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Atheist school's values & ethics

For discussions related to education and educational institutions.
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coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#241 Post by coffee » November 6th, 2014, 9:25 am

Latest post of the previous page:

Here is another grouping


The following ethical principles should in general be promoted:

Abstaining from conduct injurious to life and the physical well-being of persons.
Abstaining from the theft of property of others
Abstaining from sexual violence and misconduct
Abstaining from falsehood, fraud and deception
Abstaining from drunkenness, narcotics and mind bending drugs



http://home.alphalink.com.au/~jperkins/humoral.htm#ref

A basic set of eight such principles, together with brief annotations, has been suggested by Resnik:

Non-malificence: Do not harm yourself or other people.
Beneficence: Help yourself and other people.
Autonomy: Allow rational individuals to make free and informed choices.
Justice: Treat people fairly: treat equals equally, unequals unequally.
Utility: Maximize the ratio of benefits to harms for all people.
Fidelity: Keep your promises and agreements
Honesty: Do not lie, defraud, deceive or mislead.
Privacy: Respect personal privacy and confidentiality.


THE GOLDEN RULE from around the world
http://humanismforschools.org.uk/wp-con ... -Final.pdf

The Golden Rule has been part of the teachings of many societies and religions, as well as Humanism. There are different versions of it but they all mean the same thing. These are some of them:
· Do as you would be done by.
· Treat other people as you would like to be treated yourself.
· Don’t treat others as you wouldn’t like to be treated.
· You should always ask yourself what would happen if everyone did what you are doing.



Sexual relations should be based on mutual consent between adults.


“Do what you will, as long as it harms none/no one”.


"Hard ethical decisions are not about whether harm will happen, but about where it will fall."
From The Pagan Federation website


Finite resource => finite empathy



“Refusing to take unfair advantage”
http://ethics.ubc.ca/papers/invited/colero.html/

Principles of Personal Ethics
Personal ethics might also be called morality, since they reflect general expectations of any person in any society, acting in any capacity. These are the principles we try to instill in our children, and expect of one another without needing to articulate the expectation or formalize it in any way.

Principles of Personal Ethics include:

Concern for the well-being of others
Respect for the autonomy of others
Trustworthiness & honesty
Willing compliance with the law (with the exception of civil disobedience)
Basic justice; being fair
Refusing to take unfair advantage
Benevolence: doing good
Preventing harm



Principles of Professional Ethics
Individuals acting in a professional capacity take on an additional burden of ethical responsibility. For example, professional associations have codes of ethics that prescribe required behavior within the context of a professional practice such as medicine, law, accounting, or engineering. These written codes provide rules of conduct and standards of behavior based on the principles of Professional Ethics, which include:


Impartiality; objectivity
Openness; full disclosure
Confidentiality
Due diligence / duty of care
Fidelity to professional responsibilities
Avoiding potential or apparent conflict of interest


Even when not written into a code, principles of professional ethics are usually expected of people in business, employees, volunteers, elected representatives and so on.



Principles of Global Ethics
Global ethics are the most controversial of the three categories, and the least understood. Open to wide interpretation as to how or whether they should be applied, these principles can sometimes generate emotional response and heated debate.


Principles of Global Ethics include:

Global justice (as reflected in international laws)
Society before self / social responsibility
Environmental stewardship
Interdependence & responsibility for the ‘whole’
Reverence for place


Each of us influences the world by simply existing; and it is always wise to ‘think globally’. An added measure of accountability is placed on globally influential enterprises such as governments and transnational corporations. (Responsibility comes with power whether we accept it or not.) One of the burdens of leadership is to influence society and world affairs in a positive way. Can a person, nation or company truly be ‘successful’ while causing human suffering or irreparable environmental damage? A more modern and complete model of success also considers impact on humanity and the earth’s ecology.



Action for happiness
http://www.actionforhappiness.org/take-action


A good life without religion
http://agoodlifewithoutreligion.com/


Check out this website you might like it
Derbyshire Atheists, Secularists and Humanists
http://www.secularderby.org/


About curiosity and how it could be cultivated
http://www.thersa.org/__data/assets/pdf ... iosity.pdf


Alternatives to the Ten Commandments
You may find some of these are useful
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Comman ... ternatives


