Author: mrboma

This is the weekly summary of the Humanist Network News (HNN). The HNN is published every Wednesday via e-mail and on the Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) Web site. This diary is a slightly reformatted copy of the weekly email they send me, which I post here every Thursday (Yes, I have permission from the IHS). (CP @ MLW, BT, SP)

March 8, 2006
Humanist Network News
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1. Court: Schools can’t turn away military recruiters for anti-gay policy
2. Now Hiring: IHS seeks 2 new employees
3. AHA also now hiring
4. Freethought convention season almost here
5. Pro-evolution columnist deftly debates Young Earth’er
6. Agnosticism: The power of not knowing (and enjoying it)
7. Film Review: Cache
8. Sweet Reason, my girlfriend’s gone religious on me
9. Letters to the Editor
10. Media Roundup
11. Strange Times
12. Cathartic Comics
13. Humanist Humor
14. Poll of the Week

Summaries, links, and MY TAKE across the break.
1. Court: Schools can’t turn away military recruiters for anti-gay policy
Can law schools refuse to allow military recruiters on campus to protest it’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policies against gays and do so without forfeiting federal dollars?  MORE

MY TAKE: I don’t know how DADT has been upheld 5 times. I mean, how is this Constitutional?

“Sexual orientation will not be a bar to service unless manifested by homosexual conduct. The military will discharge members who engage in homosexual conduct, which is defined as a homosexual act, a statement that the member is homosexual or bisexual, or a marriage or attempted marriage to someone of the same gender.” — quoted in “The Pentagon’s New Policy Guidelines on Homosexuals in the Military”, The New York Times (July 20, 1993), p.A14.

Now, I know there is a military code of conduct that gives the military far more control over soldiers than what an employer could legally claim over employees, but how can saying one is gay be the same as performing a sexual act? I’m no legal expert, but a simple declarative statement seems to clearly fall far short of the legal definition of a speech act. More importantly, the schools involved in this case ARE LAW SCHOOLS, so THEY ARE LEGAL EXPERTS and they clearly think DADT is illegal. I think that what will eventually kill DADT is this administration’s war lust. We are in desperate need of troops, and DADT allows an easy out for those who want to avoid deployment to the war zone. I know that I would declare myself bisexual were I to be drafted. Much easier than moving to Canada.

2. Now Hiring: IHS seeks 2 new employees
The Institute for Humanist Studies is looking to hire two new staff members: a half-time editor for Humanist Network News, and a full-time systems analyst/web developer.  MORE

MY TAKE: I don’t have the experience needed for either job… do you?

3. AHA also now hiring
The Institute for Humanist Studies is not the only organization looking to hire a humanist editor. The American Humanist Association (AHA), a national nonprofit organization of people working for the advancement of humanism, seeks an enthusiastic individual to edit the Humanist magazine. MORE

MY TAKE: See above.

4. Freethought convention season almost here
Spring is the season for freethought. HNN compiles spring Freethought conferences. MORE

MY TAKE: Gee, a movement that can support so many conventions/conferences must be pretty big. I wonder why there aren’t any political parties pandering to the 30 million non-religious in our country. That’s right: 30 million, an equal number to those who call themselves “evangelical Christians.” I guess the non-religious must not be as politically active as the Evangelicals. After all, you don’t see the non-religious holding conventions or rallies or taking cases to court to defend their right to non-belief, or sending a lobbyist to congress, or… wait a second… the non-religious do all of those things. Are you listening Democratic Party?

5. Pro-evolution columnist deftly debates Young Earth’er
A newspaper writer and a nuclear chemist verbally duked it out recently over evolution vs. Creationism in widely publicized debate in upstate New York. Read what one local humanist has to say about the event.  MORE

MY TAKE: A design does not require a designer. A designer does not have to be intelligent or even sentient, but can be simple natural mechanisms (such as natural selection). But even without getting into how science debunks the Bible, all you have to do is look at the Bible itself. The Bible (especially the Old Testament) is so riddled with internal inconsistencies and contradictions that any attempt to interpret it literally is absurd. Pile on top of that the fact that the Bible is a translation of copies that are who-knows-how-many generations removed from the original written documents, and that those original written documents are who-knows-how-many generations removed from the original stories that likely began as oral traditions, and the assertion of literal truth becomes even more ridiculous. Beyond that, you have the historical accounts of other cultures that contradict some biblical stories, and you have clear parallels in other mythologies from the same geographical area and time. The Old Testament is part history, part fiction.

6. Agnosticism: The power of not knowing (and enjoying it)
Canadian humanist columnist Doug Thomas says: “Every once in a while someone takes a swipe at agnosticism based on the mistaken impression that we agnostics are just unable to make up our minds.  Atheists attack because they think we are soft on theists and theists attack because they think we are just lost people who, with the right encouragement, will find our way back into the theist fold.  Both miss the point completely.” MORE

MY TAKE: I get the agnostic thing and can respect it. I suppose deep down I am technically an agnostic myself, since I admit there is a chance that there could be a higher power and that it can neither be proven nor disproven. But, I think it is so unlikely that I consider myself an atheist.

