Category: 2015

John Chesley
August 26, 1932 ~ June 1, 2015

Long time HoU member John Chesley died of natural causes at his Taylorsville home. He was one of most regular attendees for many years, often arriving in one of his custom restored classic cars, at least in nice weather.

Long before he had heard of humanism, John Chesley was a humanist: independent thinker, committed to ethics, and respectful of human dignity. His humanism manifested itself one day in church, and yet there was little in his background to indicate that he would react as he did.

A native Salt Laker, he went to Douglas Elementary, Roosevelt Junior High, and East and South High Schools. He married and went to work at Hill Air Force Base where he developed his expertise in supplies, ensuring that not only Hill but other military bases had the right supplies at the right time. Hercules hired him for his expertise ten years later at its Bacchus plant in Magna, and Bestway Products seven years after that, where he remained for the next 31 years, and still runs its repair shop, although he now works only half-time on his way to full retirement. The Naval Air Reserve also used his talent in supplies for 30 years, first at its aviation unit at the Salt Lake Airport and then, when it was closed, flying him monthly to the aviation unit at Buckley in Denver and still later to Alameda in California.

Early on, however, while he was still at Hill and raising his four boys and a middle girl, he lived in a tight-knit LDS community and “went with the flow,” becoming active in scouts and the rest. One Sunday, with his mind wandering during the service, he sat upright as a young American Indian girl gave a 2 ½ minute talk, concluding that her people had been “bad people.” He wondered, as an independent thinker, about the ethics of teaching her to disrespect her own culture and the dignity of her people. He never went back to church.
This episode occurred just before he divorced his wife, moved to Farmington, and undertook to raise his five children alone, first the oldest two and a year later the remaining three. He did marry again, but this one ended in a mutual and friendly divorce, his second wife moving away and marrying twice since then. Enough is enough, he thought, and has not married again. His five children all live close by.

Although he remembers Hugh Gillilan speaking at his father’s memorial service in 1965, he recalls being introduced to humanism only about three years ago while he was listening to talk radio at work and heard Flo Wineriter explain the humanist philosophy. John recognized immediately that this was exactly what he believed. He called Flo, who sent him some literature, and the rest, as they say, is history. He joined Humanists of Utah, and, in his semi-retirement, has been doing an enormous amount of reading. He says he always hungered for knowledge.

—Earl Wunderli

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July 4, 1876

And what more (in the Declaration of Independence)? That the people are the source of political power. That was not only a revelation, but it was a revolution. It changed the ideas of people with regard to the source of political power. For the first time it made human beings men. What was the old idea? The old idea was that no political power came from, or in any manner belonged to, the people. The old idea was that the political power came from the clouds; that the political power came in some miraculous way from heaven; that it came down to kings, and queens, and robbers. That was the old idea. The nobles lived upon the labor of the people; the people had no rights; the nobles stole what they had and divided with the kings, and the kings pretended to divide what they stole with God Almighty. The source, then, of political power was from above. The people were responsible to the nobles, the nobles to the king, and the people had no political rights whatever, no more than the wild beasts of the forest. The kings were responsible to God; not to the people. The kings were responsible to the clouds; not to the toiling millions they robbed and plundered.

And our forefathers, in this Declaration of Independence, reversed this thing, and said: No; the people, they are the source of political power, and their rulers, these presidents, these kings are but the agents and servants of the great sublime people.

For the first time, really, in the history of the world, the king was made to get off the throne and the people were royally seated thereon. The people became the sovereigns, and the old sovereigns became the servants and the agents of the people. It is hard for you and me now to even imagine the immense results of that change. It is hard for you and for me, at this day, to understand how thoroughly it had been ingrained in the brain of almost every man that the king had some wonderful right over him, that in some strange way the king owned him; that in some miraculous manner he belonged, body and soul, to somebody who rode on a horse, to somebody with epaulets on his shoulders and a tinsel crown upon his brainless head.

—Robert G. Ingersoll
July 4, 1876

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President’s Report

This month, I want to finish with my short series about guns and gun violence. But first I want to thank Susan Fox, Rob Duncan and my nephew John Lane for their help during the Pride Festival. Their assistance lugging stuff around, setting up and manning our kiosk is much appreciated.

