DOCSLIB.ORG

Dialogue Summer 2014

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Dialogue Summer 2014 DIALOGUE SUMMER 2014 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Letter from the Executive 2 Director, Bart Worden Save These Dates For details visit www.aeu.org Letter from AEU President, 3 Richard Koral J OIN A E U FOR P EOPLE ’ S C LIMATE Board Meetings Notes from your AEU Board 4 M ARCH IN N Y C S EPTEMBER 2 1 Individual members of Ethical Education Update 5 Emily Newman, AEU Communications Coordinator member Societies are always welcome to attend meetings. AEU Songbook Needs You 5 Saturday, Sep. 13, 9am NYC FES Conference Review 6 Climate change threatens humanity with droughts, Saturday, Jan. 10, 9am NYC fires, severe storms, floods, and many agricultural 6 Saturday, Mar. 14, 9am NYC Calling EC My Religion challenges, affecting us all. It is an issue we must face Saturday, May 9, 9am NYC I have been to the Mountaintop 7 now because it is not only a future problem, but also a Thu-Sun, June 25-28 AEU Happy 100th Birthday to 7 current danger. In September, presidents and prime Assembly Sophie Meyers! ministers from around the world will gather in New York City for a landmark UN summit on climate People’s Climate March NES on the Move 8 change. To demand global action now, the American Sunday, Sept. 21 NYC From the UN: Mental Health 9 Ethical Union, as well as some of its Societies, are co- sponsoring the People’s Climate March (http:// Join the AEU for the largest Let Humanism Ring 10 climate march in history! Visit peoplesclimate.org/march/) on Sunday, September 21. peoplesclimate.org for details. EAR Evolution 11 This “dignified, family-friendly, high-energy and historic march” will unite tens of thousands of people A Place at the Podium 11 Ethical Education in the largest climate march ever. Weekend 2014 Inside the AEU Office 12 Nov. 7-9 Stony Point, NY AEU Assembly Highlights 13-15 Plans for the March are developing fast and spreading Develop your Society’s throughout the country. Ethical Societies will assist Ethical Education program. Wall of Remembrance 16 with transportation and Societies in the New York City International Day of Peace 16 area will provide some home stay opportunities (more YES Conference 2014 details and contacts will be available by email and on Nov. 14-16 NYC the AEU website soon). Marchers are encouraged to Support AEU Teens will meet up this fall to create visual aids with recycled materials, bring discuss “Medical Ethics.” Let’s connect more Ethical sustainable water bottles, and invite friends. We Humanists and develop recommend AEU members wear their Society t-shirts Future of Ethical caring communities. Donate and something blue (or all blue) to coordinate with our at www.aeu.org by clicking Societies (FES) banner. Accessories/decorations encouraged. “Make a Donation”; sending Conference 2015 a check to the American May 22-25 Washington, DC Ethical Union, 2 West 64th The New York Society for Ethical Culture will host a Connect with young adults Street, Suite 406, New York, panel on “A Global Climate Treaty: Why the U.S. across the Ethical Movement NY, 10023; or, calling the Must Lead” on Saturday, September 20 and help for a great weekend. office at 212-873-6500 with a gather AEU marchers on the morning of the 21st. Sign credit card. All financial up to join the march on their website and talk with American Ethical Union contributions to the AEU are your Society about becoming a co-sponsor too. Assembly 2015 tax-deductible. June 25-28 Stamford, CT Thank you for your support! We look forward to marching with you for a healthier Celebrate the 100th AEU world. Join us in New York City this September. Assembly in June 2015! Page 2 Summer 2014 L ETTER FROM THE E XECUTIVE yearned to hear more positive and productive messages D IRECTOR , B ART W ORDEN from the humanist universe. Size matters. So they say, individuals in which we There is good news on this anyway. And I have to admit worked to depict Ethical front. The past several that size matters to me—and Culture as having as much months I have had many it probably does to you, too. meaning for our lives as any opportunities to connect with Looking at the size of the religious engagement would develop new practices and humanists from all over the American Ethical Union, for offer those who join connections. That is where I United States and have greatly example, does raise concern. traditional religious have been focusing much of enjoyed the experience. A While we have never been a organizations. my attention of late. kinder, gentler, more positive large organization compared set of attitudes seems to be to most religious In a time when most people On the practices end, the growing in many circles. denominations we have also joined a church, temple or Board of the American Groups have been striving to experienced a decline in synagogue, articulating how Ethical Union has been engage in volunteer work, overall numbers in recent Ethical Culture is distinct but exploring a broader range of organizing into congregation- years. Percentagewise we have still within the bounds of opportunities for participation like communities, and done better in holding our traditional liberal religion may of individuals and families. expressing the desire to get numbers up than the have been a good strategy. Currently, only Ethical along well with a broader mainstream denominations