Good Without God

I recently came across a picture on Facebook which someone posted that implied atheists are more likely to be immoral because we don't believe in god. This is a malicious myth, of which everyone needs to be disabused. 

Please feel free to share this post to help raise awareness, thanks.

I discuss this issue in my book "To Make a Better World" available in paperback and eBook here:
amazon.com/dp/1512115894

Commentary copyright 2015 by Joshua Michail

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Is Voting A Right Or A Civic Duty?

While a couple of the points presented in the picture below are debatable, most are solid. We must understand that it's not as if the voters really wobble between being conservative and liberal so often. Rather, in the last elections many Democrats failed to turn out and vote. Some of that failure to vote was the result of Republicans trying to create obstacles to voters who would be more affected, like Democrats. Some of the failure was also many Democrats who felt that it was pointless. Often the media, much of which is actually quite conservative (I mean the news outlets) promote a narrative that we should expect Republicans to win. Many Democrat voters bought into that, combined with the fallacious idea that the midterm elections are somehow less important.

Image is from: Janis Ian's Facebook page.

There is also the fallacious narrative that supposedly all politicians are bad, Republican and Democrat, alike. The fact is there are many bad politicians. There many Democrats who are less than ideal. But, when you vote for the "lesser of two evils" you are setting the stage for greater chances of success when you then appeal to those politicians to get important things done. Additionally, you should know that a smaller percent of Democrat politicians than Republican politicians are bad. On top of that, most of those Democrats that are bad tend to be less bad than the Republicans who are bad. So, ultimately, even if you feel that Democrats are as bad as Republicans, you should know they really aren't "as bad".

With that, you should also know that elections depend on numbers. Statistically Democrats significantly outnumber Republicans across the nation. If every Democrat voter voted and every Republican voter voted, the outcome would be decidedly in favor of Democrats, overall. And, while in certain districts it's true that the balance can be quite in favor of Republicans, if there are more Democrats in office than Republicans it will be harder for Republicans to Gerrymander the districts in their favor. In future elections those districts would shift to favor Democrats.

Image from: Vocal Progressives's Facebook page.

Voting is not so much a privilege or a "right", as we Americans have long been taught. Rather, voting is a civic duty. As a citizen it is your duty to vote in the elections. As a Democratic-Republican Federation, our nation necessarily depends on the votes of the people. Your country, your state, and your city, all depend on your participation. It is a civic duty to vote because the vote of the people determines the direction of the society, the nation and state. Your failure to vote can negatively affect your neighbor, and yourself, every bit as much as the vote of each conservative. Your failure to vote is telling your neighbor that you will leave her at the mercy of corporations that would rather take the welfare they'd deny her. Your failure to vote is you telling your children that they should not care about their education, because you'll allow conservatives to cut funding to schools. Voting is a civic duty.

Copyright © 2015, Joshua Michail.

Why Are Atheists Not Represented In American Politics?

 With a portion of Americans identifying as having no religion being around 20%, and perhaps even 10% being actually atheist, why are atheists not represented in Congress? The problem is that atheists are unduly regarded with so much distrust. Religious bigotry is still persistent in America. Even moderates are hesitant to vote for an openly atheist candidate. We have a lot of work still ahead of us to have actual social justice, and true equality for all.

An Atheist For Congress?

Read Carlos S. Moreno's Op-Ed piece, on CNN, regarding the openly atheist candidate who plans to run for congress. The link is above.

Be Good To Each Other, A Sunday Secular Sermon.

How about a sermon for this Sunday? Since I am an ordained minister, and an atheist, I'll offer a secular one. I believe that sermons can be good. They can be motivational, since they are meant to be food for thought. So, I say we should be good to each other. How many of you would consider yourselves to be Humanists?

The nature of the ethical and moral philosophy of Humanism is that we must be concerned about the suffering of all people. The basis for our Humanist morals and ethics is solely the consideration of the well-being of others. Life is too short. There is all too abundant sources of misery, pain, illness and abuse, and all too many of us endure these things. All of us suffer to some degree, from some thing or another. Surely, if we can think of our own struggles, our own suffering, we can understand the need to not cause more for other people? It should be easy for us to think of when we wished for someone to help us in our times of need. And so, it should be easy to realize the need to help others in their times of hardship. But, we also reject the outdated and irrelevant claims to morality that so many religions proclaim to hold. We must question the motivations, effects, and uselessness of such religious claims to morality.