The festival was a success and enjoyable for all who attended. Our spot was in a better spot for traffic. We had over twenty people sign up for our free subscription and we handed out many of our brochures and other literature. We also sold over three hundred bucks worth of merchandise. One bummer though was that the first time our canopy was tested with rain…It leaked. Luckily we had a large back up tarp that we used as a rain fly over the canopy.

It was a pleasure to be a part of the festival, to witness this wonderful diversity of loving people and to support such a good cause. I hope that some of you who signed up for the free subscription will come and join us at one of our meetings or events. We would love to get to know you.

Guns and Violence
Part 3

Last month I finished by saying that I would relate a couple of incidences I responded to and also to say a thing or two about police officers.

In the Air Force I met and worked with a few men I would consider adrenaline addicts. They were always looking for a reason to give someone a hard time, hoping for a reaction so they could assert their authority. I also met many who served properly and with courtesy.

I guess the point I should get to is in regards to all the recent killings by the police around the country. Some are obviously wrong, with one example of a cop charged with murder for shooting a guy who was running away, in the back.

But I don’t think the general public really understands what it is like to be on patrol with deadly force at your hand and some, shall we say, troublesome people to deal with. Once while on patrol late at night, I pulled up behind some guy dancing in the middle of the street. After I ordered him to the side and I pulled over to the curb, he ran up to the patrol car and jumped in on the passenger side. I took the keys and exited the vehicle, drew my weapon and ordered him out of the vehicle. I had no way to know his intentions or whether he was armed in any way. Had he not complied and put his hand on the riot shotgun in its mount he would have died. As it turned out he was unarmed and unhinged.

Another time I responded to a domestic disturbance in the NCO housing area. When I knocked on the door, rather large women nearly knocked me down with the screen door as she pushed her way out on to the sidewalk…waving a large butcher knife and looking to slice up her husband, who had disappeared.

As I back peddled and drew my weapon I ordered her to drop the knife. She did comply, but if she had come at me with the knife I would have had to shoot a woman with a knife.

These life threatening incidences were all a result of others actions, not mine.

Along with those kind of experiences, when apprehending some individuals you are subjected to attempts to fight you, head but you, kick you, bite you, spit on you and attempts to get at your weapon.

So I hope as we scrutinize the actions of police officers we remain mindful of what they face often on a daily basis.

Well that’s enough on that subject for now.

Here’s hoping to see you at our July 9^th meeting.

—Robert Lane
President, HoU

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Understanding Public Opinion

Jeremy Pope, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Co-Director of the Center for Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University, held the attention of our group with his insights into the nature of public opinion at our May General Meeting.

The central thesis of his remarks is that the subject, Public Opinion, is complicated. People have many sources to digest while forming their own opinions; perhaps the most important being socialization, what do our friends and peers think? People’s own personal experiences play a major role of what they think as individuals. Attained education levels tend to make people more tolerant of diverse groups. Self-interests, reference groups are also important. The surprise to this author is that “the media” is the least important determining factor of public opinion.

Basing opinions on a single published poll will not yield an accurate picture of current public opinion. Compiling polls has a much better chance at figuring out what the public thinks. However, major pollsters, not unlike individuals, tend to be affected by a “herd” phenomenon where they prejudice their published results to match what other pollsters conclude. The example given was the outcome of the 2012 Presidential Election. Obama beat Romney by a comfortable margin even though the aggregate of polls were convinced that the election would be very close.

The next surprising point was that public opinion really doesn’t change very much over time. For example the numbers around abortion have not changed significantly since the landmark Rowe v. Wade Supreme Court decision in 1973. This is despite millions of dollars being spent by organizations on both sides of the issue. The major exception to stability of public opinion is Gay Marriage. The percentages supporting freedom to marry have literally changed places in the past 30 years.

Pope concluded public opinion is generally not informed, people do not easily change their opinions. It is also not very ideological outside the walls of our national and state legislatures. People will agree with part of the positions that an elected official promotes but almost nobody falls strictly into line with the politico. Finally, public opinion appears to be inconsistent which delights people like Professor Pope because it means job security for him and his colleagues.

