Farewell to Pat Duffy Hutcheon

Humanist writer and free-thinker Pat Duffy Hutcheon died in a hospice in Vancouver, on February 4, 2010.  Her fiction, non-fiction, poetry and her life has been and will continue to be an inspiration to humanists.

Freethinker’s Journey became an asset for the Humanist Community
[by Sheila Ayala]

When Pat Duffy Hutcheon wrote her autobiography, she selected the title Lonely Trail, the name of a school she attended as a child. And it might have been a lonely struggle for Pat, but through her writings, she led the freethinking community along a path scattered with a wealth of insights.

Growing up in the Depression years in Alberta, higher schooling was frowned upon, but with her grandmother’s encouragement, she pursued her education. This ended when she was forced to drop her goals after marrying in what was to become a disastrous union. After the birth of her son, she escaped and continued with her career. Eventually, Pat overcame academic barriers to the advancement of women and at the age of 63, she received her PhD at Brisbane, Australia. By this time, she had married again and spent many wonderful years with her beloved husband, Sandy.

Pat was not only a writer but also wrote poetry. Among the best known pieces to Humanists are the inspiring words of Amazing Life, set to tune and sung by HAO member Dan Mayo.

Without a doubt, Pat’s battles shaped her life and influenced her writings. And as we freethinkers endeavour to make ourselves heard in the face of adversity, we can take encouragement from the works of Pat Duffy Hutcheon. Thank you Pat, for struggling with us along the road of rationality.

Some more information about Pat and some of here articles are available on
her web site http://PatDuffyHutcheon.com

 

Dan Dennett: The Evolution of Confusion

I don’t know about you, but I just love Dan Dennett. This is a very recent lecture he gave at the AAI 2009 and it is deep and insightful as we have come to expect from Dan.

In the talk he discusses how he is studying tactics that are used in theology that blur the line between profundity and confusion. He talks about the interviews he is doing with priests that have admitted that they are not believers, yet still preach to their clergy.

The lecture is quite long, but well worth the time.

 

Lesson 1: Shirts aren’t that important

Our friend George has decided to start contributing to the blog, he submitted the following to me to share with you all.

Lesson 1: Shirts aren’t that important

Friends, here is the latest teaching from no other place than CHRI radio. This is an excerpt from a sermon aired last Friday afternoon.

 

US churches using violence to attract young men

In the back room of a theatre in Memphis, Tennessee , a pastor was leading a group of young men in prayer.

“Father, we thank you for tonight,” he said. “We pray that we will be a representation of you.”

An hour later, a member of his flock who had bowed his head was now unleashing a torrent of blows on an opponent, and Mr. Renken was offering guidance that was not exactly prayerful.

“Hard punches!” he shouted from the sidelines of a martial arts event called Cage Assault. “Finish the fight! To the head! To the head!”

read the rest of the article here.

 

Bertrand Russell

Russell sounds an awful lot like one of those “militant New Atheists” in this vintage CBC interview:

 

Echo Chambers and Parodies

Some of us abhor the idea of taking time to listen to what people from “the other side of the fence” are saying. I’ll admit that I sometimes cringe when I peruse the comments of sites and forums that are frequented by many from an opposing worldview, but I still think it is worth the time.

It is not because I think that trying to “water it down” and “get along” is the way forward, but rather because I want to understand what these people are actually thinking and saying. All of us on either side can be guilty of standing up strawmen and building caricatures, and sometimes in our own echo chambers we do this and tend to lose sight of the reality of things. There is a lot to gain in understanding the perceptions others have of you better than they do, and keeping that understanding updated.

 

Papal doublespeak

Pope Benedict  has urged Catholic bishops in England and Wales to fight the UK’s Equality Bill with “missionary zeal”.

Benedict claims that the “effect of some of the legislation designed to achieve this goal has been to impose unjust limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs. In some respects it actually violates the natural law upon which the equality of all human beings is grounded and by which it is guaranteed.”

(If you have the stomach for it, you can read the rest of the article here: )

 

“Strange Gods”

Centrepointe Theatre – The Play : “Strange Gods”
Saturday, May 1st @ 1:30 PM

A play about a Roman Catholic that is married to a Humanist/Atheist, and the friction that it causes.

We are reserving a block of tickets for the showing of this play at special rates for Humanists that are interested in attending.

This event will include seeing the play “Strange Gods” at Centrepointe Theatre and a discussion session in the theatre after the play with the playwright.

The play is $25, we are getting a special group rate of $20.

If you are interested in being part of this Humanist Event please let us know in the comments, or email us.

 

The New Humanist Manifesto

By R. Joseph Hoffmann

1. There are lots and lots of atheists and agnostics and people who really don’t know really what to think, or why.

2. We need to build a movement just for them.

3. And a big table.

4. Atheists and agnostics really need to discover the wisdom of the Buddha…

5. And Rainbow Love.

6. The problem with the Old Humanism is that it is Old.

7. The New Humanism is New. This is fundamental.

8. In the new humanism, everything will be tentative. For example, if someone asks us, “What do you stand for?” we must not take offense. We must say: “Why is that important to you?”

9. Similarly, if an Anti-New Humanist attacks us, we must say, “Why are you attacking us? Have some green tea and relax.”

10. The New Humanism is hopeful. The Old Humanism was critical. It is not our job to be critical. It is our job to be hopeful.

11. We are religious atheists. We believe that there is no God, and that Jews are his chosen people. Likewise, the Chinese, Inuit, Low-achievers, etc.

12. There is no contradiction in this. New Humanists have risen above contradiction to the All Embracing.

13. And Rainbow Love.

14. Everything is Mood.

15. New Humanists have no scripture.

16. New Humanists have a Project: their Project is to re-write Woody Allen’s “Life is Worth Living” speech in Manhattan.

17. Start Now.

18. The New Humanism is not a fad. It is not a cult. It is not a religion. If you are pressed, say “It is not anything in particular.”

19. Men are equal to women, All people of the earth should have equal rights. Everyone. There should not be discrimination based on race, sex, gender, sexual orientation or class. Democracy is better than slavery. Assault weapons should be banned. The New Humanism is the first movement in world history to teach this doctrine.

20. In re-writing Woody Allen’s speech, replace “Tracy’s face” with “that special someone,” Otherwise, do what you want.

21. America is a great country. It may not be the greatest country. This is fundamental.

22. Truth is negotiation, often confused with correspondence to facts.

23. Facts have two sides, your side and my side.

24.. Everything is Narrative.

25. And Rainbow Love.

The New Humanism conference was held in April 2007 at Harvard.

R. Joseph Hoffmann, PhD
Senior Vice President,
Director of the CFI Institute
Center for Inquiry International

H/T:  http://www.butterfliesandwheels.com/articleprint.php?num=274

 

Protest against theocracy, punishable by death

Two young men, Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani and Arash Rahmanipour, were executed by the Islamic regime of Iran at dawn this past Thursday, January 28 for the ‘crime’ of ‘enmity against god’.   There are 66 more people on death row, awaiting execution for similar ‘offences’.

Humanist Miriam Namazie, of Iran Solidarity, provides links and suggestions for those who would speak out against this injustice: