, Hebrew University and ears," a difficult concept to define. Timothy's home territory. The Jews professor and author of the 1934 book Paul later tries in Romans. "He is not there were prejudiced against Timothy From Jesus to Paul, thought it would a real Jew," Paul writes, "who is one because, as the son of a Greek father have been inevitable, considering the outwardly, nor is true circumcision and a Jewish mother, he was known to activities of the two men in Jerusalem. something external and physical ... real be uncircumcised. But Paul did not In his book he wrote, "indeed, it seems circumcision is a matter of the heart, circumcise another traveling companion, to me that the vision on the road to spiritual and not literal." Titus, who was entirely Greek. Damascus would not have been possible At the Jerusalem conference Paul We learn all this from the Acts of at all if Paul had not seen Jesus one won a temporary compromise. Charac- the Apostles and Paul's own letters, or more times during the latter's teristically reversing himself, Peter especially his letter to the Galatians. lifetime." agreed not to press for circumcision. And Galatia is in Asia Minor between the Certainly Paul had not only seen James required only that Gentiles Mediterranean and the Black Sea, not Stephen, the first Christian martyr, but abstain from unchastity, from food far from Antioch and Tarsus, an area had been present when Stephen was sacrificed to idols, and from meat that in which Paul had had great missionary martyred. According to Acts, Paul (then still retained its blood. Paul accepted successes and founded many churches. known as Saul) heard words by Stephen happily the agreement about circumci- In writing that letter Paul becomes so on that occasion that later were reflected sion and ignored the rest. angry at the activities of the circumcising in Paul's own comments upon his Joseph Klausner thinks that James party that he makes an obscene and controversial career as Christian apostle went along with the decision because bloody jest at their expense, one that tells to the Gentiles. Acts, which is strongly "time weakened even him" and he a lot about Paul. pro-Paulist, tells how Stephen is brought became convinced "that there was no The Letter to the Galatians, unusually before a Jerusalem synagogue and hope of Christianity from the Jews, but brief, is at once highly personal in its charged with blasphemy against "Moses much hope from the Gentiles." If the reminiscences and boldly radical in its and God." Stephen launches into a decision had gone the other way, the theology. Introducing it, the New lengthy oration describing in detail the Jesus movement, after the events of 70 Oxford Annotated Bible asserts, perhaps history of the Jews since the time of C.E., might have remained a small purely with some exaggeration, that "these six Abraham—an oration that could hardly Jewish sect, fated to soon disappear. In chapters (less than six pages) made be reported verbatim unless a shorthand 70 C.E. the Romans destroyed the Christianity a world religion instead of reporter were present. Temple and much of the city, with a a Jewish sect." Discussion of circumci- Stephen ends with an attack on his general expulsion of Jews who had sion dominates the letter.

Fall 1993 51 Paul's obscene jest occurs in Galatians would find the wish of a disbeliever in any kind of meat. It is a manifest 5:12. Earlier in that chapter Paul had sacraments that all advocates of baptism contradiction for Paul, who is opposed said bluntly, "If you receive circumci- would drown themselves." It also says, to dietary laws, to use dogs to describe sion, Christ will be of no advantage to "The shock of Paul's statement to the those who strictly observe such laws. But you . . . for in Christ Jesus neither Judaizers can be measured in the light dogs as a term of abuse has broader circumcision nor uncircumcision is of of Deut. 23.1." The verse cited from application. Just before its conclusion any avail, but faith working through Deuteronomy states, "He whose testicles the Book of Revelation contrasts the love." Then, speaking bitterly of those are crushed or whose male member is blessed with "dogs and sorcerers and who had come to agitate against him cut off shall not enter the assembly of fornicators and murderers and idola- on this issue in regions where he was the Lord." tors." Jews later called Christians trying to convert Gentiles: "I wish those This gives the "cut off' of the King "uncircumcised dogs." So did the who unsettle you would mutilate James version an unambiguous double Muslims, especially at the time of the themselves." meaning. He whose member is cut off Crusades. Whether in the Gulf War the Thus the Revised Standard Version physically is himself cut off socially and Saudis used this term for American translates his angry outburst. The King religiously from the community of faith. soldiers who had been instructed to keep James translation, "I would they were Leviticus also mentions "crushed testi- their own Christian religious activity and even cut off which trouble you," seems cles" in listing impediments to serving symbols out of sight we are unlikely to at first much more vague. But once we as priests and making offerings. be told. know the meaning, the "cut off" is It has always been a problem how But in this threefold warning, the brutally specific. If his critics feel such literally one should take the statement most interesting item is the last, "those a need to make such cuts, Paul wishes by Jesus: "For there are eunuchs who who mutilate flesh." That is the phrase that they would go the whole way and have been so from birth, and there are as it appears in the RSV version, in cut off their own genitals. eunuchs who have been made eunuchs translating a Greek term that the King Indeed, the Catholic Study Bible by men, and there are eunuchs who have James version gives as "the concision." bluntly translates "cut off" as "castrate." made themselves eunuchs for the sake Young's Analytical Concordance trans- It is the same Greek term for "cut" that of the kingdom of heaven. He who is literates the Greek original as katatome. provides the basis for Mark's "And if able to receive this, let him receive it." This is the only time that particular thy hand offend thee cut it off' and A number of commentators have Greek word appears in the Greek New John's "smote the servant and cut off observed that Paul's words would have Testament, and the only time its English his right ear." The version in The New had particular meaning in Galatia, equivalent, concision, appears in the English Bible reads: "As for these where, as in the neighboring Phrygia, the King James translation. The Greek term agitators, they had better go the whole cult of Cybele, the Great Mother can mean more specifically "severing," way and make eunuchs of themselves." Goddess, had flourished. Attis, her son which takes us back to the word play Given such early evidence, the Freud- and lover, castrated himself each year in Galatians. ian linking of circumcision and castra- as a sacrifice to his mother, but he was The OED gives the first meaning of tion seems less farfetched. After all, Paul, reborn, restored, in the spring. the unfamiliar English term concision as nearly two millennia before Freud, In his Letter to the Philippians, Paul "cutting to pieces or away," "mutilation." moves quickly and easily from circum- again uses a word play attacking For the second meaning it refers to its cision to castration, and most of his circumcision in a way necessarily offen- unique occurrences in the King James translators are perfectly explicit about sive to the Jews. In the RSV translation translation, and quotes F. W. Farrar, his ironic, sadistic meaning. Freud he writes, "Look out for the dogs, look Dean of Canterbury, as explaining that suggests that circumcision may be a out for the evil workers, look out for in that case concision means "circum- propitiatory offering, a ritual going part- those who mutilate the flesh." All three cision regarded as a mere mutilation." way that will satisfy the threatening terms in this sentence are aimed at After disposing of circumcision in father-castrator lurking in the uncon- Judaizers who had been sent as agents Jewish practice as a "mere mutilation" scious. from Jerusalem to join Paul's newly of flesh, Paul goes on to write, "For we The second scriptural definition of founded churches and turn the other are the true circumcision, who worship "circumcise" in the Oxford English members against him. Also they meant God in spirit and glory in Christ Jesus, Dictionary reads, "chiefly as a Hebraism, to arouse the Jews in the congregation and put no confidence in the flesh." For in reference to the purification typified to demand circumcision for Gentiles who this second, spiritual meaning, Paul by the rite, partly with the notion of sought to join. Whether Paul was being employs the customary Greek word for castration." The word partly is puzzling paranoid in assuming these plots against circumcision, peritome, or "cutting since no examples are offered that his success in proselytizing we cannot around." These two Greek words that illustrate the "notion of castration." know. follow in quick succession have the same The Interpreter's Bible observes that, Dogs is used as a general term of stem, tome. The word play is, of course, "To a devout Jew his (Paul's) language abuse by Jews of the period. They are deliberate. would be as sacrilegous as a Christian regarded as unclean beasts who will eat Thus, Paul creates a bold paradox by 52 FREE INQUIRY using the Greek word meaning "muti- cumcision appears twice in Deuteron- examination. The more you think about lation" in a derogatory sense to refer to omy. "And the Lord your God will it the more troubling it becomes. Back Jewish ritual circumcision, and reserves circumcise your heart and the heart of in the early 1930s, the days of the New for literally uncircumcised but spiritually your offspring." The second instance is Criticism and William Empson's Seven circumcised Christians the usual Greek grotesquely mixed because of the intro- Types of Ambiguity, we were taught that term for the physical severing of the duction of the word foreskin: "Circum- where a good or "live" metaphor is con- foreskin. He now tauntingly gives the cise therefore the foreskin of your heart cerned, the more the literal and figurative latter a favorable meaning just because and be no longer stubborn." "Foreskin meanings were held in mind together, it is not literal: "For we are the true of the heart!" God himself spoke to the more the former enriched the latter. circumcision, who worship God in spirit, Jeremiah of those "whose ear is uncir- With "circumcise thy life" this does and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no cumcised." After Paul the spiritual, not work, even if we take circumcision confidence in the flesh." metaphoric use of "circumcise" became to mean, as the OED suggests, "spiritual The paradox had been prepared for common in Christian preaching and purification by, as it were, cutting away by the conclusion of Stephen's provoc- invaded seventeenth-century English sin." Comparing sin to a foreskin severed ative speech just before his death and poetry. Robert Herrick urges his reader in a single operation when the subject by the metaphoric uses of the Hebrew to "circumcise thy life." is eight days old can hardly be an enrich- word for "circumcise" in the Hebrew As with many religious statements, ment of the metaphor, even for theists, Bible. Metaphoric use of physical cir- this injunction will not bear close sole proprietors of the word sin itself. •

YES, I wish to become an Associate Member of CODESH Become a CODESH Associate Member today. Associate Members will receive (exclusively) the redesigned, expanded Secular Humanist Bulletin (which incorporates the CODESH Chronicle), and a 10 percent discount on registration fees for conferences and seminars, audiotapes and videotapes, and a select list of books.

