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. Perhaps it is uncharitably The fatal flaw in the plaintiffs' argument by the Supreme Court. Attempting to sal- anti-humanist for me to say so, but I am is their inability to bridge the gulf between vage what little they can from the case, the glad that the burger-flippers of the next these two secular humanisms. They need to plaintiffs have claimed that the Eleventh generation will be the hypnotized born- do so, for they must prove that the material Circuit did not reverse Judge Hand's ruling agains instead of my kids. A million closed with which they disagree is religious in order that secular humanism is a religion. Al- minds may make life much easier econom- to have it removed from the schools. In though technically correct, this is small con- ically for those committed to the growth reality, however, the textbook material they solation for the Religious Right. The Ele- possibilities of open inquiry. label "secular humanism" is simply religious- venth Circuit did not affirm Judge Hand's ly neutral social and scientific theory or, in analysis, it merely followed the well-settled Thomas H. Hartman the history books, merely an objective view practice of not addressing constitutional Columbia, Md. of history. The second "secular humanism" issues unnecessary to the resolution of the is simply the modern world. Because the case. The Eleventh Circuit did hold, how- plaintiffs cannot bridge the gap between the ever, that even assuming, for argument's two secular humanisms, they obscure it: sake, that secular humanism properly de- Birth of the Code They argue that secular humanism is a reli- fined is a religion, the sort of materials in gion and secular humanism is in the text- public school textbooks and curriculum that 1 have just recently become acquainted with books, without acknowledging that they are the religionists label "secular humanism" do FREE INQUIRY and am delighted to finally talking about two different things. not in fact promote that or any other reli- encounter an organization that recognizes Because secular humanism properly de- gious ideology. Although the Religious Right reason and self-reliance as essential tools for fined is not what's in the textbooks, the can tout Judge Hand's ruling on the reli- the betterment of humanity—especially since defense argued to the U.S. Court of Appeals gious nature of secular humanism, that I was spoon-fed and schooled on fundamen- for the Eleventh Circuit on the appeal of ruling is now meaningless so far as public talist nonsense. All of the Fall 1987 articles Judge Hand's decision that the court need education is concerned. The Eleventh Cir- were most interesting, but I would like to not address the difficult issue of whether cuit's decision has dismantled the fanciful comment on one in particular: secular humanism is a religion. The Eleventh bridge connecting the two secular human- Sidney Hook writes in "A Common Circuit agreed and simply examined the isms. The gulf between them remains, and Moral Universe?" that religionists "select books in question. The court also agreed although the religionists may continue to those teachings that are accorded with stand- that it was crucial to read passages in con- stand on the edge and curse the public ards of good and evil...." I would like to text, rather than lifting them out of the text- schools on the opposite side, they cannot add that they also insist that the Bible and books in isolation as the plaintiffs had done. reach them. • other sacred works are the sources of stimuli

62 FREE INQUIRY for mankind's moral development and com- various aspects of family life, but they forget pletely ignore the fact that ethical behavior that the family in Catholic countries seems is the result of man's struggle to coexist, a far more robust unit. Do not discount the FROM THE that morality is the end product of his effort consolation this provides, especially for to form pragmatic social communities. those unable to look after themselves. The SUBSCRIBER Codes of conduct like the Ten Command- care of the elderly, cynically evaluated, is ments surfaced in the earliest of civilizations an uninviting task with scant to recommend SERVICE simply because even primitive people obit. And it is here, in the area of blood DEPARTMENT jected to being murdered and robbed. relationships, where the humanist philosophy comes such an agonizing cropper. Difficulties with your subscription often can be avoided by simply knowing how a maga- Elizabeth F. Lafler For who can deny that family bonds are loose and fragmentary in secular societies? zine works. North Tonawanda, N.Y. Here are answers to some questions you Visit any nursing home here in the United may have about your subscription to FREE States, and you will see how INQUIRY. brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, and The Sexual Revolution parents, too old to be appealing any longer, Inquiries are cast aside and thrown on the scrapheap. When