7. Film Review: Cache
Cache examines some of the darker sides of human nature. MORE

8. Sweet Reason, my girlfriend’s gone religious on me
A freethinker in France has a rude awakening when girlfriend becomes “practicing” Christian. Sweet Reason dishes out the advice. MORE

MY TAKE: Dump her. Seriously. You are talking about your fundamental world view. If that isn’t compatible, you will have tons of problems.

9. Letters to the Editor
Letters on agnosticism, hunting, and a variety of other topics. MORE

10. Media Roundup
“South Dakota’s abortion ban: Watching the extremist right in action”, “Missouri bill attempts to declare Christianity ‘majority’ religion”, “Bush Orders DHS to Create Center for Faith-Based Aid” MORE

MY TAKE: The latest steps in the building of the American theocracy/fascist state. Scary, but hopefully America will wake up this year and put a halt to this crap.

11. Strange Times
“Backward evolution” spawns ape-like people. MORE

12. Cathartic Comics
…an assortment of cartoons and comic strips about humanism, atheism, religion, science and freethought. MORE

13. Humanist Humor
An Irish “prostitute” returns home. Get the joke

14. Poll of the Week
What do you think of the U.S. military policy of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”? CAST YOUR VOTE

______________
About the IHS:

The IHS promotes nonreligious perspectives on social, political, and ethical issues and serves as a resource for and about the humanist community. Questions, comments, concerns, got a better joke or a story? Send a letter to the editor.

To subscribe to the HNN weekly email like I do, Click Here

If anything here interests you, or if you are one of those people who doesn’t “get” humanism, you may also be interested in my diary on what secular humanism is and what it is like to be a secular humanist in today’s political climate: I Am The Boogeyman.

This is the weekly summary of the Humanist Network News (HNN). The HNN is published every Wednesday via e-mail and on the Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) Web site. This diary is a slightly reformatted copy of the weekly email they send me, which I post here every Thursday (Yes, I have permission from the IHS). (CP @ MLW, BT, SP)

February 28, 2006
Humanist Network News
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This week’s HNN is the monthly podcast, so nothing in the extended area this week.

1. New HNN podcast features freethinking cartoonists, eBay atheist
2. Cathartic Comics: A selection of freethought cartoons by the cartoonists featured in this week’s podcast.

This is the weekly summary of the Humanist Network News (HNN). The HNN is published every Wednesday via e-mail and on the Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) Web site. This diary is a slightly reformatted copy of the weekly email they send me, which I post here every Thursday (Yes, I have permission from the IHS). (CP @ MLW, BT, SP)

February 22, 2006
Humanist Network News
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1. Helping youth help us all
2. Kurtz to speak at IHEU – UN bioethics conference
3. Ontario Tories’ Tory supports religious schools
4. Rationally Speaking: Are you pursuing your project?
5. Comparing media from around the world
6. Film Review: Freedomland
7. Sweet Reason, can a student start a Darwin club?
8. Letters to the Editor
9. Media Roundup
10. Cathartic Comics
11. Humanist Humor
12. Poll of the Week

Summaries, links, and MY TAKE across the break.
1. Helping youth help us all
The secular movement suffers from a chronic case of youth deficiency. But some groups are getting better at reaching out to young humanists. August E. Brusnman IV, executive director of the Secular Student Alliance, sheds light on how some freethought groups are doing good outreach to the next generation. MORE

MY TAKE: It kind of goes against the notion that secular humanists don’t proselytize, but I guess you kind of have to proselytize in order to compete in the marketplace of ideas. Plus, I know from personal experience that it can be quite comforting to find out that there are like minded individuals out there, and I’m sure there are many free-thinking youngsters that may feel like something of an outsider in our heavily Christianized society, so this outreach could be very welcome to them.

2. Kurtz to speak at IHEU – UN bioethics conference
Famous humanist Paul Kurtz will be among the distinguished speakers at the IHEU – Appignani Center for Bioethics conference in April. MORE

3. Ontario Tories’ Tory supports religious schools
Doug Thomas examines the future of publicly funded religious schools in Canada. MORE

MY TAKE: Canada is an odd bag: more conservative in some ways, yet far more liberal in others. This issue is an example of that odd situation. They want to eliminate favoritism to the Roman Catholic Church Schools, but they propose to do it by funding the other religious schools equally, rather than removing funding for the Catholic schools. The problem with this proposal is that it then favors religious private schools over secular private schools. Of course, the Canadian Constitution complicates the whole matter, so go read the article to get the full overview of this issue.

