|
Atheists In Their Own Words:
Paul Kurtz On Fundamentalist Atheism
Paul Kurtz is well-known as the father
of Secular Humanism. He is an atheist in the true sense of
the word and a humanist who has been instrumental in
popularizing humanistic thought. His book on ethics,
Forbidden Fruit: The Ethics of Humanism, has a prominent
spot on my library shelves, and I have consulted it often in
developing my own ideas about morality. As an atheist he has
not shied away from examining and criticizing religious
belief, as in his book The Transcendental Temptation: A
Critique of Religion and the Paranormal.
However, perhaps the thing I have most
appreciated about Kurtz, aside from his crisp thought and
conversational writing style, is his more sympathetic
attitude towards those who do give in to the "transcendental
temptation."
His article The True Unbeliever at the
Council For Secular Humanism is online and can be read in
its entirety by clicking the title. This article explores
the question, "Do fundamentalist theists have their atheist
counterparts?"
From that article I have extracted the
following passage:
Nonetheless, there still lingers among
some true unbelievers an unflinching conviction toward
atheism—God does not exist, period; they are convinced of
that! This kind of dogmatic attitude holds that this and
only this is true and that anyone who deviates from it is a
fool. This insults a great number of reflective
believers...This form of militant atheism is often truncated
and narrow-minded. It does not appreciate the cosmic setting
of the human species in the nature of things. It lacks any
“natural piety" ... and it is not concerned with the
humanist values that ought to accompany the rejection of
theism.
I have to say, as someone who enjoys
reading the comments section on internet stories and
articles (usually more than I do the articles!), that this
insensitive and hubristic attitude is out there and far from
rare. It is employed anytime someone even broaches a subject
that hints of less than strict atheistic materialism, and
the insinuation is always that the person who isn't a
thoroughgoing atheist is weak-minded or stupid. I find this
as off-putting as I do comments like "Jesus saves!" and
"Jesus is the only way" whenever a controversial issue of
our day is discussed.
What's worse, these attitudes - of both
true believers and true unbelievers - make friendly,
enlightening dialogue virtually impossible.
Wednesday 12/21/2011
Happy
Birthday, Paul! I assume you are keeping up that
healthy-walk-exercise. You are my model even though I am
slower than ever. Congratulations on your new program. I am
still on your team. You are one helluva guy and I prize our
long association - Gerry Larue
Friday
11/11/2011
Dear Professor Kurtz,
After I translated it a couple of years ago, as I wrote to
you, your brilliant book "Forbidden Fruit" issued these days
in Beirut in Arabic by the "Camel" publishing house, I use the pseudonym "Dia'a
Assumery" because it is dangerous here in Iraq to be against
religion.
Congratulation to you for this achievement wishing that our
cooperation continues to translate more of your philosophy.
Sincerely,
Dia'a
Assumery
Thursday
08/04/2011
Russian Humanists open International
Summer School
Dear Paul,
Let
me inform you that at the present time the International
Summer school is going in Moscow suburb. twenty-four people came to
the Inquiry Center/Russia to study Secular Humanism,
critical thinking, and discuss the prospect of the New
 Enlightenment in Russia and over the world. Four lecturers
work with the participants; they are Andrzejy Dominochak
(CSF-Poland), Floris van den Berg (CSF-Law Countries),
Valerii Kuvakin (CFI-Russia), and Prof Dmitry Leont'ev
(Moscow State University).
I am happy to say that we are
doing very well. During ten days we plan to have the classes,
round tables, and free discussions. Students from Russia and
other countries like it very much.
Participants ask me to
send the photo to you. I am doing that with the great
respect and best wishes.
Yours,
Valerii
Thursday 3/3/2011
Dear Paul,
I'm inspired by the humanist statement I signed. I'm depressed by the way
the CFI is headed, from it's silly little games which promote ridicule and division, its defense
of 'new atheism' which is antagonistic and backward
moving, to its demolishing of everything progressive that
the populace can’t see, like a Jesus Project and
international connections. It seems to have plenty of
coffee mugs, and T shirts, but completely lack vision. Is
it now run by only middle class white american males? It is
not humanistic, and its leader is uninspiring
(and bores me to tears when I listen to him speak).
