Recording of the SPI International Call — September 3, 2015

Conference-Call1

About the International Coalition Calls

Every first Thursday of the month, the Secular Policy Institute holds an international coordinating call for its 300 members to discuss the future of the secular movement.

Call for September 3, 2015

Here’s the latest recording of the Secular Policy Institute’s international coordinating call.

Agenda

I ÔÇô┬áSPI International Hot Spot of the Month – Nigerian Nine Sentenced to Death

August 3, 2015

H.E. President Muhammadu Buhari
The President of the Republic of Nigeria
Nigerian Presidential Complex, Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja

H.E. Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR
The Executive Governor, Kano State

H.E. Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye
3519 International Court NW
Washington, DC 20008

Dear President Buhari, Governor Ganduje, and Ambassador Adefuye:

It is with a great deal of satisfaction that we congratulate you and the Nigerian People on the election of new Federal and state-level governments in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, culminating campaigns which promised to restore the rule of law, eliminate corruption, and to rebuild NigeriaÔÇÖs credibility in the world community. However, we at the Secular Policy Institute, along with the below listed organizations, have deep concerns over the death sentences handed out for blasphemy last month by the Kano State Upper Sharia Court to nine individuals affiliated with the Tijaniyyah Sufi sect. We urge the government of Kano State and the Federal Government to issue full pardons and to ensure protection of the nine

International conventions (e.g., Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights) and growing global consensus call for the preservation of the rights of free conscience and religious expression. We write to advocate on behalf of Abdul Inyas and the other eight who are being sacrificed to pacify a mob. With the lack of transparency in the trial (including the names of the accused) and comments by local-authorities expressing relief at stemming further vigilante acts; this situation has the appearance of political expedience rather than a fair administration of justice.

We also are highly concerned with the nature of the listed ÔÇ£offense.ÔÇØ With two countervailing jurisprudences (Customary and Sharia), where the Customary Criminal code (┬º204) would call for a maximum two-year sentence for purported violation, and the Sharia code (sections 110 and 382b) specifying a death sentence, at a minimum the State should uphold civil over religious law. Ideally, we would ask for a full pardon and civil protection of the condemned. We appreciate that this issue is complex. But justice demands due process and the protection of individualÔÇÖs rights of expression.

We are requesting a meeting with Ambassador Adefuyeto discuss how our organizations can be of  assistance in protecting these fellow humans and their right to freedom of religion and expression

Sincerely,

edwinaSignature.jpg
Edwina Rogers

Please notify Ms. Rogers if you would like to join this letter at edwina@secularpolicyinstitute.net.

II ÔÇô┬áSPI Overview

(Edwina Rogers, CEO, edwina@secularpolicyinstitute.net, 202-674-7800)

  • SPI Mission

The Secular Policy Institute (SPI) is a think tank organization of thought leaders, writers, scholars, and speakers with a shared mission to influence public opinion and promote a secular society. We believe governmental decisions and public policies should be based on available science and reason, and free of religion or religious preferences.

Community Action Network (CAN) promotes the development and application of science and reason in an ongoing quest for secular solutions to local problems. As an inclusive, affirming, and action-oriented initiative, CAN seeks to promote rational relationships and effective community building in support of collective problem solving and the ongoing advancement and enjoyment of a more just and reasoned world.

First Thursday of Every Month at Noon Eastern Standard Time (GMT -4): September 3; October 1; November 5; and December 3, 2015.

  • Recruit National and Regional Leaders

  • International Hotspots in Need

III ÔÇô┬áFellowsÔÇÖ Corner

(Madeline Schussel, Policy Director, madeline@secularpolicyinstitute.net)

We would like to highlight these new SPI Fellows:

  • Elliot Cohen,┬áApplied Ethics, Mass Media, & Philosophical Counseling – Florida

    • Dr. Cohen received his Ph.D. from Brown University, and is one of the principal founders of ÔÇ£philosophical counselingÔÇØ in the United States. He is also founder and editor of the┬áInternational Journal of Applied Philosophyand the┬áInternational Journal of Philosophical Practice, as well as the ethics editor of┬áFree Inquiry Magazine. He co-founded and is Executive Director for the National Philosophical Counseling Association (NPCA), and he is the President of the Institute of Critical Thinking, a national center for logic-based therapy.

      He has written twenty-five books and numerous articles in philosophical counseling, applied philosophy, and applied ethics. His books and articles have been translated into several languages, including Chinese, Korean, German, and Italian. Elliot has also been interviewed by┬áNew York Times Magazine, The Chicago Tribune,┬áand the┬áLondon Observer, among other national and international media platforms. ┬áIn the field of applied ethics, Cohen has contributed heavily to the development of professional ethics (medicine, law, and journalism, as well as counseling). He has also published six books on various aspects of mass media ethicsÔÇômost recently, two political science books on mass surveillance. ┬áHere is a link┬áto a recent press press release about Elliott’s new book.