4. Rationally Speaking: Are you pursuing your project?
Dr. Massimo Pigliucci explores philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre’s notions about human actions and ethical choices. MORE

5. Comparing media from around the world
Have you wondered how media are different across the world? Prof. Robert McKenzie takes a look at how media in different countries vary on their policies about religious coverage, nudity, graphic violence, profanity, and MORE

6. Film Review: Freedomland
HNN Film Critic Carolyn Braunius writes: “Freedomland is an awkward discourse on oppression in America.” MORE

7. Sweet Reason, can a student start a Darwin club?
A high school students asks “Sweet Reason” for advice on starting a Darwin club to offset other high school creationist and ID clubs. MORE

8. Letters to the Editor
Letters on the Muhammad cartoons, Agnostic Mom, secular dating and MORE

9. Media Roundup
A roundup of news items of interest to freethinkers. MORE

10. Cathartic Comics
This week we add a new freethought cartoon, “The Boiling Point,” by Mikhaela B. Reid. READ THE COMICS

11. Humanist Humor
This week we translate a few words to show what they really mean. MORE

12. Poll of the Week
What are your thoughts on hunting? CAST YOUR VOTE

MY TAKE: I am generally anti-gun (especially in urban areas, but I admit hunting has its place and may even be a natural human behavior on some level. That said, I wouldn’t do it unless I had to in order to survive. I can shoot guns or bows for fun by shooting inanimate objects and targets (I actually quite enjoy archery). With all the stories about diseases jumping from animals to humans recently – from bird flu, to the spongiform encephalopathies, to hanta virus and ebola – I don’t know how safe hunting for food is even without any gun mishaps.

______________
About the IHS:

The IHS promotes nonreligious perspectives on social, political, and ethical issues and serves as a resource for and about the humanist community. Questions, comments, concerns, got a better joke or a story? Send a letter to the editor.

If anything here interests you, or if you are one of those people who doesn’t “get” humanism, you may also be interested in my diary on what secular humanism is and what it is like to be a secular humanist in today’s political climate: I Am The Boogeyman.

This is the weekly summary of the Humanist Network News (HNN). The HNN is published every Wednesday via e-mail and on the Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) Web site. This diary is a slightly reformatted copy of the weekly email they send me, which I post here every Thursday (Yes, I have permission from the IHS). (CP @ MLW, BT, SP)

February 16, 2006
Humanist Network News
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1. Agnostic Mom writes religion-free parenting blog, column
2. IHS in the News
3. IHS public policy director to speak at Stanford University, Feb. 22
4. Black American freethinkers to host dialogue on race, poverty
5. Tell us what you think about the Muhammad cartoons?
6. Film Review: Munich
7. Sweet Reason, can a humanist and a pastor have a happy marriage?
8. Letters to the Editor
9. Media Roundup
10. Strange Times
11. Cathartic Comics
12. Humanist Humor
13. Poll of the Week

Summaries, links, and MY TAKE across the break.

1. Agnostic Mom writes religion-free parenting blog, column
Noell Hyman is a former Mormon-turned agnostic known in the blogosphere as “Agnostic Mom.” She writes a popular parenting blog, “Agnostic Mom” about raising children without religion. She is now the newest HNN columnist to join our ranks of distinguished writers. Her column on secular parenting will appear in HNN once a month. This first installment is her story. More

MY TAKE: This is excellent. Her story is compelling and well written. It helps that I agree with her 100%. I think rational parents can raise rational children. Parents don’t need the threat of eternal damnation to teach their children to make good decisions. Having a mom willing to blog on the subject could be a valuable asset for those of us who have discarded our religion.

2. IHS in the News
A few weeks ago, the Times Union published a letter to the editor that attacked the Institute for Humanist Studies and the humanist worldview. HNN asked readers to respond. Gerry Dantone, president of the Center for Inquiry – Long Island Community answered the call. His letter was published today in the Times Union. MORE

MY TAKE: Well, here it is again: The Secular Humanist is a boogeyman.  Why did the paper even print the original LTE? The author clearly had no clue what humanism is. He should read my diary I Am The Boogeyman.

3. IHS public policy director to speak at Stanford University, Feb. 22
Dr. Tim Gordinier, public policy director of the Institute for Humanist Studies, will join a distinguished panel of secularist activists at Stanford University in California on Feb. 22. More

MY TAKE: Hopefully there will be a transcript or podcast available after the event.

4. Black American freethinkers to host dialogue on race, poverty
Where is the discussion about Race and Poverty in America? The Albany N.Y.-based Black American Free Thought Association is hosting a moderated panel discussion entitled “Race and Poverty: In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina” this Saturday. MORE

MY TAKE: When I think about Black activism in the U.S., it seems that it is often tied to the Black churches. Of course, I understand that there is a historical reason for this phenomenon: going back to the days of slavery, church was the one place Blacks could congregate without white interference, so naturally the Black churches became the political centers for the Black community. Shut out from political office, Black leaders often filled roles as preachers instead. Today, the community of Black free thinkers is growing and become more active and vocal, and I applaud them for it.

5. Tell us what you think about the Muhammad cartoons?
We have three freethought cartoonists scheduled to appear on the next HNN Audio. We’d like to hear — not read, but hear — what you think about the Muhammed cartoon controversy. And also about the cartoons you read each week in HNN. so please call the HNN listener line soon at 206-339-4168. MORE

MY TAKE: More violence occurs in the name of religion than for almost any other reason (except maybe territory… but then religious conflict is a sort of metaphysical territory battle, isn’t it?). I don’t have anything new to add to this conversation. I still don’t quite get it. “This cartoon implies we are crazy, violent, lunatics… we better prove them wrong by rioting.” Don’t get me wrong, I think the cartoons were offensive. But, I don’t think I could ever be so offended I riot. However, I do think there are many instances where civil disobedience is certainly called for.