Enclosed are my dues for: ❑ Annual single membership, $15 ❑ Annual family membership, $25

Charge my ❑ VISA ❑ MasterCard # Exp date

Signature

❑ Check or money order enclosed

Name

Address

Daytime phone

City State Zip

Return to: CODESH Memberships, Box 664, Buffalo, NY 14226-0664. Or call toll-free 800-458-1366. FAX charges to: 716-636-1733. 9/93

Fall 1993 53 Reviews

Ancient Histories and Modern Humanities John R. Lenz

Black Athena: The Afroasiatic Roots of extreme caution. theory (the ruler's "Mandate from Classical Civilization. Volume II: The So radical is Bernal's ambition that Heaven") to a Greek volcanic cataclysm: Archaeological and Documentary Evi- much in the book eludes proof. Etymol- "China today still bears the marks of the dence, Martin Bernal (New Brunswick, ogy—the heart of his case—is a notor- Thera eruption" (now dated c. 1628 N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1991) iously slippery area. Bernal proposes B.C.E.). (Moses's parting of the seas and xxxiü + 736 pp. $60.00 cloth, $16.95 many Egyptian or Semitic roots for Plato's myth of Atlantis he indirectly paper. Greek words, including such central connects with the same event.) Did concepts as psyche (soul) and hybris atmospheric disturbances from Kraka- ot since the Old Testament has a (pride). He gives some striking examples. toa's eruption really "have an impact on Nbook about the second millennium Some interesting and some obscure the development of Impressionism"? If B.C.E. generated as much controversy as aspects of Greek names and myths are you like such causal fancies, you will love Black Athena. The second volume of this illuminated. However, the fits, as he the dense historical drama/ espionage of projected four-volume work arouses honestly admits, are usually loose ones, Black Athena. equal degrees of awe and skepticism. based on a grab-bag of roots that look Aside from numerous questions of In Black Athena, Martin Bernal or sound alike. Compelling as all this detail, two major problems flaw the core attempts to derive Greek civilization and potentially is, there is just too much of the author's desire to erect a new language from Egypt and the Semitic piling on of weak cases and no real paradigm. How far does he explain Near East. Volume 1 (1987) argues that method. Greek culture, and does he do justice Western scholarship, operating under an Much of the archaeology is, likewise, to the interaction of different cultures "Aryan (i.e. Indo-European) Model," awesomely bold but hard to swallow. and to the cause of multiculturalism has excluded such contributions. Attri- Bernal wishes to weave a complex web itself'? buting this to racist impulses, Bernal of populations and cultural borrowings Frustrated with a sacred-cow classi- countered (in kind) that the ancient in the Aegean Bronze Age. Such ques- cism, Bernal (the grandson of the Egyptians were black Africans. His work tions have long been the stuff of Egyptologist A. Gardiner), only attacks thus complements the wider pheno- archaeology; the "Pax Aegyptiaca" is no classical Greece at some remove: he menon of Afrocentrism. new idea. But Bernal rightly resurrects combs the Aegean Bronze Age, c. 3000 More know the book's title than its many examples that have been mini- to 1150 B.C.E., in order to derive Greek arguments. Black Athena, volume 2 is mized or overlooked from a Helleno- culture (a vast animal in time, space, and extremely heavy going and problematic. centric perspective. This is important. thought) from Near Eastern ones of that Informative and generally reasonable in How many universities even offer time. But from c. 1150 to 750 B.C.E. tone, its scope and ambition put the courses on the ancient Near East and Greece experienced a Dark Age. Deri- works of most scholars to shame. Even Egypt? How often do we hear Egyptian ving the succeeding Greek city-state hoary antiquarians will learn things,and art unfairly disparaged by comparison culture from the earlier Mycenaean other dedicated readers will be led into with Greek? However, Bernal's blunt palace civilization (whatever its origins) the fascinating alleyways of Aegean reconstructions go much further than is problematic. Bernal's solution involves (and Chinese) prehistory. Everyone, warranted. In fact he rejects a model of idiosyncratic redatings, e.g. placing the however, should read this work with multiculturalism in favor of a scenario introduction of the Greek alphabet of widespread Egyptian colonization and (unattested before 775 B.C.E. or later) John Lenz teaches Classics at Texas domination. For example, reshuffling between 1800 and 1400 B.C.E. and the A&M University and works on early myth-history, he alleges Egyptian settle- poet Hesiod in the tenth century. These Greece. He is vice president of the ment of Bronze Age Crete and Greece heavy-handed moves neither sufficiently Bertrand Russell Society and author of c. 1730 B.C.E. bridge the divide of the Dark Age, nor "Bertrand Russell and the Greeks." Bernal's method is a misplaced answer the many difficult and subtle materialism. He traces Chinese political questions about the development of

54 FREE INQUIRY Greek civilization both from within and conventional). But his own appeal to be ing, a glorified view of the Greeks.) True without. faithful to the ancient traditions is rather multiculturalism recognizes the merits There is a more serious, general disingenuous, since his "Revised Ancient (and faults) of all peoples and cultures, objection. Suppose (as the author Model" selects, rejects, and interprets and judges civilizations by other than doesn't) that everything in the book were from varied sources just as any historian their highest monuments. Wouldn't the true: Egyptian settlement of Greece, must do. Egyptian treatment of minorities be of Greek borrowings of language and ideas Exposing others' preconceptions concern to an Afrocentric perspective? (e.g. Plato's) from Egypt. What would gives a false sense of security, when one Shouldn't the message be, you don't need this explain? How far, for example, do remains blind to one's own. A theme of the greatest or most powerful conquering we get in understanding Virgil by citing volume 1 was that we invent our ances- ancestors to be worthy of human respect all of that great poet's borrowings from tors (there, the ancient Greeks). Bernal (today or in history)? Shouldn't a Homer? Wouldn't anything Plato wrote, answers by redefining the ancestors. "politically correct" stance take some short of taking dictation from Egyptian Thus, like many revolutionaries, he does interest in the political and social systems priests, bear his own stamp (and what not condemn the system (namely the of Egypt and Greece? We might ask, about Socrates, who hardly left Athens)? appropriation of the past for political "How did the pharaohs treat their sub- In short, even if all of Bronze Age Greece purposes), but attempts to make it his jects?" or "Did Plato have totalitarian were settled by Egyptians, we would still, own. Are black paradigmatic ancestors tendencies?" immediately, have to say that the Egyp- better (on principle) than European tians in Greece were different from the ones? Does a pharaoh in a black power lack Athena deserves respect for its Egyptians in Egypt. Glossing over deep pose really help the cause of Afro-Amer- Bbroad ambition and inclusiveness. questions of cultural change and identity, ican humanism (see FREE INQUIRY, Terribly important in its aims, it remains appropriating pieces here and there for Spring 1990) by replacing one elitism highly problematic in methods and one's own chosen peoples, is dangerous with another? results, opening up new vistas rather than both politically and intellectually. In my opinion, this trend does no settling them. All should, while criticiz- Bernal reminds us, and takes pride service even to the intended cause. ing, widen their interests and sympathies. in demonstrating, that scholarship and Deriving one culture from another In a country that professes to live by politics (or ideology) can never be (whether Europe from Greece or, in turn, ancient texts it knows shockingly little separated. His gadfly intent, "to lessen Greece from Egypt) is not multicultur- of, it is good to see the past taken seri- European cultural arrogance" and "to alism, but uniculturalism. (A strict Afro- ously. But readers should approach this make conventionality have its cost," is centrism only takes Eurocentrism one book in the same spirit of scholarly uncer- most admirable (if itself somewhat step back, by maintaining, even requir- tainty in which, at its best, it is written. •

science, and democracy. It was impor- tant to put aside doctrinal differences Strange Bedfellows Divorce and work together to undermine the oppressive government. In the June 10, Timothy J. Madigan 1993, New York Review of Books, he writes of this period:

In those days former Communists and The Church and the Left, by Adam ally written in 1976 and published the former anti-Communists were all Michnik, edited and translated by David following year in Paris. It could not be targets of the same repressive mea- Ost (Chicago: The University of Chicago published at the time in Michnik's native sures, and that served to link us Press, 1993) 301 pp. $24.95 cloth. country, although it was available together, as did our sense of our own clandestinely. The book details the strength in numbers. Agnostics turned with sympathy to the words of the dam Michnik is one of Poland's manner in which secular, noncommunist Gospels, while Catholics have never Amost prominent dissidents. He was intellectuals and the Roman Catholic been more tolerant and ecumenical. a founder of KOR (Workers' Defense church forged an alliance to resist the [p. 19] Committee), the organization of intel- communist regime. Michnik urged a lectuals that worked closely with the tempering of the longstanding anti- But The Church and the Left is not Solidarity movement to destabilize the clericalism of the left. While understand- merely of historical interest. As trans- communist regime. The Church and the ing the natural distrust the left had lator David Ost puts it in his introduc- Left describes how he, a lifelong agnos- toward the church, he nonetheless felt tion, "In 1976, Michnik called on liberal tic, was able to cooperate with the that there were a significant number of intellectuals to reach out to the Church. Catholic church in this venture. religious believers who also believed in Just over a decade later, Michnik The Church and the Left was origin- the ideals of liberty, freedom of con- counseled them to maintain their dis-

