Doug's Views: Humanism Archives

December 11, 2007

Tom Brokaw on the Charlie Rose Show

watched a bit of Tom Brokaw on the Charlie Rose show tonight talking about his book "The Sixites" and the History Channel documentry on 1968 specifically (which was a good show - nothing about UFOs thank goodness). Here is a quote from that interview that sums up my personal philosophy.

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September 29, 2007

Become a banker through Kiva

Microfinance is where people are looking for financing for their ideas and businesses but the amount needed isn't the amount a typical bank would loan, if they would qualify, but if they could get it, it would make a huge difference in their lives. A new website Kiva.org lets all us get involved.

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August 14, 2007

Tooting my own horn

Announcing makeovers of two of my blogs. Proving once again I have no life and am quite pale.

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August 7, 2007

Dems bend over for a lame duck President - again

In an about face, some Dems broke ranks and voted to approve Senate Bill 1927 that now makes Bush's wiretapping program "legal". 59 Democrats decided that their reelection was FAR more important than my civil rights. *Sigh*

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Posted by Doug at 12:53 AM | Permalink
Posted to Culture | Humanism | Politics

August 3, 2007

I've won a prize

A few months back I entered the Humanist Vision contest sponsored by the American Humanist Association. The challenge was to create a "commercial" about Humanism and post it on YouTube. There was prize money involved and the goodwill of the Humanist movement. See my entry here.

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July 12, 2007

Sicko makes the point

I heard today about the throwdown on CNN between Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's resident medical expert, and filmmaker Michael Moore over the "facts" in Moore's documentary "Sicko". The film is an indictment of the US health care system. Like Moore, I support moving to a single-payer health care system. It preserves choice and allows for people to get the treatment they need.

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February 11, 2007

Give up religion for Lent

My idea is for religious people to give up religion for Lent. Try to see how it is to live without superstition and outdated thinking - like observing Lent.

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January 29, 2007

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon for charity

Kevin Bacon used that game concept and applied it to giving to charity. People who pick and donate to charities listed with Network for Good can post a graphic in support of their charity on their blog or website. The twist is that you can find a badge created by your favorite celebrity and post that one instead.

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Posted by Doug at 2:26 AM | Permalink
Posted to Humanism

October 3, 2006

Crap Happens

Monday, the big story was the shooting at an Amish school. Of course, after every violent incident involving a school or children, the religious wing nuts make statements like the one I read in a forum posting on our local newspaper website.

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Posted by Doug at 11:36 AM | Permalink
Posted to Humanism | Life | Religion

September 11, 2006

9/11 still powerful after 5 years

I still vividly remember what I was doing that morning in 2001 when the first reports came in, I was noodling on the computer. I had just come home from my night job and I had the "Today" show on in the background while I decompressed before going to bed. After seeing the 2nd plane hit the tower I didn't go to bed until around Midnight the next day.

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July 7, 2006

Religious Right lies about Mt. Soledad Cross

The US Supreme Court, more specifically Justice Anthony Kennedy, issued a stay of a lower federal court ruling that said the Mt. Soledad Easter Cross is unconstitutional and it needed to be removed from the city of San Diego's property by August 2nd or the city would be fined $5,000 a day. The religious right and the pandering city officials who keep this case alive follow the same pattern the so-called Christians seem to follow - lying, name calling, character assassination, fraud, delays, and contempt of court.

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Posted by Doug at 11:28 PM | Permalink
Posted to Culture | Humanism | Politics | Religion

June 14, 2006

Practical Humanism

Just announcing two new essays I wrote for the Central Ohio Humanist have now been posted to my iHumanism website. They deal with the practical application of the Humanist philosophy in one's every day life. Check the entry to get the links

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Posted by Doug at 2:44 AM | Permalink
Posted to Humanism | Life | Religion | Writing

April 23, 2006

Prayer protest in Columbus on May 4th

A friend of mine passed along the following note concerning the so-called National Day of Prayer. The info concerns a protest to held in Columbus on 5/4/2006. If you would like to participate feel free, if you want more info, above what is posted, his contact info is at the end of the post.

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Posted by Doug at 5:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Posted to Humanism | Politics | Religion

April 3, 2005

Brief thoughts on the passing of Pope John Paul II

Couldn't avoid the death watch the past few days. CNN had wall to wall coverage since Friday. I just shook my head as millions of Catholics prayed for the Pope's recovery then of course it was changed to praying for the Pope as he makes his way to Jesus.

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Posted by Doug at 12:08 AM | Permalink
Posted to Humanism | Life | Religion

December 16, 2004

Well Christmas time is here

There is a point near the end where a frustrated Charlie shouts about being told what the real meaning of Christmas is. He is mad at the crass commercialism of the holiday represented by Snoopy winning the decoration contest. Linus then recites the Christmas story from the Bible and peace is restored. Actually Christmas has little to do with the birth in the manger 2000 years ago and never has. The holiday is a collection of religious and non-religious mid-winter celebrations.

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Posted by Doug at 11:53 PM | Permalink
Posted to Humanism | Religion | Television

November 11, 2004

Religious Conservatives are a danger to America

I wanted to take the opportunity today to dispel a couple of persistent myths that is passed around as truth. I use a service that looks for certain keywords on various Internet pages expressing viewpoints. One of the keywords I use is "secular humanism".

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Posted by Doug at 10:47 PM | Permalink
Posted to Humanism | Politics | Religion

September 11, 2004

September 11 revisited: an essay

In my spare time I write. I have done it for many years and it is a way for me to rant and work out issues I have in my thick skull. Most of the time I write short stories but I also like to write essays on various topics. On September 16th, 2001, still in shock from the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, I wrote an essay as a Humanist repsonse to the incident.

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Posted by Doug at 1:43 AM | Permalink
Posted to Humanism | Life | Politics | Writing

February 20, 2004

The political and religious Right are a bunch of hypocrites

In case you lived in a cave the past couple of weeks, some major civil disobedience has been going on in the city of San Francisco. It seems the Mayor wants to marry gay couples even though there is a state law against marriage of same-sex couples. For the past couple of weeks, the city has been issuing marriage licenses and performing civil ceremonies for all gay couples who want one. Hundreds have lined up at city hall for the chance to thumb their noses at what they believe is an unjust law.

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Posted by Doug at 11:15 PM | Permalink
Posted to Humanism | Politics | Religion

February 17, 2004

The Bell Curve: Science or Political Statement?

This essay was the result of a discussion I was having on an e-mail list in which I participate called Human_ism back, in 2000. The person I was debating about The Bell Curve accused me of not reading the book as we debated the merits of it. I had not read the book. I came to my views about it from articles I read about the book. So, to take that argument away from my opponent, I bought the book (ugh) and read it (My eyes! My eyes).

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Posted by Doug at 12:19 AM | Permalink
Posted to Humanism | Media | Politics | Writing

October 26, 2002

Check this site out! Humanist

Site link to the Humanist Community of Central Ohio

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Posted by Doug at 1:51 PM | Permalink
Posted to Columbus | Humanism | Religion

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A unique look at my world. Includes my interests and complaints