ARE YOU . . .

A FREETHINKER?

AN ATHEIST?

AN AGNOSTIC?

A RATIONALIST?

A SECULAR HUMANIST?

A NON-BELIEVER?

Man is the measure of all things.

Protagoras, 5th Century B. C. E.

It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God . . . but to create him.

Sir Arthur C. "2001" Clarke

I cannot imagine a god who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own&emdash;a god, in short, who is but a reflection of human frailty. Neither can I believe that the individual survives the death of his body, although feeble souls harbor such thoughts through fear of ridiculous egotism.

Albert Einstein

agnostic n. one who believes that there can be no proof of the existence of God but does not deny the possibility that God exists

atheist n. one that disbelieves or denies the existence of God or gods

freethinker n. one who has rejected authority and dogma, especially in religious thinking, in favor of rational inquiry and speculation

rationalist n. one who relies on reason as the best guide for belief and action

non-believer n. one who does not believe or have faith, as in God or a philosophy

secular humanist n. one whose outlook or philosophy advocates human rather than religious values

So you're not sure what label fits your personal outlook?

Labels sometimes denote what you are not. For example, "a-theist" simply denotes someone who is not a theist, a believer in God. If you are "a-typical," you are unusual or not typical. If you live in America's West, you might or might not be an a-Californian a-typical a-theist.

One objection some have in saying they are an atheist is that it does not tell what they are, that their entire outlook is not based simply on not being a theist. For that reason, the atheist might say he or she is a freethinker or a secular humanist or a rationalist, labels which say what the person is, positives rather than negatives.

"Freethinker" is an umbrella label for those who are atheists, rationalists, secular humanists, and other kinds of non-believers.

To "believe" is to accept ideas as being true, even if they are unable to be verified. When one dies, a believer might hold, his soul goes to Heaven. Bertrand Russell, a non-believer, knew&emdash;not believed&emdash;that upon his death his body would become food for the worms.

To "have faith" is to believe in that which does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. One can have faith that Jesus lived and, as the Cathari hold, did not die on the cross but, rather, married Mary Magdalen, settled in the Languedoc, and had heirs who founded the Merovingian dynasty that united Christian Europe under Charlemagne. Or one's faith can include believing God will send a Messiah in 2000, that pork must not be eaten, or that the Yankee baseball team will one day move to South Dakota.

Freethinkers ordinarily avoid the word "believe." Asked if they believe 2 + 2 = 4, they respond, "No, I know it"&emdash;in other words, that's the nature of the decimal system. Asked if they believe the sun will rise tomorrow, they will likely respond, "Yes, even if it is cloudy where I live." But asked if they believe O. J. Simpson killed his wife, they might respond that they do not have sufficient evidence, that a jury decided he did not but that evidence might one day indicate otherwise. Freethinkers are known for their outspoken skepticism.

"Freethinker" as a term was used in English literature of the 17th century. French writers had previously used the words "Libertins" and "Esprits forts" for skeptics. Freedom of speech was much discussed after the Restoration, and the title "Rationalist," used but rarely in Elizabeth I's time, was superseded by "Freethinker." Today the word is often used by secularists (as distinct from religionists) inasmuch as their English publication, founded by G. W. Fooote in 1881, is called The Freethinker.

What sets a "freethinker" off from a "believer" is that the latter accepts upon faith that which is required of his or her religious group; whereas the former makes up his own outlook concerning man's condition.

Tom Paine died on Grove Street, where "Marie's Crisis," a bar, now stands. But one block south ran an adjacent block in the early 1800s, and it was called Reason Street. That was in honor of Paine's treatise "The Age of Reason." In time the name corrupted to "Raisin Street," a slight worsened by the fact that "raisin" was a colloquial term for a slave. So when the street became city property in 1809, it was rechristened Barrow Street in honor of the artist Thomas Barrow. Barrow, a Trinity Church vestryman, was famous for his depiction of the church in ruins after the great fire that devasted the city in 1776. Thus sayeth Daniel B. Schneider in The New York Times (2 May 1999).

What have FANNY meetings been like?

