Finally: Atheist chaplains
“A lot of people go back to religious organizations when they start having children,” whether or not they believe in God, because religion offers community, Figdor said. “What I really want to do is create a vibrant, humanist community here in Silicon Valley, where people can find babysitters for their kids and young people can meet each other.”
In the suburbs north of Manhattan, Figdor’s parents sent him to Sunday school- not for religion, but to gain a moral center, he said. Today, Figdor says that belief in a supreme being isn’t a prerequisite to being a moral person.
In humanism, “we emphasize the values of compassion and empathy alongside reason and science,” he said. “Humanism is about using science and technology to solve human problems. But it’s also the belief that we should ask if something will create suffering or ameliorate it.”
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At last! Thank god!
ProfShadow on December 23, 2012 at 10:13 PM
Way back around 1986 or so, when I was in college, I came accross one magazine the library stocked (and to Bard’s credit, they did have a wide range of philosophies represented) called the Secular Humanist. One article was about a group of secular humanist’s trip to the USSR. They praised the Soviet Union, and could find nothing wrong with that system. Bard College really did open my eyes to how bankrupt the left is. Morally and intellectually.
Humanism paves the way for communism, which is the most inhumane system out there.
rbj on December 23, 2012 at 10:27 PM
At what cost, and to whom?
OldEnglish on December 23, 2012 at 10:34 PM
This world gets funnier all the time.
CW on December 23, 2012 at 10:39 PM
“for basically no reason at all,” he didn’t add.
No, seriously though, probably half the reason for the growth of No Religion is that going to church is seen as stupid, time-consuming, and not ironic enough. I don’t mean to bash atheists, but you know I’m right. That being the case, who does this appeal to?
And what atheist – that is, what real flesh and blood atheist – takes their actual, physical kid to a “vibrant, humanist community?” (My use of adjectives is meant to differentiate from the hypothetical people that are often posited to exist in Internet discussions.)
As the man admits, “a lot of people go back to religious organizations when they start having children.” That’s because they know that a religious organization’s morals and educational methods – priest jokes aside – fall within set, described, and acceptable traditional parameters. Who on Earth would entrust their kid’s time and education to a group whose only certain position is that they don’t believe in God? (Sadly, I’m aware that rhetorical question, like most, does in fact have an answer.)
HitNRun on December 23, 2012 at 10:39 PM
Atheist chaplain?
Maybe Charlie Chaplin, but beyond that, no. Thats just nuts. If you even have to think about it, you’ve had too much relativist kool aid.
Mimzey on December 23, 2012 at 10:49 PM
Dumb, dumb, dumb.
Ladysmith CulchaVulcha on December 23, 2012 at 10:52 PM
My secular college had a Humanist chaplain briefly. She eventually left, due to lack of demand.
Meanwhile, the campus Newman Club is the most active faith group on campus. Go figure.
Damian G. on December 23, 2012 at 11:31 PM
By what/whose standard? What/who, for an atheist, defines “good.”
davidk on December 23, 2012 at 11:57 PM
Atheist chaplains?!
Next thing you know we’ll have Federal government czars!
Shy Guy on December 24, 2012 at 12:55 AM
What should heathens celebrate?
“At Harvard we used the ‘Seinfeld’ holiday, Festivus – the holiday for the rest of us,” Figdor laughed.
Celebrated each Dec. 23, Festivus includes such traditions as the “Airing of Grievances” and “Feats of Strength.” Invented in the 1960s by a Reader’s Digest editor named Daniel O’Keefe, the holiday became known to the world when a screenwriter for the TV sitcom “Seinfeld” – O’Keefe’s son Daniel – wrote his father’s invention into a show.
AHA!
Ladysmith CulchaVulcha on December 24, 2012 at 1:03 AM
Davidk is right, who/what for an atheist defines morality?? i don’t get it.
Sachiko on December 24, 2012 at 1:05 AM
It’s not that difficult, really. We grew up in the same society as religious people, with all the same laws, observations of noble deeds (and conversely, bad behavior). We also had parents who passed down their moral code.
For example, as a teen I felt a “good citizen” obligation to join the military. Then to get married, then to volunteer with various do-gooder organizations whether they were religious or not. We passed our values down to our children, as most cultures do.
Hope that helps! Merry Christmas.
Ladysmith CulchaVulcha on December 24, 2012 at 1:24 AM
I think most atheists are like you, but no one hears about them because of those crazy ones who don’t want anyone to believe because they don’t. I don’t get why they care or how it hurts them if other people believe in God. Thank you for your service!
