Ethical Humanist Society of the Triangle

A Community Day on Racial Justice
2018-02-25 08:30 - 10:30 (America/New_York) | NC
For too long issues of racial justice have remained unresolved. The focus of this Community Day is to identify major racial justice issues, determine which intersect with the current focus of actions within the ethical movement, and where our efforts as a society would best be spent. In a discussion format of small groups, we will share more personal experiences, and then return to the larger group to consolidate our findings.

My Evolution of Thinking About Race – A Personal Journey
2018-02-18 08:30 - 10:30
You don’t know what you don’t know, which is a significant factor when discussing any topic, particularly race and race relations. After being inspired by Solomon Gibson’s presentation to EHST about starting a conversation on race, EHST member (and current President) Dorothy Dale wanted to offer her own perspective on how her thinking regarding race has evolved over the years. She also will talk about what remains personally perplexing to her about race in America.

Book Group… Following this meeting will be our book discussion group at the Chapel Hill Public Library. We are discussing the book “Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History” by Kurt Anderson. The discussion will run from 3:30-5:00 pm in meeting room “D.” Visitors are welcome to join us!
Black History Month… Our recognition of Black History Month continues with the story of Robert Smalls. Born a slave in South Carolina, he made his way to freedom, and later served in the South Carolina State Assembly and Senate until Reconstruction ended, which brought back white rule. PBS has a great writeup about him. Please take a few minutes to pay honor to him.

Thomas Huxley: Darwin's Bulldog
2018-02-11 08:30 - 10:30
EHST is celebrating Darwin Day Eve with a talk by our own Mike Conrad. Mr. Conrad will focus on the life and writing of Thomas Henry Huxley who was known as “Darwin’s Bulldog” for his advocacy of Darwin’s theory of evolution. The official Darwin Day is the 12th. You can find many resources to educate yourself more about Darwin here. To support efforts in Congress to honor Darwin Day, click here.

The State of Reproductive Rights in North Carolina
2018-02-04 08:30 - 10:30
Tara Romano of NARAL will address reproductive rights in North Carolina. Did you know that North Carolina is on NARAL’s list of “severely restricted access” states for reproductive rights? For example 90% of the counties in NC have no abortion clinic. Here is a summary of reproductive rights in NC: https://www.prochoiceamerica.org/state/north-carolina/. Another good link for comparing NC to other states is from the Guttmacher Institute: https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/state-policies-later-abortions
You also might want to review these two articles about abortions after 20 weeks:
1) Senate Rejects Measure to Ban Abortion after 20 Weeks of Pregnancy.
2) Is the United States one of seven countries that allow elective abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy?

EHST Annual Meeting of Members - 2018
2018-01-28 08:30 - 10:30
EHST will hold its annual meeting of members. This is a business meeting where the members will (re-)elect board members, and pass a budget for 2018. We will also seek membership feedback on our activities for 2017 and suggestions for 2018. Visitors are welcome to attend, but they will not be able to vote. Members who can not be present must submit proxies to the EHST secretary if they wish to have their interests/votes counted at the meeting. Plus we have a musical treat to spice up the proceedings; Jack Traywick will sing a few songs for us. Mr. Traywick is a member of EHST, and enjoys singing for friends and neighbors.

A Tender Struggle: Story of a Marriage
2018-01-21 08:30 - 10:30
Krista Bremer, author of “A Tender Struggle: Story of a Marriage,” will speak to us about her book. We can learn a lot about ourselves and humanism when we understand why some people are attracted to other world views and religions. Ms. Bremer will explore her book, and her experiences in her journey toward love and Islam. Here is an excerpt about the book from goodreads.com:
“Fifteen years ago, Krista Bremer, a California-bred feminist, surfer, and aspiring journalist, met Ismail Suayah, sincere, passionate, kind, yet from a very different world. One of eight siblings born in an impoverished fishing village in Libya, Ismail was raised a Muslim–and his faith informed his life. When Krista and Ismail made the decision to become a family, she embarked on a journey she never could have imagined, an accidental jihad: a quest for spiritual and intellectual growth that would open her mind and, more important, her heart.”

