The Humanist Association of Orange County is a chapter of the American Humanist Association.
Please visit our website at http://www.ochumanists.org

HAOC Board
President: Pete Anderson
Vice President: Dave Silva
Treasurer:.Harry Becker
Secretary: Jerry Parks
Member at large: John Cones
Member at large: Benito Franqui 

Oops!

According to "Murphy's Law", if something can go wrong, it will. And our previous newsletter issue was no exception - on page 7,  what were intended to be five check boxes were mysteriously transmuted into five pound (  £ ) signs. Our apologies in case anybody has been inconvenienced by this oversight. 

Our latest meeting

A lively open discussion on the subject of environmental problems took place. During this discussion it was pointed out that:
· The rather conservative religious views held by John Muir did not prevent him from becoming the foremost defender of the California environment.
· The altruistic wishful thinking isn't going to happen, and practical suggestions are needed - fuel cells for example, which not only benefit the environment but make money for folks and reduce our dependence on Mid-East oil.
· Easter Island and the cedars of Lebanon are examples of a lack of ecological awareness, centuries ago, which contributed to the destruction of forests. The Brazilian jungle is a more recent example.
· Relatively recent lectures at UCI and Caltech demonstrate that this lack of ecological awareness on the part of administrators and economists continues to this day.
· Advances in nanotechnology may help us to solve the ecological problems. 
· A possibly pie-in-the-sky solution ( but probably much  less pie-in-the-sky than mass migration to other planets ) could be for humans to evolve faster in the direction of more ecological awareness. 

Afterthoughts About Our Latest Meeting
by Benito Franqui

Perhaps the solution to the environmental crisis involves a  more conscious adaptation to the rapidly changing environment. And in order to be able to adapt fast enough, we may need to become more adept in adopting new survival strategies!

Perhaps the draconian efforts by the Chinese to curb their population growth are a result of their realization that it's time to apply their ancient formula: crisis = danger + opportunity  to the current environmental crisis.

The January 28 issue of the Los Angeles Times featured a front-page article about Easter Island. According to this article, Easter Islanders want to be given more autonomy.  Seems that they have forgotten what happened  when they enjoyed total autonomy...

It’s time for some courageous Easter Islander to stand up and announce: "We have met the enemy... and it is… us!".

The way of the revolution has been tried many times -  always ( with perhaps  one exception ) bringing catastrophic results. Maybe it’s time to give the way of the speeded-up evolution a try.

Environmental Reading
by Jerry Parks

The discussion of the environment at the January meeting was an interesting one. For further reading on the subject, one of the best sources is the book PLAN B by Lester R. Brown of the Earth Policy Institute (2003). If anyone has any real doubts that the environment - and our civilization - are heading towards a real disaster in the near future as a result of our current political and financial policies, this book should be required reading. We have created a bubble economy whose output is artificially inflated by over consuming the earth's natural capital. Our economic health is supposedly measured by how much stuff can be made and sold, even though much of the "stuff" is absolutely of no real value except as ego promoting possessions and property, made possible at the expense of using up the world's natural resources and energy for the benefit of the few with the most money. The world population is already beyond the point of being sustainable. The world's grain harvest has been inflated by over-pumping aquifers, which are starting to run dry. In China, water shortages are already shrinking the food supply in the face of increased demand. The costs involved in the desalinization of sea water and the pumping of such water to the fields where grains could grow would make food so prohibitively expensive that only the rich could afford it. Continued global warming (which seems inevitable unless we drastically stop how we are polluting the atmosphere) could make it so that grains simply would not grow in the areas where they now flourish. The book gets its name, PLAN B, from a discussion of some of the things that have to be changed in order to head off a real disaster, which seems inevitable under Plan A (business as usual).

Molly Ivin's book BUSHWHACKED, gets into environmental concerns as related to politics. She points out that the current administration has stopped requiring large corporations (that have been and are now potential environmental polluters) to contribute to clean-up funds. They are also making it so that polluting businesses cannot be sued for the results of their pollution. That is just another one of the ways the Bush administration is continuing to transfer money to the super rich, at the expense of the average taxpayer, who now has to pay for the clean-up of areas the big corporations have polluted (if it gets cleaned up at all). Corporations will now have no incentive to avoid polluting. Of course, the big oil companies (some of the worst polluters) were already exempt from contributing to the clean-up superfund, since they have so much political clout in Washington! Is that any way to run a country?

