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Secular Humanism Debated SPRING 1981 VOL. 1 NO. 2 $3.00 On Criticizing Religion Secular Humanism The premier issue of Free Inquiry' containing The Secular Humanist Declaration provoked instant reaction. Debated Following front-page coverage in the New York Times, the advent of Free Inquiry was heralded by thousands of newspapers, magazines, and other media in the United States and Gina Allen Marvin Kohl throughout the world. The friends of secular humanism warmly welcomed Isaac Asimov Richard Kostelanetz the Declaration, but, predictably, it evoked strong negative criticisms from Brand Blanshard George Marshall those on the religious right. The Declaration has also raised doubts Joseph Blau Kai Nielsen among some moderate liberals and conservatives. Patrick Buchanan Lee Nisbet Apparently, to be critical of religion is considered "immoral," "un- Vern Bullough Karl Popper patriotic," or at the very least "in bad taste" by a significant sector of the Hal Crowther John Roche American public. Accordingly, it will be an uphill battle to open up religious Roscoe Drummond Robert Rimmer beliefs and practices to intelligent critical discussion. Albert Ellis Phyllis Schlafly Millions of Americans are unchurch- ed; they may be nominal church Stephen Fenichell B.F. Skinner members or they may be skeptics, but they lack an adequate outlet for their Joseph Fletcher George Smith views. Religious believers daily bom- Antony Flew bard us with their faith claims. They Gordon Stein surely have a right to believe in Garrett Hardin Thomas Szasz whatever they want. We share with many religionists their commitment to Sidney Hook Valerie Turchin the values of a free society. But some dogmatic religionists are intolerant and wish to impose their views on others. Part of their growing influence may be attributed to the fact that the views they express often go unchallenged. Some skeptics ask, "Why take them Controversy over The Secular Humanist Declaration, The seriously?" Others behave ostrich-like, Moral Majority, Tea and Sympathy on the Way to Mecca, hoping that they will go away. But doc- trinaire religions must be taken The Meaning of Life, Does God Exist?, Blasphemy, The seriously, for they have a powerful in- Pope on Sex, Egalitarianism, The Fall of the Elitist Left, fluence on the lives of countless people. Books by Solzhenitsyn and Hans Küng Reviewed, Plus That is why we believe that religions should not be immune to free inquiry The Great Books of Secular Humanism or critical scrutiny. (continued on Back Cover) SPRING 1981 ISSN 0272-0701 VOL. 1 NO. 2 Contents 1 Editorial—Paul Kurtz 3 Letters to the Editor About This Issue ARTICLES This second issue of Free Inquiry 6 The Secular Humanist Declaration: Pro and Con—John Roche, opens with a debate about the Sidney Hook, Phyllis Schlafly,Gina Allen, Roscoe Drummond, Secular Humanist Declaration, but Lee Nisbet, Patrick Buchanan, Paul Kurtz it touches on many other topics as 12 New England Puritans and the Moral Majority—George Marshall well. We have brought together the 14 The Pope on Sex—Vern Bullough views of some of the leading secular 16 Tea and Sympathy on the Way to Mecca—Thomas Szasz humanists of our time. 18 The Blasphemy Laws—Gordon Stein It should be clear that humanists 20 The Meaning of Life—Marvin Kohl do not necessarily agree on all 21 Does God Exist?: Reflections on Disbelief—Kai Nielsen topics. Although a diversity of opi- 27 Prophets of the Procrustean Collective—Antony Flew nion might be an embarassment to 31 Human Rights: The Madrid Conference—Stephen Fenichell absolutist points of view, it is the es- 32 The American Ideal of the Natural Aristocracy—Lee Nisbet sence of free inquiry. We are com- mitted to debate, not doctrine. FILMS Moreover, we are not adverse to 34 Meetings with Remarkable Men —Hal Crowther printing strong criticisms of secular humanism in this magazine. We BOOKS believe that truth is more likely to be discovered if the opportunity ex- 36 The Classics of Secular Humanism—Brand Blanshard, Joseph ists for the free exchange of op- Fletcher, Albert Ellis, Robert Rimmer, Garrett Hardin, posing opinions; the process of in- Isaac Asimov, Richard Kostelanetz, Sidney Hook, Antony Flew, Joseph Blau terchange is frequently as important as the result. We trust that our 39 Hans Küng on God—George Smith readers will profit from the many 40 Solzhenitsyn on the Decline of the West—Valerie Truchin vigorous exchanges of opinion in the 45 Classified following pages—Ed. 46 On the Barricades Editorial Board Editor: Paul Kurtz FREE INQUIRY is published quarterly by the Associate Editor: Gordon Stein Council for Democratic and Secularism Humanism (C0DESH, Inc.), a non-profit Contributing Editors: corporation, 1203 Kensington Ave., Buf- Lionel Abel, author, critic, SUNY at Buffalo; Paul Beattie, president, Fellowship of Religious falo, N.Y. 14215. Humanists; Jo-Ann Boydston, Director, Dewey Center; Laurence Briskman, lecturer, Edinburgh Copyright © 1981 by The Council for University, Scotland; Hal Crowther, film reviewer; Edd Doerr, managing editor, Church