Humanists Quinte will be meeting on Sunday, February 25, 1:30 p.m., Room 22,
Pioneer Building, Loyalist College, Belleville (map).
“What’s the matter with Darwin, anyway?” will be presented by Eric Thomas.
Everyone welcome!
(Note: The room is now P-22, new for 2009-10 season, not P-12 as we have in previous seasons)
This Sunday, Oct. 18th we [Kingston Humanist Association] are hosting a talk by author, educator, and environmental activist Mike Nickerson in support of the launch of his book:
Life, Money & Illusion
The theme of his talk is “The Question of Direction” and will explore how we, as a people and as individuals, can live on earth as if we want to stay.
Attention members and friends of Humanist Quinte
"Falling with grace" by Memotions (CC BY)
Dear Friends,
Can we hold an “atheist bus” campaign in Belleville? Some of us think we can. The next meeting of Humanists Quinte, on Sunday, June 28th 2009, 1:30 p.m. in Room P-12, Pioneer Building, Loyalist College, Belleville (map), will be to discuss and explore this possibility.
This meeting will be primarily a discussion meeting to see what we can do to raise funds to hold an “atheist bus” campaign in Belleville. The fair City of Belleville operates its own transit service with a fleet of modern buses and we believe several buses with the atheist bus advertising is just what this community needs.
By now, most of you know what this bus advertising says: There’s Probably No God. Now Stop Worrying and Enjoy Life. This ad has been used successfully all over the world. However, there are some other possibilities that we could also use, such as the Humanist Canada ad You Can Be Good Without God and another ad in the U.S. that said Don’t Believe in God? You are Not Alone.
Although most Humanists and Atheists are pretty positive that there is no God, the qualifier “probably” was inserted to satisfy the British advertising standards. Some people, it seems, would be terribly offended if we just said, “THERE’S NO GOD.” Besides, being pretty sure isn’t knowing for a fact. Nevertheless, the balance of probabilities is in our favour.
Another possibility if we can raise sufficient funds is to extend our campaign to Kingston. It would be nice to see a few of our signs on the Kingston buses too.
So, come one, come all, on Sunday, June 28th. Let’s put our collective thinking caps on and see what we can do to raise the money to make an effective bus advertising campaign possible. As a modest goal, I’d say $10,000 is not too much to aim for. If we can raise $50,000, so much the better.
And if you can’t attend on the 28th, you can mail a cheque to Bill Broderick.
Also on June 28th, we will have a musical interlude. The piece is “Serenade” Opus 6 by E. Tosselli, with the wonderful song of the nightingale. This is a particularly happy piece of music that I think you will all enjoy. Joanne will bring a CD player for this occasion. If time permits, we will also hear another piece on the same CD, “Meditation from Thais” by J. Massenet.
Please note that our June 28th meeting will be the final meeting for the summer. We hope to be back in our same room at Loyalist College on Sunday, September 28th.
Have a great summer!
By Bill Broderick
Published in the Trentonian, Friday, May 1, 2009
WARNING: This article describes a scene of gruesome and horrific violence.
The date was October 27, 2008. The place was a football stadium in Kismayu, Somalia. A crowd of more than 1,000 had turned out to witness the execution of a young girl by stoning. Down on the football field, at the centre of a ring of about 50 men, other men bound the girl’s arms and legs, then lowered her into a hole so that only her head was above ground. The victim was only 13 years old. She screamed and protested in terror the whole time. Her name was Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow.
According to the account by Amnesty International, the family had started out to travel from the port city of Kismayu to visit her grandmother in Mogadishu. While still in Kismayu, Aisha was violently raped by three men. When the family attempted to report the attack to the armed political group that controls Kismayu, it was Aisha herself who was detained and accused of committing adultery. None of the men she identified as being her rapists were arrested.
Amnesty International claims that there was no trial or court hearing of any kind.
At a signal, the 50 men who formed a ring around the terrified girl began to throw their stones. Many missed their target but a few struck her. Her face and head were battered repeatedly by the stones. At one point, nurses were instructed to check whether Aisha was still alive. They removed her from the hole and found that although horribly wounded, she still lived. She was put back into the hole and the stoning continued until she was undeniably dead.