writing to us about your subscrip- I can't believe Sol Gordon ("Is the Sexual How different, we are always told, is the tion, please attach the current mailing label. It helps us to identify your account and Revolution Over?" FREE INQUIRY, Fall 1987) situation in Catholic countries in areas like provide much faster service. can make a statement like "There has to be the Mediterranean. There, grandmothers some disadvantage to being young." Correct and great-grandmothers are not abandoned. Address change me if I misunderstand, but isn't he saying They may no longer have anything to con- If you plan to change your address, that sex is a reward for becoming an adult? tribute to the family—they may be senile, please notify us six weeks before the change, Give me a break. People are people, young toothless, deaf, incontinent, or blind—but due to our advanced addressing schedule. or not, and there are plenty of disadvantages they're venerated because they're Grandma. Expiration Date in being young without Sol Gordon devising All life has flown through them. And here, of course, we see how the compulsion of If you'd like to check on your expiration new ones. date, simply look at your mailing label. The If teenagers are capable of consciously duty comforts and succors the weak and date of the last issue of your subscription deciding to enter into a sexual relationship the vulnerable, even in the poorest families. appears as the middle four digits of the top for fun only, and they take the precautions Back home in the U.S.A., however, the line (e.g., 8806 = June, 1988). necessary to ensure there will be no undesir- old have to make do with perfunctory and Missing or late issues able repercussions, then I say let them have very occasional visits from their daughters fun. It's their private matter. (they are always daughters), and that's if You will receive the first issue of your subscription within eight weeks of order re- they're lucky. It's some reward for a life- All we can do is try to educate them ceipt. beforehand, so they are not coerced, they time's care, but what do you expect in this do not coerce, they understand the con- land of dormant conscience, where the young Duplicate copies sequences, and, in general, they make the look after their parents if they feel like it, If you receive two copies of an issue, decision competently. If that results in a and don't bother if they don't. Members of compare mailing labels. Any difference, bunch of fifteen year olds engaging in safe CODESH, how confident are you that your however minor, could cause the problem. and enjoyable intercourse, so what? It's bet- kids will stick around when you develop Please send us both labels and tell us which some ghastly, debilitating illness late in life? one is correct. We'll correct the situation at ter than a bunch of seventeen year olds en- once; however, due to our addressing sched- gaging in gang rape, prostitution, peer-pres- Lady humanists, are your husbands going ule, this problem may linger for one or two sure sex, and date rape with absolutely no to be there for you when you're old, issues. If this happens, please pass the addi- regard for health or the rights of others, diseased, and fat? tional copies on to a friend with our com- which is exactly what you have now. These may be mundane concerns, per- pliments. haps, but vital and immediate to all the Duplicate bills/Renewals Anthony Castaldo many millions who look with great unsym- pathy upon secular humanism and its ap- Occasionally, we receive subscriber pay- San Antonio, Tex. ments and renewal instructions after we proach to the world. Which brings me to have sent second notices. If this happens to my broader point: namely, that secular you, simply disregard the second notice. Catholicism's Attraction humanism is exclusive without knowing it. A fine philosophy for the fluent and well- Invitation to subscribe In "Catholicism and Change" (FI, Winter educated, it holds little charm for those We often purchase the mailing lists of 1987/88) Robert Basil asks, "Why had these without the intellectual stamina to cope with other magazines and organizations, and you the bleaker aspects of its message. Men and may receive an invitation to subscribe to speakers remained within the Catholic FREE INQUIRY if your name is on one of church if their differences with it were so women, however superstitious and scientif- these lists. Please simply disregard this un- numerous and basic? . . . Perhaps, being ically illiterate, may have many other, con- avoidable duplication. born Catholics, they want to remain attached siderable virtues. Old-time religion made to their family's roots." In trying to account allowances for their faults and limitations. FREE INQUIRY for Catholicism's persistent attraction, you How are you going to reach them? Boa 5, Buffalo, NY 14215-0005 may well have hit on something. (716) 834-2921 Your contributors rightly condemn the Neil L. Inglis impracticality of Catholic doctrine on Bethesda, Md.