  • Silvian Ionescu, Politics, Global Democracy & Environmental Policy — Romania

    • Dr. Ionescu has a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Lucian Blaga University and a Ph.D. in Management from the Academy of Economic Sciences in Bucharest. ┬áFor 15 years, he served as Chief of Service for the Romanian Ministry of the InteriorÔÇÖs Intelligence Department. ┬áHe was the General Secretary for the Democratic National Salvation Front Party in the early 90s, and recently, he served as President of the Democratic Liberal Party for the 3rd District of Bucharest.

      Silvian has served twice as Secretary of State and General Commissioner for the National Environmental Guard, and he now works independently as an Environmental Consultant. ┬áDr. Ionescu also invented POLIBEST, a combination of two recycled materialsÔÇô80% plastic and 20% fibre cementÔÇôthat results in a new, multi-purpose product, similar to any plastic. ┬áThe asbestos typically found in the cement portion of the product has been neutralized, making the material safely recyclable.

  • John Joseph Joseph Kisakye, Environmental Science, Parasitology – Uganda

    • Dr. Kisakye currently serves as a Lecturer in the department of Biological Sciences in the College of Natural Sciences at Makerere University in Kampala. ┬áHe holds a Ph.D in Environmental Science and a MasterÔÇÖs in Zoology (Parasitology), as well as Postgraduate Diplomas in Biology Education, Project Planning, and Management. ┬áHis doctorate thesis work explored the diversity and ecology of dragonflies in the Bwindi Impenetrable, Mabira, and Mt. Elgon Forests. ┬á

      Kisakye is an educator with particular interest in teaching Biology. His current naturalist research explores many aspects of human ecology, and he approaches all of his work as an avid humanist.

  • David Wilson, Evolution – New York

    • David S. Wilson is a SUNY Distinguished Professor at Binghamton University. He is an evolutionist who studies all aspects of humanity in addition to the biological world. He manages a number of programs designed to expand the influence of evolutionary theory in higher education (EvoS), public policy (The Evolution Institute), community-based research (The Binghamton Neighborhood Project), and religion (Evolutionary Religious Studies). ┬áHe communicates to the general public his┬áScienceBlogs┬ásite.

    • Dr. Wilson is creating a new┬áSociety for the Study of Cultural Evolution (SSCE)┬áunder the auspices of the Evolution Institute. It will advance both the academic study of cultural evolution and its practical application to a wide range of policy issues.

Daily News Clips Available — How to sign up

IV ÔÇô┬áCoalitions & Resources

(Johnny Monsarrat, Alliance Director, johnny@secularpolicyinstitute.net)

  • World SPI Calendar┬áÔÇô Upcoming Major Conferences

  • Volunteers & Interns ÔÇô SPI Volunteers/Interns Recruitment

  • Coalition Update

  • Newsletter ÔÇô weekly, please sign up.

Resources:

V ÔÇô┬áPublic Policy Update

  • Latin America Update

    • Hugo Estrella

    • SPI is seeking ┬áUN Special Consultative Status. ┬áEdwina will be representative in NY and Hugo in Geneva. ┬á┬áWe are looking to build coalitions and join networks. ┬áSPI will seek UNESCO consultative NGO status. ┬áThen we have the EU, there, they have an office which would be more than appropriate for us to lobby, which is the European Commission for Fundamental Rights.

Our fellows from the Italian Union of Atheists Rationalists, Agnostics and Freethinkers (UAAR.it)  to which Hugo belongs and who publish news from US matters and internationally as well (they are members of the European Humanist Federation) have office space in the city (Circolo UAAR di Pisa).  SPI will share the office thanks to Hugo.

VI ÔÇô┬áProject and Member Spotlight

  • John Kirbow

    • John Kirbow is a member of the NY Skeptics and NY Center for Inquiry, and other various communities. He is a linguist, social innovator, an OIF / OEF Army veteran and social science advocate, who has been working on several projects involving free thought, science, reason, and Socratic discourse

  • Micael Langer

    • Director of an upcoming documentary called ÔÇ£The truth Beyond BeliefÔÇØ (working title). It deals with atheism, secularism and the discrimination and persecution of atheists in America and around the world, while investigating the roots of intolerance, from an historical, social and psychological point of view.

  • Jason Heap

VII - Upcoming Events

SPI Staff:
Edwina Rogers ÔÇô edwina@secularpolicyinstitute.net
Madeline Schussel ÔÇô madeline@secularpolicyinstitute.net
Johnny Monsarrat ÔÇô johnny@secularpolicyinstitute.net



Fellows: Sex IQ and Human Values

Weekly Fellows Update

by Deanna Cantrell

 

Ian Morris BookForagers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels- How Human Values Evolve is the newest book by SPI Fellow Ian Morris.  He presents a compelling new argument about the evolution of human values that has far-reaching implications not only for our understanding of the past but also for what the future has in store. Morris will be presenting his new work at a newly announced engagement February, 8 2016.  If you are not fortunate enough to be in the London area at this time, be sure to pick up a copy of his book here.

