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Archive for May, 2009

William Lobdell answers questions from the audience
William Lobdell answers questions from the audience

On Thursday, May 28th, Reed Secular Alliance President, Leslie Zukor, attended a provocative talk at Powell’s Books on Hawthorne.  In Losing My Religion, author and former Los Angeles Times religion beat writer, William Lobdell, explains how he lost his faith while covering religion.  His story?  As a troubled young adult, he accepted Jesus into his life, after a moving retreat at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church.  However, the rock bands were too theologically light to sate his yearning for more doctrine. 

Copies of Lobdell's Losing My Religion

Copies of Lobdell's Losing My Religion

As a result of his interest in deeper theology, Lobdell started attending Catholic Church functions.  However, the sex scandals that rocked Churches in Boston and throughout the world made Lobdell keenly aware of the hypocrisy of religious believers.  The same people who were preaching about God’s love were living their lives in a manner inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus.  And equally troubling, church attendees who knew that their priests were guilty of molestation were eager to defend pedophiles for their service to the Church.

Lobdell talks of Evangelical Christianity

Lobdell talks of Evangelical Christianity

When Lobdell was having doubts about the morality of Christians, he did research on the internet, to see if atheists were more immoral than Christians.  Also, he wondered if prayer indeed works.  The answer, for him, was a resounding “no” on both counts.  Armed with this understanding, the Los Angeles Times religion beat writer who was once enthusiastic to spread the Good News was now yearning for something more honest and less hypocritical.   After a while of deep thought and reflection – and seeing Julia Sweeney’s “Letting Go of God” play – Lobdell became an atheist. 

William Lobdell signs books

William Lobdell signs books

Although he was an atheist, Lobdell had a message for the 90% non-theist crowd of 40 that was critical of the atheist establishment.  Instead of merely critiquing religion, freethinkers need to find something positive and constructive to put in its place.  In other words, there needs to be an atheist alternative to the community and charity that are a foundation of organized religion.  As an audience member, Leslie Zukor couldn’t agree more.  “That’s why I love humanism,” Zukor explains.  “It combines atheism with living an ethical lifestyle in this one chance we’ve got at life.”

Leslie Zukor and William Lobdell

Leslie Zukor and William Lobdell

And as secular humanists, we at the Reed Secular Alliance hope that William Lobdell can find the non-theist community he is looking for.

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Freethought Books from CFI - DC

Freethought Books from CFI - DC

The Reed Secular Alliance would like to thank the Center For Inquiry (CFI) – Washington, DC chaper, for collecting books for the Freethought Books Project.  A particular shout-out goes to Executive Director, Melody Hensley, for her tireless efforts on behalf of freethought.

Freethought Magazines from CFI - DC

Freethought Magazines from CFI - DC

CFI – DC collected an amazing 70 materials, among which include Imagine No Superstition, Freethought on the American Frontier, and The Biographical Dictionary of Scientists.  The books and magazines included skeptical and freethought titles, as well as science, psychology, and self help books.

Freethought Books from Another Angle

Freethought Books from Another Angle

Thanks again to the great folks at CFI-DC!

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2008-09 in Review

The innovative Reed Secular Alliance website

The innovative Reed Secular Alliance website

For the Reed Secular Alliance, this has been the most active year since 2005-06.  And there have been many accomplishments.  Firstly, we moved our blog from Blogspot to WordPress, which was a great move.  With the new software, we can now see how many people visit the site, have our own customized pages, and carry out a blog-type website on our homepage.  And it is wonderful to have much more control of the widgets, design, and layout of the new site.

The RSA is #23 on 03/21 for WordPress.com's Fastest Growing Blogs

The RSA is #23 on 03/21 for WordPress.com's Fastest Growing Blogs

Moreover, the Reed Secular Alliance now has our four major lectures from the last four years – Daniel Dennett, Chris Mooney, Austin Dacey, and Lori Lipman Brown - on the site, through Vimeo full-length video hosting.  This has allowed access to our lectures far beyond the walls of Reed College in Portland.  For example, after publicizing the Chris Mooney “Republican War on Science” lecture video on Reddit, the RSA website was named one of WordPress’s top fifty “Blogs of the Day”, under the category of “Fastest Growing WordPress.com Blogs”.  Likewise, a link to our club’s Daniel Dennett lecture is now on the philosopher’s Tufts University homepage.

Leslie Zukor counter-protests the Westboro Baptist Church

Leslie Zukor counter-protests the Westboro Baptist Church

Additionally, the RSA participated in the Secular Coalition for America’s Values Voter campaign, by tabling during the fall election cycle.  Furthermore, club President, Leslie Zukor, counter-protested against the Westboro Baptist Church when the Phelps clan came to Portland.  Through Reddit promotion, Zukor’s piece, ”Reflections on the Westboro Baptist Church’s Protests in Portland”, spearheaded the RSA site to a ranking under WordPress.com’s top 50 “Blogs of the Day” for the “Fastest Growing WordPress.com Blogs” for two consecutive days.   After her experience with Westboro, Leslie Zukor also wrote her final paper in the Anthropology of American Christianity on the WBC, which was shared through the RSA website.

