Show 318: The Authoritarian Specter

Two -Hour Fund Drive Special!

Audio 1 here!

Audio 2 here!

The Authoritarian Specter

Principle 8 of Humanist Manefesto II reads in part, “We must extend participatory democracy in its true sense to the economy, the school, the family, the workplace, and voluntary associations. Decision-making must be decentralized to include widespread involvement of people at all levels – social, political, and economic. All persons should have a voice in developing the values and goals that determine their lives … People are more important than decalogues, rules, proscriptions, or regulations.
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Show 317: The Texas Textbook Controversy II

One-Hour Special: The Texas Textbook Controversy II

Audio 1 here!

Audio 2 here!

Matthew LaClair spoke with controversial figure Don McLeroy, a Christian literalist and Creationist member of the Texas Board of Education, and with another Republican member of the board, Bob Craig.  They discussed the Texas Board of Education’s curriculum changes that are likely to pass this May which, as the New York Times explains, “Stress(es) the superiority of American capitalism, question(s) the Founding Fathers’ commitment to a purely secular government, and present(s) Republican political philosophies in a more positive light.”

SPECIAL NOTES:

As promised, here are the links to the proposed high school curriculum, the proposed middle school curriculum, and the proposed elementary school curriculum.

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Show 316: “Is There Anything More Important Than Whether or Not You Believe in a God?”

Call In Special: “Is There Anything More Important Than Whether or Not You Believe in a God?

Audio here!

The God debate may be interesting but when it comes to making our world a better place, is it really what matters the most?   Recently, a wide variety of professionals, including neuro-scientists, primatologists, social psychologists,  media journalists, and others have all been writing and talking about something far more central to achieving the progressive social change about which humanists should be concerned; empathy.

The concept of empathy speaks to those who are religious and non-religious alike.  It is the mechanism that results in our most humane and joyful experiences, just as the lack of it result in experiences which are the most debased and hurtful.  While seemingly uncontroversial, unthreatening, and innocuous, having a full appreciation of our natural inclination to empathize can open people to ideas that they might otherwise dismiss without adequate consideration.

During this installment of Equal Time for Freethought we’ll hear some sound clips of some of the principal players in the current “Empathy Zeitgeist” and take some of your calls to see if you agree that there are more important issues than atheism or faith, and that empathy may be the most important of all.