On Faith-Healing New Secular Humanist Centers?
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New Secular More on Humanist Faith-Healing Centers? James Randi Paul Kurtz Gerald Larue Vern Bullough Henry Gordon Bob Wisne David Alexander Faith-healer Robert Roberts Also: Is Goldilocks Dangerous? • Pornography • The Supreme Court • Southern Baptists • Protestantism, Catholicism, and Unbelief in France 1n Its Tree _I FALL 1986, VOL. 6, NO. 4 ISSN 0272-0701 Contents 3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 17 BIBLICAL SCORECARD 62 CLASSIFIED 12 ON THE BARRICADES 60 IN THE NAME OF GOD 6 EDITORIALS Is Goldilocks Dangerous? Paul Kurtz / Pornography, Censorship, and Freedom, Paul Kurtz I Reagan's Judiciary, Ronald A. Lindsay / Is Secularism Neutral? Richard J. Burke / Southern Baptists Betray Heritage, Robert S. Alley / The Holy-Rolling of America, Frank Johnson 14 HUMANIST CENTERS New Secular Humanist Centers, Paul Kurtz / The Need for Friendship Centers, Vern L. Bullough / Toward New Humanist Organizations, Bob Wisne THE EVIDENCE AGAINST REINCARNATION 18 Are Past-Life Regressions Evidence for Reincarnation? Melvin Harris 24 The Case Against Reincarnation (Part 1) Paul Edwards BELIEF AND UNBELIEF WORLDWIDE 35 Protestantism, Catholicism, and Unbelief in Present-Day France Jean Boussinesq MORE ON FAITH-HEALING 46 CS ER's Investigation Gerald A. Larue 46 An Answer to Peter Popoff James Randi 48 Popoff's TV Empire Declines .. David Alexander 49 Richard Roberts's Healing Crusade Henry Gordon IS SECULAR HUMANISM A RELIGION? 52 A Response to My Critics Paul Beattie 53 Diminishing Returns Joseph Fletcher 54 On Definition-Mongering Paul Kurtz BOOKS 55 The Other World of Shirley MacLaine Ring Lardner, Jr. 57 Saintly Starvation Bonnie Bullough VIEWPOINTS 58 Papal Pronouncements Delos B. McKown 59 Yahweh: A Morally Retarded God William Harwood Editor: Paul Kurtz Associate Editors: Doris Doyle, Steven L. Mitchell, Lee Nisbet, Gordon Stein Managing Editor: Andrea Szalanski Contributing Editors: Lionel Abel, author, critic; Robert S. Alley, professor of humanities, University of Richmond; Paul Beattie, president, Fellowship of Religious Humanists; Jo-Ann Boydston, director, Dewey Center; Laurence Briskman, lecturer, Edinburgh University, Scotland; Vern Bullough, historian, State University of New York College at Buffalo; Paul Edwards, professor of philosophy, Brooklyn College; Albert Ellis, director, Institute for Rational Living; Roy P. Fairfield, social scientist, Union Graduate School; Joseph Fletcher, theologian, University of Virginia Medical School; Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading University, England; R. Joseph Hoffmann, associate professor of biblical studies, University of Michigan; Sidney Hook, professor emeritus of philosophy, NYU; Marvin Kohl, philosopher, State University of New York College at Fredonia; Jean Kotkin, executive director, American Ethical Union; Gerald Larue, professor emeritus of archaeology and biblical history, USC; Ronald A. Lindsay, attorney, Washington, D.C.; Howard Radest, director, Ethical Culture Schools; Ralph Raico, associate professor of history, State University of New York College at Buffalo; Robert Rimmer, author; Svetozar Stojanovic, professor of philosophy, University of Belgrade; Thomas Szasz, psychiatrist, Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse; V. M. Tarkunde, Supreme Court Judge, India; Richard Taylor, professor of philosophy, Union College; Sherwin Wine, founder, Society for Humanistic Judaism Editorial Associates: H. James Birx, James Martin-Diaz, Thomas Flynn, Thomas Franczyk, Marvin Zimmerman Executive Director of CODESH, Inc.: Jean Millholland Book Reviews: Victor Gulotta Promotion: Barry L. Karr Systems Manager: Richard Seymour Typesetting: Paul E. Loynes Layout: Alain Kugel Audio Technician: Vance Vigrass Staff Stephanie Doyle, Jacqueline Livingston, Valerie Marvin, Alfreda Pidgeon FREE INQUIRY (ISSN 0272-0701) is published quarterly by the Council for Democratic and Secular Humanism (CODESH, Inc.), a nonprofit corporation, 3151 Bailey Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14215. Phone (716) 834-2921. Copyright ©1986 by CODESH, Inc. Second-class postage paid at Buffalo, New York, and at additional mailing offices. National distribution by International Periodicals Distributors, San Diego, California. Subscription rates: $18.00 for one year, $32.00 for two years, $42.00 for three years, $3.75 for single copies. Address subscription orders, changes of address, and advertising to: FREE INQUIRY, Box 5, Buffalo, NY 14215-0005. Manuscripts, letters and editorial inquiries should be addressed to: The Editor, FREE INQUIRY, Box 5, Buffalo, N.Y. 14215-0005. All manuscripts should be accompanied by two additional copies and a stamped, addressed envelope. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or publisher. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We Need Your Financial Belief and Unbelief Worldwide while Latin America continues to wallow in Support the intellectual darkness so aptly described I enjoyed very much Jorge J. E. Gracia's by Professor Gracia. FREE INQUIRY, now in its sixth article ("Religious Skepticism in Latin year of publication has become the America," FI, Summer 1986) describing the Maurice M. Tanner leading secular humanist and free almost total failure of free thought and Bangkok, Thailand thought publication in the world, skepticism in Latin America, an area 1 know with over 25,000 circulation. But well through both academic study and per- sonal experience. I was bothered however Faith-Healing Exposé if we are to continue to grow, we with the glib ease with which the editor's need your financial support. Our note lumped all of Asia with other parts of Last spring FREE INQUIRY editor Paul Kurtz budget is strained to its limits, and the world where all, "except for a small elite called me to ask for the help of the New our growth plans far exceed our of educated persons, are oblivious to free York Committee for Skeptical Inquiry financial resources. The opposition thought." (NYSCI) in an investigation of faith-healer is wealthy and powerful. Several of what the West calls "Oriental W. V. Grant, who was scheduled to hold a If you believe that there should religions" could be better described as service at the Brooklyn Academy of Music be a dissenting voice of reason and "atheistic philosophies." Buddhism, Con- on Tuesday, April 15, at 7:00 P.M. James free inquiry in the contemporary fucianism, and Taoism do not teach any Randi was also going to be there, in disguise, world, then please contribute to belief in a Supreme Being, but instead focus continuing his investigation of Grant. (See our efforts. on the importance of man's relationship to " 'Be Healed in the Name of God!': An himself and the world around him. One Exposé of the Reverend W. V. Grant," FI, A contribution of 5100 or more will could argue that these beliefs give parts of Spring 1986.) We were asked to arrive well enroll you 88 8 FREE INQUIRY Asia a head start over even our own tradi- before the service began to observe the pre- Associate. All contributions are tion of skepticism. Buddhism especially has parations. It was suggested that 1 volunteer tax-deductible. what must be described as a scientific orien- to be an usher for Grant. I did and was YES, tation, with its emphasis on change and the accepted. I would like to contribute to FREE INQUIRY. Enclosed is my need to learn through one's own personal The ushers' first task was to pass out experience. Most important perhaps for the flyers describing Grant's ministries. We then ❑ Check ❑ Money 0rder modern age, there is no movement by these distributed forms on which people could Charge my ❑ VISA ❑ MasterCard philosophic religions to enlist the power of write their names and addresses in order to the government in halting the teaching of get on Grant's mailing list. Our next task new scientific principles out of fear that sci- was to give small booklets to anyone in the Exp ence might threaten the traditional "reli- audience who made a contribution of three gious" values. Indeed, ideas like evolution dollars or more. We were told backstage My contribution S fit very comfortably with the philosophical that we weren't "selling" the booklets, but basis of these ancient Asian religions. On the distinction was mighty fine. Quite a few Name the other hand, Christian, Islamic, and members of the audience gave the required Hindu missionaries have been notably un- amount, and 1 estimated that 1 collected successful in selling their brands of mind- about $150 to $200. After the ushers had Address numbing beliefs, except through the medium taken the money backstage, we were told of conquest. that we wouldn't be needed again until the City The quiet, unassuming Asian commit- "offering." By this time, the hall, which holds ment to a scientific philosophy is demon- 2,100 people, was full. strated in the way that Hong Kong, Singa- After Grant preached and performed State Zip pore, Taiwan, Thailand, and South Korea some "healings," it was time for the offering. actively encourage scientific excellence in The ushers were called backstage and given Make checks or money orders pay- their educational systems, even when they buckets in which to collect the money. Grant able to: are sometimes not nearly so liberal about spent about fifteen minutes telling the audi- FREE INQUIRY encouraging opposing political ideologies. ence that he was not pressuring them to con- Box 5 There is no question in my own mind that tribute. But he went on about the expenses Buffalo, New York 14215-0005 this willingness to accept new things and involved in his missions in Haiti and in his Thank you for your support.