Reasons to join humanist group
http://lichfieldhumanistgroup.webs.com/whyjoinus.htm


khan academy is a great website for learning
http://www.khanacademy.org/


Free Online Courses
https://www.coursera.org/



Values in Action Inventory of Strengths

Classification of Strengths[edit]1.Wisdom and Knowledge: creativity, curiosity, judgement, love of learning, perspective
2.Courage: bravery, perseverance, honesty, zest
3.Humanity: love, kindness, social intelligence
4.Justice: teamwork, fairness, leadership
5.Temperance: forgiveness, humility, prudence, self-regulation
6.Transcendence: appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude, hope, humor, spirituality[3]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Values_in_ ... _Strengths



Quote of the Week “A humanist is someone who does the right thing even though she knows that no one is watching.” – Dick McMahan, New York humanist, 2004


That’s Humanism: Four animated videos about Humanism narrated by Stephen Fry

https://humanism.org.uk/thatshumanism/


Unmet Emotional Needs

http://eqi.org/uen1.htm#Unmet
http://eqi.org/top_10_emotional_needs.htm
http://eqi.org/needs.htm#Basic Human Emotional Needs
http://eqi.org/needs.htm

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#242 Post by coffee » November 17th, 2014, 9:25 am

Just updating the the humanists values link

Chester Humanists
http://chester.humanist.org.uk/?page_id=8

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#243 Post by coffee » November 28th, 2014, 9:35 am

10 Commandments for atheists: a guide for nonbelievers who want to explore their values

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ ... story.html

The Ten Non-Commandments:

I. The world is real, and our desire to understand the world is the basis for belief.

II. We can perceive the world only through our human senses.

III. We use rational thought and language as tools for understanding the world.

IV. All truth is proportional to the evidence.

V. There is no God.

VI. We all strive to live a happy life. We pursue things that make us happy and avoid things that do not.

VII. There is no universal moral truth. Our experiences and preferences shape our sense of how to behave.

VIII. We act morally when the happiness of others makes us happy.

IX. We benefit from living in, and supporting, an ethical society.

X. All our beliefs are subject to change in the face of new evidence, including these.

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#244 Post by coffee » December 2nd, 2014, 9:27 am

The meaning of life in short is about reducing/lessen/eliminating/avoiding pain, suffering, oppression and seek more pleasure, happiness, freedom & peace for yourself & others if you can.


Humanist values
http://selondon.humanist.org.uk/what-is ... st-values/

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#245 Post by coffee » December 22nd, 2014, 10:30 am

Here are some more follow

Fundamental human needs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_human_needs
(scroll down the page for interesting bits)

Universal value
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_value
(scroll down the page for interesting bits)

Nature versus nurture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_versus_nurture

UNIVERSAL NEEDS / LONGINGS / VALUES / DESIRES
'From the moment we wake up, until we go to sleep night, nearly everything that we do is an attempt to meet these universal human needs/values in a certain way.
Please do not confuse the word needs with the judgment of “being needy.”
We can also refer to these as our longings, desires, inspirations and motivations.'

http://www.refugeofthewomb.com/wp-conte ... ds.jpg.pdf



Here are the "Ten Non-Commandments" chosen as the winners:
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/19/livin ... index.html
1. Be open-minded and be willing to alter your beliefs with new evidence.

2. Strive to understand what is most likely to be true, not to believe what you wish to be true.

3. The scientific method is the most reliable way of understanding the natural world.

4. Every person has the right to control of their body.

5. God is not necessary to be a good person or to live a full and meaningful life.

6. Be mindful of the consequences of all your actions and recognize that you must take responsibility for them.

7. Treat others as you would want them to treat you, and can reasonably expect them to want to be treated. Think about their perspective.

8. We have the responsibility to consider others, including future generations.

9. There is no one right way to live.

10. Leave the world a better place than you found it.

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coledavis
Posts: 370
Joined: August 17th, 2008, 6:29 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#246 Post by coledavis » December 22nd, 2014, 1:33 pm

Re viewing the world through our senses.
No, viewing the world through our senses often means believing the apparent and ignoring the objective facts derived from science or other forms of systematic observation.
Viewing the world from the vantage of accumulated knowledge?
http://www.coledavis.org - insight analyst, specialist in the interpretation of surveys for charities and education

http://www.careersteer.org - careers quiz helping people to choose their career direction

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#247 Post by coffee » December 23rd, 2014, 10:06 am

Viewing the world from the vantage of accumulated knowledge?
Hi Cole,

Yes, that is sound good to me. :smile:

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#248 Post by coffee » January 5th, 2015, 9:41 am

I would like to say again that, where there is the word sex is mention anywhere in this thread, it is something meant for consenting adult only.

