Student org promotes secular unity

[rug]

By Bryan Bumgardner
Published: Thursday, January 24, 2013
Updated: Thursday, January 24, 2013 07:01

There are student organizations at West Virginia University representing virtually all world religions.

There is also an organization serving students who choose no religion.

Freethinking, Inquiring Secular Humanists (or FISH) is a student organization that promotes rationality, goodwill and tolerance – all with a clear division from religious standards.

President Cecil O’Dell said secular humanism is about being socially progressive without adhering to religious requirements.

http://www.thedaonline.com/news/student-org-promotes-secular-unity-1.2975723

[cbayer]

1. Sounds like a great group with very good leadership.

Kudos to them for what they are doing.

[rug]

2. There's quite a bit of that going on.

http://www.thedp.com/article/2013/01/religious-organizations-increasingly-prioritize-community-over-worship

[cbayer]

3. It's those crazy nones!

I like it. It's like getting back to basics, whether the groups are religious or not.

[rug]

4. It all starts with community.

The trick is to stop it from ending with enmity.

[cbayer]

5. I think they have a better chance of success in that way if they

don't base their organization on attacking others, which is why I like the description of this one so much.

If your leadership is hateful towards *others* and bases the mission and vision on that hate, then it seems it will be much more likely that it will develop enmity from within.

This group specifically uses the word "tolerance". That bodes very well for them, I think.

[rug]

6. How long before they're accused of enabling the religious right?

[cbayer]

7. Funny, but I bet they will be unfairly conflated with some of the anti-theists

that have held sway over the growing non-believer movement for far too long.

There are those in the movement that have harmed more than helped, alienated more than educated.

They need to be put out to pasture, imo, and organizations like this have to make it clear that they are different.

[dimbear]

8. This is wise. Students in the Bible belt keep their powder dry and leave the hot battle

to folks who aren't so vulnerable. Their part in the showdown can come later, when they're out on their own. Or, optionally, never. It's a long quarrel. (Rome wasn't burned in a day.) The good fight will still be out there after commencement.