Comments for The Humanist Community Project http://harvardhumanist.org From the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard Mon, 14 May 2012 20:47:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on I Have a Dream by Myra http://harvardhumanist.org/2012/04/23/i-have-a-dream/#comment-1649 Myra Mon, 14 May 2012 20:47:35 +0000 http://harvardhumanist.org/?p=1634#comment-1649 Thank you for your comments, Brent. I hope you'll keep reading the blog. In Phoenix, where I was Membership Chair and then Vice President, the question of children and family oriented programming was raised a number of times. Our core group at the time we started fundraising to have our own building was age 40 and up and we had very few children. So for several years we focussed on the fundraising and not on developing programming to bring in young families. Now that we have the building, we can start recruiting young families and seeing what kind of programming they want. It's tricky, as you may have found, because we want to offer programming but not indocrinate children as religious organizations do. I believe it CAN be done and will make a note to discuss this in a future blog post. Certainly it is something that could be discussed in a retreat setting over a weekend or even longer... don't you think? Does anyone else have ideas on this topic? Thank you for your comments, Brent. I hope you’ll keep reading the blog. In Phoenix, where I was Membership Chair and then Vice President, the question of children and family oriented programming was raised a number of times. Our core group at the time we started fundraising to have our own building was age 40 and up and we had very few children. So for several years we focussed on the fundraising and not on developing programming to bring in young families. Now that we have the building, we can start recruiting young families and seeing what kind of programming they want. It’s tricky, as you may have found, because we want to offer programming but not indocrinate children as religious organizations do. I believe it CAN be done and will make a note to discuss this in a future blog post. Certainly it is something that could be discussed in a retreat setting over a weekend or even longer… don’t you think? Does anyone else have ideas on this topic?

]]> Comment on Humanism: 99 Q’s and A’s by William http://harvardhumanist.org/2012/03/28/humanism-99-qs-and-as/#comment-1637 William Sun, 13 May 2012 16:44:45 +0000 http://harvardhumanist.org/?p=1440#comment-1637 Excellent work! Clear simple language to describe a growing and broad range of people that have a passion for reason backed with a healthy dose of compassion! I'm glad that you included the following two answers: "deist, spiritualist, non-religious,..." "Many people do not believe “God” is a supernatural supreme being. They view God as a “force”, a “power”, a “presence” or a “process” within the natural world." Discussions of this nature or about "God" are not always limited by differences in the perspectives of two separate people, but rather by the limitation of human language at this point in our cultural evolution. Sometimes the word "God" is a single word that we use as tool to encompass a multiplicity of abstract human concepts simultaneously. As you alluded to, their are humanists that may use the word "God" in a very generalized sense to express a universal process "within" nature. This can be more effective at reaching certain audiences than an onerous discussion about the laws of physics, thermodynamics, the role of the Laws of Form in the propositional calculus of logic, and the philosophical implication or validity of teleology. As your work has so aptly done, a key value to consistently express is not where humanist differ from others but what they share in common. Unlike some very sincere religious adherents it is important that those that identify with the humanist label shift the focus away from an "us" versus "them" approach. It's important that humanist's equally express the role and value religion and religious ethics contribute to the world. The message appears to be that humanist's accept, encourage, and embrace the good in all people and all religions. The commonly held values you expressed amongst humanists, religious adherents, and all people are important to the growth of civilization. Thank you for your words and work. One critique: "If God appeared on earth, would humanists then believe "he" exists?" Try: "If God appeared on earth, would humanists then believe "God" exists?" The use of the word "he" may imply that all religious adherents believe in a gender-specific masculine identity for the conception of God. Changing it to the more general term "God" eliminates any potential misunderstandings. Thank you again for being a voice of reason with a healthy and well needed dose of compassion! Excellent work! Clear simple language to describe a growing and broad range of people that have a passion for reason backed with a healthy dose of compassion!

I’m glad that you included the following two answers:

“deist, spiritualist, non-religious,…”

“Many people do not believe “God” is a supernatural supreme being. They view God as a “force”, a “power”, a “presence” or a “process” within the natural world.”

Discussions of this nature or about “God” are not always limited by differences in the perspectives of two separate people, but rather by the limitation of human language at this point in our cultural evolution. Sometimes the word “God” is a single word that we use as tool to encompass a multiplicity of abstract human concepts simultaneously. As you alluded to, their are humanists that may use the word “God” in a very generalized sense to express a universal process “within” nature. This can be more effective at reaching certain audiences than an onerous discussion about the laws of physics, thermodynamics, the role of the Laws of Form in the propositional calculus of logic, and the philosophical implication or validity of teleology.

As your work has so aptly done, a key value to consistently express is not where humanist differ from others but what they share in common. Unlike some very sincere religious adherents it is important that those that identify with the humanist label shift the focus away from an “us” versus “them” approach. It’s important that humanist’s equally express the role and value religion and religious ethics contribute to the world. The message appears to be that humanist’s accept, encourage, and embrace the good in all people and all religions. The commonly held values you expressed amongst humanists, religious adherents, and all people are important to the growth of civilization. Thank you for your words and work.