That strategy is less likely to Societies are members of the spectrum of humanist groups have, but as a small be effective when people are Union. Individuals are then than has recently been the organization we feel the pinch questioning the need to join part of the Union through the case. I’ve been finding that of shrinkage perhaps a bit anything at all—such as now Society they have joined. there is a great deal of more acutely than our much when “None” is a clear and Developing more and more receptivity to the ideals and larger neighbors. increasingly popular option. varied avenues for even to the practices that our (The use of the term “None” participation will, I believe, Ethical Societies have engaged Our main challenge, however, in the recent Pew survey help more people join with us in for many years. is qualitative rather than refers to organizational and support us—even if they quantitative. We are a affiliation, not personal ultimately don’t join a brick So what’s next? There are a congregational movement beliefs.) and mortar Society. Some of number of efforts already facing a culture that has been these avenues may be new underway for the Union: our trending away from The times have changed and Ethical Education Committee we need to change our ways kinds of special events, institutional loyalty, and we educational offerings or has been developing several are a movement organized on to adjust to a different world exciting initiatives and is from the one we’ve known. partnerships with other a religious denominational organizations. planning the fall conference model in a time of growing That doesn’t mean, to my as I write this, our newly re- secularism. We need to mind, a change in who we are It’s also important to extend invigorated Membership consider these trends and or a veering away from our our reach to a wider audience, Committee is also holding a develop new practices that mission. Without our mission and especially to people who conference in the fall, and our will better meet the needs and we have no real reason to describe themselves as latest Lay Leadership Summer wants of people today. exist and what we stand for— atheists, humanists, and School graduates are just now realizing the worth and dignity freethinkers and consider returning to their respective For quite some time many of of all people by striving to themselves secularly oriented. Societies, eager to move our efforts have been geared elicit the best of others and of Our Movement has had forward with new ideas and toward demonstrating how ourselves—is both important rather edgy and complicated projects. I’ll be meeting with ethical humanism can meet and appealing. People want to relations with other non- people from the Humanist the spiritual and religious connect with organizations theistic groups, and Institute, working on a joint needs of people without that aim to bring about particularly with groups self- program with the Unitarian resorting to deity or afterlife. positive change—and that is described as “atheist” or Universalist Humanist An example of this is a line what we are about. “secular humanist.” I can Association and the Society I’ve seen in a number of count myself as someone who for Humanistic Judaism, and Ethical Society ads, “If you’re But our audience has different expectations about has been disappointed and gearing up for meetings with not practicing your religion, frustrated by religion and the leadership of a number of perhaps you’re practicing membership and participation than we are used to and to Bible bashing by some groups other humanist organizations. ours.” Many of us have had and individuals, and have Care to join me? conversations with skeptical reach them we will need to Dialogue Summer 2014 Page 3 L ETTER FROM A E U P RESIDENT , R ICHARD K ORAL We Need to Strengthen our Tolerance for Tolerance Much is being written in couldn’t win the substance of The important issue may not outrage about the Supreme this argument. No scientific be to decide which side is Court decision in the Hobby factoid is going to settle the right, especially if that Lobby case and much of it is question of when a person’s approach will not enable us to justified.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A Parenting Primer for Humanistic Jews
    HUMANISTIC JUDAISM Volume XXXX Number 4 / Volume XXXXI Number 1-2 Autumn 2012 / Winter - Spring 2013 A PARENTING PRIMER FOR HUMANISTIC JEWS Jerald Bain Rabbi Binyamin Biber Stephanie Blum Rabbi Adam Chalom Rabbi Daniel Friedman Dale McGowan Joy Markowitz Jennifer Naparstek Klein Baudelia Taylor Wisdom from Wine: Demystifying Family Values The Atheist Rabbi and the Orthodox Women’s Seminary and more Humanistic Judaism is a voice for Jews who value their Jewish identity and who seek an alternative to conventional Judaism. Humanistic Judaism affirms the right of individuals to shape their own lives independent Humanistic Judaism is published quarterly by the of supernatural authority. Society for Humanistic Judaism, a non-profit orga- nization, 28611 West Twelve Mile Road, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334, (248) 478-7610, Fax (248) 478-3159, [email protected], www.shj.org. This is a combined issue: Vol. XXXX, No. 4 / Vol. XXXXI Number 1 - 2, Autumn 2012 / Winter - Spring 2013. Signed articles do not necessarily represent the viewpoints or policies of the Society for Humanistic Judaism. All material © Copyright 2013 by the Society for Humanistic Judaism. No portion of this work may be reprinted or copied without written permission of the publisher. Subscription Rates: $21.00 per year. Canadian Subscriptions $31.00. Overseas Subscriptions $43.00 per year (U.S. Dollars). No refunds. Sample copies available at single issue price plus postage. Addi- tional copies of a single issue are available from the Society for Humanistic Judaism at the cover price plus postage. Address all inquiries and subscriptions to Humanistic Judaism, 28611 West Twelve Mile Road, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 15: Resources This Is by No Means an Exhaustive List. It's Just
