FI June July cut_FI 6/27/13 12:03 PM Page 2 For many, mere atheism (the absence of belief in gods and the supernatural) or agnosticism (the view that such questions cannot be answered) aren’t enough. It’s liberating to recognize that supernatural beings are human creations … that there’s no such thing as “spirit” … that people are undesigned, unintended, and responsible for themselves. But what’s next? Atheism and agnosticism are silent on larger questions of values and meaning. If Meaning in life is not ordained from on high, what small-m meanings can we work out among ourselves? If eternal life is an illusion, how can we make the most of our only lives? As social beings sharing a godless world, how should we coexist? For the questions that remain unanswered after we’ve cleared our minds of gods and souls and spirits, many atheists, agnostics, skeptics, and freethinkers turn to secular humanism. Secular. “Pertaining to the world or things not spiritual or sacred.” Humanism. “Any system of thought or action concerned with the interests or ideals of people … the intellectual and cultural movement … characterized by an emphasis on human interests rather than … religion.” — Webster’s Dictionary Secular humanism is a comprehensive, nonreligious life stance incorporating: A naturalistic philosophy A cosmic outlook rooted in science, and A consequentialist ethical system in which acts are judged not by their conformance to preselected norms but by their consequences for men and women in the world. The Council for Secular Humanism is North America’s leading organization for nonreligious people who seek to live value-rich lives. FREE INQUIRY is its magazine. Welcome! To learn more, visit http://www.secularhumanism.org FI June July cut_FI 6/27/13 12:03 PM Page 2 August/September 2013 Vol. 33 No. 5 28 In Defense of Sam Harris’s CELEBRATING REASON AND HUMANITY ‘Science of Morality’ Amir E. Salehi Facing the Worst Without God For many, mere atheism (the absence of belief in gods and the supernatural) or agnosticism Islam Reconsidered (the view that such questions cannot be answered) aren’t enough. It’s liberating to recognize 16 Profiles of Resilience: Interviews with that supernatural beings are human creations … that there’s no such thing as “spirit” … that Atheistic Spinal Cord Injury Survivors 33 Islam and Its Text James Snell people are undesigned, unintended, and responsible for themselves. But what’s next? Karen Hwang 35 Islam: A Totalitarian Package Atheism and agnosticism are silent on larger questions of values and meaning. of Religion and Politics Revisiting Right and Wrong If Meaning in life is not ordained from on high, what small-m meanings can we work out Madeline Weld among ourselves? If eternal life is an illusion, how can we make the most of our only lives? The Foundation of Ethics 20 39 The Holy Spirit—Christianity’s As social beings sharing a godless world, how should we coexist? and Morals in America Two-edged Resource Reynold Spector George A. Wells For the questions that remain unanswered after we’ve cleared our minds of gods and souls secular humanism. and spirits, many atheists, agnostics, skeptics, and freethinkers turn to 26 In Response to Reynold Spector 41 What Paul Revere’s Ride Tells Us about Jesus Ronald A. Lindsay Mark Rubinstein Secular. “Pertaining to the world or things not spiritual or sacred.” Humanism. “Any system of thought or action concerned with the interests or ideals of people … the intellectual and cultural movement … characterized by an emphasis on human interests rather than … religion.” EDITORIAL LETTERS 59 The God Argument: The Case 4 The Looming Supreme Court 14 Against Religion and for Humanism — Webster’s Dictionary Showdowns by A.C. Grayling Ronald A. Lindsay DEPARTMENTS Reviewed by Brooke Horvath Secular humanism is a comprehensive, nonreligious life stance incorporating: 45 Church-State Update OP-EDS Trouble Down Under, Part 2: 61 There Is No God: Atheists in America A naturalistic philosophy 7 Celebrating Fifty Years of Separation Lessons for the United States by David A. Williamson Tom Flynn Edd Doerr and George Yancey Reviewed by Ryan T. Cragun A cosmic outlook rooted in science, and 8 Supreme Court Killing an 47 Applied Ethics Innocent Man Religion as Emotional Blackmail 63 Culture Wars: The Threat to Your Nat Hentoff Donald R. Burleson A consequentialist ethical system in which acts are judged not by their conformance Family and Your Freedom by Marie Alena Castle to preselected norms but by their consequences for men and women in the world. 9 Singing the DSM-5 Blues 49 Living Without Religion Reviewed by Edd Doerr Arthur L. Caplan Mass Shootings and Theodicy Gary J. Whittenberger 11 Why We Need to Keep Fighting The Council for Secular Humanism is North America’s leading organization for nonreligious Greta Christina 54 God on Trial POEMS people who seek to live value-rich lives. FREE INQUIRY is its magazine. Evaluating the New Atheists’ by Terese Coe 12 God-Talk for Atheists Criticism of Scripture Herb Silverman James Metzger Welcome! 