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Read the Scientific American article “How Critical Thinkers Lose Their Faith in God.”

In his new book, Sex and God: How Religion Distorts Sexuality, Dr. Darrel Ray discusses the psychological damage and confusion that religion creates and documents how many of our behaviors, ideas, shame and guilt are a result of unnatural religious training. We act like Christians and often don’t even know it. In his talk, he will discuss how religious sexuality pervades our society and show how Christian, Mormon, Catholic, or Baptist sexuality is not human sexuality. In many ways, religious sex is emotionally and physically unhealthy. Religious sexuality is fundamentally based on dishonesty about one’s own sexual expression and condemnation of others.

This talk will challenge you to examine some of the religious myths and attitudes that you may continue to believe, even as a secularist.
11 a.m. Auditorium.

Platform Music: Daniel Dickson, Thomas Winkler and Daniel Kuehler

Colloquy: A guided meditation and discussion on a topic that changes weekly.
9:45 a.m. Boardroom.

Forum: Civic Duty Discussion led by Dalton Baker
9:45 a.m. Hanke Room.

Sunday School:
10 a.m. until noon

Ethical Mindfulness Meditation:
8 – 9:30 a.m. The Foyer.

For Earth Day, Kate Lovelady explores some of the psychological aspects of living in an age of both environmental crisis and great technological possibility. As ethical agents, how can we avoid the traps of despair and complacency to create motivation for ourselves and others? As a humanist community, how can we both enjoy life and be realistic about threats to the environment we rely on?

Also see Kate’s related blog post, It’s the End of the World as We Know It: Should We Feel Fine? Platform Notes.

I’m still really glad I bought it and read it, though, because it’s a gorgeous and interesting book that will be great for them in about five years.

Dawkins covers a dozen general topics of science (“Who is the first person?”, “What is the sun?”), starting almost every chapter with ancient myths regarding the topic and then diving into the real science of the matter. His explanations are in clear, understandable language.

It’s interesting to see when Dawkins the evolutionary biologist is in territory he understands well (“Why are there so many different kinds of animals?”) compared with topics in which he’s admittedly not an expert (some of the physics of “What is a rainbow?”). When he’s not an expert on a topic, he lets us know up front what the limit of his understanding is, which is charming at times, and also gives the book a personal, familiar tone.

The illustrations throughout are fantastic, and they really illuminate the related text content throughout. I’m happy just to turn page after page looking at the brightly colorful pictures.

I can see why some Christians have objected to this book – some of the mythological explanations used in the beginning of chapters come from the Bible. For Dawkins, this makes sense, as he considers Judeo-Christian stories as no more grounded in reality than any mythology. There will definitely be many who read his reluctance to give Christianity special treatment as a targeted attack, but I personally think he’s correct when he treats Christian stories equally with other stories.

Additionally, the final chapter, “What is a miracle?” will be seen by many as an attack on religion. That might be Dawkins’ intent, but it’s more clear that he’s trying to prove his overall point, that the wonder of the real world is more impressive than either stage magic or supernatural stories.

Overall, this is a great general introduction to the wonders of science for preteens to adults.

Note: This review is cross-posted from my personal blog.

Statements in this review do not necessarily express the thoughts or opinions of the Ethical Society of St. Louis or its leadership.

Emily Dickinson’s poetry documents her lifelong spiritual and artistic quest to understand human existence, particularly mortality. In humanism, the arts are a major source of meaningfulness and comfort, as well as a medium for asking questions and for expressing doubt, concern, longing, and hope. This platform will use personal narrative, poetry, and song to follow in Dickinson’s footsteps and explore one of the major emotional struggles of being human.
11 a.m. Auditorium.

Platform Music: JD Brooks

Colloquy: A guided meditation and discussion on a topic that changes weekly.
9:45 a.m. Boardroom.

Forum: An American Betrayal: Cherokee Patriots and the Trail of Tears – Author Daniel Blake Smith will discuss his
book
9:45 a.m. Hanke Room.

Sunday School:
10 a.m. until noon

Ethical Mindfulness Meditation:
8 – 9:30 a.m. The Foyer.

Dr. Carol Paris, a busy Maryland psychiatrist known on Washington’s Capital Hill as a spirited advocate for single payer health care, will give the 2012 Annual Health Care address. Dr. Paris’ topic is Private Insurance-Induced Stress Disorder or PIISD, a condition she sees daily in her practice.

Dr. Paris was one of 13 health care professionals who were arrested in 2009 for insisting that single payer be included in the U.S. Senate hearings to debate the health care reform bill.

“It was amazingly easy to adapt the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) criteria to describe the symptoms in trying to deal with the bureaucracy of private health insurance or to cope with being sick and uninsured,” Dr. Paris said.

“Each day I see patients whose financial stress and fragmented health care is causing them mental and physical problems,” she said.

To help change our health care system, she often travels to Washington’s Capitol building to brief Congressional staff members. She’s also well-known for talks in her home state of Maryland, and travels to other states under the auspices of the Physicians for a National Health Plan.

Click on the image to enlarge the flyer. (Flyer by Laurie Fields)

Help raise money for the Ethical Society of St. Louis by donating used books, vinyl records, audio/video tapes and CD/DVDs to the Annual Book Fair. Donations will be accepted on the lower level beginning May 20.

Bargains abound at the June 16 Book Fair! For very little money you can get a lot of good reading, music and movies. Encourage family and friends to come shop. You can also help us promote the Book Fair by mentioning it on your Facebook page. See the pdf version of the Book Fair flyer. For more information on how you can help with this important Society fundraiser, please contact David Brown, (314) 821-3130 or email the Society.

First Ethical Humanist of the Year - J.F. Hornback

Do you know of an outstanding individual (or movement so represented) in the greater St. Louis area who has raised the standards of living for other individuals? If so, this person or group may qualify for the Ethical Humanist of the Year Award.

Ethical Society’s Humanist of the Year Award Committee is looking for nominations by the deadline on Friday, June 29, 2012.  If you have a person or group in mind, please read the nomination instructions and selection criteria.