For anyone who are under 16 here in the UK, I would support sex education for those young people.

I just want to clear that up, thank you all.

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#249 Post by coffee » January 6th, 2015, 10:14 am

Here is another good one, just feel free to add your own values to the list like democracy or meritocracy, science, etc.

http://www.joyoflifeconnection.info/Ass ... 20List.pdf

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#250 Post by coffee » February 17th, 2015, 10:16 am


coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#251 Post by coffee » June 11th, 2015, 10:27 am

Someone send me this following list which I thought very useful to think over.


>>>>>>>>>>>"Table discussion

What is a Humanist Group for?

• An alternative church? • A secularist pressure group? • A talking shop?

• A pillar of the community? • A community hub? • Humanist/atheist evangelism?

What are its functions and what can we learn from our competitors?

• A community for the non-religious? • Forum for public debate? • Library?

• Chaplaincy and counselling/pastoral services? • Ceremonies?

• Courses on human flourishing (a ‘school of life’?) • Youth group?

• Charity fundraising? • Food bank? • To counter evangelism?

• “Celebration of life”? • Choirs, singing and readings? • Socialising?

• Facilitating the teaching of Humanism in schools (eg via RE)?

• Inclusion in Remembrance services?

What ‘infrastructure’ does a Humanist group need?

• Mission statement • Aims • Constitution and membership structure

• Affiliation/partnership with BHA • Somewhere to meet • A committee

• A programme of events • Promotional leaflets • Regular newsletter or bulletin

• Website, facebook etc • A Humanist course • Trained leaders? • A building?

• A gazebo/tent? • GRAM • International links/twinning

• Links with ‘kindred spirits’ (Unitarians, liberal Jews, Quakers, atheist groups, skeptics, Fabians, science groups, green

groups, student humanist groups)

• Dialogue (aka ‘interfaith’)"<<<<<<<<<<<<<



Useful links

http://www.restorativeempathy.com/Unive ... mpathy.pdf

http://www.restorativeempathy.com/Feeli ... mpathy.pdf

User avatar
Altfish
Posts: 1821
Joined: March 26th, 2012, 8:46 am

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#252 Post by Altfish » June 11th, 2015, 11:47 am

I think it is all of those. I'm a member of Greater Manchester Humanists, not a great attender but pick and choose the events to be at. Usually scientific talks, I also chip in some information for news letters and get involved on the education side of things.

I'm not a very active member though.

Nick
Posts: 11027
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 10:10 am

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#253 Post by Nick » June 11th, 2015, 7:44 pm

Interesting question, Coffee. For what it's worth, I'd start with (and emphasise) socialising. Starting anywhere else would tend towards being over-earnest and factional, and rather exclusive and short-lived..

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#254 Post by coffee » June 13th, 2015, 9:11 am

I think it is all of those
I agree with you Altfish :smile:

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#255 Post by coffee » June 19th, 2015, 9:47 am

Some of these courses are free to take

https://www.udemy.com/

Nick
Posts: 11027
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 10:10 am

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#256 Post by Nick » June 19th, 2015, 6:41 pm

Thanks, Coffee. Some interesting possibilities.....

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#257 Post by coffee » June 20th, 2015, 9:12 am

I am glad u find them useful Nick, and good luck if u do take them up.

Nick
Posts: 11027
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 10:10 am

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#258 Post by Nick » June 20th, 2015, 9:42 am

I'll let you know! :)

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#259 Post by coffee » July 30th, 2015, 10:05 am

Fundamental human needs (scroll down for the table)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_human_needs
Just concenstrate on secular/humanist values and ignore any faith stuff that is mentioned



Just updating this link
Grateful without God: A secular Thanksgiving
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ ... story.html

Grateful without God: A secular Thanksgiving



By Kimberly Winston | Religion News Service November 27, 2013

This week, millions of Americans will pause before diving into the turkey, stuffing and
gravy to give thanks to God for the bounty on their table.

But many of the nonreligious will also include a moment of thanks, as “secular grace” grows
in popularity among atheists, humanists, agnostics, freethinkers and other so-called
“nones.”

“We give thanks for what is happening here and now,” said Maggie Ardiente, director of
development and communications for the American Humanist Association, which last week asked
members to share their secular grace on its website.

“It is important for us as nonbelievers to recognize that we are lucky in the grand scheme
of the universe and to spend this time with our friends and family, and the tradition of
doing that once a year, whether you are religious or not, is a valuable thing to do.”

While secular grace addresses no deity and involves no spirituality, those who say it say it
still fulfills a need.