—Wayne Wilson

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The Religious Right Are Politically Stronger Than Ever
Reprinted from Mr. Doerr’s letter in the Charleston (WV) Gazette, 4/5/2015

James Haught’s March 22 article, “Cultural change is slow but deep”, accurately reported demographic shifts in religion in America, but that’s not the whole story. The “nones” or religiously unaffiliated may be 20 percent of our population now, but in the 2014 elections—in which only 36 percent of eligibles bothered to vote—exit surveys showed that only 12 percent of voters were “nones.”

Further, while very conservative churchgoers, usually labeled the “Religious Right”, are diminishing somewhat in numbers, they are politically stronger than ever. They and their political allies nationwide have:

1. Advanced their agenda of diverting public funds to faith-based private schools through vouchers and tax credits, even though American voters between 1966 and 2014 have rejected such measures by an average 2-to-1 margin in 28 state referendum elections from coast to coast; and this is damaging the public schools serving 90 percent of our kids.
2. Increased restrictions on women exercising their rights of conscience and religious freedom to terminate problem pregnancies for medical or other serious reasons.
3. Denied climate change—involving carbon dioxide buildup in the atmosphere, resource depletion, toxic waste accumulation, deforestation, desertification, soil erosion and nutrient loss, rising sea levels (40 percent of world population lives in coastal areas), shrinking biodiversity, and increasing sociopolitical instability and violence, all of which is fueled by human overpopulation—thus endangering the planet.
4. Increased federal and state court rulings that undermine the constitutional church-state separation that protects the religious freedom of each and every one of us.

There is indeed a culture shift, but our country is not out of the woods by a long shot. Americans of all persuasions—Protestants, Catholics, Jews, the “nones” and others—need to work together to stop the erosion of our basic values before it is too late.

—Edd Doerr

(Note: Edd Doerr is President of Americans for Religious Liberty, Jim Haught is editor of the Charleston (WV) Gazette, and both are columnists in Free Inquiry. – Thanks to PIQUE, the Newsletter of the Secular Humanist Society of New York)

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President’s Report

Guns and Violence
Part 2

Last month I started a series with my president’s message about guns and violence. I want to continue the series, but as I was thinking about all the blathering I want to do, it became apparent to me that two installments aren’t going to be enough. For one thing, I’m having too much fun reminiscing about my past. I hope it’s not too boring.

Continuing on with how guns and ammo were a part of my life, the next step from fireworks and hunting, my life with “guns and ammo” takes a big leap when I attend the United States Air Force munitions and weapons tech school. During this training a person learns about all the different weapons systems. It literally included everything from small arms ammo to nuclear weapons. If I remember right, they called it CNBC (Conventional, Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical). That covers a lot of different weapons and the 1300 stock list of weapons and components was huge. But the first thing they teach is of course safety. Like I said earlier, “With explosives, no second chances.”

In retrospect attending this school was fascinating and strange, with many hours slow motion films of these weapons demonstrated. We humans put a lot into developing and manufacturing all kinds of ways to kill each other. The school lasted for several weeks of all day long in the classroom and plenty to study back at the barracks.

After finishing this schooling, I was stationed at Hill Field for a few months before I was shipped out to U-tapao Air Force Base in Thailand for a year, mostly during 1968. The base was a big one because we were a B-52 base where bombing sorties went out to targets in Vietnam almost continuously.

My Job was in the bomb dump at a facility called BABS (Bomb Assembly Building) where we installed the fuses and delay elements, suspension lugs, couplers and fins. They were then ready to be put on the wings pylons (24) or installed into racks of 42 (2 racks per aircraft) for a total of 108 bombs. It’s one hell of a weapons system.

I actually enjoyed the munitions career field and began working with the guys in EOD (explosive ordinance disposal) to get my foot in the door. If they had sent me to EOD School, I probably would have had a very different life as a career man in the Air Force.

BUT, when they sent me back after my year in Thailand, they crossed trained me (do to an imbalance in my field) to a Security Police Squadron. I really hated being out of munitions. But like a good young Sargent, I did my duty.

The little more than two years that I worked Security Police Law enforcement Is where some of my duality about gun violence and police violence got its start. In that time I went to a couple of fatal vehicle accidents, a couple of other accidental deaths, fights, a small riot, a few fires, one armed robbery and numerous “domestic disturbances.” These conflicts, where you deal with a variety problems, is where one side of my duality came from. The other side came from working with fellow security police officers. Some were very good officers and some were very bad ones.