On 24 Jan 1999 at a chairpersons' meeting, Acevedo, DiTullio, Middlebrooks, Smith, and Walther

--toasted Irving Yablon, who flew to Missouri to join an atheist alliance group that picketed the Pope on January 27th. One of many who stood at the "Clergy Only" entrance to the Trans-World Arena, he reports that

We had much TV and media coverage. Also, Secret Service, FBI, CIA, state marshalls, St. Louis's local cops, and some mounted cops. We bore miscellaneous signs, mine being NOBODY IS INFALLIBLE. All the security interviewed us and we had no problem. We were the only demonstrators, hence all the media attention. But I doubt if we were aired or covered in print. One of the TV shows panned the empty streets, Lindel Boulevard, where JP II was supposed to tour from the Bishop's home cathedral enroute to the Trans-World Arena. I personally think JP II never received the turnout he expected.

--celebrated the birthdays of Isaac Asimov (2 Jan 1920: Isaac Newton (4 Jan 1642), Molière (15 Jan 1622); Mozart (27 Jan 1756), and Thomas Paine (29 Jan 1737).

--made plans to observe the centennial of Robert G. Ingersoll's death (21 July 1899) with a dinner at the Hotel Gramercy; Middlebooks will make plans with the hotel; Smith will consult with such possible attendees as Dana Greeley and H. James Birx; Smith will try to get involvement by lawyers' associations.

--discussed Taslima Nasrin's plight; Smith brought up-to-date details of her whereabouts as publicized on the Web at <http://idt.net/~wasm/nasrin.htm>. Walther sat in the very seat Taslima's nephew, Alimul, used to have weekly buffets with Smith at Mitali West in Greenwich Village. Acevedo sat where, when our group met to discuss a recent article in which Isaac Asimov had spoken out against all drugs, Isaac and his wife walked in and caught us drinking wine. Numerous humanist publications are writing about her, but only The Alabama Freethinker(Feb 1999) listed her homepage and wrote, "An e-mail from Warren Allen Smith of NYC announces that Taslima Nasrin has escaped to Sweden. For details of her escape and to keep up-to-date with any news in the future, visit <http://idt.net/~wasm/Jan99.htm> and if you would like to e-mail her directly you may do so at <wasm@idt.net>." Smith has regularly e-mailed 460 (!) journalists concerning her plight.

--decided against the group's joining any national atheist, humanist, or freethought association but would be willing to accept any requests from them to become our associates. We considered joining as an ASHS but were not encouraged by them to do so.

--lamented that Paul Edwards will not be speaking at New School University in March and, therefore, will forward to him an invitation Walther can arrange to give the same lecture at C. W. Post. However, soon afterwards it was arranged that Dr. Edwards will speak March 19th, 6 to 8 p.m., New School University, and Warren Allen Smith will m.c. the discussion of "God and the Philosophers."

--heard Dana Di Tullio tell about Siloism, the alleged international cult that started in Argentina and uses "green" and "humanist" in its campaign for members. In the city, Siloists operate a "Humanist Party." Dana is an ex-Siloist. Our concern is that were this small group to become larger, our group and others would be confused with it. The American Family Foundation, among other groups like CAN (Cult Awareness Network), has studied the group to determine if it is a cult. Smith will inquire of Alan Levin in Iowa if Dana could receive web space.

--learned that a "research" engine at <http://www.altavista.digital.com> easily locates references to individuals. Here is a partial listing of the number of times the following noted people, including chairpersonand honorary members of FANNY, have listings. (There were, incidentally, 4,437,338 mentions of "Smith"):

 

4,342,847 God

127,470 Plato

124,450 Socrates

110,119 Aristotle

65,631 Frederick Nietzsche

41,460 Ludwig Wittgenstein

37,129 Monica Lewinsky

28,944 Pope John Paul II

18,314 Isaac Asimov

13,649 Sir Arthur C. Clarke (FANNY)

10,445 Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (FANNY)

9,847 Pat Robertson

6,006 David Hume

2,959 Paul Edwards (FANNY) but the number includes a footballer by the same name

969 Paul Kurtz (CSH)

743 Tom Flynn (CSH)

452 Taslima Nasrin (FANNY)

433 Paul Cadmus sculptor (FANNY)

308 Corliss Lamont (AHA)

164 Vern Bullough (CSH)

159 Matt Cherry (CSH)

147 Jim Herrick editor of New Humanist in London

131 Tim Madigan (CSH)

65 Warren Allen Smith (FANNY)

63 Eric Walther (but a football player has the same name) (FANNY)

63 H. James Birx (CSH)

7 Anita Weschler sculptor of "The Humanist" (FANNY)

4 Dana DiTullio (FANNY)

2 Dennis Middlebrooks (FANNY)

1 Herbert Tonne (FANNY)

1 Irving Yablon (FANNY)

1 FANNY (reference is to <idt.net/~wasm/fanny.html>)

On 19 March 1999,

Paul Edwards the major philosopher in the New York City area and editor of The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, spoke to FANNY and others at New School University on the subject, "God and the Philosophers." An estimated 100 were in attendance. Warren Allen Smith was m.c. Tim Madigan (now of the acquisitions department at the U of Rochester), Joe Levee (a Board member and Treasurer of the Council of Secular Humanism), and Larry Jones (head of Albany's Secular Humanist Chapter) assisted.