“What we do is thank people,” said Zachary Moore, a 33-year-old atheist in the Dallas-Fort
Worth area. “Thanksgiving is like a microcosm of your life, when you can look at who has
helped you get to the point where you have a family or a close circle of friends you can sit
down with. As an atheist, I want to give thanks to those people and everyone around me. That
is a real thanksgiving.”

The idea of a secular grace is not new. Unitarian-Universalists and adherents of other
nontheistic faiths have said godless blessings for years, and Robert Ingersoll, “the Great
Agnostic,” gave a “Thanksgiving Sermon” in 1897 in which he thanked scientists, artists,
statesmen, mothers, fathers, poets and just about everybody except God.

Secular grace typically recognizes the animals who gave their lives for the feast, the
people who prepared the meal and even the elements of nature that contributed to it — earth,
water, fire and air. It also usually makes reference to the secular humanist touchstones of
community, interdependence and relationships.

And there’s one more key difference between secular grace and the religious kind: Secular
grace is not offered as a prayer, but more as a benediction over those present.

“Gratitude knows no theology,” Moore said. “Gratitude is a human experience.”

It’s unknown how many people offer up a secular grace. A Facebook page titled “1,000,000
People for a Secular Grace this Thanksgiving” attracted only 44 “likes” at its creation in
2010.

But polls reveal the number of those who adhere to no religion is on the rise — one in five
Americans and one-third of all adults under 30, according to the Pew Research Center. And
many “nones” observe elements drawn from religion. The same poll found 21 percent of the
nonreligious say they pray every day.

“There is a big variance among people who are not religious,” said Jennifer Beahan,
assistant director of the Center for Inquiry’s branch in Grand Rapids, Mich. Beahan, 25, has
contributed a secular blessing at the city’s annual interfaith Thanksgiving service several
times since its inception in 2000.

“There are some who never want to do another ritualistic thing in their lives because it
comes from religion,” she said, “but there are others who like the ceremonial marking of
things.”

Adam Lee is one of them. Lee, a New York City-based novelist and blogger, wrote “An Atheist
Dinner Benediction” after reading an advice column that recommended atheists leave the
Thanksgiving table when a religious grace is said.

“But that yields the floor to the religious and outs you as an atheist, which can disrupt
the family peace,” he said. “I thought, ‘Let’s come up with something an atheist could say
for grace.’”

Lee’s grace, which first appeared online in 2006 and was included in a book about gratitude,
has been widely used ever since.

“May this sharing of food foster peace and understanding among us,” it reads in part. “May
it bring us to the recognition that we depend on each other for all the good we can ever
hope to receive, and that all the good we can hope to accomplish rests in helping others in
turn.”

At Deborah Strod’s Thanksgiving table, the grace is less formal, but no less important, she
said. She and more than a dozen friends, family members and a stray or two gather at her
father’s Massachusetts home and go around the table, one at a time, saying what they are
grateful for.


“They get pretty deep sometimes,” said Strod, a 49-year-old lifelong nonbeliever. “My father
once said something like he is grateful that out of matter comes art and creativity and
love. I suppose others would be grateful to a god or gods for that. In our case, it just is,
but it does not change the level of appreciation.”

Nor does the fact that those at the table are speaking to each other — and not to God —
alter the importance of the ritual, she said.

“We are all sharing things that are touching and important to us,” she said. “I think that
sharing, regardless of how you explain the origin of the things being shared, is the most
important point. It is a point of deliberate and shared human connection meaningful to
everyone there.”

Sarah Kaiser, 25, said her family used to say a religious grace before celebratory meals so
steadfastly that today, even as an atheist, she jokes that she sometimes doesn’t know when
to begin eating until grace is said.

But since Kaiser began identifying as an atheist in college, her mother has introduced
“Quaker grace” at the Thanksgiving table — a moment of silence in which Kaiser says she
tries to clear her mind and enjoy the presence of those she loves.

“I really like that,” Kaiser said. “It seems a lot more open and accepting than a lot of
traditions.”

“An Atheist Benediction” by Adam Lee

“As we come together to share this meal, let us first remember how it came to us and be
thankful to the people who made it possible.

This food was born from the bounty of the Earth, in warm sunlight, rich earth and cool rain.

May it nourish us, in body and mind, and provide us with the things that are good for
living.

We are grateful to those who cultivated it, those who harvested it, those who brought it to
us and those who prepared it.

May its consumption bring about the pleasures of friendship, love and good company.