Next month I will continue by relating a couple of intense encounters I had at a domestic disturbance and another incident just on the street. But I need to close up for now.

Actually, as I write this, tomorrow is the 6^th and I will be setting up our booth at the Pride Festival for the second year. You won’t see this until after the festival, but I hope I see a few of you there this weekend. If not, perhaps I’ll see you for our movie night this month. I’ll be bringing my DVD of The Court Jester. It’s a delightful classic comedy with Danny Kaye, Basil Rathbone and Angela Lansbury. I will bring my homemade popcorn and other movie junk food. See you soon.

—Robert Lane
President, HoU

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Know It Or Repeat It

Utah’s State Historic Preservation Officer and Director of the Division of State History/Utah State Historical Society, Brad Westwood, presented “What Part History Plays in Utah’s Future” in April.

With degrees in American Studies and Historic Preservation, Brad has been engaged in applied history and the management of historical resources for over thirty-five years. He is always looking for places that need preserving, and ways to make history more understandable and accessible to the public.

Brad has asked us to complete a survey to help him do that. (bradwestwood@utah.gov or Utah State Historical Society, 300 S. Rio Grande Street, 84101, telephone: 801-245-7226). He is personable and listening to his amusing stories is a good way to spend an hour. He wants to spread the information he has garnered. Speaking to a group that you think might like to hear him would please him. Contact him and let’s be the state that keeps our history on the front burner.

—Lauren Florence, MD

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How We Got to Now:
Six Innovations That Made the Modern World

Flo Wineriter recommends this book in which Steven Johnson looks at innovations over centuries and some surprising unintended consequences that have affected who and where we are today. Connections are made between seemingly unrelated events and discoveries. For example would you think that pendulum clocks would be a trigger to the industrial revolution? This book accompanies a six-part PBS television series.

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President’s Report

Guns and Violence

When it comes to guns, I have a split personality, as I suspect many of us do, in that I don’t believe in banning guns, or anything else for that matter. But I also don’t believe in the unrestricted ownership of whatever firearm you want.

Several years ago, in contemplation of some part time security employment, I obtained a concealed carry permit. The requirements for this permit, in my opinion, are grossly inadequate, consisting of a class with no test, application and picture taking. Whereas, I feel that anyone wishing to carry in any way should pass a written test regarding safety and the laws. They should also be required to show the ability to safely load their weapon, fire it at a target, unload it and stow it away. Plus I think it would be a good idea to require this of all weapons purchases. You have to do this for a driver’s license, why not for deadly weapons.

But as I think about all that I have say about this subject, I see that it is one that may need to be dealt with in more than one average message of mine. So excuse me if I have to “cut it off” and finish it next month.

Anyway, in my case, this somewhat moderate view, this split personality comes from having “Guns and Ammo” as a significant thread in my life. It runs from my childhood days through my years in the Air Force up to today. I would like to talk about parts of that thread a little and it might be mildly entertaining to read about me as a delinquent causing trouble in the Bear Lake Idaho region.

I grew up in an LDS family that fished and hunted quite a bit, as did our relatives in southern Idaho. It is there, (Paris, Idaho) that I experienced some “Huck Fin” like adventures and some delinquent behavior that can make you cringe in hindsight.

When I was 7 to 11, in the mid 1950’s, I spent a few weeks each summer at my uncle’s farm in southern Idaho, where my Tomboy cousin and myself would roam the “bottoms” (as we called the area around the north end of the lake) having lots of fun with homemade sling shots and our pockets filled with penny candy and fireworks. It’s true, at that age, I was having the time of my life blowing stuff up with firecrackers and M-80s, at the Paris dump and anywhere we found something worthy of destruction.

I was always there for the 4^th of July and in the mid 1950’s fireworks of all kinds could still be purchased, even by children, in Idaho and Wyoming. Cherry bombs, Roman candles and fountains that make today’s junk fireworks look pretty crappy. But what I really loved were the M-80s, those little dynamite like pieces of destruction. And I always bought a whole box of a hundred and forty four and my cousin had her box as well. As a pre-teen it was total bliss to have such an arsenal. Plus I always brought some home to wow my Utah friends and continue the mayhem.