One critique:
“If God appeared on earth, would humanists then believe “he” exists?”

Try:
“If God appeared on earth, would humanists then believe “God” exists?”

The use of the word “he” may imply that all religious adherents believe in a gender-specific masculine identity for the conception of God. Changing it to the more general term “God” eliminates any potential misunderstandings.

Thank you again for being a voice of reason with a healthy and well needed dose of compassion!

]]> Comment on Reason Rally! by Temple of the Future http://harvardhumanist.org/2012/02/18/reason-rally/#comment-1617 Temple of the Future Fri, 11 May 2012 19:14:46 +0000 http://harvardhumanist.org/?p=1155#comment-1617 [...] I’m hopeful, but wary. I’ll be heading to the Rally with my colleagues and friends from Harvard with both excitement and trepidation, reaching for a reason to [...] [...] I’m hopeful, but wary. I’ll be heading to the Rally with my colleagues and friends from Harvard with both excitement and trepidation, reaching for a reason to [...]

]]> Comment on About HCP by The Meming of Life » Missing church Parenting Beyond Belief on secular parenting and other natural wonders http://harvardhumanist.org/about-hcp/#comment-1610 The Meming of Life » Missing church Parenting Beyond Belief on secular parenting and other natural wonders Thu, 10 May 2012 15:45:00 +0000 http://www.denvelopers.com/humanist/?page_id=21#comment-1610 [...] there’s all sorts of recent action in this area, from Volunteers Beyond Belief to the Humanist Community Project at Harvard and an ever-greater focus on community and mutual support among local [...] [...] there’s all sorts of recent action in this area, from Volunteers Beyond Belief to the Humanist Community Project at Harvard and an ever-greater focus on community and mutual support among local [...]

]]> Comment on I Have a Dream by Brent Fisher http://harvardhumanist.org/2012/04/23/i-have-a-dream/#comment-1602 Brent Fisher Wed, 09 May 2012 22:31:02 +0000 http://harvardhumanist.org/?p=1634#comment-1602 Btw, what did you do in Phoenix? Btw, what did you do in Phoenix?

]]> Comment on I Have a Dream by Brent Fisher http://harvardhumanist.org/2012/04/23/i-have-a-dream/#comment-1601 Brent Fisher Wed, 09 May 2012 22:30:06 +0000 http://harvardhumanist.org/?p=1634#comment-1601 About thirty of my friends and I are trying to realize this dream is SLC UT. I'd love any updates you have. The challenge we have that we don't see any addresses for is the question of youth and children. For any sort of pragmatic enduring solution, we must begin to address that. About thirty of my friends and I are trying to realize this dream is SLC UT. I’d love any updates you have. The challenge we have that we don’t see any addresses for is the question of youth and children. For any sort of pragmatic enduring solution, we must begin to address that.

]]> Comment on The Who by Claire Kasman http://harvardhumanist.org/2012/05/08/the-who/#comment-1597 Claire Kasman Wed, 09 May 2012 13:36:56 +0000 http://harvardhumanist.org/?p=1696#comment-1597 I'm Myra Rubinstein's mom so ask her about me. I’m Myra Rubinstein’s mom so ask her about me.

]]> Comment on I Have a Dream by The Who | The Humanist Community Project http://harvardhumanist.org/2012/04/23/i-have-a-dream/#comment-1590 The Who | The Humanist Community Project Tue, 08 May 2012 16:36:42 +0000 http://harvardhumanist.org/?p=1634#comment-1590 [...] you who are just joining the conversation…. This is my second blog post discussing the idea of an American Humanist Retreat Center (AHRC). I appreciate the comments I’ve received and PLEASE if you are reading this feel quite free [...] [...] you who are just joining the conversation…. This is my second blog post discussing the idea of an American Humanist Retreat Center (AHRC). I appreciate the comments I’ve received and PLEASE if you are reading this feel quite free [...]

]]> Comment on 99 Q’s and A’s, Part II: The Issues by 99 Q’s and A’s, Part III: Values and Ethics | The Humanist Community Project http://harvardhumanist.org/2012/04/23/99-qs-and-as-part-ii-the-issues/#comment-1589 99 Q’s and A’s, Part III: Values and Ethics | The Humanist Community Project Tue, 08 May 2012 15:48:50 +0000 http://harvardhumanist.org/?p=1661#comment-1589 [...] Part I [...] [...] Part I [...]

]]> Comment on The Freethinkers’ Political Textbook – Steel, Velvet, and the Honorable Duelist by The Atheist Visibility Movement: Should atheists slam religion or respect it? | Away Point http://harvardhumanist.org/2012/02/16/the-freethinkers-political-textbook-steel-velvet-and-the-honorable-duelist/#comment-1588 The Atheist Visibility Movement: Should atheists slam religion or respect it? | Away Point Tue, 08 May 2012 15:44:25 +0000 http://harvardhumanist.org/?p=1028#comment-1588 [...] Humanist blogger and speaker James Croft, a doctoral student in educational philosophy at Harvard, insists that it can be done: [...] [...] Humanist blogger and speaker James Croft, a doctoral student in educational philosophy at Harvard, insists that it can be done: [...]

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