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FI April May 13 Cut.Indd RONALD A. LINDSAY: What Makes Meaning? CELEBRATING REASON AND HUMANITY April/May 2013 Vol. 33 No.3 Jason Torpy, Guest Feature Editor TOM FLYNN When Women Led Atheism GRETA CHRISTINA What Does Religion Provide? ARTHUR CAPLAN | RUSSELL BLACKFORD SHADIA DRURY | NAT HENTOFF | OPHELIA BENSON Introductory Price $4.95 U.S. / $4.95 Can. Published by the Council for Secular Humanism April/May 2013 Vol. 33 No. 3 CELEBRATING REASON AND HUMANITY 20 ARMY OF GOD: America’s Armed 31 Seeking Reform from Within Forces vs. Their Nontheists Major Raymond Bradley Introduction Jason Torpy, Guest Feature Editor 33 Freethought Enjoys Smoother Sailing at the Naval Academy Note from the Editor Tom Flynn Clifford G. Andrew 22 The State of Our Christian Military 35 Why Chaplains Should Be Contracted, (and What to Do About It) Not Commissioned Jason Torpy Carlos Bertha 28 The Ravages of 37 Apocalypse Nation Wartime Moral Injuries Steven Doloff Gretchen Brendel Mann EDITORIAL 16 Existentialism: A Philosophy 57 Beyond the Quest for the Historical 4 The Argument from Death and for Secular Humanists Jesus: Memoir of a Discovery Meaninglessness—Again James A. Haught by Thomas L. Brodie Ronald A. Lindsay Reviewed by George A. Wells 17 Tracing ‘Secular Humanism’ Edd Doerr REQUEST FOR ESSAYS 59 The Bible, the School, and the 6 On ‘Why I Am Not a . .’ LETTERS Constitution: The Clash That Shaped 18 Modern Church-State Doctrine OP-EDS by Steven K. Green Reviewed by Wayne L. Trotta 7 Yes, Virginia, There Was DEPARTMENTS a Twentieth Century 48 Church-State Update Tom Flynn 61 A Provocative People: A Secular PBS’s First Freedom History of the Jews Edd Doerr 8 What Does Religion Provide? by Sherwin T. Wine Greta Christina Reviewed by Edd Doerr 49 Humanism at Large Answer to Stalin 9 Should We Abolish Morality? 62 In Freedom We Trust Michael Paulkovich Russell Blackford by Edward M. Buckner and Michael E. Buckner 52 Faith and Reason 11 The Decay of American Reviewed by Becky Garrison Twenty Christian Questions Democracy, Part 2 Mark Rubinstein Shadia B. Drury 63 Realising Secularism: Austraila and New Zealand 53 Response 12 The Brain of Ariel Sharon edited by Max Wallace A Response to Michael Shermer Arthur Caplan Reviewed by Edd Doerr Ophelia Benson POEM 13 Domestic Drone Danger Deepens by W. F. Lantry Nat Hentoff REVIEWS 55 The Unintended Reformation: 61 Hinges 14 Here Come the ‘Evatheists’ How a Religious Revolution John Shook Secularized Society by Brad S. Gregory 15 Greece Grapples with Blasphemy Reviewed by Brooke Horvath Simon Davis Editorial Staff Editor Thomas W. Flynn Ronald A. Lindsay Associate Editors John R. Shook, Lauren Becker Editorial Managing Editor Andrea Szalanski Columnists Ophelia Benson, Russell Blackford, Arthur Caplan, Greta Christina, Edd Doerr, Shadia B. Drury, Nat Hentoff, Tibor R. Machan Senior Editors Bill Cooke, Richard Dawkins, Edd Doerr, James A. Haught, The Argument from Death and Jim Herrick, Gerald A. Larue, Ronald A. Lindsay, Taslima Nasrin Meaninglessness—Again Contributing Editors Roy P. Fairfield, Charles Faulkner, Levi Fragell, Adolf Grünbaum, Marvin Kohl, Lee Nisbet, J.J.C. Smart ithout God, our lives have no belief in God can provide us with con- Literary Editor Austin MacRae meaning. The faithful can take solation” to the conclusion that there is Assistant Editors Julia Lavarnway comfort in eternal life, in know- a God. Instead, let us assess the truth of Sean Lachut W ing that they and their loved ones will the premises on which this fallacy rests. Permissions Editor Julia Lavarnway survive death. The atheist can have no First, let’s address the claim that religion Art Director Christopher S. Fix Production Paul E. Loynes Sr. hope, no solace, because for the atheist provides consolation. only the grave awaits. One can actually believe in God with- Council for Secular Humanism How often have we heard these out believing in personal immortality, of claims? Too often, but recently we’ve course. That said, most theists, at least Edward Tabash Chair been exposed to another barrage of Board of Directors R. Elisabeth Cornwell in the Christian and Muslim traditions, Kendrick Frazier these bromides, as tiresome as they are have regarded God as the guarantor Barry Kosmin false. of personal immortality. Because death Edward Tabash Jonathan Tobert In the wake of the Sandy Hook trag- ends our lives and, at least at an instinc- Leonard Tramiel edy, a number of religious writers and tive level, most of us want to continue