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RAFIDA BONYA AHMED (WIFE OF AVIJIT ROY) DEMANDS JUSTICE CELEBRATING REASON AND HUMANITY June/July 2015 Vol. 35 No.4 POPULATION, IMMIGRATION, and the GLOBAL FUTURE Robert Walker | Jeffrey McKee | Richard Heinberg | Christopher Clugston Joe Bish | Walter Youngquist | David Simcox and Tracy Canada | Tom Flynn OPHELIA BENSON | Human Rights Hypocrisy EDD DOERR | Is the Wall Crumbling? SHADIA B. DRURY | The Postmodernity of ISIS 80% JONATHAN1.5 BWR PD PEARCE | Accepting That Free Will Is an Illusion J/J 08 07 Published by the Center for Inquiry in association with the Council for Secular Humanism 7725274 74957 FI June July cut_FI 5/2/12 4:39 PM Page 67 We are committed to the application of reason and science We believe in the cultivation of moral excellence. to the understanding of the universe and to the solving We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be of human problems. allowed to fulfill their aspirations, to express their sexual We deplore efforts to denigrate human intelligence, preferences, to exercise reproductive freedom, to have to seek to explain the world in supernatural terms, access to comprehensive and informed health care, and to look outside nature for salvation. and to die with dignity. We believe that scientific discovery and technology We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, can contribute to the betterment of human life. integrity, honesty, truthfulness, responsibility. Humanist ethics is amenable to critical, rational guidance. There are normative We believe in an open and pluralistic society and that standards that we discover together. Moral principles are democracy is the best guarantee of protecting human rights tested by their consequences. from authoritarian elites and repressive majorities. We are deeply concerned with the moral education We are committed to the principle of the of our children. We want to nourish reason and compassion. separation of church and state. We are engaged by the arts no less than by the sciences. We cultivate the arts of negotiation and compromise as a means of resolving differences and achieving mutual We are citizens of the universe and are excited by understanding. discoveries still to be made in the cosmos. We are concerned with securing justice and fairness We are skeptical of untested claims to knowledge, in society and with eliminating discrimination and we are open to novel ideas and seek new and intolerance. departures in our thinking. We believe in supporting the disadvantaged and the We affirm humanism as a realistic alternative to disabled so that they will be able to help themselves. theologies of despair and ideologies of violence and as a source of rich per sonal significance and genuine satisfaction We attempt to transcend divisive parochial loyalties based in the service to others. on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation, or ethnicity and strive to work together for We believe in optimism rather than pessimism, hope rather the common good of humanity. than despair, learning in the place of dogma, truth instead of ignorance, joy rather than guilt or sin, tolerance in the place We want to protect and enhance Earth, to preserve of fear, love instead of hatred, compassion over selfishness, it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless beauty instead of ugliness, and reason rather than blind suffering on other species. faith or irrationality. We believe in enjoying life here and now and in We believe in the fullest realization of the best and noblest developing our creative talents to their fullest. that we are capable of as human beings. *by Paul Kurtz For a parchment copy of this page, suitable for framing, please send $4.95 to FREE INQUIRY, P.O. Box 664, Amherst, New York 14226-0664 FI June July cut_FI 5/2/12 4:39 PM Page 67 June/July 2015 Vol. 35 No. 4 29 Humanity vs. Nature—Winner Take All! CELEBRATING REASON AND HUMANITY Christopher Clugston 19 Population, Immigration, 34 Sharp Danger but Grounds for Hope and the Global Future Joe Bish Introduction Tom Flynn 38 U.S. Immigration and the Limits of Supporting Earth Resources We are committed to the application of reason and science We believe in the cultivation of moral excellence. 