Who Are We? – April 2010
by Natalie Klavans
As we attract new members and new participants to our Sunday Platforms I thought that this might be an appropriate time to discuss some of our core values and beliefs. I don’t believe that anyone does it better than Edward L. Ericson, former leader of the Ethical Societies in Washington, D.C. and New York City. He also held such positions as Humanist Minister in the Unitarian Universalist church, President of the American Ethical Union and a member of the American Humanist Association. In addition, he is the author of a variety of books on Humanism.
Edward Ericson’s Views on Ethical Humanism
Ethical Humanism is primarily an attitude about human beings, their worth, and the significance of their lives. It is concerned with the nature and quality of living, the character and creativity of our relationships. Because of this concern, humanism spontaneously flowers into a spiritual movement in its own right. Whether one professes it formally as a new conception of religion, without theology or scripture, or considers it simply as a personal approach to living, humanism has become a powerful moral faith. The convinced ethical humanist can no more be indifferent to his or her moral vision than a devout Catholic or a dedicated Hindu can be indifferent to theirs. Such is the nature of a moral faith that it demands our best. It claims the very center of our lives. Or it is nothing.
The humanist believes:
- with Bertrand Russell that the good life is inspired by love and guided by knowledge; that the great use of a life is to spend it for something that outlasts it;
- with Thoreau that one is rich whose needs are few;
- with the author of Leviticus that you shall not seek vengeance or bear a grudge against your neighbor, but that you shall love your neighbor as yourself,
- with Benjamin Franklin that where liberty is — there is my country;
- with Thomas Paine that the world is my country and to do good is my religion.
The humanist affirms:
- with the Moslem that those are blessed whose wealth is the joy of giving and who, though deprived of goods are not lacking in uprightness;
- with the Jew to guard above all things your inner self, for so you live and prosper,
- with the Christian that it is more blessed to give than to receive,
- with the Buddhist that hatred is not diminished by hatred, but hatred is diminished by love.
- with Gandhi that if we have no love for our neighbor, no change however revolutionary can do us any good;
- and again with Gandhi that in violence, truth is the greatest sufferer.
I admire Ericson because his vision is inclusive and he recognizes that no one group has the monopoly on ethics and morals. The more we know the greater our choices and the freer we can be. But, as we all recognize, freedom has an enormous price. It is called personal responsibility.