American Humanist Association

This cool sticker showed up in the mail the other day.  Thanks AHA!

I can’t quite bring myself to send you money, but don’t feel bad.  I am very selective about my monetary support.  I give to causes that directly benefit disabled or disadvantaged people.  I was giving for a while to People For the American Way, which I’m sure is how you got my address. But for now, I have to focus on people rather than causes. Regarding humanism, separation of church and state, and higher thinking in general, I have chosen to use my right of free speech to get the word out, so that will have to do for now.

Best of luck… and cheers!

One of my favorite passages from Chapter 1:

If you ever meet anyone who tells you his or her religion can offer all the answers, run for the hills.  Or at least hide your wallet.

…

We are all part of an amazing story in that, as Swimme and Berry put it, “every living being of Earth is cousin to every other being.” Our history began with the Big Bang, a “primordial flaring forth”; it continued with this galaxy’s first star, which appeared five billion years later, and the Milky Way’s birthing of our sun five billion years ago. With the formation of Earth a billion years later came the first living cell, and then two billion years after that came new kinds of cells that “invented” both sexual reproduction and the predator-prey relationship. These twin developments led to an ever-quickening spiral of change: from the first multicellular animals, to mammals who could sense their environment and feel emotion, to human self-awareness and the ability to stand upright and use tools, to the domestication of fire and the human creation of myth, agriculture, villages, religion, culture, cities, and eventually to the three universalist religions (Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam), mass migration, liberal democracy, the multinational corporation, and American Idol.

Greg M. Epstein is the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University.

What is Pangea Day?

Pangea Day is a global event bringing the world together through film. On May 10, 2008, live events in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked by satellite to produce a program of powerful films, live music and visionary speakers. The program will be broadcast live to millions of people worldwide through the internet, television, and mobile phones.

Who started Pangea Day?

Pangea Day was created by award-winning documentary filmmaker Jehane Noujaim in collaboration with the TED Conference after she won the prestigious TED Prize, which granted her a wish to change the world. Together, Jehane, TED, and the Pangea Day team — led by Executive Director Delia Cohen — have created Pangea Day to harness the power of film to enhance empathy, compassion, and peace.

And if you aren’t familiar with TED, check it out.  I watch and listen to the free podcasts all the time.

What is TED?

TED stands for “Technology, Entertainment, Design.” It started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from those worlds. Since then, its scope has become even broader. This annual conference brings together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers and challenges them to give the talk of their lives. Talks from the conference are now made available online, for free, and have been watched more than 35 million times worldwide.

What is the TED prize?

The TED Prize was created as a way of taking the inspiration, ideas, and resources that are generated at TED and using them to make a difference in the world. The prize was introduced in 2005 and recognizes three individuals annually with the talent to change the world. It’s unlike any other award, and here’s why: Although the winners receive $100,000 — that’s the least of what they get — the real prize is that they are granted a wish. A wish to change the world. The TED Community then comes together to make that wish come true.

How amazing is that?

To get an idea of how moving and clever this will be, take a look at the world through someone else’s eyes for a minute… Tank Driver:

Very well done.  We should all take time to reflect on our common human experience.  We are all in this together.

The most amazing one to me was Quakers.  Who knew that Quakers were so free-thinking?  Actually, I had an idea because I recall that the early Quaker movement in the US was largely due to dissatisfaction with contemporary sects of Christianity and has become even less rigid as of late.

I have considered attending a UU church for the social and intellectual stimulation, but many of the UU blogs and web sites are frequently lamenting that UU denominations are not more “spiritual”.  That’s certainly not for me, so UUism is probably not in my future.

You should check out beliefnet.  It was even more fun to try it again with my ‘Baptist’ upbringing.  Enjoy…