Any humanists here?

[MattTuck]

I wasn't raised with religion or church, but have lately felt like I might benefit from certain aspects of the church experience, just without the 'god' part of it.

Humanist groups seem like they might be a good solution, but don't know anyone to ask about this.


Not really looking for an online debate about the topic, just curious if there's anyone here I might be able to ask some questions.

[Louis]

I pray to St Christopher (Hitchens) ;)

[weiwentg]

Check out Unitarian Universalism also. Many UUs are humanists (but likely varies by congregation).

[Blastinbob]

I'm not but one of my customers is, he did the last interview of Gene Roddenberry and gave me a copy of the Humanist issue that it was published in.

http://67.104.146.36/english/STAR_TREK/humanistinterview/humanist.html

[jblande]

I thought you meant like Petrarch

[torquer]

http://www.nysec.org/

[EDS]

http://www.nysec.org/

Supposedly Ethical Culture is one of the best schools in NYC.

[eddief]

Richard Sachs leads a whole flock there :).

[Aaron O]

I do know what you mean...I didn't understand it when I was younger, but most folks get their sense of community through church organizations and I do feel like I miss out sometimes. I tried a Unitarian group but it just didn't feel like me...they were perfectly nice folks, I just didn't feel comfortable. I found that I was a bit too cynical/Machiavellian in my approach to things and that they were more idealistic.

Or maybe I just got frustrated because I wasn't meeting women and that was probably why I joined to begin with.

[Louis]

I found that I was a bit too cynical/Machiavellian in my approach to things and that they were more idealistic.

Or maybe I just got frustrated because I wasn't meeting women and that was probably why I joined to begin with.

Apparently you're an animalist. :eek:

[Hmmm?]

You're already in a religious experience. We sit atop carbon and two spinning "planets".

[Chris]

I would highly recommend checking out Buddhism. Lots of humanism; no god.

[mjb266]

You know, depending on the church, Quakers might offer up what you're looking for. It sounds odd, but I was struck by the reluctance to deify a god and the silence for contemplation at the start of a service. The discourse is refreshing as is the amazing history of anti-war and abolition.

[Ray]

I do know what you mean...I didn't understand it when I was younger, but most folks get their sense of community through church organizations and I do feel like I miss out sometimes. I tried a Unitarian group but it just didn't feel like me...they were perfectly nice folks, I just didn't feel comfortable. I found that I was a bit too cynical/Machiavellian in my approach to things and that they were more idealistic.
I grew up Jewish and my wife Catholic but we were both essentially secular by the time we met. But she wanted our kids to have SOME sort of the community experience that she got in church, so we joined the Unitarian fellowship. Which is about as secular as a religious institution gets. Lots of "Jewnitarians" there, so I wasn't alone. I never had much taste for it, but my wife liked it and I think it probably was good for my kids. Its worth a look if you don't have something specifically "humanist" in your neck of the woods. I was reading about a "humanist" sort of Jewish synagogue in Philly for Jews with no remaining belief in a specific deity. I suppose if I'd been near something like that when my kids were young I might have checked it out...

I'd rather go for a bike ride personally - I feel a lot more connection to my own version of god out in nature than I ever got by getting dressed up on a Saturday or Sunday morning and sitting in a room full of other dressed up people. My Dad was very secular but my Mom still wanted to go to the synagogue so during the high holidays we always went to services one day and went on a hike in the mountains on the other - I related a whole lot better to the mountains. But to each their own - that's what the whole freedom thing is about to me.

-Ray

[Aaron O]

Ray - I suspect we're similar...I'm also a secular Jew and I generally feel closer to whatever "it" is in a park, or listening to music, than I have in a building. I tried a reconstructionist, secular synagogue and it ended up a bunch of new agey drum circles and holding hands. Definitely not for me.

We should grab a bite and go for a ride when my leg heals.

[Songline]

I would highly recommend checking out Buddhism. Lots of humanism; no god.