63 Spring 1988 More on Reincarnation Gardner and Palmer than 30,000 (a long way short of "millions," it need hardly be said), and even then that I would like to comment on Paul Edwards's Martin Gardner's article "Science-Fantasy figure no doubt includes readers attracted recent series, "The Case Against Reincarn- Religious Cults" (FI, Summer 1987) contains simply by the excitement that the SM was ation." (FI, Fall 1986, Winter 1986/87, numerous inaccuracies, and I feel it would generating. Spring 1987, Summer 1987). be helpful to set the record straight for the 6. Marjorie insists that Palmer never It is true that Hindus, theosophists, and benefit of those interested in the history of deliberately conducted a "monstrous swin- members of gnostically oriented cults believe Ray Palmer, Richard Shaver, and the dle" in connection with SM. He never once in reincarnation, but such is not necessarily "Shaver Mystery." indicated—even to her—that he promoted true of Buddhists. Not one Japanese Bud- I was a member of Ray Palmer's so- the SM solely for the sake of circulation or dhist of my acquaintance takes the notion called stable of writers between 1943 and profit. Privately as well as publicly he was seriously. Perhaps some Buddhists, however, 1950 as well as one of the inner circle who quite serious about it. For my part I recall believe in reincarnation because Buddhist bowled and played poker and gin rummy how the members of Ray's inner circle often literature is overrun by words like rebirth with him. My memory of events is not all asked one another, "Do you think Ray really and reborn. that it might be after some forty years. Ray's believes that Shaver stuff?" He certainly But "rebirth" should not be identified wife, Marjorie Palmer (whom Gardner never seemed to. with reincarnation. In fact Buddhism denies contacted while he was doing whatever 7. Marjorie states that Ray edited but the very existence of that which could trans- passed for research for his article) supplied did not rewrite all of Shaver's stories—only migrate from one body to another, namely, details where my recollection failed. the very first one, because it was submitted the metaphysical entity commonly desig- Let's take Gardner's errors in order of as a letter rather than a story. Shaver did nated as "soul." commission: not "feed Palmer raw data for eight years According to the Thai expert, Buddha- 1. Whereas Gardner claims Palmer is while [Shaver was in] in a mental hospital." dâsa, human beings (like other animals) are "forgotten," Marjorie says, "Ten years after He was working as an overhead-crane born only once as biological organisms. And his death, I receive many letters, telephone operator in a Briggs auto-body plant in when they die, that is the end; there is no calls, and visitors from all over the world, Detroit when he began corresponding with reincarnation, no eternal bliss, no eternal almost every week." Ray about what Ray came to call the torment. 2. The "A" in Raymond A. Palmer stood "Shaver Mystery." In 1968, long after the So, what does "rebirth" mean? Rather for Alfred—not nothing, as Gardner would termination of SM in Amazing Stories, than physical reincarnation, as the unin- have us believe. Shaver revealed in an interview that he had formed suppose, "birth" or "rebirth" means 3. Palmer was nearly five feet tall, not spent eight years in a mental hospital. That the birth or rebirth of the "I-process," or four. He was injured by a truck at age seven. he "escaped" from there appears to have egohood, whenever it arises in consciousness. Later, as an adult, he fell off a church roof been Shaver's melodramatic way of stating In this sense, an individual may be born while doing sheet-metal work. the unexciting truth: He was often given and reborn a countless number of times in a 4. Howard Browne was not "editor-in- leave to visit home, and on the last one he single lifetime. A complete cessation of re- chief of all Ziff-Davis pulps for six years." did not return. No effort seems to have been births of egohood is that which Buddhists Only Palmer held that title for such a length made to enforce his return. call Nirvana. of time. Browne was managing editor under 8. Gardner to the contrary, Palmer and Many uninformed individuals are under Ray and did not become editor until Ray Shaver remained on good terms after the the impression that one can be reborn as an left in 1950. Browne held the