But we were schooled pretty well about safety by watching our older brothers and parents. Plus, strange as it seems, blowing something up with an M-80 is loud and you can SEE what it would do to your fingers. So we always knew that if you had a problem, drop it and start over. Later in life when I attended United States Air Force Munitions and Weapons Technical School, explosives safety instruction had an adage “With explosives, no do-overs or second chances.” A bit obvious but always wise to be mindful of.

The one thing we did though that makes me cringe a little even now is the thought of the times when we snuck my uncle’s over and under gun out and took it down to the dumps to shoot at the rats. If you don’t know what an over and under gun is, it is both a shot gun (.410G) under and a 22 cal. Rifle on top. Both of them single shot. It was what they used at the farm for unwanted guests like skunks and other animal thieves that frequent a rural farm in the 1950’s. As an 8 to 10 year old it does make me cringe a bit, but it is where I first became a good shot. With rats, you just kind of follow them around with your sites for a bit, then when they stop to look around, BAM! Sorry, hope nobody has too much sympathy for rats.

Well, that’s about enough about my childhood for now, so I will cut it off here. Next month I will finish by writing about police shootings, which is where my split personality on the subjects is most apparent.

So bye for now and I hope to see you next week at our general meeting. I’ll bring the cookies.

—Robert Lane
President, HoU

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Joni Mitchell

I was a freshman at the University of Utah living in the dormitories on campus in the 1968-69 school year. One evening I was bored and wandered into the Student Union Building. It became apparent that there was going to be a concert or something so I hung around to check it out. The event turned out to be one of the most delightful evenings in my life.

The folk singer Joni Mitchell performed. She was the archetype of the upcoming “make love not war, flower children” of the 60s movement that didn’t come early to Utah. She was shy and unassuming between songs, but when she sang it was totally amazing. She was alone on stage sitting on a 3-legged stool with her acoustic guitar and a microphone. When she sang she swayed to the music and giggled at her own lyrics and shook her head to make her long blonde hair wave. She was absolutely delightful and yes I guess she charmed this young man. I am smiling now as I remember the experience.

Recently there was a piece in the Salt Lake Tribune noting that her personal affairs were being attended to by a long time friend. A Google search turns up all sorts of “issues” that are being ranted and raved by Paparazzi-esque websites; cancer, mental illness, etc. Her official website, jonimitchell.com notes that she is suffering health issues but wishes to keep these issues private. I wish her the best and hope that she is not suffering.

—Wayne Wilson

 

Big Yellow Taxi

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot SPOT

Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees
And put them in a tree museum
Then they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see ‘em

Don’t it always seem to go,
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Hey farmer, farmer
Put away that DDT now
Give me spots on my apples
But LEAVE me the birds and the bees
Please!

Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Til its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Late last night
I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Come and took away my old man

Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

I said
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

 

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Women’s Resources

In Like a Lion, The Women’s Resource Center at the University of Utah
If there is a social problem on the University of Utah campus, the go to organization to solve it is the Women’s Resource Center. This they do with the same annual budget they received from the school when they started in 1972. And yet, Jennifer Netto, the Program Director and Kristy Bartley, the Clinical Coordinator, were upbeat and delightful to listen to when they came to speak to us in March. These talented women gathered us into a circle and were able to encourage everyone there to ask questions and generally get involved with the interaction.
The Women’s Resource Center provides support in the form of scholarships and grants from $300 to $2,000 per semester to more than 90 students each academic year. There is advice and general counseling for all students and faculty of the University of Utah, helping them negotiate the campus as well as the community.
The Center has support groups named “Women of Color”, Hand to Hand (General Support)”, “Body Politics”, “LBQQ (Lesbian, Bisexual, Queer and Questioning)” open to all students, staff and faculty.
The program UStart, sponsors 30 incoming freshmen (men and women) to participate in a service learning program for group facilitation and curriculum development skills, as well as taking classes to assist working with diverse populations.
The Go-Girls Community Initiative works with girls in grades 6-12 to expose them to the empowerment of a higher education curriculum.
The Center has the only comprehensive feminist multicultural counselor training program in the country.

Honoring the complexities of women’s identities, the Women’s Resource Center (www.womenscenter.utah.edu) facilitates choices and changes through programs, counseling, and training grounded in a commitment to advance social justice and equality.

—Lauren Florence, MD

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Experience the World Without Leaving Home

Ever wonder what you can do to help change the world? This is an opportunity to open your home and family to a high school student from another country and help build bridges of intercultural understanding at a time when the world really needs it. This year, through AFS Intercultural Programs, more than 2,500 young people from 60 countries will arrive in the U.S. to study at local high schools, charter schools and even some private schools. They will live with families just like yours, sharing in day to day activities. Hosting families provide a bed and meals and the same guidance and support they give their own children; students have health insurance and bring spending money with them. All receive the support of local AFS volunteers.

AFS is a worldwide, nonprofit organization that has been leading international high school student exchange for more than 60 years. Each year, AFS-USA sends more than 1,400 US students abroad, provides approximately $3 million in scholarships and financial aid, and welcomes 2,500 international high school students who come to study in US high schools and live with hosting families. More than 6,000 volunteers in the US make the work of AFS possible.

To learn more about our organization and explore opportunities for hosting, studying abroad or volunteering call AFS-USA at 800-876-2377, email hosting@afs.org or check out our website http://www.afs.org. Locally you can call Barbara Calney at 801-942-4014.

“As a humanist and former AFS student to Belgium, I can attest to the life-enhancing experience of being a host family or student abroad.”

—Mark Bedel
HoU Member

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Robert Lane’s “President’s Report “will return next month.

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Darwin Day

Our eighth annual celebration of Charles Darwin, honored the great mind of the evolutionary theorist, natural historian, and geologist, with an intellectual journey into the stars. Our speaker, Paul Ricketts, spoke on February 12, the 206th anniversary of Darwin’s actual birthday. Mr. Ricketts took years of study with the University of Utah Physics and Astronomy Department and distilled it into a cogent and humorous discussion which he started with gorgeous photographs of many of the large gaseous nebulae which condense into stars. He then brought us out of the star nurseries and into our own galaxy and the galaxies surrounding ours. Single protons (helium) are fused together with other protons and neutrons into larger and larger molecules. Mr. Ricketts walked us through stars, giants, supergiants, even megasupergiants and finally dying stars called white and red dwarf stars and supernovae. Stars like our own Sol don’t have enough mass to combine any molecules larger than carbon. The really big stars can make elements as large as iron.

This fascinating discussion kept our audience enthralled because Mr. Ricketts was able to distill the abstract concepts of astrophysics into simplified, yet intriguing ideas. With such a brilliant mind, Paul Ricketts truly made Darwin Day an intellectually engaging experience.

—Lauren Florence, MD

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Culbert L. Olson

Secular Humanism and Culbert L. Olson, Past President of The United Secularists of America and previous Governor of California. (1939 to 1943)

Religion and Humanism background: Humans have two characteristics that separate us from all other animals. We have heightened self-awareness and a spoken, written language. We are the only animal species that have built civilizations. We have based these civilizations on stories. Whatever story the group believes will define their civilization. To have a good story it must have one essential ingredient. It must be a story that most of the group desire to be true. Of all the stories mankind has desired to be true the most consistent is the story of an eternal life. Humans want to believe that life goes on after death. Humans do not want to believe that when they die they no longer exist. That all their plans and dreams come to an end. Since human beings want this to be true they choose to believe it. The various religions then, have used this as a basis of constructing many different stories of how one gets to eternal life after death. Most often these stories are written down in bibles or books.

A particularly interesting story was written by Joseph Smith in the early 1800’s, The story promised eternal salvation to anyone who would believe and be baptized in the “recently revealed” new religion. The story included a visitation of God and Jesus Christ, to Joseph Smith in a grove of trees. It included golden plates delivered by an angel, which told the story of the lost ten tribes of Israel, which went on to become the American Indians. It is hard to believe unless you want it to be true. Many early Americans at the time wanted it to be true. There had not been any such straight forward visitations from God or new written scripture since the time of Jesus and the writing of the New Testament. Many were thrilled with the prospect of new revelation and new written scripture, the Book of Mormon, or “Mormon Bible”.

With this background we can relate to the life of Culbert Olson whose parents where taken with Joseph Smith and his new revealed religion. They joined the church in New York and followed first Joseph Smith to Kirtland Ohio and Nauvoo, Illinois and eventually Brigham Young to Utah. Culbert was born into a Mormon family in Fillmore Utah in 1876. He was raised in a Mormon family. However, Culbert by nature was a skeptic.