How can I find out about freethought?

If you are on the World Wide Web, start with the following:

http://infidels.org/

[in English]

http://idt.net/~wasm/asibehu

[in Spanish}

In any public library, check the card catalog for books on freethought, atheism, agnosticism, secular humanism, non-belief, etc. Look for these:

Edwards, Paul, ed. Encyclopedia of Philosophy (NY: Macmillan, 1967)

Stein, Gordon, ed., Encyclopedia of Unbelief with a Foreword by Paul Edwards (Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 1985)

Dr. Paul Edwards teaches courses at the New School for Social Research in New York City. Sign up.

Are there freethought journals or magazinez?

Yes, write for information

African Americans for Humanism

AAH Examiner, newsletter of African Americans for Humanism, Box 664, Amherst, NY 14226. Norm Allen is the editor. (Quarterly; $18 per year)

Atheism

Secular Nation, the International Atheist Alliance Magazine, PO Box 6261, Minneapolis, MN 55406 ($15 per quarter for January, April, July, and October issues)

Freethought

Freethought Today; monthly of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, PO Box 750, Madison, Wisconsin 53701. ($35 per year; 10 issues)

Humanism

The Humanist, a bi-monthly published by the American Humanist Association, 7 Harwood Drive, PO Box 1188, Amherst, NY 14226-7188 ($24.95 bi-monthly). On the Web: <thehumanist@juno.com>.

Rationalism

The American Rationalist, The Alternative to Superstition and Nonsense, PO Box 994, St. Louis, Missouri 63188 ($10., bi-monthly) On the Web: <http://www.infidels.org/org/ar/index.html>.

Secular Humanism

Free Inquiry, International Secular Humanist Magazine, Published by the Council for Secular Humanism, Box 664, Amherst, NY 14226-0664. On the Web: <http://www.secularhumanism.org>.

Foreign Publications

The Freethinker, Secular Humanist Monthly, 47 Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8SP, UK (US$38 yearly). On the Web: <http://www.freethinker.co.uk>.

Humanist in Canada, Challenging Established Beliefs, PO Box 3769 Station C, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1Y 4J8 (US $34., quarterly)

International Humanist News, journal of the International Humanist & Ethical Union for 87 Member Organizations in 30 Countries, 47 Theobald's Road, London WC1X 8SP, UK (<jim.rpa@humanism.org.uk>)

New Humanist, Rationalist Press Assn. quarterly, 47 Theobald's Road, London WC1X 8SP, UK ($US 40.) (<jim.rpa@humanism.org.uk>)

 

Are there freethought groups in the New York City area? Yes, note the following:

New York City:

Freethinking, Activist, Non-Believing New Yorkers (FANNY), Box 10-A, 31 Jane Street, New York, NY 10014. E-mail: <wasm@idt.net>

Humanist Society of Metropolitan New York, the Corliss Lamont Chapter of the American Humanist Association, 777 United Nations Plaza (Lobby Floor), New York, NY 10017-3521 (914) 588-5284; <http://www.corliss-lamont.org/>.

Secular Humanist Society of New York, PO Box 7661, New York, NY 10150 (212) 861-6003

New Jersey:

Humanists of North Jersey (AHA), 27 Bedford Place, Glen Rock, New Jersey 07452. (201) 444-6627.

Humanists of South Jersey, 105 Maplewood Drive, Mapleshade, NJ 08052 (609) 482-2261.

New Jersey Humanist Network (SHS), PO Box 51, Washington, New Jersey 07882; telephone (908) 689-2813. <hbrown@nac.net>

 

What are some local alternatives to Alcoholics Anonymous?

Village Agnostics Sundays

4:30 meets last Sunday of the month; step meeting at 4:00; regular meeting at 5:00. Held at the Lesbian and Gay Community Center, 208 West 13th St. (between 7th and 8th Avenues) but are not gay meetings.

Sober Agnostics Tuesdays 8:15

Held at the Lesbian and Gay Community Center, 208 West 13th St. (between 7th and 8th Avenues) but are not gay meetings.