6. Film Review: Munich
Carolyn Braunius, HNN film critic, is back! After a short hiatus, the film reviews have returned to HNN. This week Braunius reviews Munich, directed by Steven Spielberg. MORE

MY TAKE: I’ll see it when it comes out on DVD.

7. Sweet Reason, can a humanist and a pastor have a happy marriage?
Can a secular humanist remain happily married to a pastor? See what advice Molleen Matsumura has for the people in this situation. MORE

MY TAKE: Obviously, the church must be somewhat progressive to allow female pastors, and for the couple to be together in the first place, so maybe this couple has a chance. But I couldn’t do it. My wife and I are totally in synch when it comes to our politics, beliefs, morals, etc. and I don’t think I could do it any other way.

8. Letters to the Editor
Lots of letters on the Muhammed cartoons, atheism as a civil rights struggle, and MORE

MY TAKE: Freedom of religion includes freedom to have no religion. It is a civil right, and I think, a human right.

9. Media Roundup
“Congress Sneaks Unique Protections for Boy Scouts of America’s Discrimination into Defense Authorization Bill” , “School Board Kills Lesson Plan Criticizing Evolution” , Voice of Feminism’s ‘Second Wave'”, and MORE

MY TAKE: With regards to the Boy Scout thing: same shit, different day. The only way to stop this kind of idiotic rider is for congress to pass a rule limiting bills to a single issue. On the other hand, I’m sure there have been some good things that have passed only because they were tacked onto some un-veto-able bill.

10. Strange Times
“Hindu hard-liners threaten Indian couples over Valentine’s Day” MORE

11. Cathartic Comics
…an assortment of cartoons and comic strips about humanism, atheism, religion, science and freethought. READ COMICS

12. Humanist Humor
The parish priest went on a fishing trip. On the last day of his trip he hooked a monster fish and proceeded to reel it in. GET THE JOKE

MY TAKE: Then Dick Cheney shot him in the face. Just kidding.

13. Poll of the Week
Have you ever used an online dating service? CAST YOUR VOTE

MY TAKE: No, but I know people who have with great success thus far. Check back in 10 years and see how they are doing.

______________
About the IHS:

The IHS promotes nonreligious perspectives on social, political, and ethical issues and serves as a resource for and about the humanist community. Questions, comments, concerns, got a better joke or a story? Send a letter to the editor.

If anything here interests you, or if you are one of those people who doesn’t “get” humanism, you may also be interested in my diary on what secular humanism is and what it is like to be a secular humanist in today’s political climate: I Am The Boogeyman.

Sorry last week’s HNN was late (posted Saturday)… my hard drive died on me and it took me a few days to replace it and restore my system.

This is the weekly summary of the Humanist Network News (HNN). The HNN is published every Wednesday via e-mail and on the Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) Web site. This diary is a slightly reformatted copy of the weekly email they send me, which I post here every Thursday (Yes, I have permission from the IHS). (CP @ MLW, BT, SP)

February 9, 2006
Humanist Network News
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1. The Heckler’s Veto and the Muslim World
2. eBay atheist…sold to the highest bidder
3. Secular Coalition keeps growing, and growing…
4. Black American Freethought event a success
5. Bringing humanism to African-Americans
6. Recap: UN women’s reproductive rights panel
7. CFI-West honors Darwin with all-day Origin reading
8. Makes one think
9. Sweet Reason: How to have a humanist wedding
10. Letters to the Editor
11. Cathartic Comics
12. Humanist Humor
13. Poll of the Week

Summaries and links across the break (sorry, no MY TAKE this week).
1. The Heckler’s Veto and the Muslim World
Dr. Tim Gordinier, public policy director of the Institute for Humanist Studies, takes a look at the recent Muhammed cartoon controversy. MORE

2. eBay atheist…sold to the highest bidder
Hemant Mehta, the 22-year-old atheist from Chicago, asked bidders on eBay to send him to church. Wait till you see who won. MORE

3. Secular Coalition keeps growing, and growing…
Two more national freethought organizations have joined the Secular Coalition for America. MORE

4. Black American Freethought event a success
More than two dozen people gathered in the Unitarian Church in Albany to honor Dr. Carter G. Woodson, originator of Black History Month. MORE

5. Bringing humanism to African-Americans
Norm R. Allen Jr. is well-known leader of the humanist movement. In this column he discusses how he came to work in the field of humanism. He also shares ideas on how humanist groups can do better in reaching out to African-Americans. MORE

6. Recap: UN women’s reproductive rights panel
Almost 90 people attended the recent panel discussion on Women’s reproductive and sexual rights at the United Nations in New York.  MORE

7. CFI-West honors Darwin with all-day Origin reading
To celebrate the 197th birthday of Charles Darwin, Center for Inquiry-West is holding a live, all-day reading of The Origin of Species in Hollywood, Calif.  MORE

8. Makes one think
Doug Thomas takes a distinctly Canadian look at the recent Muhammed cartoon controversy. MORE

9. Sweet Reason: How to have a humanist wedding
Terri Mandell-Campfield, a humanist minister, writes a romantic guest column for Sweet Reason in time for Valentines Day. MORE

10. Letters to the Editor
This week’s letters tackle discrimination against atheists, the Canadian election, Flemmings film and MORE

11. Cathartic Comics
…an assortment of cartoons and comic strips about humanism, atheism, religion, science and freethought. MORE

12. Humanist Humor
An observation about talking to oneself versus talking to god. MORE

13. Poll of the Week
Do you think the Danish Muhammed cartoons are offensive? CAST YOUR VOTE

______________
About the IHS:

The IHS promotes nonreligious perspectives on social, political, and ethical issues and serves as a resource for and about the humanist community. Questions, comments, concerns, got a better joke or a story? Send a letter to the editor.

