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LETTERS to the EDITOR Nod to the Cultures of Asia's 1,000,000,000 Plus

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LETTERS to the EDITOR Nod to the Cultures of Asia's 1,000,000,000 Plus to suggest some alternative. One possibility is "Humanist Way." "Way" connotes action, unlike "stance," and it represents at least a LETTERS TO THE EDITOR nod to the cultures of Asia's 1,000,000,000 plus. Molleen Matsumura Berkeley, Calif. On Eupraxophy Hook and Homnick From now on I'm a eupraxopher ("Breaking mology course, I was interested in your with the Old Humanism," FI, Winter coinage of the word eupraxophy. I would I wish I could agree with Morris Feller 1987/88). also point out that eu-, besides meaning ("Letters," FI, Winter 1987/88) that the frac- The real problem word is religion and "good," also appropriately means "true." I tion of Orthodox Jewry which accepts the the loose definitions ascribed to it by many doubt the word will catch on, but here's to idea that the Holocaust is an example of humanists. Yet I fear even we eupraxophers eupraxophy anyway. God's justice "must approach zero." Unfor- (I'm trying to get used to the term!) may tunately, Rabbi Yaakov Homnick ("Hook find it difficult to break old habits. We shall Ken Saladin Is Mired in Secular Confusion," FI, Fall have to work to avoid using religious words Milledgeville, Ga. 1987) is by no means alone in this belief. and concepts and eliminate from our vocab- The concurring views of the Chief Orthodox ulary "spirit," "soul," "heaven," and "hell," Rabbi of Great Britain and Rabbi Joel Tei- and find expletives that don't use the names Six reasons not to adopt "Eupraxophy": telbaum are cited by Adolf Grünbaum ("God of the deities. 1. Ad hoc conglomerations of Greek and the Holocaust," FI, Winter 1987/88). In describing so well the concept in roots, expecially those containing the letter To these we must add the wisdom of the search of a new name, Paul Kurtz asks, "Is X, tend to bring out the xenophobe (or at revered Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem there something beyond philosophy and sci- least the anti-intellectual) in many good Mendel Schneerson, leader of the prosely- ence that is not purely intellectual, that is people. tizing Lubavitcher sect of Hasidism. This independent of religion, that expresses both 2. Why a neologism? A simple word in great sage stated in his 1980 book Emunah a world-view and an ethical commitment?" our own tongue will be easier to translate v'Madah (Faith and Science) that the Holo- I hope "eupraxophy" catches on. into other languages. caust was God's way of cutting off the 3. The word fails the "ten times fast" gangrenous arm of the Jewish people. Helen Hakeem test. Try repeating ten times, quickly, any Therefore, this gentle man of God concludes, Madison, Wis. one of the following: "I am a Christian"; "I the Holocaust was a good thing because, if am a Jew"; "I am a Muslim"; "I am a it had not happened, the Jewish people as a Buddhist"; "I am an atheist"; "I don't give a whole would have died. I think that Paul Kurtz may have struck darn." Now, try to say, "I am a eupraxo- upon a solution to an age-old problem for phist," then "I am a humanist," each ten Michael J. Privai, Past President secular humanists of Jewish heritage. times. Which one wins? Washington Society for There are many, like myself, who take 4. I know from experience that if I say, Humanistic Judaism pride in a Jewish heritage—from a secular "I am a secular humanist," my listener will perspective. We identify as Jews from an look at me, note the lack of hoof, horns, ethnic and cultural viewpoint but reject the and tail, realize I can't mean whatever Fal- the theology. well & Co. mean, and reply, "What do you We have in Homnick's critique of Sidney It has been my contention for many years mean by that?" (Just what I was waiting Hook's philosophy a rare look at a fossil that some semantic method of identification for!) If, however, I say, "I am a eupraxo- mind free of contamination by thousands of for such Jews was needed. I think you have phist," I would expect my listener to think 1 years of scientific revelations. It does suggest, provided it: "Jewish Euphraxopher." said "I have (whatever it was I said)," and however, a basic problem for those who I would be interested in hearing from run for mask, gloves, and disinfectant—or assert that the Bible is divinely inspired. The others who share this view. just run. (See reason I, and don't forget the Old Testament depicts God as a god to be AIDS scare.) feared and the New Testament God as a Leonard Mirsky 5. Now is not the time to go on the god to be loved. As Homnick makes clear, Lancaster, Pa. defensive. Words that are easily accessible he rejects the New