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Libertarianism Or Socialism: Where Do Secular Humanists Stand?

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Libertarianism Or Socialism: Where Do Secular Humanists Stand? Fall 1989 Vol. 9, No. 4 $4.00 Libertarianism or Socialism: Where Do Secular Humanists Stand? R. W. Bradford Antony Flew David Gordon Edward Hudgins Tibor Machan Kai Nielsen Murray Rothbard Richard Schmitt Robert Sheaffer Militant Atheism Blasphemy vs. in Freedom of Britain Conscience Barbara Smoker The Moscow Nicolas Walter Atheist/Humanist Dialogue Also: The Pseudo-Problem of Creation in Physical Cosmology by Adolf Granbaum The Future of Abortion • Humanism and Altruism • Eulogy to Sidney Hook FALL 1989, VOL. 9, NO. 4 ISSN 0272-0701 Contents 3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 38 ON THE BARRICADES 65 IN THE NAME OF GOD 4 NOTES FROM THE EDITOR Libertarianism or Socialism: Where Do Secular Humanists Stand? ARTICLES 5 New Gods for Old: In Defense of Libertarianism R. W. Bradford 8 The End of the Secular Century Murray N. Rothbard 9 Building Bridges to the Right: Libertarians, Conservatives, and Humanists Edward Hudgins 12 Making a Case for Socialism Kai Nielsen 14 Liberty and Democracy, or Socialism? Antony Flew 16 Humanism and Socialism Richard Schmitt 19 Socialism is Incompatible with Humanism Robert Sheaffer 21 Humanism and Political Economy Tibor R. Machan 22 Libertarianism Versus Secular Humanism9 David Gordon 24 Militant Atheism Versus Freedom of Conscience Paul Kurtz 33 Sex in the Soviet Union Bonnie Bullough and Vern Bullough 36 Eighth Annual Conference a Success 41 Eulogy to Sidney Hook Ernest Benjamin Hook 48 The Pseudo-Problem of Creation in Physical Cosmology Adolf Grünbaum 44 VIEWPOINTS The Future of Abortion, Tom Flynn / Humanism and Altruism, Tim Madigan 58 READERS' FORUM 60 BOOKS Gnostic Christianity, Randel Helms / Books in Brief Editor: Paul Kurtz Senior Editors: Vern Bullough, Gerald Larue Executive Editor: Tim Madigan Managing Editor: Mary Beth Gehrman Special Projects Editor: Valerie Marvin Contributing Editors: Robert S. Alley, professor of humanities, University of Richmond; Jo-Ann Boydston, director, Dewey Center; Paul Edwards, professor of philosophy, Brooklyn College; Albert Ellis, director, Institute for Rational-Emotive Therapy; 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, chairman, Department of Philosophy and Religion, Hartwick College, Oneonta, N.Y.; Marvin Kohl, philosopher, State University of New York College at Fredonia; Jean Kotkin, executive director, American Ethical Union; Ronald A. Lindsay, attorney, Washington, D.C.; Delos B. McKown, professor of philosophy, Auburn University; Howard Radest, director, Ethical Culture Schools; 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, North American Committee for Humanism Associate Editors: Doris Doyle, Steven L. Mitchell, Lee Nisbet, Gordon Stein, Andrea Szalanski Editorial Associates: Robert Basil, Jim Christopher, Fred Condo Jr., Thomas Flynn, Thomas Franczyk, James Martin-Diaz, Philip Mass, Molleen Matsumura Executive Director of CODESH, Inc.: Jean Millholland Chief Data Officer: Richard Seymour Typesetting: Paul E. Loynes Audio Technician: Vance Vigrass Staff: Brent Bailey, Steven Karr, Lisa Kazmierczak, Anthony Nigro, Alfreda Pidgeon, Ranjit Sandhu FREE INQUIRY (ISSN 0272-0701) is published quarterly by the Council for Democratic and Secular Humanism (CODESH, Inc.), a nonprofit corporation, 3159 Bailey Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14215. Phone (716) 834-2921. Copyright ©1989 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: $22.50 for one year, $39.00 for two years, $54.00 for three years, $4.00 for current issue; $5.00 for back issues. 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, NY 14215-0005. All manuscripts should be accompanied by two additional copies and a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or publisher. Postmaster: Send address changes to FREE INQUIRY, P.O. Box 5, Buffalo, NY 14215-0005. More on secular centrism As you know, the unchurched receive scant Letters to the Editor mass-media attention. We seem to have been almost invisible to journalists, historians, and sociologists (as well as to politicians and the general public) until as recently as 1970. Who wants Swaggart off the air? Another requirement for the existence of Falwell and other preachers have given us blasphemy is that the god so offended some negative publicity during the past two decades, and we began to show up in polls In the March issue of Penthouse, a Louisiana possess enough political power to make the and census reports after 1975. housewife described in graphic detail her insult a criminal offense. It is unlikely that The worst result of this exclusion from sexual romps with Jimmy