If anything here interests you, or if you are one of those people who doesn’t “get” humanism, you may also be interested in my diary on what secular humanism is and what it is like to be a secular humanist in today’s political climate: I Am The Boogeyman.

Sorry I missed the usual Thursday posting of the Humanist Network News this week. My computer hard drive decided to die on me. The drive was the Toshiba 40GB 4200RPM that came in my Powerbook, so it was just over 2 years old. Toshiba drives normally come with a 3 year warranty, but if they come pre-installed in a computer, as mine did, then only the computer manufacturer’s warranty applies. Unfortunately, Apple computers only come with a 1 year warranty. While 1 year beats some other computer manufacturers, it still seems wrong to me that the computer’s warranty would negate the hard drive’s warranty.

Anyhow, I bought a replacement drive (with double the capacity and a faster spindle speed) and installed it last night. I had to practically completely disassemble the laptop, which was quite the adventure. I had backed up my drive about a week before it went on the fritz, so I wasn’t in dire straights, but I didn’t want to lose that little bit I had done in the interim. Luckily, I was able to coax the old drive into letting me clone it by placing it in an external case (apparently it could still read itself, just not write anything new). So, my Powerbook is back up and running, with no issues whatsoever with the duplicated data (thanks Carbon Copy Cloner).

Enough about my travails, you can get to the HNN across the break.
This is the weekly summary of the Humanist Network News (HNN). The Humanist Network News (HNN) is published every Wednesday via e-mail and on the Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) Web site. This diary is a slightly reformatted copy of the weekly email they send me, which I post here every Thursday (Yes, I have permission from the IHS). (CP @ MLW, BT, SP)

February 2, 2006
Humanist Network News
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1. Black freethinkers honor Black History Month founder
2. Atheist collects eBay bids to go to Church
3. Global Bioethics Panel in NYC: April 21-23
4. Editor’s Note: LA Heads Summit, Secular Coalition grows
5. IHS in the News: letter to editor attacks IHS & humanism
6. Election report from the Great White North
7. So, is humanism losing ground in Canada?
8. Flemming film self-serving but brave
9. Sweet Reason, what do I say when they “pray” for me?
10. Media Roundup
11. Letters to the editor
12. Cathartic Comics
13. Humanist Humor
14. Poll of the Week

Summaries and links below (Sorry, no MY TAKE this week, since I have so much catching up to do after not having a computer for 5 days).

1. Black freethinkers honor Black History Month founder
February is Black History Month. Throughout the entire month, the Black American Free Thought Association, of Albany, N.Y., will be hosting events to honor Dr. Carter G. Woodson, founder of the Black History Month. The group is also exhibiting portraits of Black American humanists, activists and scholars, as well as various Black American history-centered memorabilia. MORE

2. Atheist collects eBay bids to go to Church
Hemant Mehta, a 22-year-old atheist in Chicago, is asking bidders on eBay to send him to church. MORE

3. Global Bioethics Panel in NYC: April 21-23
The IHEU- Appignani Center for Bioethics invites HNN readers to attend a three-day event on global bioethics in New York City. DETAILS

4. Editor’s Note: LA Heads Summit, Secular Coalition grows
On Jan. 19 – 22, Larry Jones and Duncan Crary represented the Institute for Humanist Studies at the semi-annual meeting of the Secular Coalition for America and at the annual Freethought Heads Summit in Los Angeles, Calif. MORE

5. IHS in the News: letter to editor attacks IHS & humanism
But a recent letter to the Albany Times Union equated humanism to Nazism and claimed that the Institute for Humanist Studies “seeks to destroy the very fabric of this country’s Colonial founders.” Find out what you can do to help the IHS address this slanderous letter. MORE

6. Election report from the Great White North
Ontario columnist Doug Thomas reports on the recent Canadian election. Already, Thomas sees trouble for humanists: the prime minister elect ended his victory speech with, “God Bless Canada.” MORE

7. So, is humanism losing ground in Canada?
We often hear from our friends in English-speaking Canada. But how do the humanists in Québec feel about the state of affairs in Canada? Michel Virard, of Montreal, helps to shed light on the Québécois perspective on humanism in Canada. MORE

8. Flemming film self-serving but brave
Culture and media columnist Joseph Hoffman critiques Brian Flemming’s The God Who Wasn’t There. MORE

9. Sweet Reason, what do I say when they “pray” for me?
So what can humanists say when people tell you they will pray for you? MORE