 

Is sex exclusive with morality?┬á SPI Fellow Marty Klein has ten lessons that humanists need to learn about sex.┬á ItÔÇÖs quick, not so dirty and not at all predictable.┬á There is even a companion Powerpoint presentation.┬á Talk about sex education!

 

From the bedroom, to the boardroom letÔÇÖs talk about economics.┬á SPI Fellow David Sloan Wilson sits down with Cornell economist Robert Frank to discuss his latest book The Darwin Economy.┬á Is it possible to compress 100 years down into 10? How does Monopoly money factor in to all of this?┬á Read on to find out!┬á ┬á

Protest

SPI Fellow Taslima NasrinÔÇÖs Freethought blog provides a powerful, unflinching view into the state of secular affairs in the Middle East.┬á Her most recent entry entitled, This valley of death is not my country, addresses recent murders.┬á Her words will haunt you.┬á

 

 

 

 



Coalition: SPI Welcomes Belgian Flemish Humanist Association!

Weekly Coalition News

by Deanna Cantrell

 

Belgian Flemish Humanist AssociationSPI is proud to welcome a new coalition into our ranks.  The Belgian Flemish Humanist Association are the official, state funded humanist, nontheist, secularist and free thinkers association!  We thank you, Yvan Dheur for reaching out to us!  Located in Brussels, Belgium this coalition features an active calendar and a host of services.

From their website:

When deMens.nu revolves around people. And people need people. That’s why you’ll find us everywhere in Flanders and Brussels. In the house Vande man everyone is welcome. The liberal humanist consultants will gladly help you. You can go there for information, a listening ear (liberal humanist counseling), the celebration of important moments in your life (ceremonies) and activities (community building).



National: Holy Rollers

The Sheriff's CarHENDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — A watchdog group urges the Henderson County sheriff to remove “In God We Trust” from the department’s patrol cars.

On Monday, Henderson County Sheriff Brian Duke said he received a letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation claiming the phrase has no place on government vehicles.

“The U.S. Supreme Court says it’s perfectly legal,” Duke said.

Duke said the motto was added to about 20 patrol cars last month.

“A lot of people are going to be against it and a lot of people are going to be for it,” Henderson County resident Timothy Lynn Gordon said.

The sheriff tells WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News he doesn’t feel he or the department have broken any laws and that he intends to keep the slogan right where it is.

See the full story at the WBBJ News site

For more history on this issue visit the Washington Post



International: Does Spirituality Sway Voters Down Under?

Influence of Religion ChartA recent survey conducted on behalf of the Rationalist Association of New South Wales and the Humanist Society of Queensland has found that only 14 per cent of Australians were influenced by their religious beliefs the last time they voted.

In a press release issued on 9 September 2015, representatives of the two organisations express their doubts about the political strength of the religious vote and the idea that politicians must ÔÇ£live in fearÔÇØ of it.

Max Wallace, the Vice-President of the Rationalist Association of NSW, said that the results cast doubt on the notion of an influential, across-the-board Christian, or Catholic, first preference vote in Australia. Wallace said, ÔÇ£It does not automatically follow that a majority of Catholics, say, in various electorates, will vote as one for political parties whose policies echo those of the church.ÔÇØ

He added: ÔÇ£I suggest the widespread indifference to religion when voting, squares with what we know about Australians’ support for voluntary euthanasia, gay marriage, and their very low, regular church attendance.ÔÇØ

Continue reading at The Conservation



Numbers: Are Nontheists Given the Cold Shoulder?

Weekly Numbers Report

by Deanna Cantrell

 
Many nontheists experience some sort of misunderstanding or misconception regarding our way of thinking, lack of belief or code of ethics at least at some point during our lives.┬á Just yesterday, I was contacted by a friend who told me a particularly interesting experience that occurred on Sunday involving a group of JehovahÔÇÖs Inter-religious Relations Thermometer Witnesses practicing their mission work.

After the first group was turned away by the homeowner, a second group approached my friend who was standing on the porch after they had failed to answer the door a second time.┬á After all, they were worshiping at the temple of Sunday afternoon football.┬á ÔÇ£So someone is homeÔÇØ she said, ÔÇ£Have you heard the good news?ÔÇØ┬á ÔÇ£I am familiar… but I am an atheistÔÇØ he said.┬á ÔÇ£So youÔÇÖre a devil worshiper.ÔÇØ said the Witness. ┬áMuch to my friendÔÇÖs credit, he calmly did set the record straight.┬á Did it change their perception? ┬áNo,┬áhe likely would have a better chance of being struck by lightning than changing their minds.┬á What matters, is that a calm, fact based dialogue was created.