Swaggart. The a representative of God would have come public knowledge is that we have not known following Sunday Jimmy wept while he to the defense of Zeus, although several have denounced the article as a total lie, contain- come to the defense of Allah, a god with our own strength. ing "not one word of truth." God had told quite some political leverage. Wotan, on the Estimates of church membership are him to sue Penthouse for millions of dollars. other hand, might have been willing to come usually based on church-supplied statistics, A week later, on "Larry King Live," Jimmy's to the aid of his Olympian confrère in which are likely exaggerated. The 1988 attorney expressed pity for the poor distress. Men, all-too-eager to follow the Information Please Almanac states that demented woman and said that the lawsuit example given by their god, have applied there are 142.9 million church members. The would be announced within thirteen days. the divine dictate handed down to them: You population of the United States is 243.8 Several months have since passed, and scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. In million; this means that only 58.6 percent there is no sign of a lawsuit. Not long ago any event, if there is one lesson to be learned are "churched." Jimmy wept while he told listeners that his from all this, it is that it is wise to choose We outnumber those who identify them- entire ministry would go down the tube and carefully the god one blasphemes. selves as Democrats (about 35 percent) or millions of sinners would go to hell unless Republicans (about 30 percent). The 35 he was sent massive amounts of money. Is Henry Darcy percent who don't identify with either party Jimmy responsible for the dire financial Austin, Tex. may be us, though some of us, of course, straits he is in? Of course not! It is all the are Democrats or Republicans. We are devil's work. Satan, Jimmy said, is conduct- already, it seems, numerous enough to ing the "greatest campaign in history" against Paul Kurtz believes that "the right to compete on equal footing with the present the spreading of the gospel. If you don't send blaspheme is a human right that must be political parties—if we organize. him money at once, Jimmy made clear, you protected." will be obeying Satan. It is beyond Jimmy's A human right? It is not in the United Charles M. Selby comprehension that it might be God, not Nations Declaration of Human Rights, Christmas Valley, Ore. Satan, who wants him off the air. which specifies that everyone has a right to Instead of sending Jimmy money, write express opinions subject to respect for the CODESH off to a rousing start him a letter. Ask him when he plans to sue "rights of others" and the just requirements Penthouse. of public order and morality. In other words, We wish to thank the thousands of there is no "right" of outrageous conduct. readers who responded to our invitation Martin Gardner Kurtz goes on to equate blasphemy with to join the Council for Democratic and Hendersonville, N.C. criticism. His editorial critizes Mohammed- Secular Humanism as Charter Associate anism severely but he does not blaspheme. Members. CODESH publishes FREE There's a world of difference. INQUIRY, and sponsors the Academy of On blasphemy Kurtz implies that only "true believers" Humanism, the Committee for the Scien- of Islam find criticism of their "sacred tific Examination of Religion (CSER), Is there such a thing as blasphemy ("In Praise beliefs" to be offensive. I consider Rushdie's Secular Organizations for Sobriety of Blasphemy," Summer 1989)? book quite offensive, and I am not such a (SOS), the Robert Ingersoll Memorial The word "blasphemy," by its very true believer. Committee, secular humanist community nature, is meaningless outside the confines Rushdie's Satanic Verses is not a book groups, and many other activities. of religious parlance. According to my of scholarly criticism. First and foremost it CODESH is a strong and influential dictionary, blasphemy is "(a) the act of is merely a novel, written to sell and make humanist group, and has ambitious plans insulting or showing contempt or a lack of money. The crux of the matter, as I to extend the influence of secular hum- reverence for God, (b) irreverence toward understand it, is that he hit below the belt, anism not only in North America but something considered to be sacred or in- engaging in unfair, indeed scurrilous com- worldwide. violable." Therefore, the existence of ment. No one would object to critical CODESH can only realize its ideals blasphemy requires either belief in an thinking; we desperately need more of it. But by enlisting the grassroots support of anthropomorphic god or a prior agreement insulting and slurring one's ideological those who share in them.
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