Fall 1993 55 tance." In an essay that Michnik wrote standing of the complexity of contem- entitled "Church's Popularity Dims With in 1987, which is included as an after- porary Catholicism in Poland. It is by Advent of Democracy" describes the word to this volume, he describes the no means as monolithic as it might seem current scene in Poland: growing sense of betrayal he and many to be. He makes a distinction between fellow nonbelievers feel now that the two schools of Catholic thought: the Joanna Kurmanow, a medical student church is attempting to fill the power "French way," which looks back to a in Poznan, seems typical of many vacuum left by the fallen communist time when the church and pagans lived young Poles today. She says she used to go to church regularly, but now, regime. He wonders if he wasn't too together in harmony and the state did only on the main holidays. "Before, naive in his hope that the church would not attempt to convert the latter; and when church was forbidden under the respect the agreements forged during the the "Sarmatian way," which follows the Communists, everyone went," Ms. years of communist oppression. As a model of the Middle Ages, in which Kurmanow says. "Now, the priests tell you to go to church, and so people cultural Jew, he is also worried about heretics were tried by the church and don't go. It's the Polish way!" she the revival of nationalism and religious executed by the state. Michnik, not laughs. "We do the opposite of what bigotry in his homeland. "One hears a surprisingly, still feels that dialogue with we're told to do." tone of fear in recent episcopal state- adherents of the first model can be ments," he writes, "as if the forces of fruitful. He seems willing to take up the There seems to be a significant the Antichrist were amassing for another mantle of leader of the opposition to the number of Poles who will struggle to attack on the Lord's vineyard. Yet this modern-day Sarmatians, but is grateful keep the church and the state from time the Antichrist is liberalism and for the cooperation and mutual respect becoming one and the same. No doubt, secular humanism, not atheistic com- shown during the longtime struggle Michnik will be in their vanguard. He, munism" (p. xv). against communism. And he does have perhaps more than anyone else, knows Michnik, to his credit, is even-handed reason to be hopeful. An article in the the best strategies to pursue in this in his discussion and has a keen under- May 26 Christian Science Monitor endeavor. •

The New Gnosticism Mormon, Christian Science, Seventh- day Adventist, Jehovah's Witness, Pentecostal, New Age, Southern Baptist, Lois K. Porter and African-American religions—with particular emphasis on the Mormons The American Religion: The Emergence back to before the Creation." Thus, he and Southern Baptists. of the Post-Christian Nation, by Harold identifies what he calls the American His analysis of these sects is interest- Bloom (New York: Simon and Schuster, Religion as a type of Gnosticism. ing. However, when he turns to the 1992) 288 pp. cloth $22.00. The original Gnostics, according to Southern Baptists and the takeover of Homer W. Smith in Man and His Gods, their convention by the Fundamentalists, arold Bloom, the distinguished laid claim to a "higher knowledge, a the book becomes riveting. He reaches literary critic and professor of mysterious form of information which conclusions that, if correct, clarify much humanities at Yale and of English at New was imparted by inspiration and which of what has happened politically in the York University, has written a book of was not open to proof or argument." United States in the past twelve years. criticism in which he holds a mirror to Bloom argues that not only Americans These conclusions do not give secular our society, especially as it pertains to who call themselves Christian but even humanists cause for celebration. religion. Jews and Muslims in this country are According to Bloom, former Presi- In The American Religion: The more Gnostic than normative. He says dent George Bush is "bound to be Emergence of the Post-Christian Nation, the American Religion is "pervasive and memorable as the American leader most Bloom claims that we are a religiously overwhelming, however it is masked, and deeply attached to linked emblems of our mad culture, furiously searching for the even our secularists, indeed even our national religion: the flag and the fetus, spirit, "but each of us is subject and professed atheists, are more Gnostic than our Cross and our Divine Child." object of the one quest ... a spark or humanist in their ultimate presupposi- Writing in mid-August of 1991, he points breath in us that we are convinced goes tions." I wish he had expounded on that out that, "President Bush's Justice theory more fully. He calls himself an Department has associated itself with the Lois K. Porter is a founding member "unbelieving Jew of strong Gnostic militant (indeed violent) Operation and first president of the Washington tendencies." Rescue mob that has been assaulting Area Secular Humanists, in Washing- Most of The American Religion is an abortion clinics.... The overwhelming ton, D.C. examination of those sects that Bloom urgency (and viciousness) of Southern identifies as uniquely American—the Baptist Fundamentalism makes it shock-

56 FREE INQUIRY ingly similar to the Iranian Shiite "Its reductive anti-intellectualism re- whom he joined himself on to for the Fundamentalism." minds one of the Spanish Fascism of campaign of 1980. Authority, in the He adds that although the first tenet Franco; the Know-Nothing Baptists are context of the American Religion, is of fundamentalism is the inerrancy of heirs of Franco's crusade against the another form of gnosis, another know- the Bible, in actuality, the Bible is largely mind." ing, and what it knows is that it must unread by these believers. Instead, the He finds a "perfect microcosm of the replace the purely secular authority book is used as an icon or talisman, to fall of America during these Reagan- brought about by the American be waved and quoted, selectively and Bush years," in the pattern of events that Revolution." often inaccurately, but not actually to ruined the Southern Baptist Convention One may argue with Bloom's defini- be read. between 1979 and 1991, including the tion of the American religion, or with Bloom concludes that American emancipation of selfishness in every his contention that all Americans, even fundamentalists of the last two decades aspect of national life. secular humanists, are gnostic. For me, are really Know-Nothings who totally Bloom credits former Secretary of the subtitle: "The Emergence of the Post- devalue language and thought and are State James Baker with being the Christian Nation," remains a mystery. furiously anti-intellectual. supreme strategist of the Republicans However, The American Religion pre- He considers the takeover of the since 1979, noting that, "Just after his sents a fascinating picture of what is Southern Baptist Convention by the fellow Texans managed their takeover taking place in the realm of religious radical fundamentalists the result of a of the Southern Baptist Convention, fundamentalism in this country. His purely political and social conspiracy Baker observed the parallel fall of the conclusions are borne out in the daily masquerading as a religious movement: Republican party to the Reaganites, news. •

ities it has inspired. Many, said Clarke, A Visionary Humanist "confuse religion with a belief in God. Buddhists don't necessarily believe in a god or a supreme being at all; whereas Warren Allen Smith one could easily believe in a supreme being and not have any religion." Clarke Arthur C. Clarke, The Authorized Biog- search for shipwrecks, his experiences knew Buddhism well, having chosen in raphy, by Neil McAleer. Foreword by filming with Stanley Kubrick in Holly- the 1970s to live in Sri Lanka. Ray Bradbury (Chicago: Contemporary wood, his remarkable prognostications, • When a ABC "20/ 20" camera once Books, 1992). 430 pp. $25.00 cloth. and his success in selling over 50 million captured the parade of the Buddha's copies of his books. Of special interest tooth, the Perahera, Clarke observed to rthur C. Clarke, the greatest living to secular humanists are these tidbits: the reporter, "I'm anti-mysticism. I'm A science fiction writer, has been • During World War II, inductees very anti the sort of lamebrains who known and admired by so many Carl into the Royal Air Force with no accept anything fanciful, nonsensical like Sagan, Wernher von Braun, Walter religious affiliation were required to put pyramid power, astrology, which is utter Cronkite, Clifton Fadiman, Stanley "Church of England" on their dogtags. rubbish, much UFOlogy, flying saucers. Kubrick, Soviet as well as American Clarke, who had reluctantly gone to an There's so much garbage floating around astronauts, other noted sci-fi writers, and Anglican Sunday school as a farm lad, and on newsstands. This is one thing that a host of others. But now the rest of refused. "I got the man who was handling does worry me about the present mental us, through Neil McAleer's biography, the paperwork and made them change state of the West, not only in the United can have the pleasure of meeting the man it to `pantheist,' " he explained. From States. At the same time, I'm sure there who has described the greatest invention his youth, he has had a consistent aver- are many very strange things in the of the twentieth century as being artificial sion to organized religion, saying faith universe." intelligence and who has predicted that is no substitute for knowledge. • When in the USSR it was revealed the wristwatch telephone will be in • In 1943, while in the R.A.F., he that 2010: Odyssey Two takes place general use by 1997. complained to C. S. Lewis that his novels aboard Cosmonaut Leonov's spaceship, McAleer, in thirty-three chapters, attacked scientific humanism in general officials were delighted. But then they covers Clarke's illustrious career, cheer- and scientists and astronauts in par- read the book's dedication: ily carrying out the task and finding far ticular. more to praise than to disparage. He • Early in 1970, he told a Playboy Dedicated, with respectful admira- takes up all facets of Clarke's life—his interviewer, "I have a long-standing bias tion, to two great Russians both depicted herein: accomplishments, a brief and unhappy against religion that may be reflected in General Alexei Leonov marriage, his Sri Lankan adopted my comments," adding that he could not Cosmonaut, Hero of the Soviet family, his scuba-diving company and forgive religion for the wars and atroc- Union, Artist and