The
Neo Secular Statement of Principles and Values is certainly
comprehensive but no words are wasted and nothing is left
out. It’s idealistic without being unrealistic, it’s
critical, but constructive rather than destructive, it’s
about prospering together in happiness and harmony (and good
humor), it’s about children, learning, it’s about the
environment and other species. It's about continuing in
constructive dialogue emphasizing our common values. It's
about personal character and personal morality. It's
not obsessed with religion but it's critical of
fanaticism. It’s about inviting people from different points
of view to join ‘in bringing about a better world in the new
planetary civilization that is now emerging’. It's
inclusive and I noticed the diversity of belief
perspectives I think among those I recognized who had
signed. It cares for the future, its creative, its
imaginative and it encourages exploration.
I
don't know what aspect of the new group needs volunteers. I
am willing to do anything (Kiwis can - not that I'm
nationalistic!). Maybe you need a secretary? I would be
sincerely grateful to be part of something so worthwhile,
constructive and progressive.
I
look forward to talking with you, setting something up.
best wishes,
Stephanie Fisher
Wednesday 2/16/2011
Dear Paul,
We were deeply saddened by the news about the abominable
power struggle going on at CFI. We were particularly
outraged by the inappropriate attitude, to say the least, of
the new management towards you. The reason is that we have
always recognized you as a man with a mission, a very
serious one, for which you dedicated your life and work. To
bring that mission to light and to transmit it to the
people, you founded the CFI and other related organizations
which have efficiently spread the mission throughout the
world for many decades. Moreover, due to your philosophical
and political insight, you recognized the urgent need to
address the rising conflict between Islam and the West in
the nineties of the last century, at a time when most
intellectuals were unaware of the potential dangers of such
a conflict. We, therefore, joined forces with you to present
the philosophy of Averroes as a philosophical and
cultural remedy to close the gap between the Islamic world
and the West and to start a dialogue which could lead to
peace and progress. For that objective, we jointly organized
and held two international conferences in 1994-95 on the
theme of Averroes and Enlightenment, the proceedings of
which have been published by Prometheus.
Since then we have been working here in Egypt as a CFI
branch according to our joint mission to spread the values
and ideals of secularization and enlightenment which foster
and promote rational critical thinking. We have succeeded to
gain the support of many liberal and secular intellectuals
and still continue to do so. Holding on to the mission has
finally paid off.
It is very sad that your colleagues at CFI do not recognize,
neither do they understand, the reality of your mission.
What is worse, they are systematically destroying it, and
this can only serve the interests of the fundamentalists and
enemies of secularism and enlightenment. Due to their
narrow-mindedness and shortness of political imagination,,
they fail to recognize the nature of the times we live in
which require ever new tactics and ways to fight
fundamentalism and gain ground. To succeed in our mission,
we need to gain the support of liberal believers who embrace
secular values, rather than defaming religions under the
banner of religious critique while the real intention is to
promote only non-believers..
We think that the critique of religions is a serious
academic field which has to be undertaken by efficient and
serious scholars within a global movement of religious
reformation like the one which took place in Europe 400
hundred years ago. This is the only anti-dote to religious
fundamentalisms in all religions of the world.
Once more, we declare our full support for your mission
and for you personally and we sincerely hope that you will
be able to save CFI from destruction and bring it back to
life more vibrant and stronger than before. We are confident
that you are capable of achieving that goal.
With our most amicable support,
Mona Abousenna and Mourad Wahba
Tuesday 2/1/2011
Dear Dr.
Kurtz,
I know that you are inundated with E-mail messages begging
for your valuable time, so I will be brief, and I understand
that you may not be able to respond.
I learned about secular humanism because of you, and I
joined and have supported the Council for Secular Humanism
and the Center for Inquiry largely because of my respect and
admiration for you. I have been dismayed, confused and
disgusted by your disappearance from the Council and the
almost complete erasure of your presence from the web site,
magazine and correspondence of the Council. I found the
article "Secular Humanism Defined" by Tom Flynn particularly
upsetting, truly disgusting, as he managed to use your name
grudgingly one time in the article, when it was you who
defined the movement, built the organization and spent your
life molding it into the most important voice and hope of
secular humanists around the world. It also seems to me
that the tone and philosophy of
Free Inquiry
has changed remarkably, and I don't like what I am now
reading.
Dr. Kurtz I now find it difficult to continue to support CSH
because it appears to me that they have insulted and
demeaned you, but I don't know if I have misinterpreted the
situation. Perhaps you had reasons to want to be separated
from CSH but continue to support the organization?
I would be so grateful if you would advise me of your
feelings toward the Council and the current leadership and
your guidance in directing my support where it will be most
effective.
I hope that you and your family and well and happy. Thank
you for all that you have done for me - you truly changed my
life. I hope that I may meet you one day.
With great respect,
Christine Baker
|