20 Four Out of Five Scientists Agree: Walter Youngquist to the understanding of the universe and to the solving We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be Population Matters of human problems. allowed to fulfill their aspirations, to express their sexual Robert J. Walker 40 Toward Negative Population Growth: We deplore efforts to denigrate human intelligence, preferences, to exercise reproductive freedom, to have Cutting Legal Immigration by Four-fifths to seek to explain the world in supernatural terms, access to comprehensive and informed health care, 23 Seven Billion Wolves: Why the Human David Simcox and Tracy Canada and to look outside nature for salvation. and to die with dignity. Head Count Matters Jeffrey K. McKee 43 Immigration Limits: Less and We believe that scientific discovery and technology We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, Less Politically Incorrect can contribute to the betterment of human life. integrity, honesty, truthfulness, responsibility. Humanist ethics 25 Two Realities Andrea Szalanski is amenable to critical, rational guidance. There are normative Richard Heinberg We believe in an open and pluralistic society and that standards that we discover together. Moral principles are democracy is the best guarantee of protecting human rights tested by their consequences. from authoritarian elites and repressive majorities. We are deeply concerned with the moral education We are committed to the principle of the of our children. We want to nourish reason and compassion. separation of church and state. We are engaged by the arts no less than by the sciences. EDITORIAL 15 Slip Slidin’ Away 55 Humanist Living We cultivate the arts of negotiation and compromise 4 Overpopulation, Immigration, James A. Haught Is Society Accepting That Free Will as a means of resolving differences and achieving mutual We are citizens of the universe and are excited by and the Human Future Is an Illusion? understanding. discoveries still to be made in the cosmos. Tom Flynn 16 August 11: A Day to Remember Jonathan MS Pearce Robert Green Ingersoll We are skeptical of untested claims to knowledge, We are concerned with securing justice and fairness Jeff Ingersoll 58 The Faith I Left Behind in society and with eliminating discrimination and we are open to novel ideas and seek new OP-EDS Why I Retired from Religion and intolerance. departures in our thinking. 17 ‘Better Ad’ Contest John Compere 8 Avijit Roy and His Legacy Winners Announced Jahed Ahmed We believe in supporting the disadvantaged and the We affirm humanism as a realistic alternative to REVIEWS disabled so that they will be able to help themselves. theologies of despair and ideologies of violence and as a 9 Join Us in a Demand for Justice! source of rich per sonal significance and genuine satisfaction LOOKING BACK 61 Headscarves and Hymens: We attempt to transcend divisive parochial loyalties based Rafida Bonya Ahmed Why the Middle East Needs in the service to others. 16 35 Years Ago in FREE INQUIRY on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual a Sexual Revolution 11 Bigger, Better, Shinier Human Rights 25 Years Ago in FREE INQUIRY orientation, or ethnicity and strive to work together for We believe in optimism rather than pessimism, hope rather by Mona Eltahawy Ophelia Benson than despair, learning in the place of dogma, truth instead of Reviewed by Ophelia Benson the common good of humanity. LETTERS ignorance, joy rather than guilt or sin, tolerance in the place 12 Angry Atheists: A Contemporary Myth We want to protect and enhance Earth, to preserve 18 62 Inventing a Christian America: of fear, love instead of hatred, compassion over selfishness, Russell Blackford it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless The Myth of the Religious Founding beauty instead of ugliness, and reason rather than blind by Steven K. Green suffering on other species. faith or irrationality. 13 Beheadings for Postmodernity DEPARTMENTS Reviewed by Rob Boston Shadia B. Drury 52 Doerr's Way We believe in enjoying life here and now and in We believe in the fullest realization of the best and noblest Is the Wall Crumbling? 64 How God Works: A Logical developing our creative talents to their fullest. that we are capable of as human beings. 14 C. S. Lewis and Proof by Metaphor Edd Doerr Inquiry on Faith Mark Rubinstein by Marshall Brain *by Paul Kurtz Reviewed by Tom Flynn For a parchment copy of this page, suitable for framing, please send $4.95 to FREE INQUIRY, P.O. Box 664, Amherst, New York 14226-0664 Editor Thomas W. Flynn Managing Editor Andrea Szalanski Tom Flynn Columnists Ophelia Benson, Russell Editorial Blackford, Greta Christina, Edd Doerr, Shadia B. Drury, Nat Hentoff, Tibor R. Machan, Faisal Saeed Al Mutar, Mark Rubinstein Senior Editors Bill Cooke, Richard Dawkins, Edd Doerr, James A. Haught, Jim Herrick, Ronald A. Lindsay, Taslima Nasrin Overpopulation, Immigration, Contributing Editors Roy P. Fairfield, Charles Faulkner, Levi Fragell, Adolf Grünbaum, and the Human Future Marvin Kohl, Lee Nisbet Assistant Editors Julia Lavarnway Nicole Scott Literary Editor Cheryl Quimba Permissions Editor Julia Lavarnway Art Director Christopher S. Fix Production Paul E. Loynes Sr. he March 4 New York Times was a crisis of scarcity. Commodity Center for Inquiry Inc. headline said it all: “Ethiopia, prices skyrocketed across sectors rang- Chair Edward Tabash Former Resident of the Bottom, ing from foodstuffs to industrial raw Board of Directors R. Elisabeth Cornwell Aspires to the Middle.” It’s the materials to energy. Food riots erupted Kendrick Frazier T recurring story of the twenty-first cen- in third-world countries, often related Barry A.
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