Fall 1993 57 Academician Andrei Sakharov may be that our role on this planet is tween 1970 and 1972 (just six months Scientist, Nobel Laureate, Humanist not to worship God ... but to create off). His longer-term forecasts were him." not so accurate: he said that the first Sakharov had been banished to Gorky While a farm lad in Minehead, flight around Mars would be in 1980 two years prior, and officials thereupon England, Clarke had a job as mail and the first landing there would be in banned the book. deliverer which required him to ride his 1990. In 1966 he predicted that the • His story "The Nine Billion Names bicycle on winter nights. He had already actual colonization of other planets of God" describes two computer engi- started a serious collection of science would take place by the year 2000. neers hired by a sect of Tibetan monks fiction magazines, and from his bicycle And he believes "there's a 99% chance to help generate the nine billion names the teenager gazed into the night sky, of life all over the universe and a 90% of God, which they have worked on for sure that one day men would walk on chance of intelligent life being all over three centuries. They believe that, once the moon and leave their bootprints on the place as well." By 2015, he has their goal is reached, mankind will have the red sands of Mars. His certainty that recently stated, a baby will have been completed its reason for existence. the exploration of space was inevitable born on Mars. Clarke's memorable end-line was: "Over- found few who were in agreement. Even Clarke corresponds almost monthly head, without any fuss, the stars were in the R.A.F. he was considered some to fellow members of the Secular going out." kind of screwball, always talking about Humanist Society of New York, of which • His story "The Star" has an opening the British Interplanetary Society and he is a member. Although he receives line that describes the conflicting scien- taking it for granted that rocket- daily physiotherapy for his post-polio tific and religious systems of belief: "It launched satellites could be made to syndrome, he recently has been filmed, is three thousand light-years to the remain stationary over the Earth. When 100 feet down, viewing a beautiful Vatican." the Nazi V-2 rockets began raining terror shipwreck seven miles off Colombo. • To Pope Pius XII's statement that on British cities, his "crackpot views" Clark is working on a variety of projects, exploring space is simply to fulfill suddenly became credible. including a novel about Mars, and he mankind's God-given potential, Clarke Clarke, the man who first put forward looks forward to being eighty-three on wrote, "Any path to knowledge is a path the concept of a communications satellite New Year's Eve of the final day of the to God—or to Reality, whichever word in 1945, also predicted then that the first present century. One wonders what the one prefers to use." flight around the moon would be in 1967 great prognosticator now forecasts as to • Father Lee Lubbers, a Jesuit priest (he was a year early), and that the first what he will be doing exactly at midnight and one of the dozens McAleer inter- manned moon landing would be be- ... and with whom. • viewed for the book, recalls that at their first meeting, Clarke stepped out from behind his desk, and extending his right hand "as though he were protesting dramatically that I was going to convert him before he could reach the other end False Accusations Against of the room" all the while saying, "I am an atheist." • In 1975, addressing the U.S. Con- Planned Parenthood gress, Clarke remarked, "It is true that we must cherish and conserve the Bonnie Bullough treasures of this fragile Earth, which we have so shamefully wasted.... It may George Grant, Grand Illusions: The for family planning services was distri- be that the old astrologers had the truth Legacy of Planned Parenthood (Frank- buted to health departments and private exactly reversed, when they believed that lin Tennessee: Adroit Press, Second and public hospital clinics as well as the stars controlled the destinies of men. Edition, 1992), 440 pp. $13.00 paper. Planned Parenthood. Those funds were The time may come when men control significantly diminished during the the destinies of stars." lanned Parenthood is a national Reagan-Bush administrations. Like his friends Isaac Asimov, Ray Porganization made up of semi- When abortion became a controver- Bradbury, and Gene Roddenberry, autonomous, local, affiliated groups that sial topic, Planned Parenthood came out Clarke is clearly a philosophic naturalist. provide family planning and sex educa- in favor of women's right to choose, and Recently in Britain for treatment of his tion services. For a time federal funding the organization has been heavily post-polio syndrome, Clarke was asked involved in that struggle for the last two about the spate of books linking science Bonnie Bullough is dean emeritus of decades. However, the day-to-day work and an ultimate creator. To the reporter, Nursing at the State University of New in the clinics is focused primarily on Clarke said, "I remain an aggressive York at Buffalo. contraception. Planned Parenthood is agnostic." Elsewhere he has written, "It hard pressed for funds, and its services 58 FREE INQUIRY are severely limited in terms of the needs well as the federal government, network lem of Planned Parenthood is to support that are out there. television, major newspapers, and all of the existing pro-life ministries, alterna- Grand Illusions: The Legacy of the feminist and left-wing organizations. tive clinics, adoption agencies, shepherd- Planned Parenthood by George Grant, While Grant admits that much of the ing homes, natural family planning now in its second edition, includes some leadership and many of the employees centers, and abstinence-based sex edu- of these basic facts, but the organization of Planned Parenthood are minorities, cation programs, read the Bible, pray is described in such biased language that he argues that it is racist. Instead of and fast. He even suggests that we should it is often hardly recognizable. Margaret describing the actual work that is carried give alms to or find other ways to support Sanger, its founder, is characterized as out in the clinics, lurid tales of back alley working mothers, the widows, and the venal and profligate. Grant goes on to abortionists are provided. children of the nation who live in describe the present organization in such The first edition of this work, written poverty, but none of these plans are as expansive terms that it sounds more like in 1988, apparently sold well and the specific as his assault on Planned General Motors or Exxon than Planned author is a popular speaker on the Parenthood as the supposed source of Parenthood. He holds that it is bank- fundamentalist Christian Right to Life most of America's problems. Simplistic rolled by all of the big corporations as circuit. Grant's solutions to the prob- he is; accurate he is not. •

Hmong. One scientist even concocted a Southeast Asian Tragedy theory that the yellow substance was bee feces. Strange, the Hmong people had managed to live with bees for four Roy P. Fairfield thousand years with no such death tolls. In short, this is an important, wide- Tragic Mountains: The Hmong, the North Vietnamese soldiers, fought in ranging book, scanning a half-century Americans, and the Secret Wars for mountain fog and jungle heat to save of heroic efforts of a proud tribal group Laos, 1942-1992, by Jane Hamilton- American airmen. But whenever any- caught in the dirty politics of region and Merritt (Bloomington: Indiana Univer- body got too close to the truth about the target of genocide. By literally sity Press, 1992) xxviii + 580 pp. $29.95 American involvement, the "preferable scouring the world and interviewing the cloth. response . . . [was] no comment." major players, then quoting them Probably nobody will ever measure all directly, the author enhances the credi- dimensions of this tragedy, of unfulfilled ollowing fourteen years of research bility of the volume. There are heroes American promises and the Hmong Fand intense involvement in South- and villains on all sides of these tragic belief that the Central Intelligence east Asian struggles and freely inquiring mountains. But it will be a hard-hearted Agency, State Department, and about the details and nuances of Amer- person well trained in Realpolitik who Hmong branches of government could be ican uses and abuses of the encounters this story of American people, Jane Hamilton-Merritt has believed. Only after bitter experience and deception, fraud, exploitation, and written a powerful analysis of this tribe's disillusionment could one resident of a neglect without pointing a finger of contribution to American foreign policy Thai refugee camp say, "We just don't accusation at presidents, Congress, and in the context of the domino theory's trust Americans any more." In one bureaucrats. • application in that territory. cryptic summation of the way the The author has a unique angle of Hmong suffered from guerilla diplomacy vision: she lived with the Hmong and in the name of peace-seeking in the MOVING? Make sure understands and identifies with their capitols of the world, she says that they FREE INQUIRY follows you! culture; their competence as guerilla were "sacrificed on the altar of detente." warriors; their fierce, independent spirit. If the so-called peace-keepers were not Name Her familiarity with the terrain and her lying about the situation in Southeast Subscriber M vivid and sometimes poetic description Asia, they were ignoring it. New address of both the grim and the heroic make Among the most inhumane aspects Tragic Mountains a gripping book. In of the Hmong experience was being City addition, she provides statistics on guinea pigs for chemical warfare. State Zip accounts of individual battles in which Hamilton-Merritt recounts her decade- Old address the Hmong, mostly outnumbered by long effort to get the ears and hearts

of newspapers, the Congress, the United City Roy P. Fairfield is a contributing editor Nations, and scientists, most of whom State Zlp to FREE INQUIRY. didn't want to believe that the yellow, Mail to: Free Inquiry, Box 664, Buffalo NY 14226 red, blue, and black mist was killing the