Agree wholeheartedly. The essential ethos of Buddhism is communitarianism and compassion for others. For the most part, it is devoid of a god or other deities.

Edit: Although the original Buddha did not posit the existence of deities or a "God", over the years different schools of Buddhism have emerged and each has developed slightly different beliefs (but the core ethos remains). The cases of Tibetan Buddhism or Pure Land Buddhism (Amitaba Buddha), for example, are a little curious, as there are deities in the former and a certain deification in the latter. Tibetan Buddhism is nothing like Western religions, however, and, while there are deities, there does not exist a "God". A good case can be made, though, that Pure Land does have this quality. It's easy for this to devolve into a Theravada versus Mahayana (or even Vajrayana) thing, so I'll just leave it at this.

[DHallerman]

I'd rather go for a bike ride personally - I feel a lot more connection to my own version of god out in nature than I ever got by getting dressed up on a Saturday or Sunday morning and sitting in a room full of other dressed up people.

Or as my old friend JZ would say on Sunday morning rides:

Better to be on your bike thinking about God than to be in church thinking about your bike.

Dave, who told other friends about that saying while cycling yesterday morning in pastoral Dutchess County

[spiderman]

A traveler or sometimes the story is told as a group
On their journey discover they are lost...the person or
Group comes across another group of travelers who they
Hope may help them on their way. When they find out
This group is also lost, they despair. The other group
Wisely suggests they share their knowledge of the routes
That have failed them, work together to explore remaining routes
That will ultimately lead to their mutual destination and success.
May you enjoy peace, freedom and companions on your journey
In the upcoming year!
As a cycling related note I met a fellow lone rider
On our local single track Sunday. He was riding strong
On his litespeed mb Without a helmet and me on the jk cross. I took a route that I thought he took But couldn't seem to catch him. I stopped, ate An apple
And took off again alone. I rode the outer rim
And met him at a tree in the trail he usually rides through
And I ride around. He came around instead, stopped and wanted to chat.
We then resumed riding on our own routes but changed
Our pattern so Our paths criss crossed through the
Single track racing to parallel ends of separate
But visible trails...keeping each other in sight and
Enjoying the ride immensely.

[Louis]

Matt, one book I sometimes recommend is Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning." A tough but ultimately very rewarding book. (Tough as in painful, not difficult to understand.)

Amazon link (http://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/product-description/0671023373)

[victoryfactory]

Better to be on your bike thinking about God than to be in church thinking about your bike.
[/I]

That says it all for me, thanks

I thought this thread would be locked by now. But everyone is behaving
really well considering the subject, bravo

VF

[AngryScientist]

That says it all for me, thanks

I thought this thread would be locked by now. But everyone is behaving
really well considering the subject, bravo

VF

+1 for all of this.

[William]

...I'd rather go for a bike ride personally - I feel a lot more connection to my own version of god out in nature than I ever got by getting dressed up on a Saturday or Sunday morning and sitting in a room full of other dressed up people. My Dad was very secular but my Mom still wanted to go to the synagogue so during the high holidays we always went to services one day and went on a hike in the mountains on the other - I related a whole lot better to the mountains. But to each their own - that's what the whole freedom thing is about to me.

-Ray

Ray - I suspect we're similar...I'm also a secular Jew and I generally feel closer to whatever "it" is in a park, or listening to music, than I have in a building.

Sounds like you are living a touch of Shinto. Generally seen more as a way of life than a religion. Living in harmony with, and being associated with the more abstract "natural" forces in the world like wind, waves, mountains, rivers, lightning, trees, and rocks. Seems to be a more holistic approach with the world.






William

[victoryfactory]

All humans were "spiritual animists" until people started inventing religions.

Religions get more specific, dogmatic, ritualistic as time goes on.

The popularity of Buddhism, meditation, the "new age" stuff, and huge amounts of
spiritually inclined people who don't identify with a particular main stream religion
is evidence that they are not getting what they need from that route.