post for less mental-hospital disclosure. Shaver firmly animal. Nonsense! The truth is (when one than a year before leaving Ziff-Davis for a maintained his original position on SM, uses Dharma language) that, whenever one screenplay-writing job in Hollywood. while Ray explored alternative theories in thinks or acts stupidly like an animal, he or 5. Marjorie characterizes as "baloney" his magazines; but, despite such differences she (on the level of consciousness) is reborn Gardner's allegation that "Palmer's nose of opinion, the two men respected each other as an animal at that very moment. If that began to sniff the burning fuse of the coming and continued to exchange letters practically animality dies out, and if the individual once occult explosion." Ray once wrote he had up to Shaver's death in 1975. Marjorie insists more acts like a hypothetical celestial being, noted that sales increased by a couple of that Ray and Shaver never had any sort of he or she is said to have been "reborn" as a thousand whenever a story-title with "Atlan- partnership and never "cooked up" any de- human being—even though, in reality, there tis" or "Lemuria" appeared on the cover of bates "to keep the SM alive." may be no such thing. If one is "reborn" in Amazing Stories. This hardly indicated to 9. Because of strong protests from or- "hell," he or she is said to be burning with Palmer (or anyone else) that "millions" of ganizations of conservative science-fiction anxiety—here and now, not in any afterlife. young readers "were hungering for far-out fans, the Ziff-Davis management ordered Finally, if there is no immortality in science." Ray did follow up on this clue to Palmer to cease publishing material on the Buddhism, how does it conceive of "eternal reader interest, however, when he gave the SM, but it did not "ask Palmer to go." He life"? Though no Buddhist himself, Ludwig title "I Remember Lemuria" to the first remained with Ziff-Davis until the company Wittgenstein expressed what Japanese haiku Shaver Mystery (SM) story. Sales of Amaz- prepared to move its offices to New York attempts to convey, namely, the timelessness ing prior to SM were about 65,000—quite City, whereupon Palmer, who did not wish of the moment. Wittgenstein wrote: "If we high as far as the sales of science-fiction to move, resigned. take eternity to mean not infinite duration magazines usually went (40,000 to 50,000 10. Gardner states that Curt and Mary but timelessness, then eternal life belongs to was the norm, and this because fans tended Fuller of Fate "have almost as little belief in those who live in the present." to buy most of the science-fiction magazines what they publish as Palmer did" and gives being published). At the height of interest in as an example a remark by Mary that "the F. Mark Davis the SM, sales increased to over 95,000. The Bermuda Triangle is for the birds." In fact, Chico, Calif. "occult" readership thus amounted to less Fate published "The Bermuda Triangle and

64 FREE INQUIRY Other Hoaxes" by Larry Kusche in its Octo- Geier a height of more than eight. Palmer fringe." Yes, it would turn off some readers, ber 1975 issue. At that time Mary wrote gave conflicting accounts of how he had been Palmer admitted to Browne, but it would Lloyd's of London to inquire about its in- injured. Geier buys the truck version. "bring in more than we lose." Browne re- surance rates and claims for the area called Howard Browne, in an article on Palmer sponded with a slogan: "There is no God the "Bermuda Triangle." Lloyd's reply, stat- cited below, says Ray told him he had been but Palmer, and Shaver is his Profit." ing that it could "find no evidence to support hit by a Milwaukee streetcar. 7. In a 1961 piece in Hidden Words the claim that the `Bermuda Triangle' has 4. When Palmer left Ziff-Davis in 1949, (quoted in the entry on Shaver in The Visual more losses than elsewhere," was published Browne became chief editor of the firm's Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, by Brian along with Kusche's article. The Fullers, Fiction Group, a post held until he returned Ash), Palmer confessed that "a great deal of whom I have known and worked with for to Hollywood in 1956. See Browne's article the actual writing of the stories produced four decades, have always been open about and the entries on Browne and his successor under Mr. Shaver's name has been mine." what they do and do not believe. at Ziff, Paul Fairman, in the Science Fiction He added that what he usually did was 11. The name Gardner gives as "Robert Encyclopedia. rewrite Shaver's basic plots. According to T. Webster" is inaccurate. It is "Robert N. 5. I stand by my statement that Palmer Browne, Palmer "rewrote extensively" the Webster," a house name used not only by sniffed the coming occult explosion long Shaver documents. Details about Shaver's Palmer but by others during Fate's early before other SF editors. My "millions of stay in a mental hospital are scanty and con- years. young readers" obviously refers to readers flicting. 