Testament concept. to large masses of people are inevitably We can only sympathize with the Israeli While not wanting to sound like a syco- words that are easily misunderstood or re- government, which has to deal with thou- phant, I agree with your statement, "Break- construed. "Humanism" is accessible. Better sands of such fundamentalist minds trying ing with the Old Humanism." Calling myself stay on the ground (and, if necessary, in the to sabotage the political functioning of the a "secular humanist" has lately gotten me mud) struggling to retain clarity with other nation. some flak from other humanists, but I do people than to retreat to the stratosphere feel there is a need to distinguish ourselves with a dictionary. F. Norman Higgs from the varieties of humanism that willingly 6. We should at least hesitate to throw Bay City, Mich. don the religious label. away so much free publicity. As one who teaches a (biological) ety- Having said the above, I suppose I ought (Continued on p. 62) Spring 1988 3 texts" of this religion. When holding that When it did so, the court concluded that (Letters, cons d. from p. 3) the textbooks promoted that religion, how- the message conveyed by the home eco- ever, Judge Hand ignored the many passages nomics books was not one of endorsement Fundamentalist Christian Schools in those documents that demonstrate, for of a religion but one of an entirely appropri- example, that secular humanists do not be- ate governmental attempt "to instill in Ala- In your article by Alan Peshkin on Funda- lieve in the subjectivity of values, that they bama public school children such values as mentalist Christian schools (FI, Fall 1987), support separation of church and state and independent thought, tolerance of diverse there is a reproduction of such a school's would oppose any religion being taught in views, self-respect, maturity, self-reliance, dress code. It appears that the "not accept- public schools (including their own), and and logical decision-making." In other able" young ladies have more feminine that they favor teaching the facts about words, the Court found that what the plain- figures than the "acceptable" ones. I religious history—as opposed to tenets of tiffs term secular humanism is simply good measured. The "not acceptable" hip-to-waist religious faith—to school children. Similarly, education. The court expressly rejected the ratio averages 1.59 (range 1.38 to 1.73). The Dr. Paul Kurtz testified for us as an expert notion that religious neutrality can itself be "acceptable" averages 1.26 (range 1.19 to witness on secular humanism and stated equated with hostility to religion and estab- 1.38). Is it possible that some of these without contradiction that secular humanists lishment of secular humanism, thus rejecting schools deprecate "God-endowed" feminine disagree with many of the same things the the plaintiffs' "no middle ground" approach. shapes? plaintiffs were attacking. Although Judge Similarly, the court concluded that the Hand referred to Kurtz as a "revered leader" history and social studies books were reli- Jeffrey Myers, M.D. of this religion, he proceeded to ignore virtu- giously neutral and that endorsement of Medford, N.J. ally all of Kurtz's testimony. secular humanism or hostility to Christianity The existence of these two different "sec- could not be inferred from the textbooks' ular humanisms" explains why many people failure to discuss religious events in quanti- believe that secular humanism is just some- ties sufficient to please the plaintiffs. The Alan Peshkin's article left me filled with thing invented by the Religious Right and court concluded that Judge Hand's decision hope on several counts. that trying to define it is like "nailing jello had turned the establishment clause require- Over one-quarter of the students subject- to a tree." This is true if one is referring to ment of religious neutrality into an affirma- ed to up to eighteen years of full-time the second secular humanism, which, under tive obligation on the part of the state to indoctrination still thought it "good that the dualistic world view of the plaintiffs, speak about religion; this result, it held, was America has so many different religious encompasses all theories with which they inconsistent with the First Amendment. groups." Imagine how many more will disagree. It obviously is not true if one is apostatize as their minds mature! referring to secular humanism properly de- he Eleventh Circuit's decision stands For those who do not come to see the fined, as it is when the plaintiffs are arguing Tas the final word on the Alabama case; light, I see them as competition removed that it is a religion. the plaintiffs have decided not to seek review for my children.
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