Does anyone here belong to a secular humanist group?

[Tracer Bullet]

I'm just curious because I've been toying with the idea of joining one for a while now. What sort of things do you do? I know some groups are very active in community service, but apart from that what other things go on the yearly agenda?

[Kid Omega]

Does the Church of Satan count?

[Tracer Bullet]

Don't think so.

[Winslow]

Does the Church of Satan count?

I thought we kicked you out.

[Kid Omega]

I thought we kicked you out.

Not enough sodomy.

[dupont2005]

i thought about it just for some social activity, but everyone was 60 years old and a phd or something, so i said screw it

[StoneGold]

i thought about it just for some social activity, but everyone was 60 years old and a phd or something, so i said screw it

There's probably enough generic secular charities/community organizations out there that you can join without the generic douchebagginess of going "I'm a secular humanist!" Not that there's anything wrong with actually being one - it's quite good, really. But it's more the proclaiming of it, you know?

[Tracer Bullet]

Actually I think there are more religious community organizations than secular ones.

[dupont2005]

There's probably enough generic secular charities/community organizations out there that you can join without the generic douchebagginess of going "I'm a secular humanist!" Not that there's anything wrong with actually being one - it's quite good, really. But it's more the proclaiming of it, you know?

oh this was a while ago. i wouldn't even be interested in any sort of activism today

[StoneGold]

oh this was a while ago. i wouldn't even be interested in any sort of activism today

Apathy rocks!!!!


Or is it just laziness?

[Tracer Bullet]

You folks are no help.:frown:

[dupont2005]

apathy

i got better things to do

[Paul McEnery]

You folks are no help.:frown:

That's what we're here for.

One might suggest that you simply join an organization whose goals you support and have a go at that. Joining them just because they're secular or humanist -- can you be a philanthropic group without being humanist? -- makes as much sense as joining something because they notionally belong to your religion.

[Tracer Bullet]

Give me an example.

[Paul McEnery]

Give me an example.

Well, tell me what you're interested in.

[Shellhead]

I'm just curious because I've been toying with the idea of joining one for a while now. What sort of things do you do? I know some groups are very active in community service, but apart from that what other things go on the yearly agenda?

I gotta say, somehow your post seems very suspicious... like you're trying to infiltrate one of these groups to spy on them or sabotage them. Secular humanists usually don't go around calling themselves that, except for maybe a few pompous pseudo-intellectuals, and they aren't big on organization or groupthink... that's more characteristic of organized religion.

EDIT: sorry if I sound paranoid, but I mostly hear right-wing nutjobs using the term "secular humanists." Makes me think that you're getting your ideas from some hate radio jerk like Rush Limbaugh.

[StoneGold]

I gotta say, somehow your post seems very suspicious... like you're trying to infiltrate one of these groups to spy on them or sabotage them. Secular humanists usually don't go around calling themselves that, except for maybe a few pompous pseudo-intellectuals, and they aren't big on organization or groupthink... that's more characteristic of organized religion.

I'm pretty sure you could do a google search on secular humanist group and find a ton of them.


Atheist groups for that matter, too.

[Shellhead]

I'm pretty sure you could do a google search on secular humanist group and find a ton of them.


Atheist groups for that matter, too.

I guess. I'm an atheist, and I've encountered quite a few atheists over the years, and never heard of anybody belonging to an organization. It just doesn't seem like an atheist thing to do.

[Tracer Bullet]

Well, tell me what you're interested in.

I dunno. Stuff.


The reason I took an interest in these kinds of groups is because the idea of doing good works without the religious agenda appealed to me. I've never done community service, but I'd be willing to donate whatever time I have. I'm just not into handing people a sandwich and a pamphlet about how Jesus loves them. I also liked thought it'd be cool to be around a group of like-minded intellectuals, though I wasn't picturing the kind of intellectual snobbery some here seem to envision. I don't hang around enough booksmart people.

[StoneGold]

I guess. I'm an atheist, and I've encountered quite a few atheists over the years, and never heard of anybody belonging to an organization. It just doesn't seem like an atheist thing to do.

I've run into them, passing out fliers and such.


And really, I'm not particularly religious - pretty firmly agnostic, just because I don't like to discount anything - and if there's anything worse than religious people trying to convert, it's atheists. Because it's based in the same concept - believe what I believe in - but in the atheist case, it's nothing well organized.

[Tracer Bullet]

I gotta say, somehow your post seems very suspicious... like you're trying to infiltrate one of these groups to spy on them or sabotage them. Secular humanists usually don't go around calling themselves that, except for maybe a few pompous pseudo-intellectuals, and they aren't big on organization or groupthink... that's more characteristic of organized religion.