Fall 1993 59 Feynman, the magician, the paradox, the man who became a legend in his own Books in Brief time. At the same time the author is unexcelled, in the reviewer's opinion, in the daunting task of describing that most esoteric area of science, particle physics, Maybe Right, Maybe Wrong, A Guide William Harwood writes that it was perhaps best understood mathematically for Young Thinkers, by Dan Barker, necessary to write this book "mainly to rather than in English, which has yet to illustrated by Brian Strassberg (Buffalo: bring together sufficient evidence of the catch up fully with the theorists and Prometheus Books, 1993) $12.95 paper. fictional status of the Bible to satisfy any experimenters. Although this is simply written as a book objective reader that gods who have That Richard Feynman was a secular for youngsters, it is an excellent guide revealed their existence ... are indeed humanist there can be no doubt. Antic- to behavior for all, since it stresses critical products of the human imagination." ipating his own death (at age 70) this thinking. Learning the difference be- And the evidence that Harwood presents is what he said: "You see, one thing is, tween a rule and a principle and under- is far more than sufficient to prove his I can live with doubt and uncertainty standing that one must make decisions case. and not knowing. I think it's much more based on principles is fundamental. The This book is filled with witty, pro- interesting to live not knowing than to author stresses principles such as the found, and often hilarious insights into have answers which might be wrong." value of life, honesty, respect for others, religion and the psychology of "god fairness, and responsibility and gives addicts." Harwood is unsparing in his —George Porter examples of how it may be necessary criticism of biblical apologists. He to choose one principle over another, if maintains that "to the authors of the More Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion there is a conflict. In all, the author Judaeo-Christian Bible, their fables were and Morality, by Steve Allen (Buffalo, avoids didacticism and uses humorous not intended to be read as metaphors N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 1993) 452 pp. little sketches to get his points across. but as literal truth." $24.95 cloth. While reading More Steve Harwood maintains that primeval Allen on the Bible, Religion and Mor- —Edythe McGovern religion was invented by women, and ality, many words immediately come to that even Yahweh was originally a mind: clear, passionate, rational, pene- Saints and Sinners: Walker Bailey, female. Moreover, he states that "In one trating, honest, and open-minded—just Jimmy Swaggart, Madalyn Murray sense men were exploited under priestess to name a few. Allen makes it clear that O'Hair, Anton La Vey, Will Campbell, rule: sacrificial victims were always he neither wants to bash nor praise the Matthew Fox, by Lawrence Wright men." Mythology's Last Gods is provoc- Bible. He seeks to analyze it objectively, (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993) 266 ative, intellectually stimulating, and a and he does a magnificent job. He writes pp. $24.00 cloth. We are presented here delight to read. that, while most Bible believers might with the extremes in religious "leader- concede that 1 percent of the text is ship," from a satanist to an atheist to —Norm R. Allen, Jr. problematic, "... there are difficulties a fallen fundamentalist, to a possible on almost every page." Moreover, murderer (found not guilty) Baptist. All Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Allen's writing often brings to mind have flawed personalities. Perhaps that Feynman, by James Gleick (New York: Voltaire's similar contention that "there is what drove them into the high-profile Pantheon Books, 1992) 531 pp., $27.50 is something laughable on every page." world of religion in the first place. Anton cloth. Secular humanists, by definition, Allen pulls no punches and makes no La Vey, the satanist, is neatly skewered stand apart from the religion-dominated apologies for any of his trenchant as a probable hypocrite. Madalyn mainstream of Western philosophy. As criticisms. In the introduction he writes: O'Hair is shown to be both a liar and such, they should feel a kinship and deep "As regards those portions of Scripture a highly frightened person. Jimmy interest in a true genius who not only that constitute powerful poetry, moral Swaggart brings the worst of both worlds marched to a different drummer, but exhortation, or a valid historical narra- into his nearly psychotic private world. beat out his own rhythms on the bongos. tive, one would naturally speak or write The insights given into these unusual That genius was Richard Feynman, with respect. The same can certainly not personalities are among the best that I've who died on February 15, 1988. His life be required as regards those passages seen in modern short biographies. and seminal work in particle physics is that are obscene, that incite atrocious the subject of this penetrating biography crimes, or that urge the killing of millions —Gordon Stein by the author of the acclaimed book, of people." Allen is an excellent, thought- Chaos. Genius is not what this reviewer ful, and witty writer; and this tightly Mythology's Last Gods, by William would call an easy read, yet, it is one reasoned book is a wonderful follow-up Harwood (Buffalo: Prometheus Books, of the most interesting and, in some to his first book on this important topic. 1992) 416 pp. $24.95 cloth. In Mythol- ways, the most exciting book he has read ogy's Last Gods' bibliographical note, in years. Gleick captures the essence of —Norm R. Allen, Jr. 60 FREE INQUIRY (Larue's Rebuttal, continued from p. 13) to coincide with these dates. He stands The "Noah's Ark" Film virtually alone in this effort, a fact which criticism and so forth, as well as the he has publicly recognized: t is not really necessary to comment employment of the tools and findings in detail about the lack of solid of archaeology, sociology, and anthro- Most scholars will reject the possibility scholarship in the presentation of "The pology. To imply that for a scholar to that the Israelites destroyed Jericho in Incredible Discovery of Noah's Ark." teach biblical studies in an institution of about 1400 B.C.E. because of their Richard A. Fox has done a superb job. belief that Israel did not emerge in higher learning he or she should not Canaan until about 150 to 200 years It is clear that both Sun and CBS failed, engage in critical or analytical thinking later, at the end of the Late Bronze morally and ethically, to live up to the is to be out of touch with what education II period. highest standards of television produc- is all about. Of course I engage in critical A minority of scholars agree with tion. The title of the program was the Biblical chronology, which places analysis of biblical material; so does any dishonest, because it is clear that the ark the Israelite entry into Canaan in biblical scholar of standing. about 1400 B.C.E.11 has not been found. The pseudoscience So far as the Sun "proponents of the was a mockery of legitimate research in biblical story" of Jericho are concerned, The Sun response goes on to ana- archaeology. The effort to convince I can only state that I recognize Dr. lyze my associations. The Committee for millions who may have watched the film Amos Nur as a geophysicist with world the Scientific Examination of Religion that they were going to receive informa- standing. However, he is not an archae- is not "a group dedicated to refuting tion that had some basis in fact was ologist or a biblical scholar. His state- Bible claims." Our membership is com- deceptive, to say the least. Based on what ment about the possibility that the walls posed of eminent scholars who are I had experienced in "Ancient Secrets of Jericho may have collapsed as a result committed to using the scientific method I," I welcomed the opportunity to work of an earthquake conforms to what many and the best analytical tools available with George Jammal to test the way in others have proposed. The great rift to examine the claims of religion— which Sun and CBS "verified" their valley through which the Jordan River biblical as well as the claims of other claims. flows is an earthquake fault and serious faith systems. Included in the kinds of I met George Jammal about eight quakes occur in Palestine several times claims we are interested in examining are years ago when he attended several of during each century.9 But Dr. Nur is off- the sort of pseudoscience claims that Sun my public lectures. He identified himself track both archaeologically and bibli- employed in their programs. I must then as a skeptic. When Sun approached cally when he associates the earthquake admit that I cannot understand what my him about an appearance on the Ark theory with the Joshua story. The Joshua association with the National Hemlock show, he phoned me. He told me that legend (chapter 6) tells of a six-day Society (an organization dedicated to some years ago he had become so religious ritual; on the seventh day the human freedom by supporting the right indignant and upset over the claims of rams' horns were blown and the people of terminally ill persons to choose the organizations like the Creationist Insti- shouted. According to the Bible, those time and method of their death) has to tute (which in 1976 published a book were the acts that triggered the collapse do with the critical analysis of Sun by the fundamentalist preacher , and of the walls so that they magically or International Pictures' film on Noah's former Moral Majority leader the miraculously fell down—not an earth- Ark! Reverend Tim LaHaye and John Morris quake! Dr. Nur's statement does not Sun also misinterprets the "goals" of titled The Ark on Mount Ararat), and harmonize with the biblical account. Nor the Council for Democratic and Secular by the earlier Sun movie In Search of does his statement accord with the best Humanism which are, as regularly stated Noah's Ark (1976), that he had written archaeological evidence as described in FREE INQUIRY, concerned with two letters, one to the pope and one to above. The collapse of the walls had "fostering the growth of the traditions the Creationist Institute. In those letters nothing to do with Joshua and the of democracy and secular humanism, he claimed (falsely) that he had been to Hebrews, and Joshua and the Hebrews and the principles of free inquiry in Mount Ararat, that he had seen the ark, had nothing to do with the collapse of contemporary society." There is nothing and would be willing to talk about his the walls. in that statement, nor in the often- experiences. Dr. Bryant Wood deserves credit for published statement of values, that echo When he was contacted by Sun his efforts to re-examine the pottery the far-fetched and preposterous claims Pictures for participation in the latest evidence from the excavations by made by Sun. Nor does the fact that Noah's Ark film, he phoned me, told J. Garstang, one of the earlier excavators Dr. Fox submitted an article for pub- me his story, and asked what he should of Jericho, and Miss Kathleen Kenyon.10 lication to FREE INQUIRY indicate do. I was never his "coach" (Time He wishes to date the infiltration by the anything more than the fact that he, like magazine's term); rather George and I Hebrews to the fourteenth century B.C.E. others (see the letters in Time, July 26, talked through the various issues that which is a century earlier than that 1993), felt insulted by and was disturbed were developing out of Sun's invitation proposed by most modern biblical by the pseudoscience employed to sell to him to appear on the proposed scholars and archaeologists. He would Sun's literalistic approach to the Noah's program. In the first place, because he date the collapse of the walls of Jericho Ark story in the Bible. had never been to Mount Ararat, George Fall 1993 61 was not able to make intelligent com- what other so-called Arkeologists have as an actor, can beat it! Besides, he ments about the locale. I recommended published. knows that should he fail, the validity a couple of books and suggested that 2. The analysis of Jammal's person- of such tests has been seriously chal- he let the interviewers lead him. For ality and character ignored the fact that lenged and questioned. In other words, example, should he say something was George is a professional actor and a what could he lose? to the northeast, and they should suggest creative writer. He simply performed the Meanwhile Sun still stands by George that others had said it was the northwest, role that ultimately appeared on televi- Jammal's fabulous story. So be it. And to plead faulty memory and go along sion. The conclusion that George became until George is ready to make public his with them. And this is just what Jammal "bitter and depressed" at the loss of the part in helping to reveal both the fragility did in the preliminary interview. nonexistent Vladimir is testimony to his of the claims made by so-called Arkeol- Next, we talked about the need for acting ability, not to genuine feelings. ogists and the shoddiness of Sun photographic evidence. Out of that There are no "post-traumatic stress" International Pictures' handling of conversation, George developed the symptoms because there was no stress evidence, Sun can remain enveloped in moving story of the demise of his to begin with. the misty cloud of unsupported "evi- fictional companion Vladimir, who 3. Dr. Meier's reference to "secret dence" concerning the finding of the Ark. conveniently fell into a crevasse with all government reconnaissance photo- What is most puzzling is that one the photographic equipment. graphs" is intriguing. If the photos are might think that Sun would have learned Finally, George had claimed that he really "secret," how did Dr. Meier get its lesson earlier. Their 1976 production, had a piece of wood from the ark. What access to them? Clearly they are no "In Search of Noah's Ark," was nega- could he do? At the time we talked, longer "secret." Then why can't they be tively evaluated by eminent biblical George had already taken a piece of shown? scholars, including the Reverend George wood from his yard and was soaking 4. George's tears are a further proof Landes of Union Theological Seminary, it in a variety of juices. He then baked of his acting ability, and have nothing New York, and Dr. Frank M. Cross of it in the oven. Unfortunately, as he was to do with his supposed grief. Harvard Divinity School—neither of baking the wood, he became busy with These facts make it clear that Dr. whom could reasonably be charged with other tasks and over-cooked it, charring Meier, no matter what his qualifications anything but concern for the best the surface. He took his pocket knife, in psychiatry may be, was taken in by possible level of scholarship and critical scraped off the heaviest of the charred a good actor and a good performance. inquiry in their teaching roles. News- wood, and kept only one small piece. Consequently, his psychiatric analysis is week, January 31, 1977, noted: This was the piece of "sacred" wood (his meaningless and worthless. words) that George revealed on the The fact that Sun didn't bother to Most Biblical scholars take neither the television program. My suggestions for spend either "money or time" to test the film nor the search for the ark other ways to produce a suitable piece seriously. All but fundamentalist claims that Jammal made about the piece theologians believe that the Genesis of wood for the show came too late to of wood is simply amusing. They argue story of Noah and the flood is no more alter the process George had, in haste, that the testing would have been nullified than a tale. "It's from epic legend," already begun. by the soaking of the wood in juices and scoffs Prof. Frank M. Cross, Jr. of Now, let us look at how thorough baking it in the oven. But that is just Harvard Divinity School. "Historians the Sun investigation was. John Morris do not start out looking for something the point of testing! What they fail to on this basis." Some scholars believe is not a professional interviewer. He does comprehend is that if modern contam- there may actually be a mammoth not know critical investigative methods; inants produce a modern date, that wooden boat on Mount Ararat—not nor did any of those who interviewed evidence alone would have alerted them Noah's ark—but a replica built by Jammal at his home in Long Beach. It to the fact that there was something Byzantine Christians as a shrine in the Middle Ages. The carbon dating of was not difficult for George Jammal to wrong. They would have known imme- the wood found by explorer Navarra deceive his interviewers. The psycholog- diately that the wood is of recent date would support that theory. "No ical analysis by Dr. Meier is badly or that it had been doctored. But there wooden ark could survive since the flawed: was no testing. time of Noah," says the Rev. George 1. George Jammal is a Palestinian Apparently the interviewers, the Landes, of Union Theological Semi- nary. "Even if it had been preserved from Akko, Israel. Obviously, he knows camera crew, and those who participated in ice, the ice has not been constant Near Eastern customs; but that knowl- in the filming of the Jammal interview for hundreds of years." edge should never have been accepted all had a chance to handle the wood. as "evidence" of his visit to Ararat. Nor If only they had put it to their nose and Sun is reported to have made big were his descriptions of his expedition sniffed it! Immediately, they would have bucks on the first "Noah's Ark" film and, to the mountain carefully evaluated. become aware that it reeked of the latest presumably, it also has done so on Neither Dr. Meier nor anyone else knows contaminant: soy sauce. It still does! "Ancient Secrets" I and II and on the the location of the ark, so how could To cap the deception, George Jammal latest "Noah's Ark" film. There is a his descriptions be called "very accu- has offered to take a lie detector test. rumor that "Ancient Secrets III" is in rate?" Most of what Jammal said reflects Why? Because he is convinced that he, production. Will Sun be concerned

