Exploring Humanism: The Good Life
Isaac Asimov, Albert Einstein, Gloria Steinem, Albert Schweitzer, Linus Pauling, Kurt Vonnegut: what do these famous people have in common? They are all Humanists! Humanism is a philosophy that emphasizes the value of human beings, individually and collectively, and affirms their ability to improve their lives through the use of reason as opposed to submitting blindly to tradition or authority.
To help people learn more about Humanism and explore how it can impact their lives, a monthly program is conducted by Rev. Don Keefauver, a humanist for many years and a member of UUFH. “Humanism can be an answer to all the world’s problems,” Rev. Kefeauver affirms. “One of many examples is humanism’s commitment to negotiation and compromise. If people would act honestly and fairly in their efforts to cooperate, then many problems could be averted.
Some of the principles of Humanism that may be discussed during the meetings include:
- We are committed to the application of reason and science to the understanding of the universe and to the understanding of the universe and to the solving of human problems.
- We are concerned with securing justice and fairness in society and with eliminating discrimination and intolerance.
- We want to protect and enhance the earth, to preserve it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless suffering on other species.
“Unitarian Universalism and Humanism have a lot in common,” Rev. Keefauver said. “Anyone who is interested in learning more about humanism is welcome to attend our meetings. All you need to do is to keep an open mind and think of this as an exploration in truth.”
The Hendersonville Humanism Group meets at 10am on the third Saturday of each month in the UUFH Sanctuary. For information, contact Rev. Keefauver.