What Went Wrong with Turkey and Why does it Matter?
2018-01-14 08:30 - 10:30
Two members of the Turkish Muslim community in the Triangle will talk to us about the Erdoğan regime in Turkey, and its impact, and why many Turkish Muslim families have recently come and started a new life in the United States, while facing many new challenges here.

One of our speakers is a graduate of Hartford Seminary in Connecticut with a Master’s degree in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim relations and Dialogue. She received the graduate certificate in Islamic chaplaincy. She worked as a university chaplain intern at Cornell University and completed her clinical pastoral education at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York, as a hospital chaplain. She has lived with her family in Cary, NC since 2010. She has served as one of the board members of Institute of Islamic and Turkish Studies, Raleigh branch, and she has taught at the Continuing Education Department of Duke University since 2012, offering Introduction to Islam classes.

Our other speaker describes himself as American by nationality, of Turkish heritage. He is a Muslim by religion, and his principles are Universalist. He first came to San Diego, California in 1998 for graduate studies, and then moved to San Francisco during the dot com boom, where he got married and started a family. He moved with his wife and three children to NC in 2016. He is a head coach to a Buckeyes team. He and his family love the community here. He currently works as a consultant and is in the process of building a new startup.

If you were not able to attend this program, or would like more information about it, you will find a great resource here to help you understand the situation in Turkey:
https://fgulen.com/images/en-EN/what_went_wrong_with_turkey.pdf

Working Toward Racial Equity
2018-01-07 08:30 - 10:30
Racial equity is focused on addressing racism in organizations and communities. It requires an understanding of the history of racism as well as how institutional racism has created conditions which still prevent people of color from participating equally in our economy. Stephanie Terry is an activist for racial equity, and has been working in Orange, Durham, and Wake Counties for many years. She will help us understand where we are and where we need to go in 2018. She is also an entrepreneur who has her own vegan catering business.

What Should We Resolve To Do In 2018?
2017-12-31 08:30 - 10:30
We will use a small group discussion format to consider what we as individuals, as well as EHST, should resolve to do in 2018. What is important, and what is not? What are your personal goals for a new year? We will share with each other, and perhaps learn something important in the process!

No Meeting Today
2017-12-24 08:30 - 10:30
EHST will NOT have a program today. Our next program will be on 12/31/17.

A Better Life: An Exploration of Joy & Meaning in a World Without God
2017-12-17 08:30 - 10:30
EHST will celebrate the Winter Solstice by showing the film “A Better Life: An Exploration of Joy & Meaning in a World Without God.” Chris Johnson is the filmmaker. You can find out more about the film, and Mr. Johnson via this link: https://www.theatheistbook.com/pages/about-us.
We will have refreshments during the showing of the film, rather than afterward. Come join us for a celebration of humanism!

Health Care Reform: Ethics, Policy and Politics
2017-12-10 08:30 - 10:30
Is there a moral right to affordable health care? What are the best policy options to make it possible for everyone to afford the health care they need, and which among them are politically achievable in the US? These questions have been asked for half a century, and in the last decade health care reform has finally been achieved. But where will we go from here, and how can politically sustainable policy be better aligned with ethics? James Coley will explore these questions.
James Coley has a master’s degree in philosophy from UNC Chapel Hill, where he works in the medical school. He has given numerous talks to Ethical Culture and Humanist societies in New York, Chicago, Baltimore and elsewhere and was the host of the “Ethics Matters” radio and podcast program.

Expanding the Conversation on Race
2017-12-03 08:30 - 10:30
Conversations about race have moved into the public arena once more. People of good conscience are seeking a solution to America’s longest moral issue. What can be done?
• Do we really need to have this conversation?
• After 240 years is it possible to move beyond a certain point and solve our racial issues?
• What are some of the reasons we haven’t gotten further along in in these conversations over the years?
In a lecture format with honest Q&A, these questions and others will be explored along with possible tools to understanding and expanding a race-based dialogue in our society. Our speaker will be Solomon Gibson, III.

Narendra Modi and the Rise of Hindu Fascism
2017-11-26 08:30 - 10:30
In the election of 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a clear majority of seats in the Indian parliament and Narendra Modi became the prime minister. BJP was always a right-of-center Hindu party. Under Modi the fascist wing of the party is dominant. This wing is anti everything that is not high caste Hindu. Muslims, Dalits, Christians, beef eaters and non-Hindi speaking people are the enemy. Muslims, Journalist, and leaders of the anti-Hindutva resistance have been killed and assaulted at will abetted by Modi and his acolytes. The resemblance to 1930s Germany is striking. Atish Sen, EHST member, will address this topic for our program.

You may view Mr. Sen’s presentation slides below:
Narendra Modi and the Rise of Hindu Fascism

Stone Soup 2017 Celebration
2017-11-19 08:30 - 10:30
EHST will hold its annual “Stone Soup” celebration. We will tell the story of Stone Soup, and then we will each be given an opportunity to express what we can be thankful for in our lives. (Please note that being “thankful” does not require theism; nontheists can be thankful too!) We will make our own soup using precooked ingredients. We will have both a veggie and a meat based soup. Please do NOT bring raw ingredients; there is not enough time to cook them. After heating the broth with the precooked ingredients, we will all sit down to enjoy our “stone soup” and fellowship.
Since this is a public event, alcoholic beverages are not permitted. You may bring bread or rolls and/or juice to accompany the soup if you are unable to bring something to put into the soup. Desserts are also welcome!

Fall 2017 Membership Meeting
2017-11-12 08:30 - 10:30
Each fall, EHST has a meeting of members, friends, and visitors to discuss what has transpired (good, bad, and ugly) for the society, and what looms ahead for us. Our programs, budget, board activity, and needs are reviewed during the meeting. Questions are encouraged, which we will attempt to answer, to allow members and prospective members to understand our “state of the union.” We also will kick off our pledge campaign for 2018. Come get the facts about our humanist congregation!

Psychology, Philosophy, and the Treatment of Animals
2017-11-05 08:30 - 10:30
Hal Herzog, author of “Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It’s So Hard to Think Straight About Animals,” will speak about the intersection of psychology, moral philosophy, and how we treat animals. Mr. Herzog is a professor of psychobiology at Western Carolina University, and a leading expert on the psychology of human-animal relations. He has been described as a leading social scientist, who offers an unprecedented look inside our complex and often paradoxical relationships with animals.
Does living with a pet really make people happier and healthier? What can we learn from biomedical research with mice? Who enjoyed a better quality of life — the chicken on a dinner plate or the rooster who died in a Saturday-night cockfight? Why is it wrong to eat the family dog? Drawing on more than two decades of research in the emerging field of anthrozoology, the science of human–animal relations, Hal Herzog offers surprising answers to these and other questions related to the moral conundrums we face, day in and day out, regarding the creatures with whom we share our world.

Please note, November 5th is the first Sunday, our food pantry collection day. Below is a list of suggested items to bring:
• Oatmeal
• Canned tuna, other meats
• Milk (dried/canned/shelf-stable)
• Jelly
• Macaroni & cheese boxes
• Canned fruit
• Cereal
• Canned baked beans/pork & beans
• Instant coffee (many people don’t have a coffeemaker)
• Instant meal items, like instant potatoes, pasta, rice, etc.
• Canned pasta for kids, like ravioli, Spaghetti-Os, etc.
• Corn bread mix, other baking mixes
• Crackers (saltines and others)
• Canned vegetables
• Dried beans
• Grits/Oatmeal packets
Personal Care Products–
• Toilet paper
• Soap
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrushes and floss
• Deodorant
• Razors and shaving cream
• Soap and shampoo
• Lotion
• Washcloths
• Feminine products
• Diapers
Other Items–
• Box Fans (warm months)
• Blankets, washed (cold months)
• Space Heaters (cold months)
• Paper Bags with handles

The Sunday Sessions: What Have We Learned, and What Can We Do?
2017-10-29 09:30 - 11:30
What have we learned, and what can we do, after seeing “The Sunday Sessions,” last week’s documentary film? We will break into small groups to consider these two questions, and then reconvene, at which point each group will be given an opportunity to share its findings. I should have included this link in previous announcements about the film, but here’s a link to the “Press Kit” about the film which answers several questions you may have about the film.
Here are some additional links to help you understand the problems and dangers of “conversion” or “repairative” therapy holds for minors:
– http://www.newnownext.com/gay-conversion-therapy-drama-boy-erased/06/2017/?platform=hootsuite
– https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JmCtZz-RztQ
– https://www.hrc.org/resources/the-lies-and-dangers-of-reparative-therapy
Everyone is welcome, and the Ethical Humanist Society of the Triangle invites anyone who viewed the documentary last week to return to participate in this discussion.
Following this meeting, at 3:30 p.m., our Book Club will meet at the Chapel Hill Public Library, Meeting Room D, to discuss our current selection, “The Underground Railroad,” by Colson Whitehead.

North Carolina Premier Showing of "The Sunday Sessions"
2017-10-22 09:30 - 12:30
Gay conversion therapy has been touted by conservative Christians as an effective tool to reverse homosexuality, and is legal for use on minors in 41 states, with only nine states banning its use on minors. “The Sunday Sessions” documentary film (94 min) by Richard Yeagley chronicles the turbulent journey of a religious gay man as he attends conversion therapy in hopes of changing his sexual orientation. This is the FIRST TIME a film crew has been allowed ongoing and unencumbered access to these secretive and disreputable sessions. Here’s a trailer from the film.
EHST is proud to show this film and supports the LGBTQ community on National Coming Out day (and every day of the year as well)!
No reservations or tickets. Please join us, and tell your friends. A suggested donation of $5 per person would help defray our costs for showing this film.
https://www.thesundaysessionsmovie.com/

Haider Warraich Speaks on "Modern Death"
2017-10-15 09:30 - 11:30
Dr. Haider Warraich, author of Modern Death, will speak about his book. Dr. Warraich is a cardiologist at Duke University School of Medicine. According to Goodreads.com, the book “uses science to understand death all the way from a cellular level to what it means to us as a society, uses research to trace our relationship with death all the way from the most ancient burial grounds to what it is like to die in the modern medical-industrial complex.” EHST is very fortunate to have Dr. Warraich talk to us about his book!

Humanist Happy Hour in Carrboro
2017-10-11 14:00 - 16:00
EHST will celebrate humanism and friendship at Crossties Barbeque in Carrboro (201 E. Main St, NC 27510). They serve BBQ and other items; here is their menu. We welcome atheists, agnostics, deists, and other non and post theists as well as the merely curious to join us!

Save Our Sons!
2017-10-08 09:30 - 11:30
Kimberly Muktarian, President of Save Our Sons Raleigh, will speak to us about her organization which supports fair and proportionate sentencing laws that allow discretion while also maintaining public safety. It was founded in 2004.

Responding to Domestic and Sexual Violence
2017-10-01 09:30 - 11:30
Domestic and sexual violence cause harm to couples and families and can become life threatening. The Durham Crisis Response Center has been providing services to such victims in the Durham area for 31 years. It has helped 20,000 women and children over that time, who have found safety at its shelter, and many more have benefited from its services. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. Shirrell Thomas, outreach coordinator from the center, will speak to us about the mission and activities of the Center.

