Category: Letters
Letters
Letters from the February/March 2015 issue of Free Inquiry, in response to the December 2014/January 2015 issue.
Letters
Is Religion Dying? Tom Flynn’s admonition in “Is Religion Dying?” (Free Inquiry, June/July 2013) about the well-meaning but nonetheless complacent naiveté of many humanist young people should be taken very seriously. The Christian evangelicals have long since realized that they can no longer appeal to educated youth by portraying themselves as a culturally insular …
Letters
The Meaning of Life and Death Ronald A. Lindsay’s editorial “The Argument from Death and Meaningless—Again” (FI, April/May 2013) helpfully argued that if heaven destroys our individuality, it is not a reward but another form of death and therefore can’t make mortal life meaningful. Alternatively, if we survive eternally as ourselves, we will inevitably …
Letters
Beyond Current Law Thanks for Tom Flynn’s article “When ‘Current Law’ Is Not Enough” (FI, February/March 2013). As an escaped Catholic, I am sensitive to the smothering affect that Christianity has had on the development of our country in my lifetime. I hope that someday this nation, and maybe the world, will find a …
Letters
Free Expression in Crisis In support of Tom Flynn’s call that “It’s Time to Stand Up for Free Expression” (FI, December 2012/January 2013), I propose the creation of a Free Expression Merit Badge to be awarded by the Council for Secu lar Humanism or by Free Inquiry. As you know, the Boy Scouts of …
Letters
On Gore Vidal When I read that the editors of FI, in their introduction to S. T. Joshi’s obituary of Gore Vidal (FI, October/November 2012), quoted International Academy of Humanism Secretary Stephen Law that Vidal was “principled, honest, and courageous” I was perplexed and frightened. I could not help but wonder what Joshi had …
Letters
Humanism and Politics To Ronald A. Lindsay’s fine editorial (“Humanism and Politics,” FI, August/September 2012), I would like to add that psychological researchers have done some interesting studies lately attempting to locate the personality traits that impel people either toward conservatism or liberalism in their politics. Generally, liberals will manifest a strong tendency toward a …
Letters
Faith Behind Bars In “Triple Play: Faith Behind Bars, Measurement in Chains” (FI, June/July 2012), Tom Flynn writes that there may be greater than expected religious affiliation reported in the prison inmate population. Much as I wou ld find a wry satisfaction in evidence that religious affiliation correlates positively with crime rates, or at …
Letters
Why Seculars Don’t Sing As a staunch secularist, it is understandable that Tom Flynn feels weird and wrong when he links arms and sings “Amazing Grace” (“Why Seculars Don’t Sing,” FI, April/May 2012). Many sec ularists share his feeling. I think Flynn’s op-ed goes astray, however, when it attempts to explain why. Flynn’s arguments—that …
Letters
On Excrement and ‘Spirit’ Talk Three cheers for Tom Flynn’s espousal of straightforward atheistic language, as opposed to the euphemistic (not to say pusillanimous) use of words like spiritual and sacred, carried over from discarded beliefs (“Excrement Eventuates!” FI, February/March 2012). As Flynn indicates, this mealy-mouthed humanism gives the impression that we are clinging …
Letters
Religion’s Attractions Ronald A. Lindsay (”Religion’s Attractions, Humanism’s Challenge,” FI, December 2011/January 2012) seems to think that humanists have a responsibility to subvert religion: to combat beliefs on both an intellectual and emotional level. But in what arena is this battle for hearts and minds to take place? Why this competition? Do I detect, …
Letters
Humanist Chaplains? In his editorial “Humanist Chaplains in the Military: A Bridge Too Close?” (FI, October/November 2011), Tom Flynn states: “Discussions with the chaplain are protected by clergy confidentiality. Your commandi ng officer will not learn that you sought help, and the visit won’t go into your personal file. . . . A servicemember’s …
Letters
Are Unbelievers More Resilient? Re “Are Unbelievers More Resilient?” by Tom Flynn (FI, August/September 2011). “Go ahead, make my day” is a line from a Clint Eastwood movie that I have used as the basis for my personal motto: “Make my day. Prove me wrong.” This challenge is a win/win for me. If proven wrong …
Letters
Science and Religion: Accommodationism or Confrontation? Re “Science and Religion: Accommodation or Confrontation?” FI, June/July 2011: Both P Z Myers (“The Need for Confrontation”) and Victor Stenger (“Why Religion Must Be Confronted”) present cogent arguments for a principled response to creationists. Eugenie C. Scott (“The Need for Accommodation”) and Chris Mooney (“Toward Common Cause”), on …