    Chapter 15: Resources This is by no means an exhaustive list. It's just meant to get you started. ORGANIZATIONS African Americans for Humanism Supports skeptics, doubters, humanists, and atheists in the African American community, provides forums for communication and education, and facilitates coordinated action to achieve shared objectives. <a href="http://aahumanism.net">aahumanism.net</a> American Atheists The premier organization laboring for the civil liberties of atheists and the total, absolute separation of government and religion. <a href="http://atheists.org">atheists.org</a> American Humanist Association Advocating progressive values and equality for humanists, atheists, and freethinkers. <a href="http://americanhumanist.org">americanhumanist.org</a> Americans United for Separation of Church and State A nonpartisan organization dedicated to preserving church-state separation to ensure religious freedom for all Americans. <a href="http://au.org">au.org</a> Atheist Alliance International A global federation of atheist and freethought groups and individuals, committed to educating its members and the public about atheism, secularism and related issues. <a href="http://atheistalliance.org">atheistalliance.org</a> Atheist Alliance of America The umbrella organization of atheist groups and individuals around the world committed to promoting and defending reason and the atheist worldview. <a href="http://atheistallianceamerica.org">atheistallianceamerica.org< /a> Atheist Ireland Building a rational, ethical and secular society free from superstition and supernaturalism. <a href="http://atheist.ie">atheist.ie</a> Black Atheists of America Dedicated to bridging the gap between atheism and the black community. <a href="http://blackatheistsofamerica.org">blackatheistsofamerica.org </a> The Brights' Net A bright is a person who has a naturalistic worldview.
    [Show full text]
  • How the New Atheists Are Reminding the Humanities of Their Place and Purpose in Society
    University of Louisville ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository Electronic Theses and Dissertations 12-2018 The emperor's new clothes: how the new atheists are reminding the humanities of their place and purpose in society. David Ira Buckner University of Louisville Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd Part of the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Buckner, David Ira, "The emperor's new clothes: how the new atheists are reminding the humanities of their place and purpose in society." (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3112. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/3112 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has retained all other copyrights. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES: HOW THE NEW ATHEISTS ARE REMINDING THE HUMANITIES OF THEIR PLACE AND PURPOSE IN SOCIETY By David Ira Buckner B.S., East Tennessee State University, 2006 M.A., East Tennessee State University, 2008 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Louisville In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
    [Show full text]
  • ATHEISM – Paths to Humanism a Lot Of
    ATHEISM – Paths to Humanism A lot of people think that atheism is a recent idea. But religious disbelief actually has a long and fascinating history. Just as a student of Christianity would want to know about a few rather significant things that happened 2,000 years ago, someone who wants a better understanding of atheism likewise needs to know what atheism has been up to for the past 30 centuries or so. Atheism in the distant past and in different cultures People tend to think of certain times and places as completely uniform in their beliefs. India is full to the brim with Hindus. The Greeks all worshipped the gods of Olympus. Everyone in Medieval Europe was Christian. Right? A closer look shows all of these claims to be misleading. Just as political “red states” (Republicans) and “blue states” (Democrats) in the United States are really all various shades of purple, every place and time in human history includes a lot of different beliefs — including atheism. That’s not to say all points of view have the same chance to speak into the cultural microphone. Religion in general and the majority religion in particular tend to call the shots and write the histories, especially prior to the late 18th century. Add to that the fact that atheism has often been punishable by imprisonment or death, and you can see why atheists in certain times and places tend to whisper. But the voices are there, including some in the distant past and in cultures both in and out of Europe. The thread of atheism in the ancient and medieval world is a story that very few people know.
