Humanists of MN

Please note that this month’s meeting is the third Saturday of the month and starts an hour later than normal.

A video featuring Paul Kurtz

Lake Nokomis Community Center
2401 E. Minnehaha Parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55417

The topic of this month's meeting is "Defending Secular Humanism," featuring a video recording of an address that Paul Kurtz gave to students at the University of Minnesota. He expounds on four key points of Secular Humanism:

1. Free inquiry methodology,
2. Science as the best attempt of getting at reality,
3. Secular Humanism as an ethical doctrine open to change in response to human needs, and
4. Secular Humanism as a social policy that promotes world cohesiveness.

The half-hour video will be followed by small-group discussions (divided up into approximately equal numbers of participants). After the small-group discussions, the larger group will review the various group findings.

Scott Lohman, president of Humanists of Minnesota, will be interviewed on Atheists Talk on Air America Minnesota, AM 950 KTNF.

We meet at the gas station located in the southeast corner at the intersection of Interstate 35W and Highway 23
(right turn from 35W northbound). This is the last exit on 35W going
north before it joins 35E, and is about nine miles north of 35W and
I-694. I will bring the trash bags and orange vests, so all you need is
appropriate clothing and shoes and possibly sunscreen and insect
repellent. We are usually finished by noon and most of us get together
for lunch and good conversation at a nearby restaurant.

Doug Knapp, Philosophy Instructor, Inver Hills Community College

Lake Nokomis Community Center
2401 E. Minnehaha Parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55417

The September Chapter Meeting will feature a presentation by Humanists of Minnesota member Doug Knapp, philosophy instructor at Inver Hills Community College.

Knapp cites some relevant historical facts about a terrorist campaign in or around Iraq in the early and mid-1980s. He argues that the subsequent (post-9/11) portrayal of this earlier data has been distorted in various subtle and not-so-subtle ways. In general, past terrorist acts by current enemies get inflated, and similar past acts by current allies get deflated.

But distortion like this, he claims, isn’t a new problem; it stretches back several decades, even into the Vietnam War period, when relevant data was simply left off the record. During the Bush administration, the distortion problem has been exacerbated, Knapp contends. Finally, he proceeds to draw out some of the possible harmful consequences of such a practice.

The shelter area is reserved from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The official start of the picnic is noon.

Music by the Freethought Band!

Jam session to follow, so bring a musical instrument.

Columbia Park
33rd Ave NE & Central Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418

Directions

1. Take Central Ave NE (MN Hwy 65) to Columbia Pkwy. (Between 36th Ave and 37th Ave)
2. Turn west onto Columbia Pkwy.
3. Proceed along Columbia Pkwy (0.35 miles).
4. After you go under the railroad bridge, you will see the park on your left.
5. Take the first left onto the service road (you will see a sign for “800 Columbia Blvd”). Proceed to the second parking lot on your left (0.2 miles).

We meet at the gas station located in the southeast corner at the intersection of Interstate 35W and Highway 23 (right turn from 35W northbound). This is the last exit on 35W going north before it joins 35E, and is about nine miles north of 35W and I-694. I will bring the trash bags and orange vests, so all you need is appropriate clothing and shoes and possibly sunscreen and insect repellent. We are usually finished by noon and most of us get together for lunch and good conversation at a nearby restaurant.

A big turnout means we finish sooner and have more chance to socialize, so we hope many of you will be able to join us this time. This is a great opportunity to show Humanists at work on behalf of the community. If you have questions, contact David Beardsley at (952) 927-4193 or beardsley [at] belleplaine [dot] k12 [dot] mn [dot] us.

Facilitated by Ron Scribner

Lake Nokomis Community Center
2401 E. Minnehaha Parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55417

We will investigate and uncover the principles behind Humanism. With the aid of others such as Fred Edwords of the American Humanist Association (on DVD), we will investigate a prescriptive recommendation about how to use the term Humanism. This will include four main characteristics:

1. a method of inquiry
2. a cosmic world view
3. a concrete set of ethical recommendations for each individual's life stance
4. a main political stance, that is, separation of church and state

Following the ‘disrobing’ of the term Humanism, the group will split up into groups of near equal number and discuss the above points of what it means to be a Humanist.

Following the discussion we will evaluate this year's topics and suggest topics for next year's meetings. Come with your ideas!

Jennifer Tuder, Assistant Professor, St. Cloud State University

Lake Nokomis Community Center
2401 E. Minnehaha Parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55417

Jennifer Tuder explores the role of sexuality in identity through her experiences with sexual “outsiders.” Combining memoir, theory and performance, this presentation confronts personal and cultural fears about sexuality and identity. (This is a reprise of her solo performance at the 2007 Minnesota Fringe Festival.)