10. Media Roundup
New Research Explores Teenage Views and Behavior Regarding the Supernatural; Religious groups get nearly one-quarter of Bush administration’s AIDS money; Gay Marriage Amendment Seen Eroding Current Law; Climate Expert Says NASA Tried to Silence Him; White House to Push Military on Jesus Prayers; States Step Up Fight on Abortion; 500 Irish priests ‘having regular sex with women’. Those headlines and MORE

11. Letters to the editor
This weeks letters tackle the recent HNN podcast, the “Smut for Smut” campaign, secular student activism, the Canadian election and MORE

12. Cathartic Comics
…an assortment of cartoons and comic strips about humanism, atheism, religion, science and freethought. READ THEM

13. Humanist Humor
An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. GET THE JOKE

14. Poll of the Week
Do you think equality for atheists is the last civil rights struggle in America? CAST YOUR VOTE

______________
About the IHS:

The IHS promotes nonreligious perspectives on social, political, and ethical issues and serves as a resource for and about the humanist community. Questions, comments, concerns, got a better joke or a story? Send a letter to the editor.

If anything here interests you, or if you are one of those people who doesn’t “get” humanism, you may also be interested in my diary on what secular humanism is and what it is like to be a secular humanist in today’s political climate: I Am The Boogeyman.

This is the weekly summary of the Humanist Network News (HNN). The Humanist Network News (HNN) is published every Wednesday via e-mail and on the Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) Web site. This diary is a slightly reformatted copy of the weekly email they send me, which I post here every Thursday (Yes, I have permission from the IHS). (CP @ MLW, BT, SP)

January 25, 2006
Humanist Network News
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This week, the Humanist Network News is in the form of a podcast. They do this podcast thing once a month, and I have never listened to one so I can’t really comment on content or quality. The email blurb states that this month, the podcast “serves up Black freethought, gangsta rap, and plenty more to entertain and inform our listeners.” Get it automatically through your iTunes feed or listen on the Web. DETAILS AND INSTRUCTIONS

This is the weekly summary of the Humanist Network News (HNN). The Humanist Network News (HNN) is published every Wednesday via e-mail and on the Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) Web site. This diary is a slightly reformatted copy of the weekly email they send me, which I post here every Thursday (Yes, I have permission from the IHS). (CP @ MLW, BT, SP)

January 18, 2006
Humanist Network News
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1. IHS awards $143,000 in grants for 2006
2. UK Humanists to gov’t.: Don’t forget the 65% non-religious!
3. NY court upholds contraceptive health plan
4. Student to humanists: Give youth a chance
5. Breaking the church habit
6. IHS in the News
7. Now is the Time…
8. Letters to the Editor
9. Sweet Reason, what do I do when family insults my doubt?
10. Media Roundup
11. Cathartic Comics
12. Humanist Humor
13. Poll of the Week

Summaries, links, and MY TAKE across the break.
1.  IHS awards $143,000 in grants for 2006
The Institute for Humanist Studies Grant Fund awarded more than $139,000 in grants to humanist projects for 2006. As in previous years, the grants reflect a strong focus on humanist youth development. The lucky recipients are…

2. UK Humanists to gov’t.: Don’t forget the 65% non-religious!
The British Humanist Association (BHA) has protested to a government minister who called for a “a chaplain in every college,” challenging the UK to address the needs of the two-thirds of British teenagers who have no religion. MORE

MY TAKE: Interesting that a country with a national church is 65% non-religious, while our country with no state religion is so religious. Further proof that freedom of religion and a secular government actually helps religion thrive.

3. NY court upholds contraceptive health plan
On Jan. 12, the New York State Appellate Division of the Supreme Court affirmed a lower court decision requiring religiously-affiliated institutions to provide, among other things, contraceptive coverage in their employees’ health care plans. PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS

MY TAKE: I remember when I was working as a pharmacy tech in CA, a similar law was passed and the local Catholic hospital was extremely upset. I don’t remember if they went to court or not. I do remember filling birth control prescriptions for a woman on the hospital’s plan, and how happy the patient was that her plan had to cover her pill (No, she wasn’t a nun, she was a lay employee.)

4. Student to humanists: Give youth a chance
“I am 21 years old and I am an active humanist,” writes a secular student at the University of Toronto. “Yes, believe it or not, young humanists do exist. Give us a chance.” GUEST COLUMN

MY TAKE: I became a humanist at about that age, though I had no idea that’s what I was… I just called myself a “moral atheist” at the time. I still like my self-styled term, but use “secular humanist” so that people can easily look up what I’m talking about. Interestingly, I was an anthropology student, too…

5. Breaking the church habit
According to this recent grad, some Secular Student Alliance members find themselves socially isolated after college, leading them to seek out friends in — gasp — church. But now, it’s the SSA Alumni Program to the rescue. SSA GUEST COLUMN

MY TAKE: I had an atheist friend who joined a church and attended the youth group for a few years just to feel like he belonged to something. He even tried to become a believer, but was increasingly frustrated by the internal contradictions and the way the believers just glossed over them with phrases like, “That is why it’s called faith,” or “HE works in mysterious ways.” My friend finally decided that it was an exercise in futility since all the beautiful girls he was meeting wouldn’t sleep with him unless he married them.

