VOL. 145 WORLD’S OLDEST FREETHOUGHT PUBLICATION JAN.–APRIL 2018 FOUNDED BY D.M. BENNETT IN 1873 THE CHARGE IS OSTENSIBLY ‘OBSCENITY’. BUT THE REAL OFFENSE IS THAT I PRESUME TO UTTER SENTIMENTS AND OPINIONS contents IN OPPOSITION TO THE VIEWS ENTERTAINED BY THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. bertrand russell, truth seeker 4 —D.M. BENNETT Peter Stone tom paine award 9 DEAR READER, bertrand russell According to a recent survey, over one-third of Ameri- Gary Berton, Coordinator at the Institute for Thom- cans are atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in particular.” And as Paine Studies, reviews Losing Our Religion, a doc- rejoice! secularism won! 10 while it sounds encouraging, 19th and early 20th-cen- umentary film about the clergy who join the ranks of thomas larson tury freethinkers––and some social scientists––also be- non-believers. These clerics seem to be under the im- lieved religion was dying out. But as we learned while pression that they are unique and the first “converts” free thought and official researching our American Freethought film series, their to unbelief. The overwhelming majority of 19th and propaganda 18 hopes were dashed by the resurgence of religious funda- early 20th-century freethinkers had also been devout bertrand russell mentalism in the 1920s. Christians, including the founder of the Truth Seeker. At a time when evangelical Christians have an in- And ironically, many prominent unbelievers were for- ordinate amount of influence in mer pastors. the struggle for europe 24 our government and the world is Historian Nathan Alexander howard bloom again confronted with the pos- writes about the freethinkers sibility of nuclear annihilation, who fought against racism, most freethinkers and the fight we’re looking back at the free- notably Robert Ingersoll and against racism 30 thinking philosopher Bertrand Truth Seeker contributor James nathan alexander Russell (1872–1970). A pacifist F. Morton. From our archives, and critical thinker ahead of his we offer the only known account why religion is not going away 38 time, Russell condemned Chris- and photographs of the histori- peter harrison tianity and protested against cally significant 1894 New Ro- war and the the use of nuclear chelle Decoration Day services “losing our religion” weapons. where Robert Ingersoll and his book review 42 In this issue, Bertrand Rus- fellow prominent Liberals paid gary berton This page D.M. BENNETT MONUMENT GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY sell’s philosophy and wisdom is tribute to author-hero Thomas BROOKLYN, NEW YORK eloquently expressed in his 1922 Paine. decoration day services Cover BERTRAND RUSSELL, 1951 “Free Thought and Official Pro- In 1882, a few weeks after in new rochelle 44 QUOTE IS FROM THE PREFACE TO paganda.” And in his 1962 Tom D.M. Bennett’s death, his suc- HIS BOOK WHY I AM NOT A CHRISTIAN AND OTHER ESSAYS ON RELIGION AND Paine Award acceptance message, BUST OF BERTRAND RUSSELL BY MARCELLE QUINTON (1980) cessor Eugene Macdonald wrote THE future of RELATED SUBJECTS. THE EQUATION 1879 obscenity trial. his during defended D.M. BENNETT and IS HIS Russell articulates the importance RED LION SQUARE, CAMDEN/LONDON an article about the future of the “the truth seeker” 54 STATEMENT FOR THE CONTRADICTION (LONPICMAN) https://creativecommons.org of freedom and civil liberties. Truth Seeker published on what eugene macdonald KNOWN AS “RUSSELL’S PARADOX.” Professor and former editor of the Bertrand Russell Soci- would have been Bennett’s 64th birthday. On the same N.Y.) Libraries in Amherst, BINGA/Center for Inquiry courtesy of TIM (Photograph ety Quarterly, Peter Stone provides a biographical sketch page, Macdonald printed D.M. Bennett’s amusing ac- which reveals the English philosopher’s brilliant career, count of his birthday bath the previous year in the “holy” courageous devotion to peace, and lifelong search for truth. Nile river. Religion is here to stay according to Australian author This year we commemorate the 200th anniversary and Laureate Fellow Peter Harrison. We are assured by of D.M. Bennett’s birth. Although Bennett was impris- Thomas Larson, however, that secularism has won –– oned for violating the Comstock obscenity law–-the real but we can never celebrate. Former publicist and author crime––in the eyes of his Christian persecutors, was his MACDONALD WILSON ALEXANDER D.M. BENNETT medallion for the created the bronze (1824–1908). MacDonald JAMES Third from left, HENRY ROWLEY (1855–1918), President of the Brooklyn Philosophical Association. Tall man in center, sculptor in center, man Tall Association. Philosophical Brooklyn ROWLEY (1855–1918), President of the Third from left, HENRY (1838–1896). Liberal University of Oregon faculty member CLARA WAKEMAN on right with father THADDEUS BURR WAKEMAN father THADDEUS BURR WAKEMAN right with on faculty member CLARA WAKEMAN of Oregon (1838–1896). Liberal University Howard Bloom examines the threat of jihadist Islam and publication of the blasphemous Truth Seeker. TS repeal the Comstock Act to petition campaign the