Human nature can be divided into two major groups skeptics and true believers. Quoting from Chet Raymo’s book Skeptics and True Believers. “Skeptics are children of the scientific revolution or enlightenment. They are always a little lost in the vastness of the cosmos, but they trust the ability of the human mind to make sense of the world. They accept the evolving nature of truth and are willing to live with a measure of uncertainty. (as if we have a choice-comment my own). Their world is colored in shades of gray. They tend to be socially optimistic, creative, and confident of progress. Since they hold their truths tentatively, skeptics are tolerant of cultural and religious diversity. They are more interested in refining their own views than in proselytizing others. If they are theists, they wrestle with their God in a continuing struggle of faith.

True believers are less confident that humans can sort things out for themselves. They look for help from outside—from God, spirits, or extraterrestrials. Their world is black and white. They seek simple and certain truths, provided by a source that is more reliable than the human mind. True believers prefer a universe proportioned to the human scale. They are repulsed by diversity, comforted by dogma, and respectful of authority. True believers go out of their way to offer (sometimes forcibly administer) their truth to others, convinced of the righteousness of their cause. They are likely to be “born again,” redeemed by faith, and apocalyptic. Although generally pessimistic about the state of this world, they are confident that something better lies beyond the grave”.

Culbert’s parents, particularly his mother were true believers. Culbert in his own words was skeptic. “It may be that I was naturally a skeptic, for, notwithstanding the religious influence of my early youth, I did not join in the emotion that other children seemed to enjoy in their emotional response to the passionate sermons of the church teachers who told of revelation from God and the appearance of an angel to the prophet, seer, and revelator and founder of the church. Reason forced me to conclude that the founder was a bold, ambitious impostor whose revelations did not make sense. My conclusion was not reached easily because of my desire to conform with the religion on my Mother whom I dearly loved – the kindest, most humane and self-sacrificing person I have ever known.”

Of the two world views rational skepticism is the only one that will lead to human advancement and peace on earth. True believing and religious faith leads to tribalism and wars. Science and reason lead to verifiable truths that we can all trust. If an argument ensues we must hold that he who has the most mutually verifiable facts wins the argument, otherwise we just back off twenty paces and see who is the best shot.

Culbert became a secular humanist. After his governorship of California, he was elected to the President of the United Secularists of America. One of the credos of secular humanism is that all human beings matter, and matter equally. All human beings have rights, and are not to be treated as a means to an end. To quote Culbert, “We should believe in the brotherhood of man, not the fatherhood of God.”

In this context we understand Governor Culbert L. Olson’s vision for California in 1939 during the Great Depression. As he described in his inaugural address, “we point the way forward- toward the achievement of the aspiration of the people for an economy that will afford general employment, abundant production, equitable distribution, social security and old age retirement, which our country, with its ample resources, great facilities and the genius of its people, is capable of providing.”

We can understand his feeling when the California state legislature passed two bills in 1941, one to give free transportation to students attending Catholic schools, while the other would release Catholic children from public schools in the middle of the day in order to attend catechism, leaving the schools and other students idle until the Catholic students’ return. Olson signed into law the first bill, however he vetoed the second (“early release”) bill.

In a 2006 study, recently updated in 2014 by University of Minnesota sociologist Penny Edgell found that non-believers were the most mistrusted minority in the United States. Non-believers, secularists, atheists are seen as immoral because they are without fear of hell or hope of heaven. In a 2007 study 68% of Americans said they would not vote for an atheist candidate for president. This was certainly true in 1939 when Culbert Olson was elected Governor. He was open about his non-belief and refused to say “so help me God” in his inauguration oath. He said “God as never helped me and never will”. Instead he used the term “I affirm”. There are other known atheists in office today but none were open about it during their election campaigns.

All of this leads us into a very interesting life of Culbert Levy Olson. A brilliant lawyer, a compassionate man, a good legislator and politician, and a non- believer. Secular humanism is not inconsistent with compassion and leadership. (If you can get elected).