And as we partake of this food in each other’s company,
as what was once separate from all of us becomes part of each of us,
may we also remember what we have in common and what brings us all together.


May this sharing of food foster peace and understanding among us,
may it bring us to the recognition that we depend on each other for all the good we can ever
hope to receive, and that all the good we can hope to accomplish rests in helping others in turn.

May it remind us that as we reach out to others to brighten their lives,

so are our lives brightened in turn.”

From Jennifer Beahan:

“We give thanks to Nature for all it has provided us.

For Family and Friends who walk with us throughout the years.

We give thanks for those who have touched our hearts and made us smile.

We give thanks to those who have alleviated suffering,

Who have championed a cause,

For those who have resisted unjust laws,

Who have fought against oppression and injustice, and have fought for the freedoms we enjoy.

We give thanks for those who have sacrificed their lives to make our world a better place to

be.

We give thanks for those who have advanced our understanding of medicine and science.

Who have helped explain the workings of the Universe.

We give thanks to those who have applied paint to canvas in a way that stirs feelings deep

within us,

Who have composed songs which make our spirits soar,

To all the people — past, present and future — who strive to better our world and make life

worth living, to these people, we give our highest praise and our endless thanks.”

Copyright: For copyright information, please check with the distributor of this item,

Religion News Service LLC.

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#260 Post by coffee » July 30th, 2015, 10:05 am

Fundamental human needs (scroll down for the table)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_human_needs
Just concenstrate on secular/humanist values and ignore any faith stuff that is mentioned



Just updating this link
Grateful without God: A secular Thanksgiving
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ ... story.html

Grateful without God: A secular Thanksgiving


By Kimberly Winston | Religion News Service November 27, 2013

This week, millions of Americans will pause before diving into the turkey, stuffing and
gravy to give thanks to God for the bounty on their table.

But many of the nonreligious will also include a moment of thanks, as “secular grace” grows
in popularity among atheists, humanists, agnostics, freethinkers and other so-called
“nones.”

“We give thanks for what is happening here and now,” said Maggie Ardiente, director of
development and communications for the American Humanist Association, which last week asked
members to share their secular grace on its website.

“It is important for us as nonbelievers to recognize that we are lucky in the grand scheme
of the universe and to spend this time with our friends and family, and the tradition of
doing that once a year, whether you are religious or not, is a valuable thing to do.”

While secular grace addresses no deity and involves no spirituality, those who say it say it
still fulfills a need.

“What we do is thank people,” said Zachary Moore, a 33-year-old atheist in the Dallas-Fort
Worth area. “Thanksgiving is like a microcosm of your life, when you can look at who has
helped you get to the point where you have a family or a close circle of friends you can sit
down with. As an atheist, I want to give thanks to those people and everyone around me. That
is a real thanksgiving.”

The idea of a secular grace is not new. Unitarian-Universalists and adherents of other
nontheistic faiths have said godless blessings for years, and Robert Ingersoll, “the Great
Agnostic,” gave a “Thanksgiving Sermon” in 1897 in which he thanked scientists, artists,
statesmen, mothers, fathers, poets and just about everybody except God.

Secular grace typically recognizes the animals who gave their lives for the feast, the
people who prepared the meal and even the elements of nature that contributed to it — earth,
water, fire and air. It also usually makes reference to the secular humanist touchstones of
community, interdependence and relationships.

And there’s one more key difference between secular grace and the religious kind: Secular
grace is not offered as a prayer, but more as a benediction over those present.

“Gratitude knows no theology,” Moore said. “Gratitude is a human experience.”

It’s unknown how many people offer up a secular grace. A Facebook page titled “1,000,000
People for a Secular Grace this Thanksgiving” attracted only 44 “likes” at its creation in
2010.

But polls reveal the number of those who adhere to no religion is on the rise — one in five
Americans and one-third of all adults under 30, according to the Pew Research Center. And
many “nones” observe elements drawn from religion. The same poll found 21 percent of the
nonreligious say they pray every day.

“There is a big variance among people who are not religious,” said Jennifer Beahan,
assistant director of the Center for Inquiry’s branch in Grand Rapids, Mich. Beahan, 25, has
contributed a secular blessing at the city’s annual interfaith Thanksgiving service several
times since its inception in 2000.

“There are some who never want to do another ritualistic thing in their lives because it
comes from religion,” she said, “but there are others who like the ceremonial marking of
things.”