Lawrence Krauss (Honorary) clergy have emphasized the importance living (provided we are not suffering), Chief Executive Officer Ronald A. Lindsay of religious faith as a source of consola- it is a natural human reaction both to Executive Director Thomas W. Flynn tion. Moreover, some have gone further fear death and to hope that somehow Associate Director Lauren Becker and suggested that because religious we can survive death. Similarly, it is a Director, Campus and belief provides hope of eternal life, this natural human reaction to mourn the Community Programs (CFI) Debbie Goddard somehow counts as evidence in favor of death of a loved one and to long for Director, Secular Organizations for Sobriety Jim Christopher the existence of God. An example of this an opportunity to spend time with that Director, African Americans last claim can be found in the essay writ- loved one again. This fear of death for Humanism Debbie Goddard Director of ten by Dennis Prager for the National and the grief we experience provide Development (CFI) Alan Kinniburgh Review titled, “The Atheist Response to powerful incentives for some people to Director of Libraries (CFI) Timothy Binga Sandy Hook.” Prager asserts that in the believe in God. Communications Director Paul Fidalgo Legal Director (CFI) Steven Fox face of death, atheism cannot provide However, the promise of immortal- Database Manager (CFI) Jacalyn Mohr a source of consolation and that the ity, when carefully considered, provides Webmaster Matthew Licata inability of atheism to offer solace to only false hopes. Immortality seems like Staff Pat Beauchamp, Ed Beck, those who have lost loved ones demon- a good thing only if we do not examine Melissa Braun, Shirley strates why “wisdom begins with rever- it too closely. Brown, Cheryl Catania, Eric Chinchón, Matt ence for God.” Huh? When the believer thinks about life Cravatta, Roe Giambrone, Of course, even if it were true that after death, delightful scenes are usu- Jason Gross, Adam Isaak, Lisa Nolan, Paul Paulin, atheism cannot provide consolation, ally conjured up, with the heavenly life Anthony Santa Lucia, this would not prove there is a God. It often pictured as similar to his one, only John Sullivan, Diane Tobin, Vance Vigrass would only show there is no consola- with all the pleasant stuff included and Executive Director Emerita Jean Millholland tion. all the disagreeable stuff excluded. We But let us not spend any more time don’t have too many descriptions of on the illogical inference from “only farting or flossing in heaven. Moreover, 4 FREE INQUIRY APRIL/MAY 2013 secularhumanism.org FREE INQUIRY (ISSN 0272-0701) is published bimonthly by one has the assurance that this pleasant cially desirable or consoling. You can be the Council for Secular Humanism, a nonprofit educational corporation, P.O. Box 664, Amherst, NY 14226-0664. Phone life will go on . and on . and on. one with the universe by commingling (716) 636-7571. Fax (716) 636-1733. Copyright ©2013 by That’s the rub, isn’t it? The problem your body or ashes with the good earth, the Council for Secular Humanism. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without permission of with eternity is precisely that it never and this form of union at least has the the publisher. Periodicals postage paid at Buffalo, N.Y., and ends. Were there a heaven, the tedium virtue of being intelligible. at additional mailing offices. National distribution by Disticor. FREE INQUIRY is indexed in Philosophers’ Index. Printed in would be maddening. It’s no answer to So here’s the dilemma for the be­­ the United States. Postmaster: Send address changes to FREE say that heaven will give you an oppor- INQUIRY, P.O. Box 664, Amherst, NY 14226-0664. Opinions liever in personal immortality: either im­­ expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or tunity to follow all those dreams you mortality is something that condemns publisher. No one speaks on behalf of the Council for Secular Humanism unless expressly stated. couldn’t pursue on Earth and therefore a person to endure an endless stretch you would not become bored. Eternity, of time or it is a timeless existence that TO SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW conceived as a never-ending stretch of Call toll-free 800-458-1366 (have credit card handy). entails the annihilation of the self— time, would allow us to repeat an infinite Internet: www.secularhumanism.org. and, of course, annihilation of the self Mail: FREE INQUIRY, P.O. 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