According to a Pew study, members of the same group tend to favor each other the most.  It is simply human bias, we can overcome this natural bias but it is our baseline.  Think of these feelings as degrees on a thermometer, certain groups have been found to be seen as more universally warm, others are given the cold shoulder.

Catholics and evangelical Christians are large groups and viewed each other warmly in this study helps to explain why the two groups are among the most favorably viewed groups in the population. (Catholics account for 20% of the sample in the survey, and self-described evangelical/born-again Christians account for 32% of the sample.) The other groups depicted also represent much smaller percentages of the population at large.

Catholics and evangelicals, the two largest Christian groups measured here, generally view each other warmly. White evangelical Protestants give Catholics an average thermometer rating of 63; Catholics rate evangelicals at 57. Evangelicals also hold very positive views of Jews, with white evangelical Protestants giving Jews an average thermometer rating of 69. Only Jews themselves rate Jews more warmly.

Though this warmth does not go both ways: despite evangelicalsÔÇÖ warm rating toward Jews, Jews in the study gave evangelicals a much cooler rating (34 on average).┬á When asked about other non-Christian groups, evangelicals tend to express more negative views. White evangelicals assign Buddhists an average rating of 39, Hindus 38, Muslims 30 and non-theists 25.

The low ratings between evangelicals and non-theists are reciprocal. Nontheists give evangelical Christians a cold rating of 28 on average.  Nontheists gave relatively toasty numbers to several non-Christian religious groups, including Buddhists (who receive an average rating of 69 from atheists), Jews (61) and Hindus (58). Though, non-theists polled were inclined to give much cooler ratings to Muslims and the Christian groups asked about in the survey.

This survey does not list reasons for bias, or why certain groups were viewed more negatively than others.  What it does show is that room for improvement is evident in all groups.  What we can do is strive to bridge the gap.

If the clash between theism and nontheism were merely about metaphysical ideas, personal choices, or even quests made by consenting adults, then it should indeed be a negotiable difference in societies which allow for many other kinds of diversity.┬á┬áIt is striking that the most intractable disputes between believers and nonbelievers concern the treatment of┬áchildren: how and by whom they should be raised; what they should be taught about the origin of the world; whether, in the name of religious custom…With or without the guidance of brainy public intellectuals, these are hard-arguments which lead to hard choices.

In 2008, in the Illinois House of Representatives, Representative Monique Davis (D-ChicagoÔÇöwhom still occupies a seat) had choice words regarding non-theists and children during a committee hearing about the ÔÇ£moment of silenceÔÇØ observed in Illinois public schools.┬á Rob Sherman, an activist of Buffalo Grove, a Chicago suburb, testified before the House State Government Administration Committee.

IÔÇÖm trying to understand the philosophy that you want to spread in the state of Illinois. This is the Land of Lincoln…where people believe in God, where people believe in protecting their children.ÔǪ What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous, itÔÇÖs dangerous… to the progression of this state. And itÔÇÖs dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists! Now you will go to court to fight kids to have the opportunity to be quiet for a minute…I am fed up! Get out of that seat!┬á You have no right to be here! We believe in something. You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what this state was built upon.

Rating One Another┬áMs. DavisÔÇÖ views sum up the problem quite well.┬á In the words of Abraham Lincoln, who called Illinois his home and went on to become the United StateÔÇÖs 16th president, ÔÇ£Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in the bonds of fraternal feeling.ÔÇØ –November 20, 1860 Remarks at Springfield, Illinois.┬á This statement does not just apply to the U.S., for we are citizens of a global nation.┬á We can live among one another, as free thinkers we should be instrumental in leading the way.┬á Impacting positive change and bridging the gap, no more giving each other the cold shoulder.

 

 



Policy: Have Bangladeshi Bloggers Found Asylum?

Weekly Policy Report

by Edwina Rogers

 

I met with HE Elena Poptodorova, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to the U.S., to discuss the plight of the Bangladesh Freethought Bloggers. ┬áBulgaria has the highest approval rate for asylum seekers in Europe at over 90 percent. ┬áThey have been losing population, with a current population of 7.11 million, down from a population of 7.16 million in 2014.┬á It is estimated that BulgariaÔÇÖs population density is 66 people per square kilometer.┬á The countryÔÇÖs capital and largest city is Sofia, and is the 14th largest city in the European Union.┬á According to their constitution, the official religion is Orthodox Christianity but Bulgaria is also considered a secular state.

Asylum approval rates

 

 

Bulgaria is in a state of demographic crisis.