Latest CFI-West Costa Mesa meeting

On Jan. 18, historical document expert and scholar David Karpeles, Ph.D. described some of his attempts to reconcile traditional Biblical accounts with the findings of modern science, archaeology, and linguistics. 

For example, in a very early Sumerian account of the creation of the first woman, a word was used which had two possible meanings:  "rib" or "goddess". Apparently, when Genesis was written, its author(s) assumed the wrong meaning - and this was the origin of the story of Eve having been created out of Adam's rib.

Dr. Karpeles also mentioned that the extreme longevity of Methuselah and other Biblical patriarchs can be explained by assuming that the ages mentioned in the Bible should  be interpreted in terms of months instead of years ( other scholars have also made the same observation ).  

Our Next Meeting

Charles Rulon, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Biology and Life Sciences at Long Beach City College, will speak about “Evolution, Civilization, and Extinction”. 

 HAOC Board Election in April 2004

Please submit nominations for the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Member-at-Large ( two seats ) to Juan Bernal (  jbernal41@hotmail.com  or  714-836-7448 or at a general meeting ).

Member profiles

HAOC members ( specially those who have joined recently ) are cordially invited to submit short profiles for inclusion in future issues of the newsletter. In particular, we'd like to hear about your main interests, what motivated you to join HAOC, and what you'd like to see happen at HAOC. 

Computer Help

If you're a beginner in computer and Internet use, you may want to visit the "Computer Help" page ( http://www.ochumanists.org/help.htm ) at our website.

Online Message Boards

Many people who have access to the Internet have found that online message boards provide a fast, flexible, accurate, and inexpensive way of posting messages of special interest to a group such as HAOC.

For the convenience of the HAOC membership, two such boards have been set up at:

board #1: http://b4.boards2go.com/boards/board.cgi?user=HAOC
board #2: http://pub16.ezboard.com/brealism

Each board has its own advantages and disadvantages. We would like each member with access to the Internet to explore both and to let us know by March 1, 2004, which one he/she prefers.

Your participation in these message boards can help us insure that we’re being responsive to your particular interests. For example, you may:
· Indicate which topics or speakers you’d like to hear at our regular meetings.
· Make announcements of events of interest to our membership

For more details, please refer to the "Message Boards" page at our website.

Quotes

( contributed by Gene Barmore )

So long as we present ourselves as unbelievers ... we will be losers. We will be viewed as the deniers of other people's strong convictions, not the possessors of strong convictions of our own. Especially in a free society of competing ideas, unbelief is a disastrously negative strategy.

- Sherwin Wine, founder of the Humanistic Judaism movement, as quoted by Ed Doerr in Free Mind. 

( contributed by Frank Farsad )

I hold to no religion or creed,
am neither Eastern nor Western,
Muslim or infidel,
Zoroastrian, Christian, Jew or Gentile.
I come from neither the land nor sea,
am not related to those above or below,
was not born nearby or far away,
do not live either in Paradise or on this Earth,
claim descent not from Adam and Eve or the Angels above.
I transcend body and soul.
My home is beyond place and name.
It is with the beloved, in a space beyond space.
I embrace all and am part of all.

Persian Poet, Moulana Jalaledin-e Rumi 1207-1273 AD

( Written at a time of intense worldwide religious intolerance and persecution, many centuries before the French Enlightenment or the birth of the United States and European democracies; coming  from a part of the world which now is mainly associated with militant religious fanaticism by most Westerners.)

CAN SCIENCE DISPROVE THE EXISTENCE OF GOD? 
by Robert A. Richert

    It seems to me that this is one of those questions that demands an annoying cop-out of an answer; namely, yes and no. Although the question sounds simple enough, in fact, it is not. It invokes even more questions, which demand clarification for a proper final response. For example, what kind of God are we to disprove? A second problem, which relates to the need for definitions, is that the issues raised by the question are quite complex in nature and thus, not easily amenable to a simple answer.

