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Next Session: Wed, Mar 26, 2008 | 7:00pm | Cullen Sculpture Garden | More Details |
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Humanist Contemplative Club is very new so this is in its early stages of development (maybe you can help direct its course). What is envisioned at present would be a fairly informal but serene experience. The Contemplatives seek out locations to meet that have a calming, natural, and solemn feel to them. The Rothko Chapel was our first meeting place, and we may be returning there at times. Attendees chat informally as everyone shows up, and at a certain time they enter the serene area for 30 minutes of silence. What is done during this time would vary depending on the desires of the individual. Some might decide to meditate, others might read, and some might simply think or even relax. There are many options to explore as long as they are silent and not distracting to others. After this period, attendees gather to informally discuss what they were thinking about, or what has been on their mind lately that pertains to personal philosophy or their self development, or their hopes and ideas for the group. The Contemplatives share their inspirations on spirituality and humanist living, be they from philosophy, books, films, conversations, or personal insights. They may also share their personal challenges and offer one another comfort and advice on meeting them. Throughout this discussion a calm and contemplative disposition is maintained. This includes patience in speaking and avoidance of loud boisterous talk. Debate and judgmentalism is held to a minimum in order to focus on the main purpose of the gathering, which is mutual inspiration, sharing of ideas, and support. Off topic subjects such as politics, religious criticism, or non-introspective topics is avoided. In addition to these sorts of gatherings, the Humanist Contemplative Club could also substitute them occasionally for field trips to special places of interest. This might include art museums, Zen centers, nature excursions, music events, or even films of an on-topic theme - places and activities which engender the "profound experience" key to spirituality.
What are the differences between Contemplative Club gatherings and other Humanist, Freethought, and nontheistic meetings? One major distinction between the purpose of the Contemplative Club gatherings and other meetings is its focus on the personal and the introspective. Much of Humanism and other Freethought often deals with large scale social issues such as church/state separation, criticism of fundamentalist religion, and many of the very worthy humanistic causes like poverty and education. While these are all important topics, and many Contemplatives may focus on them in other sorts of meetings, the gatherings of the Humanist Contemplative Club would look more deeply into a variety of philosophic spiritual concepts which a naturalist (as opposed to a supernaturalist) could find of use. Sharing our thoughts and goals with respect to personal development would be the focus. Humanist and Freethought philosophy can also sometimes get into academic topics of epistemology and other technical matters, and Contemplatives may touch on this from time to time. But the emphasis would be on practical, applied philosophy which can serve as a pragmatic guide to perfecting one's 'life practice' and pursuit of what ancient Greeks called eudaimonia, meaning "the good life" (ethically and prosperously) or "flourishing". Secular Humanist author Paul Kurtz calls it "eupraxophy" (good and wise practice - achieving excellence). Lastly, another big difference between Contemplative gatherings and other Humanist and Freethought meetings is the general tone and expected behavior of attendees. Calm patient attitudes of listening and consideration, without debate or boisterous talk, would be the norm. In addition, the subjects and issues discussed could also be more personal in nature than usual. This, so that others in the club may be able to offer moral support, if not advice. Such a setting is design to help individuals pursue their development as human beings, and may even be helpful to those working through difficult circumstances.
Is this some sort of religion? This depends on what conception one has of the word 'religion'. For some, the word pertains only to those systems which include a supernatural, a faith-based element, or even a deity or deities. In this most narrow sense, Humanist Contemplatives would certainly not be included. As Humanists, Contemplatives have a naturalistic worldview and base their beliefs about the world on reason and evidence, rather than faith or alleged revelation. By the most broad definition of 'religion', even the more academic philosophical meetings of Secular Humanist meetings would be included. The most reasonable definition probably lies between these two extremes. In any case, the sort of activities in the Humanist Contemplative Club are designed to address many of the same human needs that religions often address. But the Humanist Contemplative asks, "What would human spirituality look like if we could wipe the slate clean, and address the introspective, the subjective, and the personal without reference to the supernaturalism that has long since become infused into the subject?" More importantly, the Humanist Contemplative pursues an answer to this question without bias or any sense of emotional recoil from perfectly valid concepts and practices because of their past association with other religions or traditions. As such, the Humanist Contemplative Club may not seem religious to many - but it may well be that these sort of pursuits are at the forefront of human religion as it (hopefully) may develop in the future.
What's wrong with challenging the ills of religion or faith? Nothing. There are many negatives about religions, especially fundamentalist versions. When it comes to faith-based thinking, superstition, and authoritarianism, these things are pernicious. Furthermore, it's important to stand up for the rights of those of minority belief or no belief when majority religions threaten them. All of these things are worthy endeavors, and many attendees might participate in them in other settings, but they are simply not the focus of this particular group.
Is this a new idea? Not by any stretch of the imagination. Like all good ideas, many of the ideas around which this club are based have appeared in various pockets around the country and world at various times, including several groups here and there today. Our links page, gives a number of sites which show many of the influences and the unrelated examples which help communicate what it is the Contemplative Club is getting at. Perhaps because of their appeal, it seems such groups will continue to develop over time. More importantly, it seems that this focus is lacking at the moment in the Houston area, in any sort of organized way. As such, it is our hope that the Humanist Contemplative Club will be a helpful addition to HoH and the Houston Freethought Alliance of organizations.
What does your emblem mean? The Humanist Contemplative Emblem was created simply as a design element for this website. The person in the center is a reference to Humanism, which is usually symbolized by the "happy humanist" or other similar human shapes. The circle and triangle are such basic shapes that they go back a long way in history and have been used by many peoples to symbolize a wide variety of concepts - many of them we Humanists would not agree with. However, the meaning of the triangle here is prosperity or, as the Hittites used it, well, good, and healthy. This references to the focus of the Contemplatives on personal development. The circle is broken into two sections, top and bottom. The top section stands for the faculty of reason and the bottom section for spirituality. If you'd like to have a desktop or a high resolution printable version of this emblem, simply contact us and we'll be happy to send it to you.
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