[270][271]┬áIt has had negative population growth since the early 1990s, when the economic collapse caused a long-lasting emigration wave.[272]┬áSome 937,000 to 1,200,000 peopleÔÇömostly young adultsÔÇöleft the country by 2005.[272][273]┬áThe┬átotal fertility rate┬á(TFR) was estimated in 2013 at 1.43 children born/woman, which is below the replacement rate of 2.1.[274]┬áA third of all households consist of only one person and 75.5 percent of families do not have children under the age of 16.[271]┬áConsequently, population growth and birth rates are among the lowest in the world [275][276]┬áwhile death rates are among the highest.[277]┬áThe daily birth rate is 892, but the daily death rate is 1,537.┬á Only 18.9% of the population is over 65, the age expectancy is 70.62 years for males and 77.55 years for females.

 

Atheist bloggers in Bangladesh are under severe life threats if they remain in their homeland.  In 2015 four bloggers were hacked to death in just six months by machete-wielding assailants.  Police investigations have been slow at best, to date five suspects have been arrested.  If we could safely transport the threatened bloggers to Bulgaria then the chances are good they would receive asylum.SPI CEO Edwina Rogers and HE Elena Poptodorova

 

Our letter this week is to the UN asking for assistance with asylum for the bloggers.  It is on our website.

 

Museum of The Bible Descends On DC

In DC, separation of church and state is not just a principle of governance, it is an architectural and geographic rule as well. ┬áNow, though, the Good Book is coming to town in a big way. ┬áThe Museum of the Bible – backed by the evangelical owners of the craft store Hobby Lobby, who famously took their objections to contraception and Obamacare to the Supreme Court — is set to open in 2017, just off the Mall. ┬áThe proximity of the museum to the world-class Smithsonian and the Capitol has raised eyebrows. ┬áAcademics and curators worry about the origins of the collection.┬á To many in the scholarly community, the museum seems like an oversize piece of evangelical claptrap. Some academics and curators also worry about the origins of its collection ÔÇö the more than 40,000 biblical artifacts were amassed in a remarkably short time by Hobby Lobby President Steve Green. But the museum is trying to pitch itself as deserving of its spot.┬á┬á Sarah Posner concurred,┬áwriting in Talking Points Memo: ÔÇ£The museum will be a living, breathing testament to how American evangelicalism can at once claim it is under siege from secularists, the LGBT rights movement, or feminism ÔÇö yet also boast of acquiring a prime private perch, strategically located at the nationÔÇÖs epicenter of law and politics.ÔÇØ

 

 

Who Greeted The Pope At The White House?

The White House’s guest list for a welcoming event for the pope has created tension with the Vatican. ┬áWhat do transgender activist, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop and an activist nun who leads a group criticized by the Vatican all have in common? ┬áThe pope.

The Holy See worries that any photos of the pope with these guests at the White House welcoming ceremony President Obama and Pope Francisyesterday could be interpreted as an endorsement of their activities.┬á The Holy See is the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, the episcopal see of the Bishop of RomeÔÇöthe Pope. It is the central point of reference for the church everywhere and the focal point of communion due to its prominence.┬á Stay tuned – thank you White House protocol staff.

During my visit I will have the honor of addressing Congress, where I hope, as a brother of this country, to offer words of encouragement to those called to guide the nationÔÇÖs political future in fidelity to its founding principles. ÔǪ ┬áWith countless other people of good will, they are likewise concerned that efforts to build a just and wisely ordered society respect their deepest concerns and their right to religious liberty. That freedom remains one of AmericaÔÇÖs most precious possessions. And, as my brothers, the United States Bishops, have reminded us, all are called to be vigilant, precisely as good citizens, to preserve and defend that freedom from everything that would threaten or compromise it.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest was asked about the guest list last week ÔÇô and if Obama was trying to make a political statement. Earnest, who did not confirm who was on the list, emphasized that up to 15,000 people will be invited to welcome the pope to Washington. ÔÇ£I would warn you against drawing a lot of conclusions about one or two or maybe even three people who may be on the guest list, because there will be 15,000 other people there too,ÔÇØ he said.



Policy: 228 Reasons to Celebrate

Weekly Policy Report

by Edwina Rogers

 

 

Today is the 228th Anniversary of the US Constitution

U.S. Constitution

(U.S. Air Force graphic)

Does the US Constitution interest you? If you’re an American activist, you may attend a Constitution Day parade or celebration this week. Perhaps you carry a pocket Constitution with you now. Perhaps you reflect on the wisdom of the Framers and the founding of this nation often. No matter where you live, if you fervently hope that future generations live in freedom, the US Constitution is a document worth reading and remembering.

President Obama’s Religion

Seven years into President Obama’s presidency,┬áAmericans still question his religion, according to a new CNN/ORC poll. Nearly three in ten (29 percent) report believing Obama is a Muslim. A┬á2011 PRRI poll┬áfound that┬á40 percent┬áof Americans didn’t know what religion President Obama follows, while┬á18 percent┬ásaid he was a Muslim.