12. Gardner lists Imagination among the in general, not just Amazing subscribers. 8. "What is less known, "says The Visual magazines edited by Palmer. In fact, Imagi- Recent surveys show that about half of all Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, "is the nation was published and edited by William college students now believe in astrology and animosity between Palmer and Shaver them- L. Hamling, who was a close friend of Ray the paranormal. selves." This is evident in the angry letters and an assistant editor of the Ziff-Davis pulp 6. Ray may never have told his wife that from Shaver that Palmer published, unless magazines between 1944 and 1950. the Shaver flap was a swindle, but not one of course the animosity was cooked up to who worked for Ziff at the time, or who keep the dero hoax alive. Chester S. Geier knew Palmer, thought otherwise. Browne, 9. It is often hard to know whether a Chicago, Ill. in his article on Palmer, "A Profit without person resigned or was fired. "Palmer left Honor" (Amazing, May 1984) calls it a Ziff-Davis in 1949 under strange circum- deliberate effort to capture the "lunatic stances"—this is how Brown puts it in his Martin Gardner replies:

Chester Geier, a Ziff-Davis editor and pro- lific writer of pulp science fiction, was Ray Palmer's top booster of the Shaver hoax. He organized the Shaver Mystery Club, and s H )BER AT LAST for its fans he edited the Shaver Mystery .. the guidebook for secular sobriety! Magazine. It is unthinkable that either he or Palmer saw the hoax as anything but a flimflam to boost the circulation of Amaz- How to Stay Sober ing Stories. I will comment briefly on Geier's Recovery Without Religion dubious points. ( hr st.ph1•i James Christopher 1. "Forgotten" is a vague word. No doubt Mrs. Palmer and some older SF buffs The first book for alcoholics who have been frustrated by the "spiritual" approach of A.A. and similar groups ... or for those who know of an alcoholic or addict who feels alienated have not forgotten Ray, but it is hard to by the implication that recovery is not possible without reliance on a "Higher Power." find younger fans who know who he was. James Christopher, a secular humanist and long-time sober alcoholic, struggled to maintain 2. Charles Brown, in his Palmer obit his philosophical integrity in the search for recovery—and succeeded! This book focuses on (Locus, September 1987) said the "A "stood the practical aspects of recovery and includes guidelines for the formation of secular support for Arthur. In an effort to verify this, I asked groups. Jerome Clark, a Fate editor. He replied that Christopher is an author, educator, speaker, and counselor living in California. He is coordinating his boss, Curtis Fuller, told him the "A" the national grass-roots secular sobriety movement and is editor of the SSG Newsletter. stood only for "the first letter in the alpha- 170 pages ISBN 0-87975-438-9 Cloth $18.95 ISBN 0-87975-457-5 Paper $12.95 bet. " Fuller added that the "B" in Raymond PROMETHEUS BOOKS B. Palmer (Palmer's son) stood for the 700 East Amherst St. • Buffalo, N.Y. 14215 alphabet's second letter. I'll accept Geier's Order toll-free (800) 421-0351 • In N.Y. State, (716) 837-2475 "Alfred" when I see a copy of Ray's birth certificate. • 3. I don't know Palmer's exact height, Please send me copies of How to Stay Sober (❑ Cloth/D Paper) at $ per copy. but it was surely closer to four feet than NAME five. The Science Fiction Encyclopedia ADDRESS (Peter Nicholls, ed.) says he was Your feet CITY STATE ZIP tall." Brown's obit calls him a 'four foot tall I'a1'ment ntt,sl a( +nnpany all orders Irani individuals. Please include ($2.00 Ixntagr and handling for first Iwnk, $.7-; fnr ea( h additional book i$4, () maximum). N.Y. State residents add applicable sales tax. Allow hunchback. "An accompanying photo shows t-(, weeks fin' delivery. Call for return and group discount policies.) Total amount this order $ Palmer standing with a group that includes Geier. If Palmer were five feet it would give

