Humanist Society of Santa Barbara
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Secular Humanism is a philosphy of life guided by reason and science, free from religious dogma, motivated by an appreciation of life and the life of others, seeking to reach goals of human happiness, personal freedom and growth with responsibility and understanding on this earth, in this life, at this time.
We meet at 3pm on the 3rd Saturday of each month at The Patio Room of Vista del Monte, 3775 Modoc Road, Santa Barbara. If you would like a copy of this bulletin mailed to a friend or someone you believe would be interested in our Society please drop a line to us with their name and address to P.O. Box 30232, Santa Barbara, CA 93130. |
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BULLETIN OF THE HUMANIST SOCIETY OF SANTA BARBARA OFFICERS 2002 - 2003 Chairman - Roger Schlueter 962-6316 rogers@west.net Secretary - Colin Gordon 682-0545 colin3@juno.com Editor - Dick Cousineau 687-2371 rcous1geol@aol.com Treasurer - Russ Boggie 564-6086 russboggie@cox.net Programs - Bea Duncan 964-3109 bfarwellduncan@cox.net Social Director - Anne Rojas 564-6086 annehrojas@cox.net Membership - Mary Wilk 967-3045 mwilk@cox.net Archivist - Hope Smith 967-5143 hsmith1923@aol.com Major Events - James Kimberly 969-9686 dr.doboy@cox.net Interviews - Bob Perry 968-1951 bob.perry3@verizon.net Member at Large - Art Brody 692-8898 brodybiz@silcom.com Publicity - Diane Freeman 964-8603 diane@silcom.com Please continue to bring canned foods and non-perishable goods to our regular Society meetings. These donations are given to the Crisis Shelter (Domestic Solutions) and they are well appreciated by the clients and staff. |
SOCIETY EVENTS |
We had a delightful Dining Out experience at the Chinese Buffet at Ming Dynasty after our regular meeting last month, with our speaker Dave Kong. This is defmitely a place to return. High quality food, and nice round tables. No hassles on the separate checks and fair prices.
Next Dining Out will be in July at one of our old favorites, Sizzler in Goleta.
The 3rd Thursday of the month (June 19th) is Biltmore Buffet Night. Contact Pat or John Coppejans no later that June 13th if you want to join us. (967-0929).
We continue to have a dedicated group at the last Sunday of the month Brunch at Hola Amigos, on the ocean front. May drew 16 persons with guests and relatives. Join us!. This month's Brunch will be June 29th at 10:00 AM.
NEWS FLASH: We are working on participating in the Atheist Convention at San Diego in 2004. Perhaps a group could go down together on the train? You will be posted as more details are known.
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These are the first three words of the Constitution of the United States of America and are arguably the most important ones of the whole document. These words unequivocally establish you and me as the sole arbiters of our governmental fate - not kings, nor gods nor archbishops. This was a radical notion at the time of its adoption and remains so to this day. Which is not to say that this core American value has not historically been under assault and it, unfortunately, remains in peril under the Bush administration. For example, Attorney General Ashcroft has stated that "God's Law" has supremacy over constitutional law. Unfortunately, there is little, if anything, we can do about our current AG. But maybe we can influence the political process by which judicial appointees - who might rule on critical, constitutional church/state separation issues - are approved by Congress. Which brings me to the appointment of Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. President Bush named Pryor to the 11th Circuit in April but he must still undergo Congressional scrutiny and approval. You may well think, "Bill Who?" and shrug your shoulders, especially since Alabama is so far away from Santa Barbara, and I don't mean just geographically. In fact, "Bill Who" matters to all Humanists. Here's why. Pryor has taken numerous positions which would offend any Humanist, conservative or liberal. Here, I will focus on a few example of his views regarding church/state separation: |
$ He actively supports Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore in his attempt to install a two-ton granite monument of the ten commandments in the rotunda of the state judicial building and to display replicas of the ten commandments in all courtrooms. In fact, one web site states that Pryor is "...head of Moore's legal team defending the placement of the Judicial Building Commandments monument." I do not have independent confirmation of that assertion but I have no doubt that he is deeply involved, if not its "head."
$ In 1997 he told a crowd of Moore supporters that, "God has chosen, through his son Jesus Christ, this time, this place for all Christians -- Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox -- to save our country and save our courts."