 

Behavioral Science Comes To The U.S. Government

President Obama announced a new executive order on Tuesday which authorizes federal agencies to conduct behavioral experiments on U.S. citizens in order to advance government initiatives.  The object is to understand human behavior in relation to policy.  To see citizens as people instead of numbers.  Taking a more humanistic approach may yield substantial benefits on our society.

ÔÇ£A growing body of evidence demonstrates that behavioral science insights ÔÇö research findings from fields such as behavioral economics and psychology about how people make decisions and act on them ÔÇö can be used to design government policies to better serve the American people,ÔÇØ┬áreads the executive order, released on Tuesday.

The new program is the end result of a policy proposal the White House floated in 2013 entitled ÔÇ£Strengthening Federal Capacity for Behavioral Insights.ÔÇØ ┬áAccording to a document released by the White House at that time, the program was modeled on one implemented in the U.K. in 2010. That initiative created a Behavioral Insights Teams, which used ÔÇ£iterative experimentationÔÇØ to test ÔÇ£interventions that will further advance priorities of the British government.ÔÇØ

Pope In Washington DC
Want to get a glimpse of Pope Francis when he visits Washington?  This may be your best chance.  The pope will get in his popemobile for a parade after he visits President Obama at the White House Sept. 23, one of the only chance for people to see the pope in Washington without a ticket.

New Sex Ed Controversy Report

SIECUS is pleased to release its newest annual report on recent sexuality education controversies from around the nation, Sexuality Education in the Age of Digital Media.

Covering major controversies that took place over the 2014ÔÇô2015 school year, the report highlights controversy trends such as the impact that social and digital media are having in the field of sexuality education, including new and alternative forms of sexuality education that are accessible to students. The role of traditional media and parent engagement, either supporting or opposing comprehensive sexuality education, also remain common in sexuality education controversies across the country.

The stories behind the headlines of local sexuality education battles can inform community-level stakeholders in each one of the nationÔÇÖs 13,000-plus school districts. We hope that educators and advocates alike will be on the alert for similar challenges and opportunities in their own backyard. ┬áReview┬áthe past school year through the lens of this┬ánew report.

 

Eye-catching Things In SPI’s Orbit

New photos of Pluto from New Horizons show that the dwarf planet has land forms as┬ácomplex as anything found yet in the solar system.┬á PlutoMashable┬áhas the pictures from the historic flyby.┬áÔÇ£Seeing dunes on Pluto ÔÇö if that is what they are ÔÇö would be completely wild, because PlutoÔÇÖs atmosphere today is so thin,ÔÇØ William McKinnon, a New Horizons team member, said in a statement. ÔÇ£Either Pluto had a thicker atmosphere in the past, or some process we havenÔÇÖt figured out is at work. ItÔÇÖs a head-scratcher.ÔÇØ

 

Religion and Presidential Politics

Democratic presidential hopeful┬áBernie Sanders spoke Monday at Liberty University, a private, conservative Christian university. In his speech, Sanders quoted the Bible and Pope Francis, while also reinforcing his support for the legality of abortion.┬á He did state that, “I believe from the bottom of my heart that it is vitally important for those of us who hold different views to be able to engage in a civil discourse…”

 

Science Update:  Take A Hike

Feeling stressed, depressed, or generally unwell?┬áGo take a hike.┬á Emerging research shows that there is more to gain than just the fresh air and vitamin D producing sunshine of the outdoors.┬á You’ll have to get your hands dirty in order to enjoy these benefits.┬á Enter the new profession of Ecotherapy.┬á Ecotherapy is a fledgling profession, still unrestrained by such things as ÔÇ£standards of practiceÔÇØ and ÔÇ£licensing requirements.ÔÇØ It can mean regular outdoor sessions with a therapist or simple exercises undertaken on oneÔÇÖs own, and can be part of a general approach to well-being or a supplement to treatment for a medical condition. Read on to discover how bacteria in soil have impacted serotonin levels in the brains of mice.

Opinion: Pope Francis in a Race Against the Unaffiliated

 

Research is giving the religious right a run for its money this year.

In May, Pew revealed a sharp decline in AmericaÔÇÖs Christianity. ┬áIn June, the Public Religion Research Institute released a report echoing these results.┬á These trends stretch across all demographics.

As it turns out, a majority of Americans (45%) no longer believe that America is a ÔÇ£Christian nationÔÇØ, despite the Manifest Destiny of our formative years. ┬áThis is an 8% rise since 2010, when a majority of Americans still believed that ÔÇ£America has always been and is currently a Christian nationÔÇØ.

America a Christian Nation?