The fact is, religious claims to morality are: a few coincidentally good, most irrelevant and some even quite immoral and harmful. For instance, it's easy for Humanists to agree that murder, theft and lying are immoral acts. The harm these acts cause to humans is well understood. When we are concerned with lessening the suffering of all people, we quickly come to the conclusion that murder, theft and lying are inherently wrong. We can easily understand that they are immoral if you consider deliberately causing suffering to be immoral. But, what about saying that homosexuality is a “sin”? Many religious people believe the simple natural being of someone feeling attraction and love for another person of the same sex and same orientation is supposedly wrong, or immoral. Yet, there is not one singular reason of even slight validity that can be shown to be relevant. Just because you might think it wrong to be gay does not in any way mean that it causes harm to other people. There is simply no tangible evidence, no arguable rationale, no conceivable way to claim that one person's sexual orientation really has anything to do with the suffering of other people.

The best the religious can do is to argue that they believe that gay people will go to hell for being the who they are. But, this requires proof to support the belief. This requires the evidence that no religious person has ever been able to produce in thousands of years. However, it is quite clear, and there is plenty of evidence, to show that acting on this myth-based belief is extraordinarily harmful to humanity. In fact, realizing that religion does harm to people, that it actually causes suffering, a Humanist must be inclined to speak out against it. It is the religion that drives people to oppose so forcefully the equality of rights for people who love each other, but happen to be of the same sex. The religious are motivated by their unfounded and invasive beliefs to fight against people for nothing more than those people not matching the ideal of the religious people. They are instructed by their religion to impose on others against their victims' wills what they think is good, but for which they cannot show a legitimate argument for suffering. And this means the religiously-motivated are actually causing the harm and suffering that we Humanists find immoral. There are, of course, plenty of other examples. But, that should suffice for this point.

I also believe we should consider what morals and ethics have to do with one's honor. Fundamentally, there is honor is doing good. There is also dishonor in doing harm. This means that religiously-motivated people who impose their beliefs, which are not concerned with actual tangible human suffering, they are dishonoring themselves. While those who are only concerned with helping to eliminate suffering, based on tangible and actual evidence, they are motivated honorably. Why do you help people in need? If you do so because you wish to alleviate their suffering, then you are improving your honor. If you do so because you are told to do that, then you do not improve your honor. If you help, but believe you will be rewarded, even in some imagined afterlife, and avoid punishment thereby in that same afterlife, then you do yourself no honor. Such a reason is not selfless, but quite selfish. A desire to gain some reward, like heaven, or even an Earthly reward, cannot be an honorable motivation to help. One can only gain honor by helping others, if one's reason is solely that one understands suffering and wishes to end that suffering for others.

So, I say that we should all be exceptionally kind to each other. Be generous, be respectful, be thoughtful, be helpful, be compassionate, because that is the right thing to do. For there is a bounty of honor, only when you do not deliberately seek such honor. I say help others, because it helps them. Be a Humanist. Be human and humane toward others. Being a Humanist is not merely the honorable thing to do, but it is the human thing to do. One who fails to be a Humanist, is short of being fully human.

Copyright © 2014, Joshua Michail

All Rights Reserved.

Secular Holidays; A Reason to Celebrate for Non-Believers

Taken from Cleveland Freethinkers

It's now September. The holiday season is coming up quickly. For many people who are new to being a non-believer it is probably quite a difficult time. If you don't believe in certain things, like Jesus or a god let's say, how can you celebrate many of the “big” holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, etcetera? Well, the truth is, you can. In fact, the holiday season is probably even more fun. And why not? Are you going to let other people tell you that you can't enjoy the holiday season? Holidays are for us all to enjoy, as we wish. No one owns the rights to celebrate. Though the reasons to celebrate may differ.

Before I continue with the holiday season, I'd like to mention something. With the recent passing of Neil Armstrong many people may be tempted to create a holiday to honor him. It seems like a reasonable proposition too. But, I don't think we should create a new holiday for Neil Armstrong. Though he was considered a hero to not just Americans, but all of humanity, for being the first person to step foot on the moon. You see, there already is one. It celebrates, more specifically, the act that made Armstrong a household name around the globe. This holiday is called Evoloterra, and it takes place every 20^th of July. It's the anniversary of the date in 1969 when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon. And, while Evoloterra is more about that “one giant leap” part, naturally the “one small step” part is inescapably involved. You just could not celebrate the historic achievement of the first person to step onto the moon without acknowledging the man who was that first person.

