Council's 25Th Anniversary World Congress a Resounding Success
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FI Feb-Mar 2006 Pages 12/27/05 11:06 AM Page 25 toward proponents of Intelligent De- how prophetic the magazine’s founding Council’s sign—among them, President George W. statement has turned out to be. Drafted Bush. At one point, Dawkins displayed a by Kurtz, “A Secular Humanist Declar- 25th Anniversary slide that read simply “intellectually ation” (1980) attempted to defend the World Congress a lazy.” “The argument [is] that because Enlightenment and secular-humanist living things appear to be so statistical- values and virtues; it pointed out the Resounding ly improbable, so fantastically com- dangers of the rapid growth and popu- plex, therefore, they must have been larity of the Christian fundamentalist Success designed,” Dawkins observed. “I shall Right and its attempts to seize political show, on the contrary . the more sta- The Council for Secular Humanism, tistically improbable and complex some- the International Academy of Humanism, thing is, the less likely it is to be and the Center for Inquiry–Trans- designed. The only thing that can con- national hosted the Council’s Twenty- ceivably, as far as we know, explain the fifth Anniversary World Congress, titled illusion of design in living things is “Toward a New Enlightenment,” in Darwinian natural selection.” Amherst, New York, from October 27 to On Friday morning, conference par- 30, 2005. The congress attracted well over ticipants packed the main ballroom at eight hundred attendees, making this one the Hyatt Regency in downtown Buffalo of the Council’s best-attended conference for a day of exciting sessions. David events ever. About a third of the atten- Koepsell, the executive director of the dees came from overseas. Conference Council, chaired the opening panel titled organizers brought together some forty- “Secularism and the Threat of Fundamen- one speakers—including two Nobel lau- talism.” Papers were delivered by as- reates—from twenty-two countries, rep- tronomer Jean-Claude Pecker, philo- resenting a broad array of fields and dis- sopher Ioanna Kuçuradi, anthropologist ciplines. Lionel Tiger, and physicist Lawrence The conference began Thursday Krauss. Krauss devoted his presentation afternoon with an exciting opening cer- to showing that Intelligent Design is sim- emony. This included special welcoming ply a red herring to disguise a concerted remarks from William Greiner, former effort by a variety of groups—including president of the State University of New the White House—to attack and margin- York at Buffalo, and Arnold Gardner, a alize science. member of the New York State Board of The Friday luncheon panel was Richard Dawkins addresses reporters at a pre-Congress Regents. Council for Secular Humanism chaired by former Council executive press conference. All photos by: Andrew Skolnick Chair Paul Kurtz gave the opening director Ed Buckner. Presentations were address, in which he called for a New delivered by Richard Dawkins, Margaret Enlightenment. There was a surprise Downey of the Greater Philadelphia appearance from Charles Darwin, Freethought Society, and Scottish psy- played by Clyde “Kipp” Herreid, a dis- chologist R. Elisabeth Cornwell. The tinguished professor of biology at the afternoon session on “Science and University at Buffalo. Of special signifi- Fundamentalism” was moderated by cance was a multimedia retrospective of Center for Inquiry–Metro New York humanism’s heroes and heroines, titled chair Austin Dacey. Chris Mooney, “In Praise of Free Inquiry.” At the con- author of the new book, The Republican clusion of the opening ceremony, confer- War on Science (excerpted in FREE ence-goers were treated to Mozart’s INQUIRY, December 2005/January 2006), Sonata in D Major for Two Pianos, detailed the rise of the conservative performed by Buffalo’s own world-class think tanks in America and the often- pianists Frieda and Stephen Manes. bogus science they sponsor. Dr. Etienne- After an opening panel chaired by Emile Baulieu from France, moderate Paul Kurtz, called “Secularism, Human- Muslim activist Fatemolla from Bangla- ism, and Democracy,” the Thursday night desh, and psychiatrist Thomas Szasz keynote address was delivered by evolu- were also part of the panel. tionary biologist Richard Dawkins. In Paul Kurtz hosted the Friday night addition to the registered conference reception and banquet at the Buffalo- audience, many from the local commu- Niagara Marriott Hotel in Amherst. nity came out to hear Dawkins speak. Kurtz began the banquet with a few Dawkins enthralled the crowd with his words reflecting on the founding of FREE University at Buffalo professor Clyde Herreid take-no-prisoners approach and often INQUIRY magazine and the Council twen- “channels” Charles Darwin to greet Congress par- cutting, but witty, remarks directed ty-five years ago. He pointed out just ticipants. 