6. IHS in the News
Why stop at science? asks IHS executive director Matt Cherry, rebutting an Albany Times Union letter about sanitizing education of all things offensive. MORE

7. Now is the Time…
Canadian humanists will soon have to decide whether to stand up in defense of their human rights or to duck and cover. There will be humanists in both camps, says guest writer Doug Thomas. COLUMN

MY TAKE: Oh No! Canada is really going to elect a conservative government after seeing this disaster to their south? I wonder how much U.S. money has flowed across the border to aid the Conservatives. Oh well… so much for my plan to move to Canada if things get worse here.

8. Letters to the Editor
HNN readers sound out on bible for porn exchanges, politics, capitalism, freethought collaboration, donating organs to science, the Book of Daniel, Harry Potter … is there anything our readers don’t have an opinion about? LETTERS

9. Sweet Reason, what do I do when family insults my doubt?
How should a former Christian deal with put-downs from those still in the fold? What about the atheist cancer patient who wakes up from surgery to find a minister at her bedside — courtesy of her sister? ADVICE

10. Media Roundup
Chile’s new agnostic president, Supreme Court OKs assisted suicide, Alito and abortion, churches and politics, European secularism, more. ROUNDUP

MY TAKE: I wrote a diary yesterday on the Assisted Suicide ruling (cross posted all over, but it got the most response at Daily Kos). It has implications on the “unitary executive” because the majority opinion states that the executive cannot claim authority not granted to it by either the Constitution or the Congress. And it was a 6-3 ruling, so even Alito being confirmed would not reverse this decision.

11. Cathartic Comics
An assortment of cartoons and comic strips about humanism, atheism, religion, science and freethought. COMICS

12. Humanist Humor
Pat Robertson dies and goes to heaven. (Skeptical? So are we.) JOKE

13. Poll of the Week
Those Texas students who gave out porn in exchange for bibles … great idea, or PR disaster? VOTE

MY TAKE: I wrote last week that I thought the Smut for Smut campaign (though funny, thought provoking, and brutally honest) probably went too far and reflected poorly on those involved.

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About the IHS:

The IHS promotes nonreligious perspectives on social, political, and ethical issues and serves as a resource for and about the humanist community. Questions, comments, concerns, got a better joke or a story? Send a letter to the editor.

If anything here interests you, or if you are one of those people who doesn’t “get” humanism, you may also be interested in my diary on what secular humanism is and what it is like to be a secular humanist in today’s political climate: I Am The Boogeyman.

Supreme Court Upholds Oregon Assisted Suicide Law

Good news indeed. The Roberts Court’s first major decision was a bitch-slap to the Bush administration and former Atty General John Ashcroft, who had sought to take legal action against doctors who aided patients commit suicide.

Beyond the implications for doctors in Oregon, this ruling is also a blow to the “unitary executive.” In the majority opinion, the Court denies the executive the right to claim unenumerated authority.

It was a 6-3 decision with Roberts, Scalia, and Thomas dissenting (of course). But even if Alito had been on the court, the good guys still would have won in a 5-4 decision.

For more details and the White House response, join me across the break.

(CP SP, DK, MLW)
From the Los Angeles Times:

The White House expressed its displeasure with the ruling and said that the Justice Department was looking into the decision.

“We are disappointed at the decision,” said White House press secretary Scott McClellan. “The president remains fully committed to building a culture of life.”

Sure he does. The President is all about the culture of life… except for the death penalty, the poor in New Orleans, torture, and a little thing called WAR.

Here is the back story on the case (from the same LA Times story):

In 1994, Oregon’s voters approved the Death with Dignity Act, which authorized doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to dying people who requested it.

In the past decade, more than 200 people have used medication to end their lives.

The Supreme Court itself appeared to endorse the state’s right to take such a step in 1997. Then, the justices said unanimously that while the Constitution did not give individuals a “right to die,” states were free to make such decisions on their own.

But some social conservatives, including then Sen. John Ashcroft (R-Mo.) and Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), strongly opposed the notion of doctors giving patients medicine that would end their lives. They urged the Clinton administration’s Atty. Gen. Janet Reno to take action against Oregon and its doctors.

Yet again we see how conservatives are for states rights only when it suits them.

[Reno] refused, saying she did not have the authority “to displace the states as the primary regulators of the medical profession.”

But shortly after taking office in 2001, Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft reversed Reno’s decision and declared that a doctor’s use of legal drugs to bring a life to an end did not serve a “legitimate medical purpose.” The attorney general said Oregon’s doctors who persisted in the face of his edict would lose their right to prescribe medication.

This was another case of this administration claiming authority it does not have.

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said Ashcroft had claimed for himself an “extraordinary authority” to regulate medicine, a power Congress had not given him. Kennedy said the administration’s claim “delegates to a single Executive officer a radical shift of authority from the states to the federal government to define the medical practice in every locality.” When Congress passed the drug trafficking laws, it “did not have this far-reaching intent to alter the federal-state balance,” he concluded.

That is why this case is a blow for the “unitary executive.” The executive cannot claim authority it has not been granted by the constitution or congress. Hopefully, this balance on the court will be reflected in future rulings on the unitary executive.