Now, there are the “traditional” holidays and there are some secular holidays that not many people are aware of yet. Among the lesser-known holidays some are my suggestions and some are more common. Christmas, for example, is often considered a very religious holiday. It's all about Christ, right? Wrong, actually. The date, 25^th of December was celebrated by pagan Romans prior to the arrival of the cult of early messianic Jews, the first Christians. Saturnalia was a Roman holiday that took place in late December, and during which it was common practice to give gifts. Indeed, the Christmas Tree tradition is an adaptation of pagan tree-worshiping, which predated the introduction of Christianity in various parts of Europe. The fact is that there is much to the modern Christmas that is not actually Christian. Why not enjoy the holiday in a secular way? It is fair to not observe the religious aspects, and take the whole of the holiday without the infection of faith. Much in the same way that Thanksgiving is a secular holiday, that at one time was favored by Christians. It need not be theirs alone, we ought not to be denied the enjoyment, because they wish it so.

Taken from @Sophie Donelson

Blasphemy Day is a lot of fun. It is also intended to raise awareness of the problem of blasphemy laws. There are actually still nations that have blasphemy laws, as if that were some sort of legitimate crime. The fact that some people feel the need to criminalize the poking fun at, or criticizing of, ideas is shameful. There are actually backward, uncivilized people in this world and they vote, or have actual power. So, on every 30^th of September, around the world, people are encouraged to make fun of religions. The date is chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the publication of the Danish newspaper cartoon that depicted Mohammad with a turban that had a bomb on it. Blasphemy laws are against freedom of speech and such illegitimate laws should be considered a crime against humanity. Fifty-seven member nations of the United Nations had proposed to make blasphemy illegal internationally. Luckily, the General Assembly voted against the proposition. But, many nations – Ireland, Saudi Arabia and Iran are among them – are still uncivilized enough to have such inhumane laws against the freedom of speech. These states have allowed Privilegism to get a grasp on their governments, and now the people suffer for it.

One of my favorite holidays is Nietzsche Day, on 15^th of October. This commemorates the anniversary of Friedrich Nietzsche's birth way back in 1844, and it's to celebrate philosophy. Nietzsche was a German philosopher, famous for saying “God is dead. God remains dead and we have killed him.” He was also well-known for his Ubermensch concept, the “super man”, not the comic-book hero, but rather the idea that we can become more than the mere men our species has long been. The idea is that when humanity transcends the need for a deity, a mystical father, the superstitions and spiritual pacifiers we will be evolving into our rightful place. I usually give my family and friends gifts on this holiday. The gifts are books by philosophers, on philosophy. It's also good to have some philosophical discussions.

Carl Sagan was a great promoter of public understanding of science. He was a physicist, an astronomer and a professor at Cornell University. Sadly the world lost him in 1996. Sagan's birthday was 9^th of November, in 1934, so on this day, the anniversary of his birthday, I like to celebrate what I call Sagan's Day. On this holiday I think we should watch Sagan's classic that inspired so many young people to become scientists, Cosmos. It's entirely appropriate to refresh our minds on science, to discuss science and to appreciate the wonder and excitement that doing science can spark. Science should be considered interesting by everyone. It's the only way we can know anything with any reasonable certainty, after all. And as Sagan said “we are a way for the universe to know itself.” So remember, on the 9^th of November, to go to a science museum, have some discussions with your family and friends about science and take some time to watch Cosmos.

I like to celebrate what I call the “Day of the Arts” on the first weekend of each December. While I do believe in the importance of function over form, I still appreciate the creativity of humanity. The idea with Day of the Arts is to celebrate the inspiration that art often elicits, the free expression of humanity and the sharing of ideas. It is our nature to share our ideas with the rest of humanity. It's because of this that we have come so far from those ancient days when our ancestors lived in caves and were just barely learning how to tame fire. I believe it is great to visit art museums and to share gifts of art with family and friends. This is the time to appreciate and celebrate the power and breadth of imagination.

The 10^th of December is the Universal Day of Dignity. It is the anniversary of the date in 1948 when the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We ought to dedicate ourselves to the work of promoting the recognition of and protection of human rights around the globe. We can volunteer to help those in need, to support activist's and join them in the cause to protect human rights. Wherever we are, whenever we find a problem we should work to ensure a person's dignity. But, one this day, specifically, we take the time to reaffirm our value of, and determination to protect, dignity and human rights. We should make sure to read the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to make others aware of it as well.

Common Sense Day, is the anniversary, on the 10^th of January, of Thomas Paine's publication of Common Sense in 1776. It was this publication that really stirred the passions of the American colonists to take up the cause of independence. Paine argued in his pamphlet that it is the duty of the people to take responsibility for the mutual good. So we should celebrate this event by recognizing and inspiring our civic duty.