62 FREE INQUIRY

enough to be honest and fair in pre- ship," Biblical Archaeology Review. Vol. XVI, and Faith. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1971, senting both sides of any historical or No. 3, May/June, 1990 p. 52, notes that "It [the p. 48, among many others. Bible] is a composite of diverse genres—myths, 10. Wood, Bryant, "Did the Israelites Con- archaeological claims? And will CBS be folktales, epics, prose and poetic narratives, court quer Jericho?" Biblical Archaeology Review, Vol. wise enough to evaluate the quality and annals, nationalistic propaganda, historical XVI, No. 2, March/April, 1990, pp. 44-59; and veracity of a program they present to novellas, genealogies, cult legends, liturgical "Dating Jericho's Destruction: Bienkowski Is formulas, songs and psalms, private prayers, legal Wrong 0n All Counts," Biblical Archaeology millions of viewers? 12 In any case, thanks corpora, oracles and prophecy, homily and Review. Vol XVI, No. 5, September/0ctober, to the efforts of George Jammal, FREE didactic material, belles letters, erotic poetry, 1990, pp. 45-49, 69-??. INQUIRY, the Committee for the Scien- apocalyptic and on and on." For an extended 11. His thesis has been vigorously challenged: discussion of the relationship between the Bible Piotr Bienkowski, "Jericho Was Destroyed in the tific Examination of Religion, Professor and archaeology see, W. G. Dever, Recent Middle Bronze Age, Not the Late Bronze Age," Richard A. Fox of the University of Archaeological Discoveries and Biblical Biblical Archaeology Review. Vol XVI, No. 5, South Dakota, Time magazine, and Research. Seattle: University of Washington September/ 0ctober, 1990, pp. 45-46, 69. Press, 1990. 12. Scott D. Pierce, Television Editor for the Howard Rosenberg of the Los Angeles 5. Mazar, Benjamin, "The Exodus and the Deseret News, in his report "CBS Not Retreating Times,13 the public has been alerted to Conquest" in Judges ed. by B. Mazar, Vol. III from Ark or Utah Firm that Produced It," July the ways in which so-called evidence can of The World History of the Jewish People, 19, 1993, pp. Al, A2, states that "The experience Rutgers University Press, 1971. p. 83. and ensuing bad publicity has not soured CBS be weighed and presented to support a 6. Soggin, J. Alberta, Joshua: A Commen- on working with Sun International." Pierce is not particular religious interpretation. tary, The Old Testament Library. Philadelphia: accurate when he writes "Larue is refusing to The Westminster Press, 1972, pp. 86ff. speak to CBS." How could there be a refusal 7. Gray, John, Archaeology and the Old when there has never been an invitation? Notes Testament World. New York: Thomas Nelson However, now CBS Entertainment President Jeff and Sons, 1962. (Harper Torchbook edition, Sagansky (who Pierce claims "openly questioned I. Kenyon, Kathleen, Digging Up Jericho. 1962), pp. 93-94. the veracity of Larue's claims") will be able to New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1957, p. 262. 8. William G. Dever, "Archaeology and the read for himself in this issue of FREE INQUIRY, 2. Ibid. Her conclusions are widely accepted. Bible," Biblical Archaeology Review, Vol. XVI, what he or his representative would have learned 3. Wright, G. Ernest, Biblical Archaeology. No. 3, May/June, 1990, pp. 52-58. Dever writes: if I had been contacted by CBS. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1962, pp. "Ultimately, the Bible as we have it is almost 13. Howard Rosenberg, "CBS on 'Ark': 78-80. entirely a product of the royal court and the Mum's Still the Word," Los Angeles Times July 4. Dever, William G. "Archaeology and the priestly establishment in Jerusalem" (p. 53). 7, 1993, pp. 1, 11. Rosenberg's column was picked Bible: Understanding Their Special Relation- 9. Frank, Harry Thomas, Bible Archaeology up by other newspapers. •

❑ "Secularism and Multiculturalism: A Humanistic View," Toronto, Canada, June 1992, Audiotapes $80. ❑ "Humanism and Changing Values," Kansas City, Missouri, November 1991, Audiotapes $95. ❑ "Humanism and Liberty," Marriott Copley Place, Boston, 1990, Audiotapes $70. ❑ "Living Without Religion: The Good Life vs. the Afterlife," Cathedral Hill Hotel, San Francisco, 1989. Audiotapes only, $65. ❑ Tenth Humanist World Congress: "Building a World Community," State University of New York at Buffalo, 1988. Audiotapes, $150; Videotapes, $89. ❑ "Secular Humanism and Roman Catholicism: Confronting the Contemporary World," American University, Washington, D.C. 1987. Audiotapes, $49. ❑ "Ethics in Conflict Biblical vs. Secular Morality," University of Richmond, Virginia, 1986. Audiotapes, $39; Videotapes, $89. ❑ "Jesus in History and Myth," University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, 1985. Audiotapes, $39. ❑ "Armageddon and Biblical Apocalyptic Are We Living in the Last Days?" University of Southern California at Los Angeles, 1984. Audiotapes, $19. ❑ "Religion and American Politics," National Press Club, Washington, D.C., 1983. Audiotapes, $26.50. Audiotapes from the Society of Humanist Philosophers first meeting, Brock University, St. Catharines, Canada, 1991 ❑ "Heidegger and Taoism on Humanism," Xianglong Zhang "Heidegger Each tape is $6.95. and Kurtz on Humanism," James Kidd Order three for $18 or a complete set for $28. ❑ "American Pragmatism and the Humanist Tradition," Konstantin U.S. and Canadian postage and handling $1.50 per set, $6.00 maximum. Foreign air mail Kolenda; "Postmodern Challenge for Educational Humanism: Dewey $3.00 per set, $30.00 maximum. Please pay in U.S. funds drawn on U.S. bank. or Dewey Not?" John Novak and Thomas Busnarda Charge my ❑ Visa ❑MasterCard ❑ Check or money order enclosed Grand Total $ Acct. # Exp Signature

Name

Street Daytime phone City State Zip

FREE INQUIRY, Box 664, Buffalo NY 14226-0664 or call toll-free 1-800-458-1366. FAX charges to 716-636-1733. 9/93

Fall 1993 63 (Letters, continued from p. 3) God is another man's Devil. nervous." When each individual is totally As a charter member of an active and "Belief in the supernatural is the shame responsible for the existential decision growing secular humanist community in of civilization," wrote Ernest Renan. The of value, irrespective of the existence of the nation's capital, I have heard no Summer issue of FI, albeit insightful, God, there is nothing more fundamental dissatisfaction with the term secular should have addressed the extended to fall back on than one's own integrity. humanism from our members. Nor do question of why many people believe in My own existential judgment is to honor we find the attacks on secularism from the supernatural when there is not one God by not worshiping Him. the far right a cause for nervousness. scrap of evidence to support such Those humanists who are uncomfor- thinking. Under the term supernatural Sean P. Twomey table with the term secular have solved we may lump religion, God, the occult, Cliffside Park, N.J. the problem by calling themselves the New Age nonsense of Shirley religious humanists, Unitarians, Human- MacLaine, telekinesis, astrology, ESP, istic Jews, or Ethical Society members. creationism, UFOs, etc.—any belief For the past few years, I have been an That's fine—there's room for all of us system not supported by concrete eager reader of FREE INQUIRY, but my in the humanist fold. evidence, experience, reason, and com- eagerness is rapidly waning. What I We are secular. To avoid saying so monsense. By discounting the existence expected and hungered for was what the smacks of dissembling. If I understand of a supernatural realm we are left with journal promised, truly free inquiry. But it, Paul Kurtz's term eupraxophy is his the real world, nature, and the natural what I found was a clear and consistent, way of explaining both the secular and order. We can then be faithful to the and increasingly tedious, "party line" as the humanist aspects of what we are Earth and strive to make life better for narrow in scope and genuine openness about, not an attempt to deny our all and to lend nature a helping hand. as that of any fundamentalist sect. secularism. Extremely rare are articles from those As for the term realistic, Rothman Jesse Bailey who might offer any sort of spirited and himself points out that one person's Birmingham, Ala. intellectually responsible defense of reality is often another's fantasy. To use religious faith. I don't quarrel with your the term realistic humanism could be having a clear perspective, but I am confusing if not obfuscating. Might not One subject not touched upon in the disappointed that you do not expose it realistic humanism mean all things to all special section is humor and in particular to truly searching argument. As danger- people and therefore nothing to anyone? jokes. I think humor and its attendant ous as a David Koresh might be, do you Second, Rothman seems to equate laughter were invented to provide an really think you've accomplished much Soviet communism with realism, alternative means of coping with anx- of value outlining the moral and intel- atheism, and by implication, secular ieties about death and personal behavior, lectual sterility of his religion? humanism. This canard should be prime subjects for religion. In my own Your journal quite effortlessly as- exposed and denounced, not seemingly experience, jokes involving religious sumes that the great historical faiths of supported, by anyone who understands leaders, heaven, sex, adultery, homosex- the world are to be inexorably held that secular humanism is the very uality, etc. are most often irreverent, but responsible for the often tragic abuse antithesis of Soviet communism. A enjoyed equally by believers and unbe- of their name and basic tenets. One secular humanist state has never been lievers. I think it would interesting to doesn't fault the poppy for the heroin tried anywhere. compare the humor and jokes of reli- trade. gious and atheistic groups. Lois K. Porter Reverend Nils Blatz Washington Area Secular Sidney Kash Trinity Church Humanists Manhattan Beach, Calif. Roslyn, N.Y. Washington, D.C.

