Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Dr. Joseph Chuman: United Nations Resolution "Lamentable and Tragic"
The Bergen Record has published this letter to the editor (click, then scroll down) from Leader Dr. Joseph Chuman in their April 27, 2009, edition. The letter is in response to Paula Schriefer's "Insidious threat to freedom of expression", which addresses the recent resolution of the U.N. Human Rights Council limiting criticism of religion.
NY Times: More Atheists Shout It From the Rooftops
See this NY Times article that appeared on page A1 of the April 27, 2009, print edition. The brainchild behind the "Don't Believe in God? You are Not Alone" billboard that triggered the South Carolina movement is Jan Meson of Freethought Action. Jan will address the Bergen Society on Sunday, May 17, 2009, at 11:00AM.
The article was the Times' number 2 most emailed article for a time, and attracted thousands of comments, including this by our own member Terri Karp.
Dr. Anne Klaeyson, Leader of the New York Society for Ethical Culture and Humanist Chaplain at Adelphi University, submitted this letter to the NY Times editor.
The article was the Times' number 2 most emailed article for a time, and attracted thousands of comments, including this by our own member Terri Karp.
Dr. Anne Klaeyson, Leader of the New York Society for Ethical Culture and Humanist Chaplain at Adelphi University, submitted this letter to the NY Times editor.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Helping to Drill Wells in Burkina Faso
This is from my brother Adam (I heartily endorse this effort as well!!):
Greetings Family and Friends,
I have been donating time recently to help a non-profit organization write a business plan to present to individuals and companies to help raise seed money. The organization is called the BARKA Foundation and their main goal is to dig water wells in a small country in Africa called Burkina Faso, which is among the world's most impoverished nations. Although there is ample water underground, they have no means to access it and must walk for miles everyday and then carry water in jugs. This water is often polluted, and causes illness. If they didn't have to spend most of their day hauling water, they might engage in more productive pursuits such as school and work, thereby improving their situation.This small non-profit was started by a college classmate of mine, who was once a television producer. He has since changed his name, and dedicated his life to improving the lives of these people. He hopes to build on his previous experiences and expertise by producing documentary films and staging concerts to earn income for the foundation to use to achieve its goals.The BARKA Foundation will be sponsoring a very interesting event in May, called the "Peace, Water, and Wisdom Walk" where people will walk from the Burkina Mission to the UN in New York City, to Bangor, Maine for a total of 500 miles. The purpose of the walk is to raise money to drill wells and awareness of the situation. Along the way, they will stop to conduct educational events with school children who are also helping to raise funds. If you have any questions or comments, please go to the links highlighted above or contact adam.ruderman@yahoo.com If you are able to help with a donation, would like to join them for a portion of the walk, or if you would like to involve your children's school in the effort, that would be great!
Thanks,
Adam
Greetings Family and Friends,
I have been donating time recently to help a non-profit organization write a business plan to present to individuals and companies to help raise seed money. The organization is called the BARKA Foundation and their main goal is to dig water wells in a small country in Africa called Burkina Faso, which is among the world's most impoverished nations. Although there is ample water underground, they have no means to access it and must walk for miles everyday and then carry water in jugs. This water is often polluted, and causes illness. If they didn't have to spend most of their day hauling water, they might engage in more productive pursuits such as school and work, thereby improving their situation.This small non-profit was started by a college classmate of mine, who was once a television producer. He has since changed his name, and dedicated his life to improving the lives of these people. He hopes to build on his previous experiences and expertise by producing documentary films and staging concerts to earn income for the foundation to use to achieve its goals.The BARKA Foundation will be sponsoring a very interesting event in May, called the "Peace, Water, and Wisdom Walk" where people will walk from the Burkina Mission to the UN in New York City, to Bangor, Maine for a total of 500 miles. The purpose of the walk is to raise money to drill wells and awareness of the situation. Along the way, they will stop to conduct educational events with school children who are also helping to raise funds. If you have any questions or comments, please go to the links highlighted above or contact adam.ruderman@yahoo.com If you are able to help with a donation, would like to join them for a portion of the walk, or if you would like to involve your children's school in the effort, that would be great!
Thanks,
Adam
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Platform Video: Visiting Nurse Service & Ethical Culture
The following ECS/Bergen Platform address was delivered on Sunday, April 26, 2009, by Dr. Richard Bernstein (introduced by Dr. Joseph Chuman, Leader):
Dr. Richard Bernstein: Visiting Nurse Service & Ethical Culture from Ethical Culture Society Bergen on Vimeo.