and Democratic and Secular Humanism. State: Albert Ellis, director, Institute for Rational Living; Roy P. Fairfield, social scientist, Union Subscription rates: $12.00 for one year, Graduate School; Joseph Fletcher, theologian, University of Virginia Medical School; Antony $20.00 for two years, $27.00 for three Flew, philosopher, Reading University, England; Sidney Hook, professor emeritus of philosophy, years, $3.00 for single copies. Address sub- NYU; Marvin Kohl, philosopher, State University College at Fredonia; Ernest Nagel, professor scription orders, change of addresses, and emeritus of philosophy, Columbia University; Cable Neuhaus, correspondent; Lee Nisbet, advertising to: FREE INQUIRY, Box 5, philosopher, Medaille College; Howard Radest, director, Ethical Culture Schools; Robert Rimmer, Central Park Station, Buffalo, N.Y. 14215. author; William Ryan, free lance reporter, novelist; Thomas Szasz, psychiatrist, Upstate Medical Manuscripts, letters, and editorial inquiries Center, Syracuse; V.M. Tarkunde, Supreme Court Judge, India; Sherwin Wine, rabbi, founder, should be addressed to: The Editor, FREE Society for Humanistic Judaism INQUIRY, Box 5, Central Park Station, Editorial Associates: Buffalo, N.Y. 14215. All manuscripts H. James Birx; Marvin Bloom; Vern Bullough; James Martin; Steven L. Mitchell; Marvin should be accompanied by three additional Zimmerman copies. 0pinions expressed do not Editorial Staff necessarily reflect the views of the editors or publisher. Jean Millholland, executive secretary; Barbara Bergstrom; Doris Doyle; J. Quentin Koren; Patricia Kurtz; Lynette Nisbet; Richard Seymour POSTMASTER: Application to mail at se- cond class postage is pending at Buffalo, Art & Layout: N.Y. Send change of address to: Free In- Gregory Lyde Vigrass, director; Margaret Wells and Joellen Hawver, assistants. quiry, Box 5, Central Park Station, Buf- falo, N.Y. 14215. 2 ~ sTyïT 3 0 a(L4 • signature on an ethical document on freedom and dignity together with his. I am almost certain that you have not studied this book of his: you would not LETTERS TO THE EDITOR have asked him to sign. (2) I have a second reason, one which could in principle be overcome. Additional Endorsements of We wrote to Sir Karl Popper, influential I think that the contents of your state- The Secular Humanist philosopher at the University of London, ment are almost entirely excellent. But I Declaration inviting him to endorse the Secular am unhappy about the tone. In so far as the The following names were originally invited Humanist Declaration. Sir Karl declined to contents are concerned, one thing is miss- to endorse the Declaration, but arrived after do so, and he gives his reason why. We ask- ing in your statement — a thing I regard as we were in press: ed Professor B.F. Skinner to respond to important. This is the emphasis on the duty Warren G. Bennis, former president, Popper and are glad to publish both letters of intellectual modesty, which I regard as University of Cincinnati, professor of — Ed. the first duty of all intellectuals. business, University of Southern California I think it extremely unlikely that you and Paul Edwards, editor in chief, En- I disagree on this point. But it is not only cyclopedia of Philosophy, professor of Sir Karl Popper Criticizes missing from your statement (one cannot, philosophy, Brooklyn College, City Univer- B.F. Skinner in such a statement, say everything), but it sity, New York does not, in my opinion, inspire its form. Antony Flew, professor of philosophy, I largely endorse the contents of the As to adding to its content: you could Reading University, England Secular Humanist Declaration. still do so where you speak of toleration. Isaac and Sara Hasson, Israel Human- Nevertheless, I cannot sign it. And I feel I Tolerance is closely related to the realiza- ist Secular Assn. owe an explanation why this is so. tion of our human fallibility. You nowhere Chaim Perelman, professor of There are two reasons. The first is com- mention Voltaire, who wrote (the free philosophy, University of Brussels paratively unimportant but insurmountable. translation is mine): "What is tolerance? It Holward B. Radest, director, The Ethical The second could perhaps be surmounted, is a necessary consequence of our humani- Culture Schools but it is important. ty. We are all fallible, and prone to error. J.P. Van Praag, founding president, Inter- (1) My first reason is that you have in- Let us then pardon each other's follies. This national Humanist and Ethical Union vited Skinner to sign, and he has done so. is the first principle of natural right." You Alexander S.Y. Volpin, Russian dissi- This clearly cannot be undone. could still insert this, say, as a motto; and dent, professor of mathematics, Tufts But Skinner is an enemy of freedom and so introduce the idea of intellectual modes- University of democracy. He has explained his con- ty into the content of your statement. Other Endorsements (partial list): tempt for freedom quite openly in his book But there is still the form and the tone.
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