We Humanists of NYC Wednesdays 6:15

held at Jan Hus Church, 351 East 74th St. (between 1st and 2nd Avenues)

We Agnostics of The Bronx Wednesdays 7:00

Montefiore Community Center, SE Corner of Dekalb Ave & Gun Hill Road (Take #4 train to Mosholu Parkway)

Agnostics At Noon Thursdays Noon

Held at the Lesbian and Gay Community Center, 208 West 13th St. (between 7th and 8th Avenues) but are not gay meetings.

We Agnostics of NYC Thursdays 6:15

Steven Wise Synagogue, 30 West 68th St. (off CPW), 5th Floor

Do Freethinkers attend church?

Freethinkers are more apt to attend museums, concerts, the opera, Broadway plays, and lectures about astronomy. If they have children, they sometimes enroll them in Unitarian, Universalist, or Ethical Culture society Sunday schools. Check the White Pages for phone numbers.

Where can Freethinkers get christened, married, or buried?

For "naming ceremonies," check with any of the freethought or humanist chapters named above. Other possibilities: Ethical Culture Society or Unitarian Universalist societies.

To get married, civil ceremonies are available by judges. Or check with one of the freethought or humanist chapters, or the Ethical Culture or Unitarian societies, for suggestions concerning non-religious ceremonies. Be sure to inquire about costs. The Fourth Universalist Unitarian Church (212-595-8410) rents the church for $300 plus minister's fees of about $200--that minister has been known to marry people while riding the Coney Island Cyclone.

Gay marriages are easily arranged at the Metropolitan Community Church (212-349-9090), an Episcopalian outpost.

Receptions can cost $15,000 a night at Webster Hall (212-353-1600). The New York Hilton (212-586-7000) charges $60 to $120/person plus $2,800 for the room. (Are you sure you want to get married?)

For burial ceremonies

--inexpensive crematories are listed in the Yellow Pages--Crestwood at 33 Spring St. has been recommended by friends of several members of AASH (Agnostics, Atheists, and Secular Humanists Who Are Infected/Affected with AIDS/HIV Illness) who died of AIDS.

--The freethought or humanist chapters, or the Ethical Culture or Unitarian societies, named above will have further suggestions.

Some FANNY projects to date:

AASH

Founded Agnostics, Atheists, and Secular Humanists who are HIV+; the group helped officiate at funerals for Wayne Larsen, Andrew deMasi, Luke Stanton, and Mike Callen (lead singer of the Flirtations). [Smith]

ASIBEHU

Formed Asociación Iberoamericana Ético Humanista, a Spanish-speaking Costa Rica-based association of ethical humanists from Argentina and Venezuela to Cuba and Mexico, with funds from the International Humanist & Ethical Union (IHEU). Its homepage was started by Smith: <http://idt.net/~wasm/asibehu.html>.

ASIMOV MEMORIAL

Mrs. Isaac (Janet) Asimov invites us to publicize the raising of an endowed fund in Isaac's memory, one to provide ongoing support for the Annual Isaac Asimov Memorial Lecture in the Hayden Planetarium of the American Museum of Natural History. The lecture (the next will be on 16 October 1998) is related to astronomy, astrophysics, and our place in the Universe.

To donate, make check to American Museum of Natural history and note that your gift is for the Isaac Asimov Fund.

Attended

the 4th Annual Atheist Alliance Convention hosted by the Rationalist Society of St. Louis. [Yablon]

Celebrated Birthdays

Tom Paine's 260th (29 Jan 1737): Middlebrooks and Smith arranged a 260th birthday party at Marie's Crisis on Grove Street, the site of Paine's death. In attendance was Margaret Downey, President of the Tom Paine Foundation in Philadelphia ($20 membership; PO Box 242, Pocopson, Pennsylvania 19366-0242).

Victor Yablon and Warren Allen Smith celebrated E. Haldeman-Julius's birthday at Marie's Crisis, then exchanged information about Mad Madalyn (for whom Yablon had once worked), and discussed the New Zealand rationalist and humanist movement. The following birthdays were celebrated either at Marie's Crisis or at 31 Jane Street: E. Haldeman-Julius (19 July 1889); Robert G. Ingersoll (11 Aug 1833); Paul Edwards (2 Sep 1923); Jane Addams (6 Sep 1860); H. L. Mencken (12 Sep 1880); Margaret Sanger (14 Sep 1879); Gore Vidal (3 Oct 1925); Denis Diderot (5 Oct 1713); John Lennon (9 Oct 1940); Friedrich Nietzsche (15 Oct 1844); John Dewey (20 Oct 1859); Pablo Picasso (27 Oct 1881)

Directed Individuals to Local Groups

Individuals who dial the Humanist listing in Manhattan's White Pages are told about humanistic groups in the area. If advice is sought concerning marrying or burying, individuals are directed to appropriate non-theistic individuals. Callers frequently are from out of the city and ask for help in finding bed-and-breakfast spots or specific individuals.