This is the weekly summary of the Humanist Network News (HNN). The Humanist Network News (HNN) is published every Wednesday via e-mail and on the Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) Web site. This diary is a slightly reformatted copy of the weekly email they send me, which I post here every Thursday (Yes, I have permission from the IHS). (CP @ MLW, BT, SP)

January 11, 2006
Humanist Network News
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1. Atheists’ Agenda: Raise a Ruckus!
2. Florida court decision nixes school voucher program
3. IHS in the News
4. Canadian political parties and humanism
5. Canada legalizes swing clubs
6. California humanists now hiring
7. Share a humanist voice
8. The cultural war over Harry Potter
9. What Would Jesus Watch?  Not The Book of Daniel
10. Sweet Reason
11. Letters to the Editor
12. Cathartic Comics
13. Humanist Humor
14. Poll of the Week

Summaries, links, and MY TAKE across the break.
1. Atheists’ Agenda: Raise a Ruckus!
A group of students at the University of Texas at San Antonio made national headlines with a “Smut for Smut” campaign, in which they traded porn magazines for any religious scripture. In this column Tony Castaldo, a member of that student group, shares the story of this project and its results. MORE

MY TAKE: I admit that a part of me thinks the Smut for Smut campaign is ingenious and hilarious. My very Catholic mother was the first person who I ever heard say that if the Bible were honestly made into a movie it would be X-Rated, so there is some truth to what the atheists are saying. But I think this campaign is a bit overboard in its antagonism, and as such, is counterproductive. Ultimately, I think it simply makes the Atheists involved look bad.

2. Florida court decision nixes school voucher program
The Florida Supreme Court recently ruled that providing vouchers to private schools violates Florida’s state constitution, resurrecting an age-old debate about separation of church and state. Comments from Dr. Tim Gordinier, Ph.D., director of public policy at the Institute for Humanist Studies. MORE

MY TAKE: Interesting case. As usual, Gordinier provides a well written and well reasoned analysis. This will be an issue to keep an eye on going forward, and is yet another area where an Alito confirmation could have an impact.

3. IHS in the News
The Albany Times Union published an excellent article detailing the activities and goals of the Institute for Humanist Studies. We reprint that article and a letter to the Times Union by IHS Public Policy Director Tim Gordinier. MORE

4. Canadian political parties and humanism
Canadian columnist Doug Thomas sheds more light on the Canadian political parties and how they relate to humanism. MORE

5. Canada legalizes swing clubs
Canada’s Supreme Court has ruled that clubs featuring group sex and swinging are legal. Sexual Intelligence publisher Marty Klein comments. MORE

MY TAKE: More incentive to move to Canada? Not for me… I’m happily (and monogamously) married.

6. California humanists now hiring
The Humanist Community of Silicon Valley in California are still looking to fill a half-time paid position. MORE

7. Share a humanist voice
Humanist Network News will release another audio show (a.k.a. podcast) during the fourth week in January. Call the HNN listener comment line now at 206-339-4168 to have your voice message included in the show. MORE

8. The cultural war over Harry Potter
Harry Potter is obviously promoting magic, at least according to Pope Benedict XVI who — when he was just Cardinal Ratzinger — commented that HP’s books are a “subtle seduction into witchcraft for young souls.” MORE

MY TAKE: Have any of these yahoos even read any of the Harry Potter books? They are about loyalty, friendship, perseverance, and Good versus Evil (among other wholesome themes- Check out Frederick Clarkson’s post HERE for more on Harry Potter values). The books encourage young people to read. And, they are FANTASY! There is no such thing as magic or witchcraft of the sort in the books. Do these people also worry that young people who watch the Star Wars movies are going to turn to the ways of the Force? Give me a break.

9. What Would Jesus Watch?  Not The Book of Daniel
R. Joseph Hoffmann reviews the television show The Book of Daniel in the first installment of his new HNN column “Freeviews: A Humanist Critique of Religion, Arts, and Culture.” MORE

MY TAKE: A very in-depth review of a show I had no interest in before and even less interest in now.

10. Sweet Reason
A parent in the U.K. is sick of the religious indoctrination occurring at her daughter’s school. MORE

11. Letters to the Editor
Last week HNN asked readers for ideas on ways for Godless groups to work together. This week we publish several insightful letters on that topic as well as others. MORE

12. Cathartic Comics
…an assortment of cartoons and comic strips about humanism, atheism, religion, science and freethought. MORE

13. Humanist Humor
Kids say the darndest things don’t they? GET THE JOKE

14. Poll of the Week
What is the connection between humanism and political ideology? CAST YOUR VOTE

MY TAKE: I personally believe that the core values of humanism and liberalism overlap a great deal.

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About the IHS:

The IHS promotes nonreligious perspectives on social, political, and ethical issues and serves as a resource for and about the humanist community. Questions, comments, concerns, got a better joke or a story? Send a letter to the editor.

If anything here interests you, or if you are one of those people who doesn’t “get” humanism, you may also be interested in my diary on what secular humanism is and what it is like to be a secular humanist in today’s political climate: I Am The Boogeyman.