In 2014, PRRI determined that, while Catholicism still rules in 15 major American cities, the religiously unaffiliated come in at a close second, dominating in 10 U.S. metropolises. ┬áIn fact, in every urban area where Catholics come in at number one, the religiously unaffiliated fall right behind them.┬á Among all of the major metropolitan areas studied, only Nashville, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Atlanta donÔÇÖt have Catholics among the top three.┬á However, Nashville has the largest percentage of one singular religious group: nearly four in ten (38 percent) residents identify as white evangelical Protestant.

ItÔÇÖs no surprise, then, that Pope Francis is choosing now for a big push (i.e. comeback) around the world.

In Argentina, after several clandestine meetings with the Pope, President Cristina Fernandez Kirchner agreed to put an end to a secular education law thatÔÇÖs been around since 1884. ┬áThe law had guaranteed that religious teachings would be an extracurricular affair, protecting all affiliations in the classroom. ┬áThat century-old protection has been eradicated.┬á View SPI and joining coalitions’ letter to Cristina Fern├índez de Kirchner, President of Argentina, requesting a discussion of these urgent matters.

In Guatemala, a similar measure will force all schools to teach the Bible as the source of human values. ┬áA local humanist Indiegogo page currently begs for $8,000 to help restore the proverbially level field thatÔÇÖs somehow being barreled over.┬á View SPI and joining coalitions’ letter to Otto P├®rez Molina, President of Guatemala and Ambassador Julio Ligorria Carballido requesting support that this bill proceed no further.

And in parts of Canada, the pushy precedent is already set. ┬áOntarioÔÇÖs tax dollars fund allÔÇöand onlyÔÇöCatholic schools. ┬áThese schools have barred LGBT groups from forming, only hire Catholic teachers, and have consistently silenced religiously unaffiliated students. ┬á30% of all teaching jobs in the Province are held up in this singularly-funded Catholic school system.

Catholic Population Map

Clearly, the Pope still covers a lot of ground.

Next month, heÔÇÖs headed to Philadelphia, after which, heÔÇÖll address a joint session of Congress. ┬áSurely, wonÔÇÖt he call for the same backwards action across the U.S.?

Our demographic image has already flipped. ┬áBut our global story is slowÔÇöand resistantÔÇöto change.

Only his appointment of a new personal physician suggests Pope Francis might be getting tired of competing with an inevitable trend.

 

 

Edwina Rogers is a 20-year expert in public policy

and current CEO of the Secular Policy Institute.



International News: SPI Fellow David Sloan Wilson to Host Seminar

The Evolution InstituteOn Friday September 25, Agenda invites you to look at societal development from a scientific viewpoint. In cooperation with the American think tank The Evolution Institute, we will place the Norwegian model into an evolutionary context: Is Norway the final step on the evolutionary ladder? 
The Evolution Institute conducts theoretical and applied research from an evolutionary perspective for policy development to improve quality of life. David Sloan Wilson, a widely recognized professor of evolutionary sciences and anthropology, directs the institute. Along with colleague and co-founder, Jerry Lieberman, he will visit Oslo on September 25th. Wilson and Lieberman will present The Norway Project, an eight-year-long case study that investigates how cultural evolution leads to a fair society and high quality of life. The project also looks at the evolution, and possible degradation, of the Norwegian model.

Welcome to this fallÔÇÖs most unique meeting about societal development! ┬á

Friday September 25
0800-0930 (note that the seminar lasts half an hour longer than normal)
Kulturhuset, Youngstorget 3, Oslo

The panel:
- David Sloan Wilson, Professor at the State University of New York og Binghampton University/ Guest Lecturer at SUM/UiO
– Dr. Jerry Lieberman, Co-founder of The Evolution Institute
– Marte Gerhardsen, Director of Agenda
– Nina Witoszek,┬áResearch Director at the Centre for Development and the Environment at Oslo University
– B├Ñrd Vegard Solhjell, Deputy Leader of the Socialist Left Party
– Stefan Heggelund, Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party

We will ask: 
-    Is Norway the best that evolution has to offer?
-    Is the Norwegian model under pressure, and is it possibly outdated?
-┬á┬á ┬áHow does the future look with NorwayÔÇÖs current model, and what can be improved?
– ┬á ┬áIs the Norwegian model worth fighting for?

 

This way for signup info!



Numbers: Are Commandments Constitutional?

Weekly Numbers Report

by Deanna Cantrell

 

Religious Symbols on Government PropertyÔÇ£The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuriesÔÇØ –James Madison, founding father, 4th President of United States of America. MadisonÔÇÖs words ring true even today, even though this scourge has migrated shores it still exists. The Establishment of Religion Clause means at least this: Neither a state nor the federal government may set up a church. Neither can pass laws that aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force a person to go to or to remain away from church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religionÔǪ . Neither a state or the federal government may, openly or secretly, participate in the affairs of any religious organizations or groups and vice versa. In the words of Jefferson, the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect ÔÇÿa wall of separation between church and state. The rest, like all law, has been left up to precedent and interpretation.