Dr. Richard Bernstein: Visiting Nurse Service & Ethical Culture from Ethical Culture Society Bergen on Vimeo.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Puffin: Steven Hecht shows his Art
Steven Hecht, who is a member of the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County, also collects art, including WPA (Works Progress Administration) art of the 1930s. Steve says that more than 40 pieces of his collection will go on display at the Puffin Forum for two months beginning this Saturday. There will be an opening reception on Saturday at Puffin at 7:00 pm. It’s free. It would be great if our fellow Ethical members and friends would drop in! If you can’t make it this Saturday, Steve says the show will be up for the next two months, so stop by and see it.
The Puffin Forum is located at 20 Puffin Way, just off Teaneck Road. If you’re headed south on Teaneck Road, you’ll pass Holy Name Hospital and Thomas Jefferson Middle School. You will see two gas stations--an Exxon on your right and an Enrite gas station on your left. Make the left onto Puffin Way (formerly East Oakdene Ave.) immediately after the Enrite station. The Puffin parking lot is at the bottom of the hill on the right. (If you are headed north on Teaneck Road, look for the Enrite station – Puffin Way is the first real street on your right.)
Here’s a link to the April event listings at Puffin: http://www.puffinfoundation.
Saturday, April 25, 7:00 p.m.
ART OPENING: Still Current:
WPA Art of the 1930s
Much like the severe global financial environment of today, the 1930s were a time of harsh economic duress throughout the world. On the evening of April 25th the Puffin Gallery will have an opening of original Works Progress Administration art works from the collection of Teaneck resident Steven Hecht. The show consists primarily of artists who worked for the WPA and depicts many themes that are germane to the current uncertain economic climate. President Obama’s recent stimulus plan to rebuild the nation’s crumbling infrastructure is eerily reminiscent in these evocative works from 75 years ago. Lithographs, water colors, wood blocks show men pouring steel, repairing rails, as well as farm scenes, carnivals, oil wells, nudes, and abstractions from another time that has direct lineage to today’s world.
Curated by Steven Hecht and Marc Lambert.
Free and open to the public.
Linda
Rational Sunday School
Rational, humanist, critical thinking, freethinking ... use whatever adjectives you want. Demand for Sunday schools for the children of nonbelievers continues to grow.
This article in The Humanist magazine mentions examples of such Sunday schools in Portland (OR), Long Island (a shout out to our Ethical Culture friend Sharon Stanley!), Albuquerque, Palo Alto, Chicago (also an Ethical Culture group) and Harvard University. Add to these our own Sunday school at ECS/Bergen, as well as others within the Ethical Culture community, and you have a movement.
Ethical Culture Societies have been conducting Sunday schools for 130+ years. It's about time the rest of the world has caught on.
This article in The Humanist magazine mentions examples of such Sunday schools in Portland (OR), Long Island (a shout out to our Ethical Culture friend Sharon Stanley!), Albuquerque, Palo Alto, Chicago (also an Ethical Culture group) and Harvard University. Add to these our own Sunday school at ECS/Bergen, as well as others within the Ethical Culture community, and you have a movement.
Ethical Culture Societies have been conducting Sunday schools for 130+ years. It's about time the rest of the world has caught on.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
This I Believe: Janet Glass
As delivered to the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County on Sunday, April 19, 2009:
I believe in natural burial. By natural burial I mean that we stop cutting down trees to make coffins, that we refrain from destroying rock face to make headstones, and that we don’t poison the earth with the formaldehyde in embalming fluid. Natural burial means we don’t contaminate the air with mercury that results from cremation. Cremation also consumes energy and doesn’t replenish the land. In my idea of natural cemeteries we don’t create gardens that require the use of pesticides and herbicides, and we certainly don’t mine the land for mausoleums of marble and granite. Just put my body in the ground to decompose, let the nutrients nourish the earth for the plants that sustain wild animals. I love the idea of providing habitat for wildlife by my death. The way we organize ourselves in cemeteries now is by religious groups, families, municipalities, and military service. Not by habitat preservation. At least, not yet. In order to sustain eagles, bears and other animals which need a wide range to survive, we need large tracts of land. If I want to plant myself to save habitat, a natural section in a conventional cemetery won’t provide enough land. So, in order for this to work, I need lots of company. A few years ago I looked around for natural cemeteries like one I had imagined, and bought a plot near Ithaca, New York. At that time there were only three like this in the country.
So why do I like to imagine my body helping to nourish a bush which might provide some berries for a squirrel which could feed an eagle? I feel related to all of it and, at heart, I think we all do. Last weekend I was at the computer when I noticed that a mourning dove had landed on the fire escape very close to my bedroom window. I felt my heart actually flutter a little bit and I watched its movements, riveted until it flew away. What is that connection about? And it’s not just me. Babies are always drawn to the sight of an animal, and the elderly are soothed by stroking a dog or cat. Our instinctive connection to animals seems to be hard-wired, yet we’ve betrayed them in so many ways. We have cut ourselves off from their pain in factory-farming, laboratory experiments, circus life, military uses and habitat destruction. In my own life, I haven’t been able to rid myself of animal products successfully enough and, as a culture, we’re still working out how to coexist. But in my death, I might help a bit to restore the balance. Laws still protect burial grounds as sacred. We could make them even more sacred by giving some of the earth back to the other beings among us. As green awareness become more trendy, maybe it’s a chance at collective redemption for the animal suffering we’ve caused. I believe in natural burial as habitat restoration. Let’s push up some daisies. This I believe.