Night Owl on December 24, 2012 at 4:10 AM
It isn’t hard at all for anyone who is WILLING to understand that we are members of a community. Societies can only thrive when people cooperate and adhere to productive conventions. We have seen that societies premised on the notion that we are all created equal with regard to our rights and obligations are the happiest and most prosperous for all.
As for a “chaplain,” I consider it a poor choice of title. A counselor would be more accurate, IMHO, as it lacks the connotations of religion.
MJBrutus on December 24, 2012 at 5:35 AM
They’ve came full circle just as we knew they would. The religion of “no-religion” is now official.
DFCtomm on December 24, 2012 at 7:00 AM
“Figdor says that belief in a supreme being isn’t a prerequisite to being a moral person.” But it is a prerequisite for the existance of objective morals in the first place. Apart from God there is no such thing as objective morality, only personal preference and social convention – both of which can and do change with the wind.
tommyboy on December 24, 2012 at 7:00 AM
My first reaction to this was to shake my head…but reading more of the article it makes more sense.
That actually makes sense, much to my surprise. It ties in “morality” with Judeo-Christian ethos but doesn’t necessitate the belief in any “supreme being”.
Considering some of the more militant atheists running amok out there these days, this is a refreshing change.
JetBoy on December 24, 2012 at 7:47 AM
my kids don’t go to any church or temple and they are ok. I trust their school that is private(secular) to teach them the moral stuff like sharing, dont lie,etc…
some time ago we passed by a church and my kid asked what it was… I said that its a place were ppl see ghosts. my kids are also not baptized.
i see no need for these atheist priests. seems silly to me.
nathor on December 24, 2012 at 7:54 AM
Working in the sciences I have found that there are two types of atheists. What I call true atheists that just don’t beleive nor care. Many of these types work with non-profits and even church groups. They may have a spouse that is religious, they may celebrate Christmas, on occasion go to church and they seldom denigrate others for their beliefs.
Then there are the Atheists. They basically hate God. Generally it’s just the Christian god but sometimes it’s any god. They also hate the believers and want to rip down and remove from public any and all symbols of god. It’s my opinion that these are the ones that create groups or churches of Atheism. I also think that they do this not because the don’t beleive but, because they so deeply beleive that they have to actively deny god to feel better about their hatred.
I’ve known and know both types. I’ve even known an Atheist who was fired because of her attacks on co-workers that believed. I’ve know some Atheists that have tried to stop work place celebrations of Christmas. On the other hand I known atheists that have won our Christmas cubicle decorating contests and fully participated in Christmas festivities.
Frank Enstine on December 24, 2012 at 8:00 AM
Bad answer but I’m not going to tell you how to bring up your kids. Religion has a rich history both good and bad but, it has played a major role in the civilizations good or bad they we have today. To say that it’s all about people seeing ghosts does an injustice to the history of religion.
Frank Enstine on December 24, 2012 at 8:04 AM
Why did you lie to your children and slander people you don’t know?
Where’s the morality in that?
Mimzey on December 24, 2012 at 8:06 AM
Cheers.
It’s the same all over regarding many different “groups” under differing labels…everything from gays to politics to just about everything else. What we tend to judge these groups on is related to the loud activist types, who are not representative of the whole.
I’ve noticed the same thing in regards to atheists…there are the activist types exchanging jokes about the faithful, suing to get creche scenes off public property and any mention of religion in schools. And there are atheists who simply don’t believe in God or a supreme creator and they leave it at that. In the same way, there are the religious who go around and do the same thing.
It’s something to always keep in mind.
JetBoy on December 24, 2012 at 8:19 AM
Is Obama their divine saviour?
trs on December 24, 2012 at 8:23 AM
Of course it’s not!
Anyone can be a “moral” person according to their own moral beliefs.
If my moral beliefs center on my own self-interest, then any actions that I take to benefit my own interests are moral.
blink on December 24, 2012 at 8:40 AM
On what basis do you consider sharing and the truth to be “moral stuff”? That seems strange.
blink on December 24, 2012 at 8:42 AM
Animals, not humans, well some humans, are perfect sociopaths. Everything they do they do for themselves without regard to anyone else. The only time they may, in a limited way protect others, like offspring, is due to instinct and not any moral imperative. Sometimes the animal world can be very amusing. There is a cat fish, I have them in my pond, that fusses over its young and protects them right up to the point the instinct shuts down. Then they become food for dad. I’ve watched gold fish lay eggs and turn around and eat them. Of course mom had to fight for her share with all the others including all the males trying to fertilize the eggs. Then when the little gold fish get about a half inch long they have to be pretty fast not to be eaten by the adults.