EDIT: sorry if I sound paranoid, but I mostly hear right-wing nutjobs using the term "secular humanists." Makes me think that you're getting your ideas from some hate radio jerk like Rush Limbaugh.
You know too much....

I'm pretty sure you could do a google search on secular humanist group and find a ton of them.


Atheist groups for that matter, too.
Absolutely.

I guess. I'm an atheist, and I've encountered quite a few atheists over the years, and never heard of anybody belonging to an organization. It just doesn't seem like an atheist thing to do.

Well those kinds of organizations aren't so much about atheism, as I understand it. But about providing secular alternatives to the activist, community involved, and charitable type organizations.


Though I would stray away from the ones that wave the atheist flag because I'd rather avoid the angry, "religion is super evil!" type atheists.

[Shellhead]

I dunno. Stuff.


The reason I took an interest in these kinds of groups is because the idea of doing good works without the religious agenda appealed to me. I've never done community service, but I'd be willing to donate whatever time I have. I'm just not into handing people a sandwich and a pamphlet about how Jesus loves them. I also liked thought it'd be cool to be around a group of like-minded intellectuals, though I wasn't picturing the kind of intellectual snobbery some here seem to envision. I don't hang around enough booksmart people.

I could be way off base, but I think that the kind of secular humanists who would band together as such are like the kind of people that join Mensa... self-important twits who are also insecure. Your intentions do sound okay. One thing that you might look into is the Unitarian Church. One of my friends is an atheist, and he attends the Unitarian Church because he claims that it's like a Christian church without the Christianity.

[Michael P]

I've run into them, passing out fliers and such.


And really, I'm not particularly religious - pretty firmly agnostic, just because I don't like to discount anything - and if there's anything worse than religious people trying to convert, it's atheists. Because it's based in the same concept - believe what I believe in - but in the atheist case, it's nothing well organized.

Give them time. I have few firm beliefs, but one of them is that before the century is out, we'll see a uniform atheist orthodoxy and hierarchical pseudo-church structure. The ingredients are all out on the counter; someone just has to start making the cake.

[Shellhead]

I've run into them, passing out fliers and such.


And really, I'm not particularly religious - pretty firmly agnostic, just because I don't like to discount anything - and if there's anything worse than religious people trying to convert, it's atheists. Because it's based in the same concept - believe what I believe in - but in the atheist case, it's nothing well organized.

When I was an angry young man, I enjoyed getting into confrontation with Christians, debating with them and trying to confront them with the foolishness of their beliefs. I even skipped class sometimes during my freshman year of college to argue with a hardcase nicknamed "Mad" Max, this guy who toured most of the Big Ten schools to preach fire and brimstone to the collegiate heathens.

Finally, I managed to convert one of the guys in my dorm from Christianity to atheism. My triumph was short-lived, as he became ten times as obnoxious as I ever was. Ever since, I've become pretty low-key about my views about religion, unless somebody really pushed my buttons. In recent years, I've even drifted slightly in the direction of agnosticism, admitting that there is a (small) chance that I am wrong.

[Tracer Bullet]

I could be way off base, but I think that the kind of secular humanists who would band together as such are like the kind of people that join Mensa... self-important twits who are also insecure. Your intentions do sound okay. One thing that you might look into is the Unitarian Church. One of my friends is an atheist, and he attends the Unitarian Church because he claims that it's like a Christian church without the Christianity.

See I've looked at some of the sites and I haven't really gotten that impression. The closest come from the groups that wave the atheists banner.

[howyadoin]

Give them time. I have few firm beliefs, but one of them is that before the century is out, we'll see a uniform atheist orthodoxy and hierarchical pseudo-church structure. The ingredients are all out on the counter; someone just has to start making the cake.If it were that likely, don't you think it would've happened already?

[StoneGold]

If it were that likely, don't you think it would've happened already?

I think it has, but no one has consolidated power enough for it to really be that monolithic.

[Tracer Bullet]

It will never be monolithic.

[Michael P]

If it were that likely, don't you think it would've happened already?

Not really. There was never anyone treating it like a movement until just recently. Also little grassroots support, but enough generations of suburbia took care of that nicely enough. But they'll make up for lost time. Just you wait and see.

[Tracer Bullet]

Not really. There was never anyone treating it like a movement until just recently. Also little grassroots support, but enough generations of suburbia took care of that nicely enough. But they'll make up for lost time. Just you wait and see.