Lapidation, or stoning, is a form of capital punishment that is practiced in some Islamic countries: United Arab Republic, Iran, Iraq, Eastern Turkey, Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan.. The practice has a long history going back to Bible times and probably the Stone Age. Custom varies from place to place, but generally involves the victim being bound and buried with either the upper body exposed or just the head exposed. Again, depending on local custom. a sheet may be used to cover the victim from the sight of those throwing the stones.
The crimes for which stoning is prescribed differ from place to place and even from court to court, but almost invariably involve sex. Islamic sharia law is the basis for the punishment, but it is interpreted differently by different legal and religious authorities in different places. The victims are overwhelmingly women. For premarital sex, flogging rather than stoning may be prescribed.
Amnesty International is currently promoting the “Stop Stoning Forever” campaign, initiated by women’s rights groups in Iran following the stoning of two women in Mashad in 2006. To support this campaign, contact Amnesty International, 312 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, ON K1N 1H9 (phone 1-800-266-3789, or www.amnestygift.ca).
In 1971, the percentage of non-religious in Canada was less than 1%.
In 2001, it was 16%
Today it’s 23% and counting.
Where is the rise in unbelief leading? Will morality disappear? Do we need God to be good?
An Illustrated Lecture By Quinte Humanist Bill Broderick
Sunday May 24 2009, 1:30 p.m.
Room P-12, Pioneer Bldg., Loyalist College (map)
Everyone welcome
This is an invitation from the Kingston Unitarian Fellowship that has to been extended to our members and any others interested in attending.
Please note, this is not an event sponsored event or necessarily endorsed by Humanist Quinte.
Are you a Unitarian without knowing it?
Do you respect all people and the earth?
Do you strongly support democracy?
Do you want to search for your own answers?
It’s likely that a few members of your group would answer “yes” to some or all of the questions. I’d appreciate it if you could pass the meeting information to your members so we could have a chance to meet them.
If you have any questions, please contact me via email or by phoning 613-967-5846.
Thanks!
HUMANIST QUINTE
PRESENTS
ADVANCE REVIEW AND A READING BY THE AUTHOR FROM
“BOMBS TO DOORKNOBS”
A BOOK TACKLING THE MEANING OF WAR BY ERIC THOMAS
“WE, AS HUMANS, ARE SMART ENOUGH TO DELIVER A BOMB TO A DOORKNOB AND VIDEO THE EVENT, BUT WE ARE NOT SMART ENOUGH, NOT TO.”
DISCUSSION AND CONVERSATION WILL FOLLOW
SUNDAY, APRIL 26 1:30 P.M.
LOYALIST COLLEGE
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE (PIONEER BUILDING)
ROOM P-12, LOADS OF PARKING
Come and Enjoy Humanist Quinte.
Bring a friend
Field of tombstones
Our next meeting is on Sunday 26 April 2009, 1:30pm in room P-12 at the Pioneer Building, Loyalist College.
Humans have been waging war ever since we lived in caves. But humanists believe along with Winston Churchill that “jaw jaw is better then war war.” War is the ultimate sin against humanity. Humanist Quinte invites you to come out and find out why.
All Welcome
Location: Room P-12, Loyalist College Training and Development Centre (”Pioneer Building“), Loyalist College (map), Wallbridge-Loyalist Road, Belleville, Ontario.
Our next meeting is on Sunday 22 March 2009, 1:30pm in room P-12 at the Pioneer Building, Loyalist College.
“The Meaning of Humanism”
A Discussion of the IHEU Amsterdam Declaration.
The theme for our March meeting is “THE MEANING OF HUMANISM.” For this occasion, we will have a copy of the AMSTERDAM DECLARATION on hand. This Declaration was adopted by the World Humanist Conference of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) in 2002 and is a revision of the statement of humanist principles that was adopted at the first World Humanist Congress in 1952. The IHEU is one of the most largest and most influential Humanist organizations in the world, with member organizations around the world.
There will be handout copies for everyone. Please join us on this occasion as we discuss “THE MEANING OF HUMANISM.” Meetings are the fourth Sunday of each month except July and August.
Location: Room P-12, Loyalist College Training and Development Centre (”Pioneer Building“), Loyalist College (map), Wallbridge-Loyalist Road, Belleville, Ontario.
