Humanist Group

The Humanist Group meets on the last Sunday of the month online at 7:30 pm. Humanism is a philosophy that encourages people to think for themselves, valuing science and reason. It is focused on human means for comprehending reality and pursuing good. Humanist ethics are based on respect for all life and regard human values as having meaning in the context of human life rather than the promise of life after death.

Register in advance for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Register once to attend any or all.

Sunday February 25th: We will discuss the questions:
Are we animals?
How are we different from/the same as the other animals?
What does being truly human mean?
What does this mean about our relationship with the other animals?
Does it separate us or connect us?

Sunday March 31st: What is instinct? Does it manifest itself differently in humans than in other animals? How is it different from reflexes? What can we learn from studies of instinct? These are some of the questions that Gunnar Jonsson will introduce.

Past topics:

2023
Sunday April 30th: John Smith will introduce the ideas of the fourth principle group which began at the Unitarian Church of Vancouver. Here is part of a proposed wording:
The Unitarian Universalist Association shall devote its resources to and exercise its organizational powers for religious, educational, and humanitarian purposes. Its primary purposes are to equip congregations for vital ministry, to support and train leaders both lay and professional, to heal historic inequities, and to advance our Unitarian Universalist values in the world. We will transform the world by our liberating love.
Sunday May 28: Marilyn Medén will introduce Our Beliefs: What Do You Believe?  This will be a mini Building Your Own Theology session, introduced by Marilyn telling of her own beliefs.
June, July and August: No meetings. We look forward to meeting again September 24th.
Sunday Sept 24th: Luc Beaudoin will introduce the topic “How can we be, or resist being, transformed by experience, a minister’sservice, an advertisement, a book, a podcast and culture?” Are we mostly inert or mostly malleable? Let us compare and contrast L.A. Paul’s philosophical approach to transformation with Luc P. Beaudoin’s integrative cognitive science approach
and with your approach. Visit CoqZest for more information.
Sunday October 29th: Donna Web will introduce discussion begun by the book, I will Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor’s Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity by IZZELDIN ABUELAISH, a Canadian-Palestinian medical doctor.  Not only is this book a well written page turner of his very difficult life, it is, of course, very timely.  It is a very worthwhile read as well as giving us much to discuss.
Sunday November 26th: Marilyn Meden will introduce further discussion of Will Storr’s, The Status Game, by way of Gabor Maté’s, The Myth of Normal. Status, says Storr, is our life, status meaning competition in very many ways, placing others on many hierarchies of value, labelling them as good at this and bad at that.  Gabor wakes us up to recognition that we are diverse, to be looked at as whole people, not one of us fitting some arbitrary definition of normal, status not defining the person.  Can we agree with and follow Maté’s ideas??
Sunday Dec. 31st: No meeting this month.
Sunday Jan. 28th: Marilyn presents this month.  We will take Will Storr’s, The Status Game a little further, by way of Gabor Matés, The Myth of Normal.
Status, says Storr, is our life.  Status meaning competition in very many ways, placing others on many hierarchies of value, labelling them as good at this and bad at that.  Gabor wakes us up to recognition that we are diverse, to be looked at as whole people, not one of us fitting some arbitrary definition of normal, status not defining the person.  Can we do this?