So to your point. Moral beliefs centered on your own self-interest is nothing more than sociopathic behavior.
Frank Enstine on December 24, 2012 at 9:06 AM
If we are to define morality as self-interest then sharing and not lying would in no way be moral.
I feel that when talking morals the average atheist really doesn’t have a leg to stand on. The only place they could get even an inkling of morals from is via society. Society says sharing is good and lying is bad. What they fail to see is that society got those beliefs from the Christian belief system that their society was built on. To deny the Christian belief system is to deny the very thing that created the society and morals they live in and with. They may not like it but that is just the way it is.
Frank Enstine on December 24, 2012 at 9:13 AM
I’m holding out for the Beer Bash Bishops… not joining up to any organized religion that doesn’t have those.
ajacksonian on December 24, 2012 at 9:44 AM
what you want me to tell a 4 year old? it has to be something really simple but without myself lying about my own godless beliefs! you can spin it in a christian way and say the holy ghost is there or something.
nathor on December 24, 2012 at 9:54 AM
This place already lives. It is called the Unitarian church.
Atheist’s only “moral” code comes from a standard, not from the “feelings” of each individual atheist. That standard is what they claim they don’t believe in. If you atheist really do not believe in God you would have to honestly say that there is no moral standard, like honesty. Interesting conundrum, which is why I will never conduct business with an atheist or a muslim, both of which will lie to your face.
david kumbera on December 24, 2012 at 9:59 AM
I do know them, my family is christian.
nathor on December 24, 2012 at 10:01 AM
does any one, of any religion, teaches little kids to lie and be selfish?
nathor on December 24, 2012 at 10:03 AM
In other words you don’t know and for your ghosts comment you just prove yourself one nasty person again and again. Do you teach your kids to do that?
CW on December 24, 2012 at 10:37 AM
What a dodge. That is not what you meant in your previous post. You’re so dishonest.
CW on December 24, 2012 at 10:38 AM
So, you admit that you are using a religious basis to consider sharing and truth to be moral stuff?
Right?
blink on December 24, 2012 at 10:53 AM
how do I teach my own kids that other ppl believe things that are not real in a respectful way? I will teach them to respect such beliefs because, there is more dimensions to judge a person than its religious beliefs and its anti social not to tolerate things on other ppl that you dont agree with. but that will come later…
nathor on December 24, 2012 at 10:54 AM
no! religions take their morals from human nature, that is why so many of them share some basic morals.
nathor on December 24, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Then again, on what basis do you consider sharing and the truth to be “moral stuff”?
No, they don’t. In fact, this is an incredible stupid comment.
They each have a basis for what they consider moral. What is YOUR basis?
blink on December 24, 2012 at 11:06 AM
…
DethMetalCookieMonst on December 24, 2012 at 11:24 AM
islam
Too many examples to count, but interesting both that faith, and communism hold the belief that the ends justify the means, effectively that intent may be hidden for the higher good, which in both cases require world domination, by force if needed for the higher good.
You may be on to something. Marx needed to divorce the masses from the opiate, religion. Faith is the refuge for those who believe, and guides their moral choices. Clear conflict with obedience to the State.
Without the rules of religion, the only other dominant rules are Law. While Law may serve the people, the forces of bureaucracy push law to serve the needs of the State, which become the higher good, since the State is now the Father. Consider Bloomberg who now writes Law on Big Gulp, lest the people under him, who have not his wisdom, be seduced.
An atheist chaplain is not a chaplain, but a counselor. However death and personal tragedy drive people towards higher solution. The atheist chaplain can be there, ready to practice psychology and guide to patient towards – where? The Lord of the Rings?The Purpose Filled Life? Rousseau? Nietzsche? The Hemlock Society?
The chaplain can also get in on tax breaks, law related to chaplaincy
entagor on December 24, 2012 at 11:25 AM
there is no hipocrisy.i told my kid what i really believed. i did not lied
nathor on December 24, 2012 at 12:02 PM
I know islam demonizes non muslims but that apart, muslim parents in general do not teach their kids to lie and be selfish to other muslim kids.
nathor on December 24, 2012 at 12:04 PM
You really believe that they see ghosts?
blink on December 24, 2012 at 1:52 PM
Again, nathor, what is your basis for believing that sharing and truth are “moral stuff”?
blink on December 24, 2012 at 1:53 PM