Michele Ulriksen speaks about The Perils of the Faith-Based Initiative

Michele Ulriksen speaks about The Perils of the Faith-Based Initiative

During second semester, the Reed Secular Alliance brought a couple of speakers to Reed College, including Lori Lipman Brown.  Brown, the Founding Director Emeritus of the Secular Coalition for America, gave a great talk on secular lobbying to an audience of 45 people and had a nice pre-event dinner with 10 people in a Reed classroom.  A month later, the RSA brought Michele Ulriksen to speak on “The Perils of the Faith-Based Initiative”, where she talked about her experience as the survivor of a religious boot camp in Ramona, California.

The RSA ranks at #45 for 4/17 Top Posts at WordPress.com

The RSA ranks at #45 for 4/17 Top Posts at WordPress.com

In addition to hosting lectures, Leslie Zukor of the Reed Secular Alliance also blogged about a Humanistic Jewish Seder she attended, the Atheist Comedian Sam Singleton’s comedy show that she volunteered at, and Bill Nye the Science Guy’s lecture at Reed College.  For the final event, her writeup, complete with up-close and personal pictures, led to the RSA’s blog being named as one of WordPress.com’s “Blogs of the Day” for “Top Posts” on the site.

RSA members with Lori Lipman Brown, Michele Ulriksen, and friends

RSA members with Lori Lipman Brown, Michele Ulriksen, and friends

This has been a fantastic year, and we at the Reed Secular Alliance hope that next year is equally as good.

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AHA Conference Logo

AHA Conference Logo

The Reed Secular Alliance’s President, Leslie Zukor, will be attending the American Humanist Assocation’s Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.  Speaker highights at the June 5th-7th conference  include Donald Johanson, who discovered our oldest human ancestor, Robert Boston from Americans United, and August Brunsman and Lyz Liddell of the Secular Student Alliance.

Happy Humanist

Happy Humanist

“I am really excited to go to the conference,” Leslie Zukor explains.  “After seeing the ‘Lucy’ exhibit in Seattle, I am eager to hear the story of the discovery of this amazing fossil.”  In addition to being enthused about Lucy, Leslie is excited to meet the Secular Student Alliance’s staff.  “I’ve volunteered for the SSA for so long,” Zukor says, “that it will be great to meet August and Lyz in person.”  It should be a great conference.

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Letters from a Barbed Wire Monastery – Actual Conversations

By:  “Prison Bob”

The Inmate Behind Bars

The Inmate Behind Bars

I was sitting quietly, politely, and demurely on my bunk the other day when out of nowhere, a Messianic Jew/Seventh Day Adventist/Charismatic whom I psychologically scramble from time to time approached me.  “I don’t mean to cause a debate or anything, but why don’t you read these (scriptures); they explain EXACTLY how I feel about faith.”

I’ll call him Confused from here on out.  It’s okay, I call him that to his face.  The easiest way to stay safe around here is to NOT say anything behind a person’s back that you wouldn’t to their face.  So, Confused had read a diatribe of mine concerning faith, which I believe Leslie has wisely sequestered [Leslie Zukor rejected a couple of rants from Prison Bob].  He handed me a scrap of paper with “Romans 14:22 and 14:23″ on it.  “I don’t mean to cause a debate but…!”  It’s always someone’s “but” hanging out that starts these things.

14:22 says, “So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.”  Wow!  That is advice he should have heeded.  14:22 continues with:  “Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.”  Okay.  14:23 states:  “But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that does not come from faith is sin.” 

My first thought was “What the “@#k!?” (That actually meant heck, but I thought it was more colorful that way.)  Then, I took a moment, let the blood pressure recede, and went to the beginning of the paragraph (always a good idea when dealing with rabid theists) and found my rebuttal for poor delusional Confused.  Romans 14:19, which reads:  “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification.”

I approached Confused and proceeded to ask — “Why would you give me ammo like that?”  Did he feel that I was a god to be confided in?  The conversation degenerated from there.  Down through semantic variences of differing Bible versions and their choice inclusions we tumbled, landing at his unfounded Catholic Conspiracy Theory.  We could have fed for hours on that, but I asked him if he proselytized.  That stopped him tead like a tazer to the sweetmeats.  Is that, I inquired keeping “it” between himself and he god?

If you haven’t guessed by now, I get a WHOLE LOT of “that’s not what I meant!”  To which I reply, “Well, it is what you said.”  They hate that.  And, just so you know, I don’t buy into EVERY opportunity to argue, here are some actual statements I passed up while writing this this morning.  I “learned” 1)  The USA and Canada are separate continents.  2) England is not an island.  3) New England no longer exists (Part of USA).  4) Australia is not a continent, however, it is an island.  And last but not least, I was asked when the last leap year was.  Asker had NO CLUE Presidential elections occur on leap years.