    [Show full text]
  • The Secular Circular
    THE SECULAR CIRCULAR Newsletter of the Humanist Society of Santa Barbara www.SBHumanists.org MAY 2012 May Program Why the Term "Academic Freedom" is a Fraud (It's a Disguise for "Creationism") Professor Barbara Forrest Barbara Forrest's testimony was called "among the most compelling, dramatic and thorough" in the 2005 Kitzmiller v. Dover [Pennsylvania] School District trial, the first challenge in federal courts against a school district that mandated the teaching of intelligent design. Her opponents continually fought to keep her from testifying, using "unusually personal and vituperative terms". Professor Forrest has taught Philosophy at Southeastern Louisiana University since 1988. She serves on the board of directors of the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), on the board of trustees of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and is a member of the New Orleans Secular Humanist Association. She co-authored Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design, about the origins of intelligent design and the Discovery Institute's Wedge Design, a strategy to replace naturalism and evolution with a science "consonant with Christian convictions." Barbara Forrest's appearance at HSSB is sponsored by Ken Tucker, Judy Fontana, and Philip Holland. When: Saturday, May 19th, 2012. Coffee/tea at 2:30 pm, program begins at 3:00 pm. Where: Fe Bland Auditorium, Santa Barbara City College Fee: Optional donation: $2 for members, $5 for non-members Dining: Endless Summer at the harbor, a hop, skip and a jump down the hill from City College. Buffet with herbed chicken or enchiladas, beans, rice, salad and bread for $22, tax and gratuity included.
    [Show full text]
  • A Wesleyan Open Inclusivist Approach to Religious Diversity and New Atheism
    Durham E-Theses A Wesleyan Open Inclusivist Approach to Religious Diversity and New Atheism DEVAN, BENJAMIN,BRADFORD How to cite: DEVAN, BENJAMIN,BRADFORD (2016) A Wesleyan Open Inclusivist Approach to Religious Diversity and New Atheism, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/11464/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 A WESLEYAN OPEN INCLUSIVIST APPROACH TO RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY AND NEW ATHEISM By: Benjamin Bradford DeVan Abstract Probing the “New Atheism” reveals not an isolated phenomenon, but a contemporary expression of a longer tradition of atheist advocacy and antagonism toward religion, beliefs about the Divine, and associated practices. Although not all critics of religion are atheists, and atheists display diversity among themselves, A Wesleyan Open Inclusivist Approach to Religious Diversity and New Atheism argues that New Atheists are sufficiently similar to religious people to be fruitfully approached utilizing conceptual tools that pertain to religious diversity, interaction, and dialogue.