I believe in natural burial. By natural burial I mean that we stop cutting down trees to make coffins, that we refrain from destroying rock face to make headstones, and that we don’t poison the earth with the formaldehyde in embalming fluid. Natural burial means we don’t contaminate the air with mercury that results from cremation. Cremation also consumes energy and doesn’t replenish the land. In my idea of natural cemeteries we don’t create gardens that require the use of pesticides and herbicides, and we certainly don’t mine the land for mausoleums of marble and granite. Just put my body in the ground to decompose, let the nutrients nourish the earth for the plants that sustain wild animals. I love the idea of providing habitat for wildlife by my death. The way we organize ourselves in cemeteries now is by religious groups, families, municipalities, and military service. Not by habitat preservation. At least, not yet. In order to sustain eagles, bears and other animals which need a wide range to survive, we need large tracts of land. If I want to plant myself to save habitat, a natural section in a conventional cemetery won’t provide enough land. So, in order for this to work, I need lots of company. A few years ago I looked around for natural cemeteries like one I had imagined, and bought a plot near Ithaca, New York. At that time there were only three like this in the country.
So why do I like to imagine my body helping to nourish a bush which might provide some berries for a squirrel which could feed an eagle? I feel related to all of it and, at heart, I think we all do. Last weekend I was at the computer when I noticed that a mourning dove had landed on the fire escape very close to my bedroom window. I felt my heart actually flutter a little bit and I watched its movements, riveted until it flew away. What is that connection about? And it’s not just me. Babies are always drawn to the sight of an animal, and the elderly are soothed by stroking a dog or cat. Our instinctive connection to animals seems to be hard-wired, yet we’ve betrayed them in so many ways. We have cut ourselves off from their pain in factory-farming, laboratory experiments, circus life, military uses and habitat destruction. In my own life, I haven’t been able to rid myself of animal products successfully enough and, as a culture, we’re still working out how to coexist. But in my death, I might help a bit to restore the balance. Laws still protect burial grounds as sacred. We could make them even more sacred by giving some of the earth back to the other beings among us. As green awareness become more trendy, maybe it’s a chance at collective redemption for the animal suffering we’ve caused. I believe in natural burial as habitat restoration. Let’s push up some daisies. This I believe.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Top G.O.P. Consultant Endorses Gay Marriage
When it matters to you, you're willing to do something about it. Perhaps this was going through the mind of Steve Schmidt, former senior consultant for the 2008 McCain presidential campaign, when he endorsed gay marriage last month. He reiterated that endorsement yesterday in an address to the Log Cabin Republicans, a group that supports gay rights.
And why does it matter to him? Presumably because his sister is lesbian. Dick Cheney, where are you?
Check out the NY Times coverage.
And why does it matter to him? Presumably because his sister is lesbian. Dick Cheney, where are you?
Check out the NY Times coverage.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Darwin Day Family Festival: Revisited
Did you miss the Darwin Day Family Festival that took place at the New York Society of Ethical Culture on February 7, 2009? The event celebrated the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his seminal work, Origin of Species.
You can listen to much of the proceedings on Scientific American's Science Talk podcast hosted by Steve Mersky (Scientific American's editor-in-chief, John Rennie, was one of the speakers). The podcast is in three parts: part 1, part 2, part 3. Full transcripts of the podcast are also available.
You can listen to much of the proceedings on Scientific American's Science Talk podcast hosted by Steve Mersky (Scientific American's editor-in-chief, John Rennie, was one of the speakers). The podcast is in three parts: part 1, part 2, part 3. Full transcripts of the podcast are also available.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Newsweek: The End of Christian America
And yet another article on the the shifting religious landscape in America. This time it's Newsweek.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
PRESS RELEASE: Mixolydian Band Welcomes Spring with Brass Music
Professional musicians who include a brother-and-sister team will be a musical highlight at The Ethical Culture Society in
This program will feature a brass quintet of two trumpets, a trombone, a french horn, and a bass, accompanied by Ms.Teubner-Prussak. Also included in the program are pieces for trumpet solo and piano solo.
Mr. Teubner is a graduate of The Juilliard School with study at The Paris Conservatory. He is a professional musician who has performed in orchestras around the world. Ms. Teubner-Prussak is a graduate of The Mannes School of Music, having studied privately with masters of the organ and piano. In
Wine and cheese will be offered for refreshment as well as non-alcoholic beverages.
Call The Society for more information about this event.
The Ethical Culture Society of
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