My cell mate told me I should refrain from judging people for inanities (my word) like the above, because at 48-years-old, he didn’t know England was an Island.  But he wants to go there someday.  I broke and asked him if he would know he was there if he went.  Truth is honestly stranger than fiction, or so it appears.  And no, I made not of those up.  I know.  It’s sad.  Education!  Education!  Education!  Without it, society dies!

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Reflections from a Barbed Wire Monastery

By:  “Prison Bob”

Prison Bob's actual hand-written letter

Prison Bob's actual hand-written letter

Editor’s Note:  The following is part two of a feature with an actual freethinking prisoner.  “Prison Bob”, which is a pseudonym, is incarcerated in Oklahoma.  In this series, he reflects on being an atheist in prison, life behind bars, and his interest in writing fiction.  We hope that you’ll enjoy the series!

Life at this facility isn’t like what you see on television.  It’s a medium security unit surrounded by a monitored, razor wire encrusted fence.  We are one of the very few “yards” of this security level, which allow open movement.  The doors to each building are open for hours at a time.  Now, by 2030 [hours], everyone is in their alloted space and remains so until 0600 [hours], but we get to see the out of doors.  There aren’t even any gun towers here.  It is much nicer than other places I’ve been.  It doesn’t hurt that most of us here are over the age of thirty-five.

All of these factors combine to create a “soft” yard.  Bloody faces and stabbings are the exception rather than the rule.  Although, people do still manage to “slip in the shower” from time to time.  Hey, if you’re going to gamble on credit, you deserve what you get.  Morons.  I would much rather spend my $14.40 a month’s pay on extra food, or better quality hygience supplies.  Call it bogey bait if you want, but treats here are greatly appreciated.

Much of life here pertains to just getting by.  However, that does not mean that some luxury items aren’t available.  I have a TV, fan, small radio, and fairly good quality headphones.  They aren’t Bose, but they do sound good.  Those items only come with time, familial support, and continued “good behavior”.

“They” (staff) are going to issue disciplinary paperwork whenever possible.  That is their job.  Part of our duty as inmates is to get away with whatever is possible, within reason.  No good can come of acting ignorant.  It is those types of actions which landed me here to begin with.  Acceptance of place is the key.  Besides, here I have time to ruminate.

Prisons, like any other portion of society, are filled with those who wish to follow.  If for no other reason than following is easier than leading.  Not all here are followers.  When a leader emerges,  they are brutally effective.  Often, the only way to find a leader is backtrack actions.

That is why it is so simple for orthodox organizations to become so prolific [in prisons].  Either human nature or social training make it easier or more acceptable to say “I was wrong.  I don’t know what to do.  Please lead/teach me.”  The simplest answer to “Why?”, is “Because God said ‘(x)’.”

Deep or free thought takes patience and moral rectitude.  It also takes an open or fertile mind, coupled with the ability to investigate from multiple avenues.  The ability to admit error and begin again is also precious.

This new time of existing comfortably within my “self” is a time of intense study, learning, and introspection into the “why” of my world view.  Theists despise my mental wonderings, because they are weird, angry, or hateful.  Yes, they are sometimes all of those.

In order to assist my “self” with the examination of the world within and around me, I write.  I compose short stories with an outlandish array of characters.  The trials, tribulations, and coping choices of my characters are cathartic.  These compositions force me to examine the social significance of each action/re-action set.

Freethought has been my path throughout life even though I couldn’t name it such.  Most likely that is because -  being the cantankerous person I am, I rebelled when someone told me, “The only true path leads left.”  I question everything, and will continue to do so.  I suppose my attempts at philosophy are akin to a neuroscientist operating on him or herself.  But, it makes me smile.

Do I want to stay here?  Not in anyone’s wildest dreams.  Yet, I am unwilling to let this existence become a waste of time.  I will do everything in my power to continue learning and improving.

Prison Bob's ever-evolving signature

Prison Bob's ever-evolving signature

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Reed Secular Alliance President, Leslie Zukor, wrote her final paper for Language and Politics about the U.N.’s anti-blasphemy legislation.  The document can be found here:   A Defense of the U.S. Citizen’s Right to Blaspheme.

Zukor contends that blasphemy is hardly hate speech, and that unpopular beliefs ought to be defended under the Constitution.  The Reed Secular Alliance hopes you will enjoy the essay.

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Leslie's favorite picture that she took of the Seder

Leslie's favorite picture that she took of the Seder

Pictures that Reed Secular Alliance President, Leslie Zukor, took at Kol Shalom’s Passover Seder were featured in the congregation’s May newsletter.  Kol Shalom, Portland’s Community for Humanistic Judaism, hosted a Passover Seder without the God element. 

About half the pictures in the Passover spread were taken by Zukor, and the other half were taken by the congregation’s official photographer.  “It was neat to get so many pictures in the newsletter,” Zukor said.  “Especially since it wasn’t an official assignment.”

Zukor, who will be a Anthropology Senior next fall, is an avid photographer.  She features a “Squirrel of the Week” every Wednesday, in the Quest, Reed’s student newspaper, and her work is forthcoming in Reed Magazine, the quarterly alumni magazine of Reed College.

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