Spring 1988 65

(Wine, Cont d. from p. 52) that, the center should charge reasonable issue is the quality of service the community (IHEU, coned. from p. 68) fees for the services it provides. provides. Will there be a competent leader? At present the commission receives oc- FI: For lectures? Will there be inspiring programs? casional, small grants—and, on a very Wine: Mostly for counseling and educa- FI: It is a political problem for us, as limited scale, some funds from IHEU. But tion. People who belong to a Unitarian you know, because secular humanism is these funds cannot go much further than to church may end up paying something like under attack everywhere as being "religious." pay a secretary. So the IHEU is setting up a five hundred dollars a year. Well, if a hu- We are continually dismayed by the number special fund devoted to supporting a full- manist center represents someone's world- of prominent humanists who describe secular time position of researcher/lawyer: The view, and if it provides important services, humanism that way. We deny that it is. IHEU Human Rights Action Fund. why shouldn't the center charge? Wine: Using the word religion to describe Why should you contribute? FI: Why don't you call these centers secular humanism does not detract from its The Commission of Human Rights is, in "ethical," "scientific," or "educational" cen- message. Nor does it endanger the separation a key sense, the IHEU's activist arm. First, ters? Why do you stick with the word reli- of religion and government. If the philos- it defends and supports individuals through- gious? ophy of secular humanism is regarded as a out the world whose rights to free thought Wine: I have no difficulty with the word religion, it is still quite clear that the princi- have been violated. And perhaps just as religion. In North America it is a useful ples of that religion are not being taught in important: The commission's activities have word. It describes the social role we perform the public schools. Empirical science is not been able to publicize humanist organiza- in the lives of our members. But this word secular humanism. Many other groups em- tions and principles on an international is not an important issue. The important brace it, too. • scale, and it has the potential to publicize them far beyond the traditional forums provided by humanist meetings, books, and Good-looking sturdy holders to magazines. As an indication of how the commission has already successfully pro- protect your copies of FREE INQUIRY. moted the humanist cause, the number of Holders are available in either red, yellow, blue, cases submitted has been growing at a steady rate. green, or black vinyl with gold ornamentation and Please send your support to: convenient slots for labels on the front and the back. The IHEU Human Rights Action Fund Box 5 Buffalo, New York 1415-0005

—Robert Basil

(Letters, cont 'dfrom p. 65)

obit. "Some claimed that the publisher had decided to kill the Shaver material, and fired Palmer, while others claim that Palmer wanted to start his own magazines catering more to psychic phenomena. " Brown favors the second conjecture. My information favors the first. FREE INQUIRY. Each container holds 20 issues (5 years) of 10. True, Fate now and then prints a $6.95 each, plus $1.50 for postage and handling token skeptical piece, such as Kusche's article on the Bermuda Triangle, but earlier Please send me holders in red issues ran more positive pieces about the triangle. 1f the Fullers, both Unitarians, yellow blue green black believe half the paranormal crap in Fate, it Total $ would imply that they are morons, which I doubt. o Enclosed is my check or money order 11. Geier is right on this one. The "T" Charge my VISA o MasterCard o was my typo. I have several letters from Card # Exp Date Robert N. Webster. 12. The Science Fiction Encyclopedia Name states that Palmer "began a companion magazine, Imagination, in 1950," and later Street sold it to Hamling. A recent editor of Amaz- ing told me that Palmer edited the first two City State Zip issues. give Geier's letter an overall accuracy FREE INQUIRY, Box 5, Buffalo, NY 14215-0005 score of D+.

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