    [Show full text]
  • Raising Freethinkers a Practical Guide for Parenting Beyond Belief
    Raising Freethinkers A Practical Guide for Parenting Beyond Belief Dale McGowan Molleen Matsumura Amanda Metskas Jan Devor American Management Association New York ◆ Atlanta ◆ Brussels ◆ Chicago ◆ Mexico City ◆ San Francisco Shanghai ◆ Tokyo ◆ Toronto ◆ Washington, D.C. Special discounts on bulk quantities of AMACOM books are available to corporations, professional associations, and other organizations. For details, contact Special Sales Department, AMACOM, a division of American Management Association, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Tel: 212-903-8316. Fax: 212-903-8083. E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.amacombooks.org/go/specialsales To view all AMACOM titles go to: www.amacombooks.org This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data McGowan, Dale. Raising freethinkers : a practical guide for parenting beyond belief / Dale McGowan ...[et al.]. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN-13: 978-0-8144-1096-7 (pbk.) ISBN-10: 0-8144-1096-0 (pbk.) 1. Religious education of children. 2. Parenting—Religious aspects 3. Free thought. I. Title. BL2777.R4M34 2009 649'.7—dc22 2008042205 © 2009 Dale McGowan All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of AMACOM, a division of American Man- agement Association, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
    [Show full text]
  • Atheism, Agnosticism, Skepticism, Secularism, & Humanism Nonfiction Booklist Updated 2021
    Atheism, Agnosticism, Skepticism, Secularism, & Humanism Nonfiction Booklist Updated 2021 Tap/click on the title or cover to be taken to the item record in our catalog 153.4 SHERMER The Believing Brain: From Ghosts 149.73 PRITCHARD (New Items) and Gods to Politics and Scepticism: A Very Short Conspiracies - How We Construct Introduction Beliefs and Reinforce Them as by Duncan Pritchard Truths 2019 by Michael Shermer 2011 200 HITCHENS 204 HARRIS God is Not Great: How Religion Waking Up: A Guide to Poisons Everything Spirituality Without Religion by Christopher Hitchens by Sam Harris 2007 2014 211.6 BERLINERBLAU 208.2 JEFFERSON How to Be Secular: A Call to A Jefferson Bible for the Twenty- Arms for Religious Freedom First Century by Jacques Berlinerblau 2012 2012 211.6 GRAYLING 211.6 COPSON God Argument: The Case Secularism: A Very Short Against Religion and for Introduction Humanism by Andrew Copson by A.C. Grayling 2019 2014 211.609 ZUCKERMAN 211.7 HAZLETON Living the Secular Life: New Agnostic: A Spirited Manifesto Answers to Old Questions by Lesley Hazleton by Phil Zuckerman 2016 2014 Page 1 Atheism, Agnosticism, Skepticism, Secularism, & Humanism Nonfiction Booklist Updated 2021 Tap/click on the title or cover to be taken to the item record in our catalog 211.8 DAWKINS 211.8 FOUR Outgrowing God: A Beginner's The Four Horsemen: The Guide Conversation That Sparked an by Richard Dawkins Atheist Revolution 2019 2019 211.8 WATSON 211.809 JOHNSON The Age of Atheists: How We A Better Life: 100 Atheists Speak Have Sought to Live Since the Out
    [Show full text]
  • Ethical Society of St. Louis Records (S0444)
    PRELIMINARY INVENTORY S0444 (SA1439, SA1440, SA1441, SA2603, SA2636, SA2641, SA2662, SA3122, SA3385, SA4369, SA4372, SA4383) ETHICAL SOCIETY OF ST. LOUIS RECORDS This collection is available at The State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center- St. Louis. If you would like more information, please contact us at [email protected]. Introduction Approximately 58 cubic feet The Ethical Society of St. Louis Records contains meeting minutes, correspondence, newsletters, marriage applications, and cassette and VHS tapes relating to the group’s mission to create and sustain an ethical humanist congregation dedicated to the advancement of ethical values and behavior without reference to religion or a deity. Materials of interest include meeting minutes of the Board of Trustees and annual membership meetings, which include discussions on the Society’s move from Sheldon Memorial to 9001 Clayton Road, finances, and membership outreach. In April 1886, several progressive St. Louisans gathered in the office of attorney Charles Nagel Sr., to meet with S. Burn Weston and Walter Sheldon (1858-1907), representatives of the burgeoning Ethical Culture movement, to discuss establishing an ethical society in St. Louis. The progenitor of this movement was Felix Adler (1851-1933), a scholar of religion and philosophy, with roots in Reform Judaism. His father, Samuel Adler, was the rabbi for Temple Emanu-El’s in New York City from 1857 to 1891. In May 1876, Felix Adler gave a series of lectures before liberal members of his father’s temple at Standard Hall in New York City, calling for the creation of a lecture movement focused on creating a “practical religion,” dedicated to fostering ethical behavior in all individuals, without adhering to belief in a deity or traditional religious liturgy or customs.