—Craig Wilkenson, MD

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Spirituality

I found Flo Wineriter’s discussion of religion and spirituality (January Utah Humanist) very interesting. He paraphrases Emile Durkheim’s suggestion that the original purpose of religion was to put people in touch with one another (not just or necessarily with god). Durkheim’s observation was made more than a hundred years ago but more recent scholars have advanced the idea further. A recent book by Bruce Hood entitled Supersense: Why We Believe the Unbelievable presents a scientific basis for our supernatural beliefs. According to Hood psychologists now agree that there are two discrete mental systems for processing sensory input. The first is a primitive, intuitive method which finds patterns in nature and tries to decide if they represent threats to us. This method of thinking provided much help to primitive humans, allowing them to recognize dangerous animals or other threats. Supernatural thinking was a side effect that evolved with human culture. The second mental system developed later and evolved with rational intelligence. Both systems continue to work in modern humans with the rational brain inhibiting the more primitive, intuitive brain.

The important message of Hood’s book is that both systems of thinking survive today in contemporary humans. That is why even very intelligent people often exhibit superstitious beliefs in things like lucky charms or ritualistic behavior before important events. So we are all prone to hold irrational thoughts, though obviously some are far more prone than others.

What I take from the book is that spirituality is hard wired into the human brain. Our rational minds can evaluate spiritual experiences and discount their truthfulness, but we may still feel their effect. Like feedback loops, They may be telling us physiologically to rejoice in being part of something larger (our social unit, our tribe, our “religion”). But as evolved rational intelligent people we should be able to take these feelings for what they are: thrilling primitive emotions like anger or lust, a permanent, though dubious part of being human.

Actually I like the word “spiritual”. Nature can be spiritual to me. Scientific discovery can be spiritual. Sex can be spiritual. It just doesn’t happen to involve invisible, omnipotent, or omniscient agents operating behind the scenes. Something that is spiritual to me is deeply thrilling in a positive way.

—Rob Duncan

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President’s Report

I want to thank all the board members and chapter members for helping make our Darwin Day celebration a success. An extra thank you goes to Bob and Julie Mayhew for helping order, pick up, prep, and deliver the catering items. Again thanks to all who helped in the kitchen and with setup and clean up and to Leona for overseeing the merchandise sales.

Paul Ricketts from the Physics and Astronomy department at the University of Utah was our Speaker. His presentation, “The Lives of Stars,” was quite enjoyable. It is most satisfying to me to learn a few new things about how stars form, live and die. I am sure those who attended felt the same way, as we went a little long with a lot of questions at the end of his presentation.

It was a long day and it wore me out, but it was definitely worth it, as it always is. I’m already thinking about what theme to choose for next year. Any suggestions?

Our speaker for March comes to us from the University of Utah’s Women’s Resource Center. With that in mind, I thought I’d say a thing or two about women.

I have for a long time agreed with the assertion that humanity would be a lot better off if women were empowered. That is to say, be given the authority to run their own lives as they see fit. Specifically to have control over their reproductive lives. To not be considered property, and to have the opportunity to get an education. To have equal pay for equal work. I may be forgetting something important, but I think those three things would improve, quite obviously, life not just for women but all humanity. Plus isn’t it just the fair thing to do. Fairness, now there’s a concept that is only rarely applied today.

One thing that I’m sure would happen, would be a cut in the population growth rate. Slowing population growth is essential in my mind, to solving many problems such as pollution and a growing scarcity of resources. Additionally, education and better pay for women will improve the lives of the women and their families. I know, I know, I’m stating the obvious, but it bears repeating.

It’s rather sad, frustrating and infuriating that so many cultures are still so male dominated. That our primitive behavior of male dominance based mainly on greater physical strength still prevails in the modern world. But it’s not just physical strength, as the insertion of religion into the equation solidifies male dominance. As a young teenager I fell into those feeling of dominance. But as an adult I never felt like I needed to be “The Boss” in a relationship. I love to cook and never felt like domestic chores were solely women’s work.

I guess the hard question is how to change these old entrenched proclivities. And if we are making progress in some of these areas, I feel that it’s moving far too slow.

Last month I stated that I was going to start a series on guns and gun violence. However, our newsletter deadline arrives a little sooner this month. So that project I will endeavor to start next month.

Bye for now, hope to see you at our meeting on March 12^th.

—Robert Lane
President, HoU

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