Darwin Day is on the 12^th of February. It's the anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth in 1809. To celebrate this day I like to give gifts of science. It could be books about science, or scientific works. The gifts could also be a telescope or a chemistry set, or some other science equipment. Obviously, one should make sure the gift is age-appropriate, as needed. While Sagan's Day is about the promotion of scientific understanding, I think Darwin Day is about celebrating science itself. After-all, science is the greatest tool humans have ever invented. Through science we have learned so much. Because of science we have been able to create so much good for all of humanity. The value of science, the scientific method, and all that we've discovered cannot be esteemed highly enough.

There are, of course, a variety of other holidays to be enjoyed as well. Aside from taking Christmas and enjoying it in a secular manner, there is Thanksgiving, which started out as a religious holiday. Many people would say that it still is, but the reality is that it's mostly a secular holiday now. Likewise, Halloween started out as a pagan holiday, then it was co-opted as a Christian religious holiday and now it's a secular holiday. But, there are several other secular holidays. New Year's Eve, of-course, and there is Martin Luther King Day on the third Monday of January, for example. There is also Valentines Day, which I dislike, but if one must then so be it. The problem with it is that it's really just an exploitation of unhealthy and archaic societal normatives regarding emotions. And, it's a corporatist holiday, created by businesses like chocolate companies and florists and greeting card makers, and meant to drive sales. Ultimately though, there are plenty of holidays and reasons to celebrate and enjoy the season. One need not give up the holiday season when one gives up belief in superstitions and myth. So, I say to you happy holidays and enjoy!

Copyright © 2012, Joshua Michail

Spreading Democracy, the change in American foreign policy.

It is difficult to think of a case, in the past century or more, in which two democratic nations were at war with each other. Nations with democracy tend to have a wide array of manners in which to deal with conflicts, which do not involve war. It seems clear that democracy is good for humanity. Indeed because of democracy, in many ways, the future of humanity is brighter now than it has ever been. We, in the western democratic nations, do have a vested interest in seeing democracy spread over the globe. And, it's in the best interest, realistically, of those in nations that are not yet democratic. With the recent “Arab Spring” populist uprisings in Egypt, Syria, Libya among other nations, we are seeing a movement toward democracy and modernity and humanity in the Middle East. And, US President Obama has shown that we need and we can shift our foreign policy, our involvement in the spread of democracy, away from the old less effective and more costly ways.

A case to point to is Libya. America, leading the effort of several NATO member nations, did not set one soldier's foot on the Libyan soil. Unlike with the previous president's approach with military forces toppling the existing government and installing a new one. We used our military to only support the people in their own efforts to change the direction of their own nation. It cost us little, including no loss of American lives, and they accomplished for themselves the change they needed. We supported the people of Libya by only ensuring that the battleground was kept equal. We did not do anything to win it for them. We only made sure that the fight was not lopsided and unfair.

Now, certainly, we can't, with this approach, control everything. We can't simply install a government as we prefer. But, quite frankly we should get over our power-trip and our controlling demeanor. The biggest problem in this new way, regarding the establishment of new governments in the middle east, is that there are many who still hold on to the archaic idea that religion is important. A real democracy will require freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Though, Islamists don't want the people to have that. It's vitally important for a stable society, and for humanity, that their government stay out of religion. That the government, in no way, supports any religion (obviously there Islam) or religiousness. Of-course, the majority of people will still be Muslim, like in America where the majority are Christian. But the people must earn their identity as a free people. We must only support them, not dictate to them what we want for them. It will take time, but once the people have a taste of liberty, they will hold it more precious.

At the end of the day, the only way it will work is if the people there do it themselves. We, in America, can only choose to support and trade with a government, but we should not be installing them. It is morally wrong for our nation to dictate, let alone removing governments and installing new ones. We can, however, adjust our foreign policy to have some serious influence. We can decide that we will not trade or have diplomatic relations with nations that do not meet our standards on certain issues. Standards like actual freedom of religion and freedom of speech and open, uncorrupted, democratic elections with adhered-to term limits. We ought to require civil rights equality for all without discrimination, including gender equality and equality for ethnic regional minority groups. We should demand that they recognize, and completely abide by, the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We must let the people of the globe know what our standards are, what our requirements are if they want to trade with us and have friendly relations. We can have a strong shaping influence on the rise of democracy around the globe by establishing our own standards and criteria for trade and relations. And, once we clearly define this policy, we must stick to it.

Copyright © 2012 Joshua Michail