    [Show full text]
  • Life Is Not a Dress Rehearsal: Some Atheist Views on Death and Dying
    1 Life is not a Dress Rehearsal: Some Atheist Views on Death and Dying Citizen Folklorists Terryl Mack and Karen Metcalf January 12, 2015 Our team decided to explore atheists and their beliefs and needs around death and dying. We wondered if there was a commonality in their perceptions of death, and if they had rituals, beliefs or specific preferences regarding the care given to them before dying. With the help of the informants who were generous with their time and their very personal narratives, we hope to make this culture more intelligible to the broader Tucson community. We began the process of exploration by defining what atheism is and what atheists believe. We watched several movies and videos, read numerous articles and book excerpts, and wandered around the web. We conducted four interviews and discussed what it means to be an atheist, their considerations, fears and preparation about reaching end of life, and what dying means to them. The informants included Gil, 67, a podiatrist and member of the board of Freethought Arizona; Tom, 72, a retired professor and musician; Penelope, 69, a writer, artist and founder of Odyssey Storytelling; and Kristine, a certified Life Cycle Celebrant, Hospice Chaplain, and member of the Tucson Threshold Choir. Kristine is not an atheist, but was interviewed because we felt her work as a resource guide to people during the dying and after death process and her observations on end of life atheist ceremonies were complementary to our topic. When she was asked, “What do you see as a common factor in the ceremonies you have performed for atheists?” She said, “Simplicity.
    [Show full text]
  • Imprinting Is Not Indoctrination an Invitation to Parents and Religious Educators to Present a Coherent Cosmology to Our Children
    Imprinting Is Not Indoctrination An invitation to parents and religious educators to present a coherent cosmology to our children by Connie Barlow original 7/13/10; contents/comments added 7/26/10; resource added 8/30/10; supplement added to appendix 8/9/12 (Comments and suggestions welcome at [email protected]) ________ Contents: • “Imprinting Is Not Indoctrination” - pp. 1–6 • “Highly Recommended Resources” - p. 7 • “Appendix: The Risk of Business As Usual in Liberal Religious Education” - pp. 8–11 • “Dale McGowan’s Reply to ‘Imprinting Is Not Indoctrination’” - pp. 12–14 • “Additional Comments and Responses” _________ The Parenting Beyond Belief movement, whose originator and chief spokesperson is Dale McGowan, is doing important work by promoting freethinking as a virtue to be nurtured in children. Unfortunately, the books and videos that define this movement cast “indoctrination” as so lamentable that parents and educators may be tempted to run to the other extreme. In so doing, they will fail to provision children in their charge with a basic human requirement: a coherent cosmology (creation story / worldview) through which to enjoy and securely navigate the years of childhood wonder, learning, and innocence. Two weeks ago I watched online the video of Dale McGowan presenting the Sophia Fahs Lecture at the nationwide gathering of my own religious tradition: Unitarian Universalism. The practical implications for parents and educators of his style of freethinking were unsettling. After eight years of presenting children’s (as well as adult) programs in hundreds of Unitarian Universalist and other progressive settings throughout the United States, I could no longer ignore that my “cosmology-first” emphasis was, in truth, incompatible with the “explore all perspectives” approach of liberal religious education and, more generally, of our science-phobic, postmodern celebration of diversity.
    [Show full text]
  • Humanism and New Atheism: Experiences and Proposals of an Educational Minority
    Historia y Memoria de la Educación 12 (2020): 23-55 Sociedad Española de Historia de la Educación ISSN: 2444-0043 DOI: 10.5944/hme.12.2020.26468 HUMANISM AND NEW ATHEISM: EXPERIENCES AND PROPOSALS OF AN EDUCATIONAL MINORITY Humanismo y nuevo ateísmo: experiencias y propuestas de una minoría educativa Gianfranco Bandinia Reception date: 18/01/2020 • Acceptation date: 22/01/2020 Abstract. The research intends to trace a profile of two twentieth-century move- ments — Humanism and New Atheism — which, from an educational point of view, constitute an interesting and original minority. Although both studies and activities of undeniable educational interest have been produced, they have not yet been put at the centre of specific research. They currently represent one of the most innovative aspects of the current debate on the purpose of education both at school and in the family. These are movements that are not only academic or theoretical research, but they represent a varied social sample which in some countries, moreover, is no longer a small minority, but clearly affects public opinion and even parts of the political agenda. The analysis of the recent history of movements that we can define of an “atheist world” indicates a clear trend line: their positions seem destined to be an integral part of the debates on current educational issues, par- ticularly because the positions they expressed — with their constant an- choring to scientific culture and rational dialogue — seem suitable to face the difficult challenges of globalisation and the tensions that cross pluralistic societies. Keywords: Atheism; rationalism; agnosticism; education; school. Resumen.
    [Show full text]