    Many philosophers and scientists answer the question, "Can science disprove the existence of God" with a definite, "NO!" They argue that the subject of God's existence falls within the purview of philosophy, not science. Science and religion are separate "Magisteria". Yes, science can influence and sometimes leads to the revision of religious beliefs (including God's nature), but cannot tell us whether God exists. Science is restricted to investigation of the natural world; the world of the supernatural is the business of religion. The difference is clear cut and there need be no conflict between science and religion.

    Other scientists and philosophers disagree. They argue that the separation of science and religion into neatly divided and mutually exclusive "Magisteria" is misleading, or downright false. Biologist Stephen Gould advocated this position. In order to facilitate this neat distinction, according to critics, Gould re-defined religion as primarily a concern with ethics. However, our Western religions are more than just ethical systems. Their Holy books are replete with stories of an active God who creates the universe, animals and humans, performs numerous miracles, and interacts in various ways in the natural world. These stories are important elements of these religions to most believers. If interpreted literally, these actions directly compete with scientific explanations for the same phenomenon. In at least some instances, science and religion do overlap, and they are in conflict.

    Most liberal Christians do not interpret the Bible literally, and most accept that humans evolved. They believe that the Bible is inspired, but that the creation stories are allegorical or poetic in nature. One must read between the lines, so to speak, to understand God's meaning. The Bible is not a science book. God's actions, like his nature, are beyond the range of human perception. Thus, using the lens of scientific inquiry to prove that God exists is an exercise in futility.

      However, even liberal Christians eventually must face touch challenges to their faith posed by modern scientific knowledge. Here are three examples:

1. It is one thing to accept that evolution is true; it is quite another to reconcile a creative, active God with the implications posed by natural selection. The major driving force behind evolution is a blind, mindless process with no foresight (see Dawkins, Dennett, and Gould for more on this).   

2. Modern cosmologists are providing theories that incorporate naturalistic explanations for the beginning of the universe (multi-verses, branes, etc.).

3. Although the Bible is filled with colorful stories of ancient miracles, such events don't seem to occur today. Modern claims of miracles that are subjected to scientific investigation always turn out to be fraud or natural occurrences that have been misconstrued. 

       For over a century, scientists have conducted hundreds, perhaps thousands of tightly controlled experiments of various designs to detect extra-sensory perception (ESP). After all of this time and effort, no positive evidence has come forth. The question becomes; is it time to abandon this effort and conclude that ESP does not exist? Similarly, the last five hundred years of scientific research has resulted in the replacement of God-induced supernatural actions (acts of creation, causation of diseases and earthquakes, performing miracles, etc.) with natural explanations. Modern scientific knowledge has pushed God so far away from taking an active role in the natural world that one must ask, "Is there anyone out there at all"? I think that the answer is no.

    The accumulation of scientific knowledge about the natural universe has dealt a crippling blow to the traditional concept of God. Whether this crippling blow is fatal is a matter of interpretation. If we grant the liberal theists claim that God's methods are mysterious and beyond the lens of scientific scrutiny, then science cannot disprove God's existence. The issue rightly remains within the domain of philosophy. However, I argue that these theists have no legitimacy if they continue to claim that God created the universe and life, or acts in the natural world. Once God enters the natural world, he is subject to the lens of scientific scrutiny. I don't see any way around this.

    The answer to the question, "Can science disprove God?" is yes, if God is active in nature. If God is left to the realm of the supernatural, and stays there, I think the answer is no...

On the Light Side
Once a Baptist Always Think Like a Baptist
( contributed by John Cones )

John Smith was the only Protestant to move into a large Catholic neighborhood. On the first Friday of Lent, John was outside grilling a big juicy steak on his grill. Meanwhile, all of his neighbors were eating cold tuna fish for supper.

This went on each Friday of Lent. On the last Friday of Lent, the neighborhood men got together and decided that something had to be done about John, he was tempting them to eat meat each Friday of Lent, and they couldn't take it anymore. They decided to try and convert John to be a Catholic. They went over and talked to him and were so happy that he decided to join all of his neighbors and become a Catholic.

They took him to Church, and the Priest sprinkled some water over him, and said, "You were born a Baptist, you were raised a Baptist, and now you are a Catholic." The men were so relieved, now their biggest Lenten temptation was resolved.

The next year's Lenten season rolled around. The first Friday of Lent came, and just at supper time, when the neighborhood was setting down to their tuna fish dinner, came the wafting smell of steak cooking on a grill. The neighborhood men could not believe their noses! WHAT WAS GOING ON?