$ He appointed Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ (American Center for Law and Justice, an organization that represents Christians in church-state cases) as the Deputy Attorney General of Alabama. The ACLJ was founded by, and is supported by, Pat Robertson and the Christian Coalition.
Pryor's nomination is simply a part of a larger fabric. Currently the a number of Senators are filibustering two other Circuit Court nominations. Pryor cannot be far behind. But, of course, the big prize is the two (or possibly three) Supreme Court resignations that Washington is all aflutter about. My fellow Humanists, please pay attention to, and express your opinion about, these judicial nominees. Politicians may come and go, but federal judicial appointments last, literally, a lifetime. Whatever your political stripe, please SPEAK UP. It matters. Roger |
A total of 69 ballots were cast in our election of new officers, a 53% return rate. The overwhelming majority of the ballots simply confIrmed the proposed slate, which might explain the disappointingly low (to me) return rate. I suppose the lack of real, distinct choices (as is the complaint by many regarding our national and state campaigns!) acted as a deterrent to many.
In any case, the Hmnanist Society of Santa Barbara elected Board ofDirectors for FY 2004 is as follows:
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Chairman: Secretary: Treasurer: Membership: Program: Newsletter: |
Bob Perry James Kimberly Ron Kronenberg Mary Wilk Bea Duncan Dick Cousineau |
Web Site: Social: Publicity: At-Large: At-Large: |
Colin Gordon Anne Rojas Marian Shapiro Art Brody Don Young |
I expect the current Board to confirm these results at our next meeting. As always, you are welcome to attend this meeting, which will be held on June 16th at 5:30 pm in the Fireside Room of Samarkand. Contact Don Young (898- 7000) for directions.
Some members made parenthetical comments on their ballots. Some suggested that the Board should be expanded to include the Immediate Past Chairman as a member of the Board. This is a common practice in non-profit organizations and I suggest the new Board take this idea under consideration. Other comments generally supported the election process or thanked the current Board for their good work.
In that spirit, I would like to thank the Ad Hoc elections committee for their excellent conduct of this election process. They are Bob Perry (Chair), Ethel Trione and Richard Martin with "Doc" Trione getting an "honorable mention."
This period of transition is an appropriate time to reflect on our recent past and look toward the future. I plan to create a "State of the Society" message in the near future that will take such retrospective and prospective views. I would hope that this becomes an annual Society tradition.
RogerAt a Prayer meeting last night while praying for world affairs, one of the prayer warriors mentioned the Lord waking him in the middle of the night and telling him that if one million people would pray for Saddam Hussein to abdicate the presidency of Iraq, we would avoid war.
We at the meeting promised to contact 10 believers to pray for this and to ask each believer to ask 10 more believers to pray. Please pass this on and with God's mercy , we will avoid such a conflict.
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Terrorist Threat? Apparently a teacher was recently arrested in
the UK in possession of compasses, protractor,
and straight edge.
It was suggested that he is a member of the
Al Gebra movement, and was found bearing
weapons of math instruction .
C-nile virus It is called C-Nile. Even the most advanced programs from Norton or McAfee cannot take care of it -so be warned. It appears to mostly affect those of us who were born before 1970. Symptoms of C-Nile Virus:
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On a Septic Tank Truck sign: "We're #1 in the #2 business." Sign over a Gynecologist's Office: "Dr. Jones, at your cervix." At a Proctologist's door "To expedite your visit please back in." On a Plumber's truck: "We repair what your husband fixed." On a Plumber's truck: "Don't sleep with a drip, Call your plumber." Pizza Shop Slogan: "7 days without pizza makes one weak," At a Tire Shop in Milwaukee: "Invite us to your next blowout." On a Plastic Surgeon's Office door: "Hello. Can we pick your nose?" At a Towing company: "We don't charge an arm and a leg. We want tows." On an Electrician's truck: "Let us remove your shorts," In a Veterinarian's waiting room: "Be back in 5 minutes, Sit! Stay!" At the Electric Company: "We would be delighted if you send in your payment. However, if you don't, you will be." In a Restaurant window: "Don't stand there and be hungry , Come on in and get fed up," In the front yard of a Funeral Home: "Drive carefully. We'll wait." At a Propane Filling Station, "Tank heaven for little grills." |
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God would like to thank you for your belief and
patronage, In order to
better serve your needs, He asks that you take a
few moments to answer the
following questions. Please keep in mind that your responses will be kept completely confidential, and that you need not disclose your name or address unless you prefer a direct response to comments or suggestions. 1. How did you find out about God?
