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The Humanist Corner

March Humanist Corner

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
Bill White

Bill White

“Being a woman is a terribly difficult task since it consists principally in dealing with man” – Joseph Conrad

“A beautiful lady is an accident of nature. A beautiful old lady is a work of art” – Louis Nizer

Albert Einstein once described insanity as repeating the same act over and over, each time expecting a different result. Unfortunately one curse of maturity is that we so often end up repeating ourselves. Poor Bell! But here goes anyway-

Female flexibility was apparent recently in Haiti when authorities, attempting to distribute food peacefully, allowed only women in the lines. The food went out successfully then! Given a fair chance, women exhibit remarkable leadership qualities, even though when assuming power they’re often obliged to play by the boys rules. Or take, for example two women, total strangers, meeting in the mall. Within a short time they’re talking on surprisingly intimate levels. Women often display this openess we lads often lack – along with the related ability to function well cooperatively. BUT most importantly, they exhibit a pragmatism, frequently allowing them to do whatever needs to be done without the heavy agendas we guys are prone to dragging around. I once wrote an essay called, “Upper Body Strength”, the theme of which was that, in evolutionary terms, the male torso made us boss. (Try following that idea to some of its conclusions!)

One can only weep at the thought of women strapping explosives to a body meant to create rather than destroy. Again, age old motives of revenge and sanctimonious sin seem often to overrule genetic predispositions. The kind of insanity cited by the “New York Times” in examining the endless conflict in the Congo. The most lethal struggle since WWII, it’s claimed at least thirty times as many lives as the Haiti earthquake. For every Hutu fighter sent back to Rwanda, at least seven women were raped! Such women are then mainly rejected by their husbands, and viewed unsuitable for marriage.

Nonetheless, despite such grim statistics regarding women’s lot worldwide, Womankind in the electronic age is on the move. As Unitarian Universalists we should be hugely proud of a religious denomination wherein a majority of the ministers and spiritual leaders are women. For we menfolk, there’s everything to gain, nothing to lose – so it’s up to us to help the new, “strong” gender find their way every chance we get!

SHALOM


FEBRUARY MEETINGS.

The Panhandle Free Thought Society meets Saturday,Feb 13th, 10:30AM, at the fellowship. The question to ponder, “Does Altruism really exist or is it really self-interest in disguise?” Kindly come join in.

The Freethinkers gather Saturday, February 20th 10:30AM at the fellowship to find out if there really is such a thing as Free Will, or is everything determined? Determine to join us if you can…

Amazing Life

Sunday, December 6th, 2009
Bill White

Bill White

JAN/FEB Meetings

The Freethinkers gather Saturday, Jan 9th, 10:30-AM at the fellowship to mull over, “Are we born sinful (as Darwin might define it)?

The Panhandle Free Thought Society meets Saturday, Jan 16th, 10:30AM at the fellowship. Talk on tap, “How should Western culture deal with fundamentalism.” Timely topic, no?

Free thought folks gather Saturday, Feb 13th, 10:30AM at the fellowship. This time we’ll try to decide if “altruism” exists, or is it really self-interest in disguise?

Free thinkers gather Feb. 20th at the fellowship, 10:30AM. Topic to be tussled with, “Is there really free will, or is everything determined?” Hope your destiny is to join in.


Pat Duffy Hutcheon, Humanist in Canada (Spring, 1993), p. 28. (to the tune of “Amazing Grace”)

Amazing life, how great the code
that carves a course through me,
to futures yet uncharted from
some long forgotten sea.

No master hand defined my fate.
No gods created me.
Star dust and ocean wave did spark
the genes that led to me.

Amazing life, how great the code
that carves a course through me;
of life that first emerged from out
some long forgotten sea.

O’er eons of uncounted time,
like shifting dunes of sand;
from grasping paw on groping limb,
evolved the human hand.

Amazing hand, how great the tools
that humankind could wield.
How wide the world that hitherto
from animals was sealed.

But symbols were the crucial key
that opened culture’s gate;
for language carried consciousness,
and knowledge in its wake.

Amazing power of human thought
that carves a course through me;
to futures yet uncharted from
some long forgotten sea.

This poem by a fellow Canadian, coupled with a November 30th article in the New York Times Science section was a reminder another year is upon us. The Time’s piece declares biologists have found, along with our darker side, humans are born with an innate urge to help and cooperate with one another. Clearly, despite the pride, fear, greed and violence that still plague us – look where we’ve been. We’re here. We survived! Perhaps yet to become the aristocracy of species and true tender of this blue and fertile garden in space. Our track record seems to indicate we’ll continue to make our way through time. Perhaps the best is yet to come!

SHALOM