They called each other up and decided to meet over in John's yard to see if he had forgotten it was the first Friday of Lent? The group arrived just in time to see John standing over his grill with a small pitcher of water.

He was sprinkling some water over his steak on the grill, saying, "You were born a cow, you were raised a cow, and now you are a fish."

An Interview with Satan
( Stolen from http://www.laststory.com/An%20Interview%20with%20Satan.htm )

One of the most complex, controversial characters in history, Satan—also known as Lucifer, El Diablo, Beelzebub, the Dark Prince, the Devil, the Fallen One, the Adversary, and Martha Stewart—exists in the murky nether regions of the human psyche. Some claim that Satan is fictional; others swear that he’s real. Fictional or not, few entities have impacted society to the extent of Satan. Fear of his Abode of the Damned has influenced behavior and his eternal struggle with God has inspired great acts of art and creativity. But who, exactly, is Satan? And what would he have to say in an interview?

The editors at www.LastStory.com negotiated with Satan’s press secretary, Roy Cohn, for about a year before finally nailing down an interview. We demanded complete editorial control of the article and Satan demanded a cherry Slurpee and a copy of the Paris Hilton sex video. After forging an agreement, we sat down with Satan for a conversation:

Last Story: We appreciate this opportunity to meet with you, Mr. Satan. Might I ask why you requested a Slurpee?

Satan: Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how hot it is in Hell? A nice, cold drink is a pleasant change of pace. Plus, cherry Slurpees mix exceptionally well with vodka. You should try one some time.

Last Story: How hot is it in Hell?

Satan: Really hot. And because it’s hot, lots of women walk around naked. That’s the upside of the heat. The downside is that most of the women aren’t particularly good looking. Don’t ask me why, but more ugly women get damned to Hell than good looking women. I think it’s because good looking women are treated better on earth and have less to be bitter about. Ugly women get treated like dirt and end up misbehaving. So that’s a description of Hell for you: A real hot place with lots of naked ugly women. So I guess it’s a lot like a Sigma Nu fraternity party in early September.

Last Story: Is there really a Lake of Fire?

Satan: You bet! The good thing is, when you fish in the Lake of Fire, whatever you catch is already deep fried. Put it on a Kaiser roll and add some tartar sauce—delicious! I went fishing in the Lake of Fire last week and caught some calamari. 

Oxymorons
From “sucks” to “socks”…

Is it good if a vacuum really sucks?
Why is the third hand on the watch called the second  hand?
If a word is misspelled in the dictionary, how would we ever know?
If Webster wrote the first dictionary, where did he find the  words?
Why do we say something is out of whack?  What is a  whack?
Why does "slow down" and "slow up" mean the same  thing?
Why does "fat chance" and "slim chance" mean the same  thing?
Why do "tug" boats push their barges?
Why do we sing "Take me out to the ball game" when we are already there?
Why are they called "stands" when they are made for sitting?
Why is it called "after dark" when it really is "after light"?
Doesn't "expecting the unexpected" make the unexpected expected?
Why are a "wise man" and a "wise guy" opposites?
Why do "overlook" and "oversee" mean opposite things?
Why is "phonics" not spelled the way it sounds?
If work is so terrific, why do they have to pay you to do it?
If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?
If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?
If you are cross-eyed and have dyslexia, can you read all light?
Why is bra singular and panties plural?
Why do you press harder on the buttons of a remote control when you know the batteries are dead?
Why do we put suits in garment bags and garments in a suitcase?
How come abbreviated is such a long word?
Why do we wash bath towels? Aren't we clean when we use them?
Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?
Why do they call it a TV set when you only have one?
Christmas is weird. What other time of the year do you sit in front of a dead tree and eat candy out of your socks? 

Cartoon of the Month

HAOC APPLICATION FORM

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   Harry Becker
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   Irvine, CA 92618

NEXT MEETING :
On Sunday, February 15, at 1:30 P.M., at the Irvine Ranch Water District building located at 15600 Sand Canyon Ave. in Irvine.

NOTICE :
The Irvine Ranch Water District neither supports nor endorses the causes and activities or organizations which use the District’s meeting rooms, which are made available as a public service.

HAOC
2609 Fernside St.
Orange, CA 92865
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