51 Where Have You Come From, Where Are You Going? To learn more, visit http://www.secularhumanism.org REVIEWS OBITUARY 57 Why Tolerate Religion? 13 Henry Morgentaler, 1923–2013 by Brian Leiter 66 Of Course There’s a God Reviewed by Russell Blackford Editor Thomas W. Flynn Associate Editors John R. Shook, Lauren Becker Managing Editor Andrea Szalanski Ronald A. Lindsay Editorial Columnists Ophelia Benson, Russell Blackford, Arthur Caplan, Greta Christina, Edd Doerr, Shadia B. Drury, Nat Hentoff, Tibor R. Machan Senior Editors Bill Cooke, Richard Dawkins, Edd Doerr, James A. Haught, Jim Herrick, Gerald A. Larue, Ronald A. Lindsay, Taslima Nasrin Contributing Editors Roy P. Fairfield, Charles The Looming Supreme Faulkner, Levi Fragell, Adolf Grünbaum, Marvin Kohl, Lee Nisbet, Court Showdowns Literary Editor Austin MacRae Assistant Editors Julia Lavarnway Sean Lachut Permissions Editor Julia Lavarnway he 2013–2014 term of the U.S. their way through the courts. Also, it is Art Director Christopher S. Fix Supreme Court could be its most possible that the Department of Health Production Paul E. Loynes Sr. Timportant in years with respect to and Human Services (HHS) could make church-state issues. We already know that the entire cascade of lawsuits moot by Chair Edward Tabash the court will hear a case involving the rescinding the regulation in question. Board of Directors R. Elisabeth Cornwell constitutionality of invocations in local I think that is extremely unlikely; it is Kendrick Frazier government settings such as city hall or much more likely that the Supreme Court Barry A. Kosmin county board meetings: Town of Greece will resolve this issue, with the princi- Jonathan Tobert Leonard Tramiel v. Galloway (No. 12-696). By itself, this pal uncertainty being the timing of the Lawrence Krauss (Honorary) case would make the upcoming term sig- court’s involvement. nificant, but the Supreme Court may also Back to the prayer case: interest in Chief Executive Officer Ronald A. Lindsay this one is high in part because this will Executive Director Thomas W. Flynn be the first time in thirty years that the Associate Director Lauren Becker court has considered the constitution- ality of prayer in the setting of a gov- Director, Campus and Community Programs (CFI) Debbie Goddard ernment meeting. The court last con- “The 2013–2014 term of the U.S. sidered this issue in Marsh v. Chambers, Director, Secular Organizations 463 U.S. 783 (1983), in which it ruled for Sobriety Jim Christopher Supreme Court could be its most that prayers by chaplains in legislatures Director, African Americans for Humanism Debbie Goddard important in years with respect did not violate the establishment clause. (I remember that decision well because Director of to church-state issues.” Development (CFI) Alan Kinniburgh at the time I was representing Madalyn Murray O’Hair in a case challenging Director of Libraries (CFI) Timothy Binga chaplains in Congress; Marsh made my Communications Director Paul Fidalgo case moot.) Marsh is notable because Database Manager (CFI) Jacalyn Mohr it did not apply the court’s accepted Webmaster Matthew Licata test for constitutionality in establish- have a chance to resolve the contentious ment clause cases, that is, the tripartite Staff Pat Beauchamp, Ed Beck, issue of whether the federal regulation test of Lemon v. Kurtzman. (Does the Melissa Braun, Shirley Brown, Cheryl Catania, that requires employers to provide con- government action lack a secular pur- Eric Chinchón, Matt traceptive services under the Affordable pose? Does it advance religion? Does Cravatta, Roe Giambrone, Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare) violates it entangle government with religion?) Jason Gross, Lisa Nolan, Paul Paulin, Anthony Santa the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Instead, it found legislative prayer to Lucia, Diane Tobin, (RFRA). We will not know for a few more be a unique historical exception to the Vance Vigrass months yet whether the Supreme Court rule that government endorsement of Executive Director Emerita Jean Millholland will intervene, because there are literally religion is impermissible. The majority dozens of lawsuits on this issue winding opinion in Marsh did place some limits 4 FREE INQUIRY AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013 secularhumanism.org FREE INQUIRY (ISSN 0272-0701) is published bimonthly by on legislative prayer, however, indi- Court will endorse the approach taken the Council for Secular Humanism, a nonprofit educational cating that legislative prayer might be by the appeals court in Town of Greece corporation, P.O. Box 664, Amherst, NY 14226-0664. Phone (716) 636-7571. Fax (716) 636-1733. Copyright ©2013 by unconstitutional if the “prayer oppor- v. Galloway. More likely though, it will the Council for Secular Humanism. All rights reserved. No part tunity has been exploited to proselytize issue a decision with broader implica- of this periodical may be reproduced without permission of the publisher.