Sounds like you're excited about it.

[Aaron Kashtan]

After doing Google research for less than one minute, I found this thread (http://richarddawkins.net/forum/viewtopic.php?=&p=112222) from the Richard Dawkins forum that includes a list of secular charities. Perhaps you could volunteer for one of these organizations.

[Michael P]

Sounds like you're excited about it.

It should make for some spectacular entertainment.

[Jeff-E]

I'm just curious because I've been toying with the idea of joining one for a while now. What sort of things do you do? I know some groups are very active in community service, but apart from that what other things go on the yearly agenda?

If you really want to volunteer for community service, I'd suggest just doing so at a hospital or a pet center, and doing so on your own. Usually the "humanist" groups (usually mind you) miss the point and just steer in to flag waving atheism. Homeless centers are typically the domain of the churches, but hospitals and pet centers are pretty neutral. The "humanists" in Houston, Austin, and St.Louis seem to miss the point of what its all about and just hand out the God Delima phamplets, and most of the church faith based organizations are bound and determined to "save" everyone. I just suggest doing service on your own.

[Tages]

Give them time. I have few firm beliefs, but one of them is that before the century is out, we'll see a uniform atheist orthodoxy and hierarchical pseudo-church structure. The ingredients are all out on the counter; someone just has to start making the cake.

I think it's more a matter of committed atheist activists internalizing the patterns of thought of their opponents. Like the guy who founded the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a former minister who changed his conclusions but has obviously the exact same thought processes as when he was an Evangelical. Rigid dichotomous thinking and an in-group vs. out-group mentality are just as dangerous when you strip away the outer trappings of dogma.

[Roquefort Raider]

There's probably enough generic secular charities/community organizations out there that you can join without the generic douchebagginess of going "I'm a secular humanist!" Not that there's anything wrong with actually being one - it's quite good, really. But it's more the proclaiming of it, you know?

AMEN, brother!

Well... you know what I mean.

[Paul McEnery]

I've run into them, passing out fliers and such.


And really, I'm not particularly religious - pretty firmly agnostic, just because I don't like to discount anything - and if there's anything worse than religious people trying to convert, it's atheists. Because it's based in the same concept - believe what I believe in - but in the atheist case, it's nothing well organized.

I'm pretty sure I believe in nothing well organized.

[Laurence]

There does seem to be a tendency within the atheist... well, I don't want to say "community" because it seems vaguely oxymoronic to group people together because they don't believe in something, but you know what I mean... to paint themselves as a downtrodden human rights movement in America. But I'm rambling and generalising.

[StoneGold]

There does seem to be a tendency within the atheist... well, I don't want to say "community" because it seems vaguely oxymoronic to group people together because they don't believe in something, but you know what I mean... to paint themselves as a downtrodden human rights movement in America. But I'm rambling and generalising.

Yeah, but so do a lot of Christians.


Persecution complexes are infectious.

[thespianphryne]

It would be better if you looked for volunteering opps in your community. In NYC for example, I would go to www.volunteernyc.org and see what kind of help they needed. Inquire at your local hospitals or community centres. Even doing something as dumb as stuffing envelopes or filing at a budget embattled city program can be a real help. Nothing more secular and humanist than your local community welfare projects.

[Tracer Bullet]

After doing Google research for less than one minute, I found this thread (http://richarddawkins.net/forum/viewtopic.php?=&p=112222) from the Richard Dawkins forum that includes a list of secular charities. Perhaps you could volunteer for one of these organizations.


If you really want to volunteer for community service, I'd suggest just doing so at a hospital or a pet center, and doing so on your own. Usually the "humanist" groups (usually mind you) miss the point and just steer in to flag waving atheism. Homeless centers are typically the domain of the churches, but hospitals and pet centers are pretty neutral. The "humanists" in Houston, Austin, and St.Louis seem to miss the point of what its all about and just hand out the God Delima phamplets, and most of the church faith based organizations are bound and determined to "save" everyone. I just suggest doing service on your own.


It would be better if you looked for volunteering opps in your community. In NYC for example, I would go to www.volunteernyc.org and see what kind of help they needed. Inquire at your local hospitals or community centres. Even doing something as dumb as stuffing envelopes or filing at a budget embattled city program can be a real help. Nothing more secular and humanist than your local community welfare projects.

You guys probably have the right idea. I was hoping for a little insight into what these humanist groups are like.

[dupont2005]

i believe they will devote a good portion of their time to political activism, with a little secular charity thrown in.