Some years ago when asked if I Realistic Humanism I do not think realism is a sufficiently believed in God, I replied, "It's not comprehensive concept to characterize whether there is a God that is the issue Two things about Milton Rothman's humanism. It is true that the secular/ but what He wants." People project their "Realistic Humanism" (FI, Summer naturalistic/ scientific law worldview values onto God. There is no need for 1993) cause concern. He proposes that may be based on realism, but the me to chronicle what James A. Haught secular humanists adopt the term real- structure of scientific/ naturalistic law ("The Beast in the Shadows") has done istic humanism because a "certain governing this reality extends far beyond so comprehensively. For whatever amount of dissatisfaction with the term this necessary base. The full scope of reason, or no reason as Haught suggests, secular humanism seems to be infecting humanism is not, I think, captured by man makes God in his own image and humanist circles. Attacks on secularism only the realistic aspect of the world. likeness, and in that scenario, one man's from the far right make some humanists A term that seems to me to reflect 64 FREE INQUIRY the broader scope encompassed by untruth, that "Muslim scholars kept alive Serbs, who are Orthodox Eastern, and humanism would be naturalistic. How- for many centuries the study of the the Bosnians, who are Muslims, are busy ever, realistic and naturalistic lose what classics of Greece and Rome...." In killing and raping each other, but the I think is intended by the term secular, fact, the Muslims had Greek and Latin Croats and the Slovenes who are both namely nonreligious or nonchurch. science translated for them and thereaf- Roman Catholic get along fine. It is a ter improved on it, but the Greek and good example of the sad fact that man- Richard H. Davis Roman classics, whether of literature or made religions separate us and allow Palo Alto, Calif. metaphysics or either or even history, megalomaniacs to exploit this difference were ignored as the work of nonbeliev- to their own advantage, becoming re- ers. To the extent that the classics of sponsible for much of the horror in Academic Freedom Antiquity survived at all—and most human history. didn't—it was due primarily to the Congratulations on your excellent Re Paul Kurtz's "Notes from the Editor" Byzantines, for whom Greek was the new cover format. (FI, Summer 1993): In 1966 I attended vehicle of their literary heritage and Brigham Young University as a fresh- Latin of their legal traditions. Philip Eckman man. During a mass assembly orienta- Paradise Valley, Ariz. tion in the Smith Fieldhouse, university William H. Lemay president Ernest L. Wilkerson focused Birmingham, Mich. on the idea that no "Beatle haircuts," More on Speciesism "longhairs," or "mini-skirts" would be tolerated on campus. I take exception to the vituperation Elaine Stansfield writes of "considera- "It's too bad we can't have any against Islam published by "Ibn Warraq" tion for the Earth's feelings," and of grey `longhairs' on on campus," I wrote in (FI, Summer 1993) under the title whales that are still willing to be friends a brief note that was published in the "Islamic Intolerance." The current with humans. E. O. Wilson mentions school paper. "I hate to see the statue "correct" journalistic attitude is to take aesthetic or spiritual arguments for of Brigham Young torn down." As sides against Islam from the Judeo- preserving species. These emotional everyone could see from the life-size Christian point of view. Warraq's aspects are certainly strong motivating bronze figure that stood in the main vituperations are based on citations out factors, probably more convincing to quadrangle, old Brigham had sported of context from the Koran. One can prop most people than rational arguments. It over-the-collar hair and a full beard, the the most unsavory ideas by quotations is certainly not justified to cause unne- typical style of his day. from any scripture. To do it for a reader cessary pain and suffering to animals. For this observation I was hauled who is generally very little versed in the But goals suggested by this approach, before the dean of men, who called me Koran is unconscionable. namely the preservation of individual "the Antichrist," and I was remanded for If we humanists still have hope for large animals, can be at odds with the psychological counseling. Needless to the future, it is because we believe that goals of the rational conservation of say, I soon left BYU. an accommodation between religions ecosystems. I recently visited the campus for the and races can be accomplished, whatever Environmental groups have learned, first time since those days. With beating the efforts and sacrifices. To attack judging from their promotional litera- heart and sweating palms I walked individual religions is a futile occupation ture, that promoting a sense of crisis or toward the quad to revisit the statue of unworthy of a humanist. moral outrage is an effective method of the church patriarch. It is no longer We should control our excitement fund-raising and of changing people's there. It has been replaced by a small when a few Muslim fanatics commit behavior. Unfortunately, the evidence in bronze of a young, clean-shaven couple well-spaced acts of terror. They don't support of some crises can be question- with two small children (a boy and a commit them because the Koran tells able, as Jan Narveson points out. The girl), the ideal of Mormon "family them to do so, but because some of their idea of speciesism, which invokes in values." leaders incite them to do mayhem. people the repugnance of sexism or racism, is not reasonable, as John Lance Jencks Nicholas Starkovsky Passmore, R. W. Bradford, Robert C. Costa Mesa, Calif. Burke, Va. Solomon, and Tad Clements discuss. Regardless, environmental groups will no doubt continue to use these ap- Examining Islam Religion and Ethnic Cleansing proaches to advertise their agenda. Like all advertising, it must be taken with a In an otherwise sound editorial, "Has I enjoyed Svetozar Stojanovic's "The grain of salt. a Third World War, with Islam, Begun?" Disintegration of Yugoslavia" (FI, (FI, Summer 1993), Paul Kurtz under- Spring 1993). It is of interest that the William R. Creasy cuts his argument by asserting an Croats who are Roman Catholics, the Endicott, N.Y. Fall 1993 65 In the Name of God

Mme Eyes Have Seen the Glory prompted one dissenting minister to Navajos Call Illness comment that "Many Baptists would be Divine Retribution Madrid—Some 1,000 people went to embarrassed to live in the Garden of Baza, 50 miles northeast of Granada, on Eden. "(Playboy) Ramah Navajo Reservation, New Mex- June 11 after Esteban Sanchez Casas ico—Fewer Navajos are actually ranch- announced that the Virgin would appear ing these days, and many other traditons if his followers looked directly at the sun. Praying for Parole are falling by the wayside. And to some Instead, more than 30 people required traditional Navajos, that might explain hospital treatment for eye injuries and The outgoing chairman of the Virginia the mysterious illness that has killed 13 at least eight of them suffered irreversible Board of Corrections has placed some people, eight of them members of the damage, the daily El Pais said, citing of the blame for the state's exploding tribe. Some Navajos said the outbreak hospital officials. Sanchez Casas, who prison population on the nation's 30- might be divine retribution for their has practiced religious healing out of his year-old ban on school prayer. Peter G. neglect of the old values. (AP) family's home for several years, told Decker, Jr., said that Virginia's prison Onda Cero radio that the injured were population has soared from 9,463 in Waiting for God's Mom nonbelievers who stared at the sun on 1983 to 16,921 last year, a 79 percent the wrong day. Those who looked at the increase. "I cannot help but wonder too Agoo, Philippines—Hundreds of thou- correct time suffered no injuries, he if there is not some correlation between sands of pilgrims wailed, wept, and said. (AP) the striking down of prayer in the schools prayed on March 6 as they awaited an and this 79 percent rise," Decker said. appearance by the Virgin Mary. Only The Naked Truth "I don't remember when God became a few claimed they saw an apparition. an outlaw.... At the same time that Word of an unexpected apparition swept Baylor University has "heard clearly the the United States Supreme Court in- the Philippines after a 12-year-old self- voices of Texas Baptists" and canceled vited God out of our schools, that's when styled seer, Judiel Nieva, claimed to have its plans to allow semi-nude modeling drugs, violence, and immorality moved seen the Virgin on the first Saturday of in an art class. When news of the nudity in." Decker, a Roman Catholic, told every month since 1989. Nieva's family reached the public, both school admin- reporters that if the 1962 Supreme Court owns an image of Mary, which was said istrators and Baptist officials were ruling on school prayer was over- to have shed blood last month. Residents swamped with calls protesting any state turned, "the offended atheists would be of Agoo claim Nieva is a seer. The of undress as "inappropriate on any a micro mini-minority." (Washington Catholic church has reacted cautiously Christian university campus." This Post) to the claims. (Prince George's Journal)

NON SEQUITUR

TIaE IkbN`( 14, I-0111 `{oli REPENI (RPDE FOR i'ERNk1`( 1‘ GTER MAT( MARGNRg ts it c- oF I/EAVEM ..