Located Higher Power Alternatives

Devised a list of local groups that are alternatives to Alcoholic Anonymous. {Yablon]

Maintained Liaison with Dr. Paul Edwards

We showed The Economis's 11 July 1998 review to Dr. Edwards of the new Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. The review speaks as much, and favorably, about Dr. Edwards's encyclopedia as about the new one. We will be involved in his January 1999 lecture at the New School concerning his forthcoming book, God and the Philosophers.

Reported on Siloists

Ditullio and Smith regularly report to Rob Tielman of the IHEU on Siloist activities which are considered to be harmful to the humanist movement.

Welcomed Taslima Nasrin

Middlebrooks and Smith arranged a dinner to welcome Taslima Nasrin, the Bangladesh gynecologist-poet upon whose head mullahs have placed a fatwa and she has been forced to seek refuge in Sweden. On her visit to New York City, the dinner was attended by Dr. Innaiah Narisetti (a major rationalist from India) and Pablo Estarellas (an atheistic logician who teaches at the Catholic University of Santiago in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and currently is studying in New Jersey )

Smith has been instrumental in being Dr. Nasrin's aide, including helping edit her various publications in English.

Welcomed Russian Humanists

In July 1998 FANNY welcomed Dr. and Mrs. Valerii Kuvakin, both professors of philosophy at the University of Moscow. Dr. Kuvakin is the leader there of the Center for Inquiry. A 23-year-old Alexeii Gostev, who is writing a doctoral dissertation on pragmatism in the work of John Dewey and Sidney Hook, was taken to 1158 Fifth Avenue and shown where Dr. Dewey lived; was shown Philosophy Hall at Columbia Hall where Dr. Dewey taught; and visited the Philosophy Department at New York University, where Dr. Hook had taught.

Welcomed Dr. Innaiah

Entertained Innaiah Narisetti, the Vice President of the Rationalist Association of India. He is an executive member of the Indian Radical Humanist Association, and he was President of the Andhra Pradesh Rationalists Association. A former lecturer in philosophy at Osmania University, he is a journalist and author. He was shown around Greenwich Village, including a trip to Hogs & Heifers.

Wrote Letters to the Editor

Middlebrooks and Smith have written numerous letters-to-the-editor in New York City journals.

Arranged BBC Interviews

Taslima Nasrin and Warren Allen Smith were interviewed by the BBC in September 1998 regarding her current status at that time. Joseph Fields and Warren Allen Smith were interviewed in October 1998 on the subject of African American humanists in the United States.

FANNY

Freethinking-Activist-Nonbelieving New Yorkers

31 Jane Street (Box 10-D), New York, NY 10014 (212) 366-6481

(<wasm@idt.net>)

Co-Founding Directors (1998- )

Dennis Middlebrooks, Warren Allen Smith,

Activists:

Victor Acevedo, Dana Di Tullio, Dennis Middlebrooks, Darren Schmidt, Warren Allen Smith, Herbert A. Tonne, Eric Walther, Irving J. Yablon

Honorary Members

Painter

Paul Cadmus

Connecticut resident but long-time Greenwich Villager

Sci-Fi Writer

Sir Arthur C. Clarke

Sri Lankan, formerly a Chelsea Hotel resident

Editor, Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Paul Edwards

the leading philosopher of naturalism in New York

Clinical Psychologist

Albert Ellis

founder and executive director of the Institute of Advanced Study in Rational-Emotive Therapy; a signer of Humanist Manifesto II.

M*A*S*H Originator

Ring Lardner Jr.

One of the Hollywood Ten

Bangladeshi gynecologist-poet

Taslima Nasrin

Temporarily hiding in Sweden and New York City from Muslim fundamentalists who have placed a fatwa on her head and want to kill her

Novelist

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

a Unitarian and secular humanist

Sculptor

Anita Weschler

this Greenwich Villager's statue, "The Humanist," can be seen at the headquarters of the Council for Secular Humanism in Buffalo, NY

How can I join FANNY and how much does it cost?

Click here to correspond