25 http://www.secularhumanism.org February/March 2006 FI Feb-Mar 2006 Pages 12/27/05 11:06 AM Page 26 power. Here we are, a quarter-century Chemistry, delivered the second keynote Web site, www.vega.org.uk, and shared later, and the political right-wing has address of the Congress on Friday night. stories from his many adventures bring- become thoroughly entrenched in the Amid expressions of serious concern ing buckyballs and soccer balls to chil- political process and gained enormous about the fundamentalist war on sci- dren everywhere. Kroto’s inspiring work power. Immediately following his open- ence, he reminded everyone that bring- brought the guests to their feet and left ing remarks, Kurtz surprised everyone ing science education to young people is most feeling ready to go out and change with a cake celebrating the Council’s not only an important task but a joyful the world. twenty-fifth anniversary and an im- endeavor full of value and purpose. He During the special awards ceremony, promptu version of “Happy Birthday.” highlighted the power of the Internet to Paul Kurtz bestowed awards upon Sir Harold Kroto, Nobel Laureate in reach the public, played videos from his Kroto, Kuçuradi, Ibn Warraq, Mona The New Enlightenment in the Islamic World A panel of experts from across the Islamic world met at the West but failed to subject Iranian culture to the scrutiny Council for Secular Humanism’s World Congress “Toward that was necessary for Iran to come out of its decline. a New Enlightenment” on Sunday, October 30, 2005. The Mona Abousenna, Secretary General of the Afro-Asiatic session was moderated by Ibn Warraq, who began by Philosophy Association and Secretary General of the lamenting the fact that most humanists still do not “get it” International Ibn Rushd and Enlightenment Association, where Islam is concerned—too many still erroneously read a paper by Mourad Wahba. Mourad, professor emeri- attribute Islamic terrorism to U.S. foreign policy, poverty, tus of philosophy at the University of Ain Shams in Cairo, or the Israel/Palestine conflict. Humanists are pathologi- Egypt, and the founder and honorary president of the Afro- cally nice, Warraq charged, and they refuse to accept that Asian Philosophy Association and the International they are confronted by a totalitarian ideology. Instead of Averröes and the Enlightenment Association, was unable to reading apologists for Islam (Warraq singled out religion attend because of ill health. writer Karen Armstrong), Warraq counseled secular Wahba’s paper gave a historical survey of the roots of humanists to listen to voices like those of the panelists. modern Islamic fundamentalism, identifying the influence Three speakers from the Arab subcontinent spoke and of the Hanbali theologian Ibn Tayymiyya (who died in 1328 were followed by a break and question period. Tasbih C.E.) and his modern interpreter, Abd-al-Wahhab Sayyed, editor of Pakistan Today, began by explaining (1703–1787); Hassan al-Banna, founder of the fascist that the Islamic world is dominated by an unscientific Muslim Brotherhood; and Sayyid Qutb (1906–1966). worldview in which natural disasters like the Indian Ocean Islamic fundamentalism rejects modernity, but modern tsunami last December and the recent Pakistan earthquake Islamic societies need to find ways to accommodate it. can be attributed to God’s retribution for man’s sins. Islam Finally, Mona Abousenna described the goals and needs a Reformation and an Enlightenment, Sayyed principles of Islamic fundamentalism, with its literal declared; this will come about only by allowing debate and reading of religious texts. She thought the only way for- discussion in Islamic societies. ward was to de-dogmatize reason through education, Fatemolla, originally from Bangladesh, talked about his especially by teaching creativity, rationality, and toler- successful campaign against the introduction of the Sharia ance. That would require a free and critical interpreta- (Islamic law) in Canada, while Shahriar Kabir, also from tion of the religious texts, which have to be seen in a non- Bangladesh, explained that neither the Qur’an nor the literal way. The Qur’an and Hadith have to be reinter- Hadith (Islamic traditions) recognize democracy. Though preted metaphorically. Bangladesh has, in principle, a secular constitution, there During the question period, the panel and the modera- are now more than seventy militant Islamist organizations tor were given an ovation for their courage in pursuing bent on destroying the last vestiges of a secular civil soci- their work. Sir Harold Kroto asked if there were any rea- ety in that land. Kabir described how he himself had been sons for being optimistic. Zand-Bonazzi thought not. imprisoned, physically attacked, and vilified for his work, Others wondered if a reinterpretation of the Qur’an is real- especially his efforts on behalf of the country’s belea- ly possible. Paul Kurtz closed the session, thanking the guered minorities. panel and moderator for their efforts and pointing out how Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi, activist, writer, and filmmak- especially important it is at the present time. er, has personally experienced the barbarities of the —Ibn Warraq Iranian regime, since it initially imprisoned her father and still keeps him under house arrest in Tehran.