-Newspaper -New Testament -Torah -Book of Mormon -Koran -Other Book -Television -Divine Inspiration -Word of mouth -Dead Sea Scrolls -My mama done tol' me -Near-Death Experience -Near-Life Experience -National Public Radio -Tabloid -Burning Shrubbery -Who? -Other (specify): 2, Which model God did you acquire?
-God of Israel -Jehovah -Allah - -Just plain God -Krishna -Father, Son & Holy Ghost (Trinity Pack) -Zeus and entourage (Olympus Pack) -Odin and entourage (Valhalla Pack) -Gaia/Mother Earth/Mother Nature -None of the above; I was taken in by a false god 3. Did your God come to you undamaged, with all parts in good working order and with no obvious breakage or missing attributes? _Yes _No If No, please describe the problems you initially encountered here. Please indicate all that apply:
-Not eternal
-Not omniscient -Not omnipotent -Finite in spacel/Does not occupy or inhabit the entire universe -Permits sex outside of marriage -Prohibits sex outside of marriage -Makes mistakes (Geraldo Rivera, Jesse Helms) -When beseeched, doesn't stay beseeched -Requires burnt offerings -Requires virgin sacrifices -Plays dice with the universe |
4. What factors were relevant in your decision to
acquire a God? Please check all that apply.
-Indoctrinated by parents -Needed a reason to live -Indoctrinated by society -Needed target for rage -Imaginary friend grew up -Hate to think for self -Wanted to meet girls/boys -Fear of death -To piss off parents -Needed a day away from work -Enjoy organ music -Needed focus on whom to despise -Needed to feel morally superior -Graduated from the tooth fairy -My shrubbery caught fire and told me to do it 5. Are you currently using any other source of inspiration in addItion to God? _Yes _No If Yes, please check all that apply.
-Self-help books -Tarot, Astrology -Star Trek re-runs -Fortune cookies -Dear Abby -Psychic Friends Network -Dianetics -Playboy and/or Playgirl -Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll -Biorhythms -EST -Television -Mantras -Jimmy Swaggart -Crystals (not including Crystal Gayle) -Human Sacrifice -Wandering around in desert -Burning shrubbery -Other: 6. Have you ever worshiped a false God before? _Yes _No If so, which false God were you fooled by? Please check all that apply.
-Odin -Cthulhu -Lottery -Baal -Beelzebub -The Almighty Dollar -The Conservative Right -Mick Jagger -Bill Gates -The Great Pumpkin -Ronald Reagan -A burning cabbage -Mushrooms -Other: |
7. God employs a limited degree of Divine Intervention to preserve the
balanced level of felt presence and blind faith. Which would you prefer (circle one)? a. More Divine Intervention b. Less Divine Intervention c. Current level of Divine Intervention is just right d. Don't know - whats Divine Intervention? 8. God also attempts to maintain a balanced level of disasters and miracles. Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 God's handling of the following: (1 = unsatisfactory, 5 = excellent): Disasters: 1 2 3 4 5 Flood 1 2 3 4 5 Famine 1 2 3 4 5 Earthquake 1 2 3 4 5 War 1 2 3 4 5 Pestilence 1 2 3 4 5 Plague 1 2 3 4 5 AOL 1 2 3 4 5 Republican Congress 1 2 3 4 5 Jerry Lewis 1 2 3 4 5 Dubya 1 2 3 4 5 My last relationship Miracles: 1 2 3 4 5 Rescues 1 2 3 4 5 Spontaneous remissions 1 2 3 4 5 Crying statues 1 2 3 4 5 Water changing to wine 1 2 3 4 5 Walking on water 1 2 3 4 5 Stars hovering over towns 1 2 3 4 5 VCRs that set their own clocks 1 2 3 4 5 Clear and competent statements by the President 1 2 3 4 5 My present relationship 9. Please rate the following on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = unsatisfactory, 5 = excellent}: 1 2 3 4 5 God's Courtesy 1 2 3 4 5 Answers to your prayers 1 2 3 4 5 Are your spiritual needs being met? 1 2 3 4 5 How are your shrubs doing? 10. Do you have any additional comments or suggestions for improving the quality of God's services? Thankyou God's Helper Dick Box 30232 S.B. CA 93130 |