Adam Lee is one of them. Lee, a New York City-based novelist and blogger, wrote “An Atheist
Dinner Benediction” after reading an advice column that recommended atheists leave the
Thanksgiving table when a religious grace is said.

“But that yields the floor to the religious and outs you as an atheist, which can disrupt
the family peace,” he said. “I thought, ‘Let’s come up with something an atheist could say
for grace.’”

Lee’s grace, which first appeared online in 2006 and was included in a book about gratitude,
has been widely used ever since.

“May this sharing of food foster peace and understanding among us,” it reads in part. “May
it bring us to the recognition that we depend on each other for all the good we can ever
hope to receive, and that all the good we can hope to accomplish rests in helping others in
turn.”

At Deborah Strod’s Thanksgiving table, the grace is less formal, but no less important, she
said. She and more than a dozen friends, family members and a stray or two gather at her
father’s Massachusetts home and go around the table, one at a time, saying what they are
grateful for.


“They get pretty deep sometimes,” said Strod, a 49-year-old lifelong nonbeliever. “My father
once said something like he is grateful that out of matter comes art and creativity and
love. I suppose others would be grateful to a god or gods for that. In our case, it just is,
but it does not change the level of appreciation.”

Nor does the fact that those at the table are speaking to each other — and not to God —
alter the importance of the ritual, she said.

“We are all sharing things that are touching and important to us,” she said. “I think that
sharing, regardless of how you explain the origin of the things being shared, is the most
important point. It is a point of deliberate and shared human connection meaningful to
everyone there.”

Sarah Kaiser, 25, said her family used to say a religious grace before celebratory meals so
steadfastly that today, even as an atheist, she jokes that she sometimes doesn’t know when
to begin eating until grace is said.

But since Kaiser began identifying as an atheist in college, her mother has introduced
“Quaker grace” at the Thanksgiving table — a moment of silence in which Kaiser says she
tries to clear her mind and enjoy the presence of those she loves.

“I really like that,” Kaiser said. “It seems a lot more open and accepting than a lot of
traditions.”

“An Atheist Benediction” by Adam Lee

“As we come together to share this meal, let us first remember how it came to us and be
thankful to the people who made it possible.

This food was born from the bounty of the Earth, in warm sunlight, rich earth and cool rain.

May it nourish us, in body and mind, and provide us with the things that are good for
living.

We are grateful to those who cultivated it, those who harvested it, those who brought it to
us and those who prepared it.

May its consumption bring about the pleasures of friendship, love and good company.

And as we partake of this food in each other’s company,
as what was once separate from all of us becomes part of each of us,
may we also remember what we have in common and what brings us all together.


May this sharing of food foster peace and understanding among us,
may it bring us to the recognition that we depend on each other for all the good we can ever
hope to receive, and that all the good we can hope to accomplish rests in helping others in turn.

May it remind us that as we reach out to others to brighten their lives,

so are our lives brightened in turn.”

From Jennifer Beahan:

“We give thanks to Nature for all it has provided us.

For Family and Friends who walk with us throughout the years.

We give thanks for those who have touched our hearts and made us smile.

We give thanks to those who have alleviated suffering,

Who have championed a cause,

For those who have resisted unjust laws,

Who have fought against oppression and injustice, and have fought for the freedoms we enjoy.

We give thanks for those who have sacrificed their lives to make our world a better place to

be.

We give thanks for those who have advanced our understanding of medicine and science.

Who have helped explain the workings of the Universe.

We give thanks to those who have applied paint to canvas in a way that stirs feelings deep

within us,

Who have composed songs which make our spirits soar,

To all the people — past, present and future — who strive to better our world and make life

worth living, to these people, we give our highest praise and our endless thanks.”

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Religion News Service LLC.

coffee
Posts: 1594
Joined: June 2nd, 2009, 4:53 pm

Re: Atheist school's values & ethics

#261 Post by coffee » August 19th, 2015, 9:46 am

Here is another good one (secular grace)


"Steveroot
Nov 28, 2013 at 4:27 pm

That wasn’t meant to be an “offering”… just an observation.
Here’s a Thanksgiving secular grace I cooked up for tonight’s dinner:

We are grateful for the presence of those we love, for all the events and circumstances which have made it possible for us to be here.

We are thankful for this food, for those who planted, grew, provided and prepared it.
We stand in awe-struck gratitude for the countless millions of stars which, by exploding, provided the elements which make up everything we are and all we know.

We hope that, in the fullness of time, all peoples everywhere will have the bounty we are grateful for today.

Amen.
Steve"

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