6.7

01993 Washington Post Writers Group. Reprinted with permission.

66 FREE INQUIRY Council for Democratic and Secular Humani sm (CODESH, Inc.) Paul Kurtz, Chairman The Council for Democratic and Secular Humanism (CODESH) is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt educational organization dedicated to fostering the growth of the traditions of democracy and secular humanism, and the principles of free inquiry in contemporary society. In addition to publishing FREE INQUIRY magazine, CODESH sponsors many organizations and activities, and is also open to Associate Membership. Members receive the Secular Humanist Bulletin. African-Americans for Humanism James Madison Memorial Committee Norm Allen, Jr., Executive Director Robert Alley, Chairman Brings the ideals of humanism to the African-American com- Keeps alive James Madison's commitment to the First munity. Amendment and to liberty of thought and conscience. Inquiry Media Productions Society of Humanist Philosophers Thomas Flynn, Executive Director Timothy J. Madigan, Executive Director Produces radio and television programs presenting skeptical Promotes and defends the study of humanist philosophy. and secular humanist viewpoints on a variety of topics. Institute for Inquiry Secular Organization for Sobriety (SOS) James Christopher, Executive Director Vern Bullough, Dean A secular alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous with more 0ffers courses in humanism and skepticism; sponsors an than 1,000 local groups throughout North America. Pub- annual summer session and periodic workshops. lishes a newsletter available by subscription. Robert G. Ingersoll Memorial Committee Roger Greeley, Honorary Chairman Secular Humanist Aid and Relief Dedicated to running the Robert G. Ingersoll birthplace Effort (SHARE) museum in Dresden, N.Y., and to keeping his memory alive. Assists victims of natural disasters through secular efforts. Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion (CSER) Gerald A. Larue, President Examines the claims of Eastern and Western religions and of well-established and newer sects and denominations in the light of scientific inquiry. The committee is interdisciplinary, including specialists in biblical scholarship, archaeology, linguistics, anthropology, the social sciences, and philosophy who represent differing secular and religious traditions. Affiance of Secular Humanist Societies (ASHS) H. James Birx, Executive Director The Alliance of Secular Humanist Societies is a network created for mutual support among local and/or regional societies of secular humanists. If you are interested in starting or joining a group in your area, please contact Box 664, Buffalo, NY 14226-0664, (716) 636- 7571, FAX (716) 636-1733. The Academy of Humanism The Academy of Humanism was established to recognize distinguished humanists and to disseminate humanistic ideals and beliefs. The members of the academy, listed below, (I) are devoted to free inquiry in all fields of human endeavor, (2) are committed to a scientific outlook and the use of the scientific method in acquiring knowledge, and (3) uphold humanist ethical values and principles. The academy's goals include furthering respect for human rights, freedom, and the dignity of the individual; tolerance of various viewpoints and willingness to compromise; commitment to social justice; a universalistic perspective that transcends national, ethnic, religious, sexual, and racial barriers; and belief in a free and open pluralistic and democratic society. Humanist Laureates: Pieter Admiraal, medical doctor, The Netherlands; Steve Allen, author, humorist; Ruben Ardila, professor of psychology, Universidad de Colombia; Kurt Baier, professor of philosophy, University of Pittsburgh; Dame R. Nita Barrow, Governor-General of Barbados; Sir Isaiah Berlin, professor of philosophy, 0xford University; Sir Hermann Bondi, Fellow of the Royal Society, Past Master of Churchill College, London; Bonnie Bullough, professor emeritus of nursing, SUNY at Buffalo; Mario Bunge, professor of philosophy of science, McGill Univ.; Jean- Pierre Changeux, Collège de France and Institute Pasteur; Patricia Smith Churchland, professor of philosophy, Univ. of California at San Diego; Bernard Crick, professor of politics, Univ. of London; Francis Crick, Nobel Laureate in Physiology, Salk Inst.; José Delgado, chairperson of the Dept. of Neuropsychiatry, Univ. of Madrid; Milovan Djilas, author, former vice-president of Yugoslavia; Jean Dommanget, Honorary Dept.'s Head at the Royal 0bservatory of Belgium; Paul Edwards, professor of philosophy, New School for Social Research; Sir Raymond Firth, professor emeritus of anthropology, Univ. of London; Betty Friedan, author and founder of the National 0rganization for Women (N0W); Yves Galifret, professor emeritus of physiology at the Sorbonne and General Secretary of l'Union Rationaliste; John Galtung, professor of sociology, Univ. of Oslo; Stephen Jay Gould, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard; Adolf Grünbaum, professor of philosophy, Univ. of Pittsburgh; Murray Gell-Mann, Nobel Laureate in physics, California Institute of Technology; Herbert Hauptman, Nobel Laureate and professor of biophysical science, SUNY at Buffalo; Alberto Hidalgo Tuñón, president of the Sociedad Asturiana de Filosofía, 0viedo, Spain; Donald Johanson, Inst. of Human 0rigins; Gyorgy Konrad, novelist, Hungary; Jolé Lombardi, organizer of the New Univ. for the Third Age; Jose Leite Lopes, director, Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Fisicas; André Lwoff, Nobel Laureate in Medicine and professor of microbiology, Institute Pasteur; Paul MacCready, president, AeroVironment, Inc.; Mihailo Markovié, professor of philosophy, Univ. of Belgrade; Indumati Parikh, president, Radical Humanist Association of India; John Passmore, professor of philosophy, Australian National Univ.; Octavio Paz, Nobel Laureate in Literature, Mexico; Wardell Baxter Pomeroy, psychotherapist and author; Sir Karl Popper, professor emeritus of logic and scientific method, Univ. of London; W. V. Quine, professor of philosophy, Harvard; Marcel Roche, emeritus researcher, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicaa (IVIC), Venezuela; Max Rood, professor of law and former Minister of Justice in Holland; Richard Rorty, professor of philosophy, University of Virginia; Carl Sagan, astronomer, Cornell; Leopold Sedar Senghor, former president, Senegal; Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate in Literature, Nigeria; Svetozar Stojanovic, professor of philosophy, Univ. of Belgrade; Thomas Szasz, professor of psychiatry, SUNY Medical School; V. M. Tarkunde, chairman, Indian Radical Humanist Association; Richard Taylor, professor of philosophy, Union College; Rob Tielman, copresident, International Humanist and Ethical Union; Simone Veil, Deputy to European Parliament, France; Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., novelist; Mourad Wahba, professor of education, University of Ain Shams, Cairo; G. A. Wells, professor of German, Univ. of London; Edward O. Wilson, professor of sociobiology, Harvard. Deceased: George O. Abell, Isaac Asimov, Sir Alfred J. Ayer, Brand Blanshard, Joseph Fletcher, Sidney Hook, Lawrence Kohlberg, Franco Lombardi, Ernest Nagel, George Olincy, Chaim Perelman, Andrei Sakharov, Lady Barbara Wooton. Secretariat: Vern Bullough, distinguished professor emeritus, SUNY College at Buffalo; Antony Flew, professor emeritus of philosophy, Reading Univ.; Paul Kurtz, professor emeritus of philosophy, SUNY at Buffalo, editor of FREE INQUIRY; Gerald Larue, professor emeritus of archaeology and biblical studies, Univ. of Southern California at Los Angeles; Jean-Claude Pecker, professor of astrophysics, Collège de France, Académie des Sciences. Executive Director: Timothy J. Madigan. You are cordially invited to attend the 12th annual FREE INQUIRY conference "FUNDAMENTALIST ASSAULTS ON LIBERTY" Friday, November 12 - Sunday, November 14

Register early for $10 conference discount! at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport, Orlando, Florida

Featuring James Forman PROGRAM lamed Civil Rights Activist — 'resident, Unemployment and Poverty Action Committee FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12 JAMES FORMAN, Ph.D. is a distinguished Civil Rights 9:00 A.M. - NOON: "Losing My Religion"- A discussion session with activist. In the 1960s he led the famed Student Non-Violent Coordination Committee. In 1969 and 1970, he led the Black several ex-fundamentalist ministers Economic Development Conference, pressing the demand that NOON - 2 P.M.: Luncheon: "A Brief History of Freethought in churches pay reparations to poor people of African descent. In 1974 he founded Black America News Service, a communica- America," Dr. Gordon Stein tions clearinghouse, and assumed the presidency of the 2:00 PM. - 5:00 P.M.: "Fundamentalist Assaults on liberty" — Unemployment and Poverty Action Committee [UPAC. focusing on church/state separation, evolution vs. creationism, defense of public schools, and fundamentalist deceptions in the media 6:30 P.M. - 11:00 P.M.: A visit to Orlando's Church Street Station. CHURCH STREET STATION: Downtown entertainment center fea- tures several extravagant theme clubs under one roof. Admission includes transportation to and from Church Street Station, dinner and admission to all attractions. THE HYATT REGENCY ORLANDO is a brand new hotel located in the terminal at Orlando SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13 International Airport. 9:00 A.M. - NOON: "A Critical Examination of Bible-Based Decries" Arriving by air? Walk to the Sponsored by the Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion lobby from your arrival gate. Coming by car? Park inex- NOON - 2:00 P.M.: Luncheon: On your own pensively in the attached ramp. Enjoy Florida atmos- 2:00 PM, - 5:00 PM. "Promoting Humanism in Minority phere with the security of an Connhmmilles" airport facility — all at rea- 6:00 P.M. - 11:00 P.M.: Awards Banquet: James /avian sonable room rates. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14 8:00 - 10:30 A.M. "Humanist Ceremonies, Pro and Con" 10:30 A.M. - NOON: "Religion in the Gay Contiguity" 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.: Secular Orpaáatlons for Sobriety (SOS) 6th Amnal Conference

Yes, I (we) plan to attend "Fundamentalist Assaults on Liberty" ( ) Check or money order enclosed ( ) Charge my ( )Mastercard ( )Visa Early Registration for person(s) $99 each ($109 after October 1) # Expiration Date Friday Luncheon $20 each — Saturday Luncheon $20 each Signature (required for charge orders) Friday Night Visit to Church Street Station (includes dinner) $40 each Name Saturday Night Banquet $30 each Address Daytime phone ( For accommodations at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport, City State Zip please call 1-800-233-1234. Mention "FREE INQUIRY" to receive the con- Make checks payable and return to: FREE INQUIRY, Box 664, Buffalo NY, 14226-0664 ference discount rate of $80 per night for single/double twin. or call 1-800-458-1366