Letters
Converting the Religious There is really no need to try and “convert” the religious to humanism by direct methods (“Do We Want to Convert the Religious?,” by Ronald A. Lindsay, FI, April/May 2011). As long as we have free dom of speech, competent education, and a willingness of humanists to express the ways of science …
Letters
Freedom and Funding While Tom Flynn and I do not share the same view on the purpose of the “wall” of separation between church and state, I do find myself agreeing with him in principle and specifics in “One (National) Step Back, One ( Local) Step Forward” (FI, February/March 2011). As a strongly conservative Christian, …
Letters
The Scope and Limits of Secular Humanism Ronald A. Lindsay, in his fine editorial, “Secular Humanism: Its Scope and Its Limits (FI, December 2010/January 2011) uses the phrase “reproductive freedom,” which I find ambiguous. Some people may use the phrase to mean the freedom to use birth control. But “reproductive freedom” can also mean …
Letters
Ground Zero Mosque In his eagerness to bash Islam, Christopher Hitchens (“The Mosque at Ground Zero,” FI, October/November 2010) misses the point. Meaningless ritual and incantations—if they are OK at St. Patrick’s Cathedral—should be OK at 51 Park Place, which, by the way, is well out of sight of Ground Zero. This is in …
Letters
Analyzing the Affirmations With a skosh of trepidation I take exception to Paul Kurtz’s exceptional, comprehensive “Affirmations of Humanism.” I dissent not just from several specifics butalso itsgeneral tone and purpose: so many “We believe . . .” (eg., “We believe in the cultivation of moral excellence”). These theses—although mailed and not nailed—seem, both in …
Letters
Kind and Gentle Humanism Why a more kind and gentle Humanism? Paul Kurtz’s “Toward a Kinder and Gentler Humanism” (FI, June/July 2010) has little to do with the reality of the twenty-first century. New religions and a ll kinds of Christianity are surfacing. Why continue a dream of “noble tradition” especially when confronted by fake …
Letters
An Example to Follow I have been listening to the Point of Inquiry podcast and reading Free Inquiry for several years. Although I am “late” to the secular humanist/rationalist world, I am so wonderfully “fed” by both endeavors. Thank you. I am writing in particular about an interview Paul Kurtz did with D.J. Grothe about …
Letters
A Plea for Unity Tom Flynn’s review of Greg Epstein’s book Good Without God (FI, February/March 2010) illustrates the problem (or perhaps futility) of attempting to place those who reject supernaturalism into neat categories . By emphasizing the differences between “religious humanism” and “secular humanism,” Flynn seems to push Epstein into one corner (that of …
Letters
True Believers In “The ‘True Believer’” Paul Kurtz (FI, December 2009/January 2010) points to the fact that many atheists can be as fanatical as their religious counterparts. Labeling myself an atheist, I have during conversations with other nonbelievers been accused of not being respectful of the religious beliefs of others. I have to admit that …
Letters
Progressive Humanism Re “Two and a Half Cheers for Progressive Humanism” by Paul Kurtz (FI, October/November 2009): Humanists ought to have plenty to say about the economic order, as it affects everyone’shealth, wealth,and happiness. I dare say that most readers of this magazine are capitalists, exploiting what we are given and able to create in …
Letters
Never Again? Nat Hentoff, you’re too late! In the last paragraph of “The Holocaust, Rwanda—Never, Ever Again!” (FI, August/September 2009), you say “Some years from now, at a memorial for the Darfur dead, some U.S. president will be swearing: ‘Never again!’” President Obama already did that on April 19, 2009. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum …
Letters
More on Morality for the Nonreligious Below is just a smattering of the huge avalanche of mail that I have received regarding the need to develop personal morality for unbelievers, the most I have ever received or a particular subject (see “Personal Morality” by Paul Kurtz, FI, April/May 2009). I am organizing a research project …
Letters
Moral Integrity for Humanists In my editorial “Personal Morality” in the April/May 2009 issue of Free Inquiry, I deplored the lack of moral integrity of many unbelievers. I asked for input from anyone who woul d like to be involved in a research project on developing secular ethical wisdom. Below is a small sample of …