Recently, two cases of Ten Commandments monuments have been back in the news; one on the grounds of a Junior High School in Pennsylvania and another on the grounds of the Oklahoma state Capitol building. Proponents for keeping the monument argue that this religious text is a historical document, not a religious text. In the interest of clarification, any credence should be removed from this diversion before proceeding further into the issue.
Cyprian Broodbank, the Disney professor of archaeology at Cambridge University, wrote in his recent history of the Mediterranean that the exodus was ÔÇ£at best a refracted folk memory of earlier expulsions of Levantine peopleÔÇØ following the reconquest of the Nile delta by the Egyptian king Ahmose around 1530BC.
This date is about 900 years earlier than the period in which the Hebrew Bible is supposed to have been codified and written down, including its first five books that were supposedly written by Moses himself. There is no archaeological evidence for the biblical story, and certainly no extra-biblical evidence, in Egyptian inscriptions. Not even the Bible account claims that the Israelites were employed as slaves to build the pyramids as they are in Hollywood. They are simply slaves. See the full dissection of Moses and this tale at the Guardian.

Think that’s interesting?┬á Here is a report on American’s view of the historical accuracy of the Christmas Story AccuracyChristmas story.
What this comes down to is a slick way of proselytizing. Rarely does an all-or-nothing approach remedy any situation, but in this case it could be the solution. In 2008, the Crossville, Tennessee courthouse allowed a statue of the Flying Spaghetti Monster on its grounds in the name of diversity. Hindu and Satanic religious groups have also been petitioning for their place next to the Ten Commandments. To date, none have been successful. In order to not endorse a religion, they must all be included or completely excluded.

One might be quick to think that the originators of these lawsuits were secular. In the case of Connellsville, Pennsylvania this is the case.┬á The unfortunate reality is that secular individuals are often seen as agitators for simply wishing to uphold the separation of church and state.┬á The monument school board in Connellsville elected to remove the monument in lieu of a prolonged court battle.┬á School Director Kevin Lape said he is in favor of keeping the monument on school grounds but that the district does not have the money to continue to fight against the issue. Stern said the losing party is responsible for paying the winning partyÔÇÖs attorney fees in a civil rights action.┬á That reads a bit like political martyrdom, doesn’t it?

The surprising news is that there is a Baptist minister involved with the ACLU’s case to have the monument revolved in Oklahoma’s capitol.┬á Where secular groups failed before, the ACLU prevailed.┬á The monument must be removed by October 12.┬á Here is what the minister had to say:

The Oklahoma governmentÔÇÖs display of the Ten Commandments is particularly offensive because officials are pretending to be doing it for secular reasons, hoping to evade the ban in the state constitution prohibiting the government from promoting religion. But erecting a plainly religious monument under sham secular pretenses serves only to trivialize the holiness of sincere religious covenants.┬á It undermines religion by negating the significance of the most sacred symbols of our religious language.

Christ of the AbyssMeet Christ of the Abyss, the statue of Jesus that was placed on federal land in 1965 off of the coast of Key Largo (removed and replaced in 2004 for repair).┬á This statue has managed to fly under the radar.┬á Upon its original placement, federal park employees were used to pour the concrete and to position this monument.┬á How is this monument any different than that of the Ten Commandments?┬á Considering the fact that tax payer’s dollars went into the placement of this monument, one would think it would get some attention.┬á Although no one has made waves…until now.┬á Splash.

 

What do everyday Americans have to say about this subject?┬á Advocates on both sides of these disputes can take some heart in AmericansÔÇÖ views. On the one hand, nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults (72%) favor allowing Christian symbols on government property in at least some cases ÔÇô either by themselves or with symbols from other faiths. Looked at another way, however, nearly half of Americans (48%) express reservations about these displays, either saying that Christian symbols must be accompanied by those from other faiths or that no religious displays should be allowed on government property.┬á Most Republicans and those who lean toward the GOP (60%) approve of Christian displays in public spaces, even if they are not accompanied by displays from other faiths. One-quarter of Republicans say Christian displays should be permitted only if accompanied by other religious symbols, and just one-in-ten (9%) say that no religious symbols should be permitted on government property. Democrats and those who lean toward the Democratic Party, by contrast, are much more evenly divided on this question. Similar shares choose each of the three options: that Christian symbols should be permitted by themselves (32%); that such symbols should be allowed, but only if accompanied by other religious displays (31%); and that no religious symbols should be displayed on government property (30%).┬á See the full report at Pew Research Center.

Our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”┬á This message can be applied beyond the reach of that timeless speech.┬á We must learn to coexist if we expect to maintain the integrity of our country.┬á A combination of diplomacy and reason, assertiveness and sensitivity.┬á The secular community can be the voice of reason and drive this country to no longer be “One nation, under God” but instead E pluribus unum— out of many, one.