But the human is a spiritual seeker by nature, and will find a way to worship.

Don't feel guilty if main stream religions don't appeal to you.
"When the student is ready, the master will appear"

VF

[54ny77]

The Order of the Tubasti is a secret cabal within the Catholic church.

It's true, I read about it on the internet.

[avalonracing]

I would highly recommend checking out Buddhism. Lots of humanism; no god.

+1

Also, I would recommend finding a good group of people to ride with. A good community of riders on a weekend morning can offer a lot.

[oldpotatoe]

I would highly recommend checking out Buddhism. Lots of humanism; no god.

Also read this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tao_of_Pooh

No joke, puts Taoism in everyday terms.

[sg8357]

+1

Also, I would recommend finding a good group of people to ride with. A good community of riders on a weekend morning can offer a lot.

AKA The First Church of the Wheel Revealed.
or for the Buddhists, "Prayer Wheels on Gravel Road" by Lucinda Williams.

[rugbysecondrow]

Or as my old friend JZ would say on Sunday morning rides:

Better to be on your bike thinking about God than to be in church thinking about your bike.

[/I]

Exactly. I feel the same way. God created such a beautiful world, too beautiful to not enjoy.

Cheers

[MattTuck]

Thank you for all your advice. There is a lot of good information from varying points of view, and I appreciate the PMs that I received in addition to the stuff posted in this thread.

That said, I think the thread has now run its course, and while I'm not surprised that the dialog has remained very cordial and directed specifically at my original post, I see no reason to tempt fate. If a mod wants to lock this thread, I see no reason to keep it open since it has served it's purpose and it is a delicate topic. I appreciate all your help, and if you have additional suggestions, I'd welcome them in a PM.


Thanks all.

[rugbysecondrow]

Thank you for all your advice. There is a lot of good information from varying points of view, and I appreciate the PMs that I received in addition to the stuff posted in this thread.

That said, I think the thread has now run its course, and while I'm not surprised that the dialog has remained very cordial and directed specifically at my original post, I see no reason to tempt fate. If a mod wants to lock this thread, I see no reason to keep it open since it has served it's purpose and it is a delicate topic. I appreciate all your help, and if you have additional suggestions, I'd welcome them in a PM.


Thanks all.

When you throw a pebble into the pond, you don't then get to control the ripple. Let the ripple run its course or don't throw the pebble.

Humbly, Paul

[54ny77]

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kzpd7vQ2tr1qa1xnko1_500.gif

When you throw a pebble into the pond, you don't then get to control the ripple. Let the ripple run its course or don't throw the pebble.

Humbly, Paul

[oldpotatoe]

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kzpd7vQ2tr1qa1xnko1_500.gif

Some day I'm gonna figure out how to put a moving video on this place.

[William]

Some day I'm gonna figure out how to put a moving video on this place.

Animated gif's

http://www.obviouswinner.com/storage/post-images/bruce-lee-matrix-fu.gif?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1302800988005




William;)

[54ny77]

i just searched for, then pasted, an animated gif.

same process as posting a photo: nameoffile

[Bob Ross]

Also read this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tao_of_Pooh

No joke, puts Taoism in everyday terms.

^^^Fabulous book. Eye-opening. +1

[tannhauser]

Also read this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tao_of_Pooh

No joke, puts Taoism in everyday terms.

This is funny but not in that way and I am not at liberty to say why for various reasons.

Just thought I'd put that out there.

[Louis]

This is funny but not in that way and I am not at liberty to say why for various reasons.

Because of what bears do in the Hundred Acre Wood ?

[Ray]

We should grab a bite and go for a ride when my leg heals.
Sounds like a plan. The way I'm riding these days, maybe better to do it BEFORE your leg heals! :cool:

-Ray

[Polyglot]

I come from 5 generations of humanists.

[Fixed]

I don't know what the Scientology are but they own half of Ybor city and Clearwater and west Tampa
Cheers