organized and speaker, T.B. WAKEMAN editor, scholar, (1834–1913). Attorney, Monument in Brooklyn and the Thomas Paine bust at New Rochelle. Front, author and Liberal lecturer SAMUEL PORTER PUTNAM PORTER Liberal lecturer SAMUEL author and Front, Thomas Paine bust at New Rochelle. and the in Brooklyn Monument Prominent Freethinkers at the Thomas Paine Monument during the 1894 Decoration (Memorial) Day services in New Rochelle, N.Y. N.Y. Day services in New Rochelle, (Memorial) the 1894 Decoration Paine Monument during at the Thomas Freethinkers Prominent the struggle for Europe. ––RODERICK BRADFORD Editor and Publisher Roderick Bradford Creative Director and Designer Francesca M. Smith RODERICK BRADFORD | P.O. BOX 342 | BUFFALO, NEW YORK 14213 Visit our website www.thetruthseeker.net The Truth Seeker publication and TheTruthSeeker.net website are funded by the James Hervey Johnson Charitable Educational Trust. Copyright ©2018 Roderick Bradford Bertrand Russell, Truth Seeker BERTRAND RUSSELL, 1951. Figure out what is right—figure out what is true —and then act upon it. Don't be discouraged from doing —or thinking—what is right merely because from a few foundational concepts of logic. (In philosophy, it is unpopular. Be suspicious of any illegitimate forces that may be trying the belief that such a derivation is possible is known as logicism.) He had already been tinkering with the idea of to influence what you believe and what you do. writing a book on the foundations of mathematics; his encounter with Peano gave this work a definite direction. Be a freethinker. Be a truth seeker. To this end, Russell wrote a book entitled The Princi- ples of Mathematics (1903). He hoped to write a sequel to advance the ideas in this book further and to tie up by Peter Stone* a number of philosophical “loose ends.” To this end, he ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––called Russell. He was particularly fascinated by math- teamed up with his old mentor at Cambridge, Alfred North ematics. As a boy, he was introduced to the subject by Whitehead. Whitehead had also written a book on the Frank, his older brother. Russell loved it, but he was dis- foundations of mathematics entitled A Treatise on Univer- hen the philosopher Bertrand Russell turned Russell has been living with his grandmother for several appointed to learn that mathematics rested upon axioms, sal Algebra (1898), and wished to publish a sequel to his Wtwelve years old, his grandmother gave him a Bible as years. He had lost his mother and sister to diphtheria which were supposed to be assumed but not proven. He own book. Russell and Whitehead began collaborating on a gift. On the flyleaf of the book, she inscribed some of when he was two, and his father to bronchitis (and a bro- went to Trinity College, Cambridge in 1890, hoping for a work that eventually became the three-volume Princip- her favorite Biblical verses. Among these was Exodus ken heart) when he was four. His parents, were real free- something better, but he was very disappointed with ia Mathematica (published in 1910, 1912, and 1913). It 23:2—“Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.” This thinkers, and lived an eccentric, bohemian lifestyle. They what he found there. To him, mathematics as practiced is a long and difficult work, and no one can doubt its verse perfectly encapsulates Russell’s attitude through- had named Douglas Spalding (the children’s tutor) and at Cambridge seemed to be nothing more than a toolkit level of rigor; it is not until midway through the second out his long life. Figure out what is right—figure out what T.J. Cobden-Sanderson as guardians of their children. of technical tricks used to solve problems. It functioned volume that Russell and Whitehead are able to establish is true—and then act upon it. Don’t be discouraged from But Spalding had engaged in a sexual affair with Bertie’s with only a vague and intuitive understanding of some of that 1 + 1 = 2. (Immediately after proving this result in doing—or thinking—what is right merely because it is mother, with her husband’s consent. (Spalding suffered the central concepts that lay at its core, such as “num- the book, Russell quips, “The above proposition is occa- unpopular. Be suspicious of any illegitimate forces that from consumption, and so never married. Apparently, ber,” “limit,” and “infinity.” He was therefore delighted to sionally useful.”) may be trying to influence what you believe and what you Bertie’s parents did not think it fair that he should be de- learn that there were mathematicians elsewhere in the Unfortunately, this work, while impressive, did not do. Be a freethinker. Be a truth seeker. nied a sexual relationship.) Bertie’s grandparents learned world—great minds like Georg Cantor, Karl Weierstrass, accomplish what Russell had hoped it would—place all Mind you, this was not quite the lesson Russell’s of the affair by reading his mother’s journals, and took and Richard Dedekind—who were actively tackling these of mathematics on the secure foundation of the funda- grandmother had hoped to impart to her grandson.