activism

The Post-Theological Umbrella
by David Niose
Published in the Humanist, January/February 2008:

Surely one of the biggest barriers keeping humanism from being a more prominent force in the United States is its nontheistic character. Two relevant surveys provide compelling proof that Americans just don't feel good about openly rejecting belief in a divinity:

A University of Minnesota survey in 2006 found atheists are the most distrusted and disliked minority group in the country.

An American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) from 2001 indicates that over 13 percent of the population identifies as secular/nonreligious, but only 1 percent identify as atheist, agnostic, or humanist.

The University of Minnesota results no doubt help to explain the results of the ARIS survey. That is, the fact that atheists are so vilified explains why only less than 1 percent of the population will identify as atheist, even though over 13 percent will identify as secular/nonreligious.

For humanist activists trying to advance their worldview in a culture that discourages open nontheism, there have traditionally been two ways of dealing with this issue. Some do so by trying to hide the nontheistic nature of humanism, avoiding discussion of nontheism with the hope that maybe nobody will notice it. This approach rarely works, however, because most discussions of humanism with nonhumanists inevitably result in the question: So are humanists atheists?

I thought that you might like to check out Avaaz.org, an online community that I support. It allows people from around the world to come together and take concrete action concerning the great problems that confront our world such as climate change, peace in the Middle East, poverty, and human rights. We already have 1 million members from over 182 countries and have already begun to influence decision makers. Avaaz.org allows people to take action (in about 30 seconds) to make a real impact on the pressing issues of our world.

Take a look at the website:
http://www.avaaz.org

There are many ways to get active in Humanistic valued movements. just a few are listed here. If you have more to add, please contact the webmaster

Avaaz.org - Using the latest technology, Avaaz.org empowers ordinary people from every corner of the globe to directly contact key global decision-makers, corporations and the media. By signing up to receive updates from Avaaz.org, members receive emails and text messages alerting them to new campaigns and opportunities to act online and offline, and to make a real difference on pressing global issues.

Care2.com - Sign petitions galore!
The premise of Care2 is simple: One person can make a difference.

Whether you’re passionate about green living, health, human rights or protecting the environment, Care2 puts the tools for change in your hands.

Over 7 million wonderful people discover, share and take action on Care2 and Care2's The Petition Site. It's the largest online community of people passionate about making a difference.

One.org - ONE is Americans of all beliefs and every walk of life - united as ONE - to help make poverty history. We are a campaign of over 2.4 million people and growing from all 50 states and over 100 of America's most well-known and respected non-profit, advocacy and humanitarian organizations. As ONE, we are raising public awareness about the issues of global poverty, hunger, disease and efforts to fight such problems in the world's poorest countries. As ONE, we are asking our leaders to do more to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE believes that allocating more of the U.S. budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world's poorest countries.

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The following list will mirror some of the non GWH announcements for getting active in our area. If you have an item to add to this list, please contact the webmaster
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* Tuesdays at 3:30pm: Vigil Against Iraq War in Lincoln Square.
* Wednesdays at 7pm: Vigil Against Iraq War on the corner of Park Avenue and Highland Street.
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