Disability Rights in North Carolina
2017-09-24 09:30 - 11:30
Elaine Whitford of Disability Rights North Carolina (DRNC) will speak to EHST about the status of disability rights in North Carolina and how DRNC is protecting the rights of people with disabilities through individual and systems advocacy. DRNC has also recently released a report on suicide in jails in North Carolina. You will want to hear about the many issues they address in helping those with disabilities!

Charles Morris - Translating Data into Effective Videos
2017-09-16 21:30 - 2017-09-17 11:30
Local film maker Charles Morris will speak to EHST about how he translates data and fact into visual formats via videography. To see an example of how he does this, and to learn about how many jobs recycling plastic bottles provides in North and South Carolina, check out this video. You may view more of his videos at his Vimeo site.

Humanist Happy Hour in Chapel Hill
2017-09-13 14:00 - 16:00
EHST will celebrate our Humanist Happy Hour at Bar Taco at University Mall (201 S. Estes Dr, Suite 3). This is our first HHH at this venue, and we hope that all will enjoy it. It’s right next to the Silver Spot Cinema. Note that there is no entrance to Bar Taco from inside the mall, so just enter from the parking lot.

Discussion of the documentary "The Wobblies"
2017-09-10 09:30 - 11:30
EHST will discuss the documentary shown last week titled “The Wobblies.” We will use our small group discussion format to analyze the documentary. What does the film tell us about our struggles today? What can we learn from the past? You are welcome to participate in the discussions even if you were not able to attend the showing of the film last week.

Labor Day - Voices from the Past Call Out to Us
2017-09-03 09:30 - 11:30
EHST will celebrate Labor Day by showing the documentary film “The Wobblies,” about the founding of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in 1905, in the time of a widening economic chasm between industrial giants and downtrodden workers. The IWW was the only union in its time that was open to all workers, regardless of gender or ethnicity. The film will be introduced by Greta Dorfman, whose uncle, Sam Krieger, was a laborer who later became an organizer, and whose interview appears in the film.
Songwriter, itinerant laborer , and union organizer Joe Hill was martyred when he was killed by a firing squad in Utah after being found guilty of murder based mainly on sketchy witness testimony. An appeal to the Utah Supreme Court was unsuccessful. Orrin Hilton, the lawyer representing Hill during the appeal, declared: “The main thing the state had on Hill was that he was a member of the IWW, and therefore sure to be guilty. Hill tried to keep [the IWW] out of the trial, but the press fastened it upon him.” Joe Hill wrote many songs. Several renditions of the song which is the moving testament to his memory have been recorded, including by Paul Robeson, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and a modern version by Bruce Springsteen.
This song about the IWW, “Solidarity Forever,” was written by Ralph Chaplin in 1915, and has been recorded by many famous folksingers, including Utah Phillips and Pete Seeger. It is sung here by Leonard Cohen.
Due to the length of the film, a discussion of its impact and our impressions, and how it affects us today (including giving those who are against a pro-labor position an opportunity to state their opinions), will be held one week later, at our regular meeting on Sunday, September 10th.

Breaking Down Barriers Between People
2017-08-27 09:30 - 11:30
How can we break down barriers between people? How have others succeeded in doing this, and what can we learn from them? We will watch two brief videos about two different people who have succeeded. We will then break into small groups to discuss what we take away from the videos. Lastly, we will share these takeaways among the groups. Come learn, and share your own ideas with us!
Can’t come? Here are the two videos we will watch:
A Reformed White Nationalist Speaks Out On Charlottesville
For More Tolerance We, We Need More…

Bertrand Russell and the Pursuit (or Conquest) of Happiness
2017-08-20 09:30 - 11:30
Inspired by Russell’s 1930 book “The Conquest of Happiness”, EHST member Fred Breidt will cover a topic that most would argue is sorely lacking these days. As Russell states in the Preface of his book “…I venture to hope that some among those multitudes of man and women who suffer unhappiness without enjoying it, may find their situation diagnosed and a method of escape suggested”. Good humor is highly suggested for all attendees.
