RATIONALIST INTERNATIONAL

www.rationalistinternational.net

Bulletin # 56 (29 November, 2000)

IN THIS ISSUE:

IS THE HUMANIST MOVEMENT DYING? – Sanal Edamaruku

JAPAN: COURT RULING AGAINST SOLE HEALER CULT

THAILAND: BUDDHIST MONKS’ SECRET NIGHT LIFE

AFGHANISTAN: NO BEARD – NO CHANCE!

UK: CHILD SOLDIERS SERVING IN CONFLICT AREAS

IRAN: TRIAL AGAINST TOP REFORMIST WOMAN POLITICIAN

IS THE HUMANIST MOVEMENT DYING?

Sanal Edamaruku

Paul Kurtz, the most prominent humanist of our times, while speaking on the Humanist Manifesto 2000 at Sidney during the Australis 2000 Conference, expressed hope about the potentials of humanism and his concern about the decline of the organized humanist movement. At the backdrop of a successful World Skeptic Congress held during the previous days at the University of Sydney, he compared it with the rather poorly attended Pacific Asian humanist congress. He expressed concern that the humanist movement is dying. The outspoken position taken by Paul Kurtz, initially shocking, was carefully ignored by many, while others soon recognized their own impressions which till then they had hesitated to speak out openly. It cleared the atmosphere for some serious discussions that continued during coffee breaks and informal get-togethers till the end of the congress.

I myself belonged to neither of these groups: I immediately recognized that I share his views and have expressed similar thoughts in earlier occasions, especially at the Centenary Conference of Rationalist Press Association in Birmingham and the International Rationalist Conference at Trivandrum.

Is the organized humanist movement declining and dying? Yes and no.

No, because we see many national and local organizations active, influencing social change and public policies, and giving considerable contribution in pursuit of the general goals we all share. (With "we" I mean the rationalist, freethought, secular, atheist and humanist organizations –despite the nomenclatures that we use).

Yes, because the bureaucratic ways of the umbrella organization cripple many enthusiastic initiatives and clip the wings of the phoenix to rise from the ashes of the past.

Paul Kurtz has been a guide and advisor of the movement since decades. More than once his vision and courageous initiatives corrected the course. Seeing one danger of decline, to counter it, he has coined the term ‘secular humanism’. He founded and carefully developed an international network of skeptic organizations. He asserted that rationalist outlook has made the most important contribution to human well being and progress. In his famous speech "In Praise of Rationalism’, he said: "We have amply demonstrated that rationalism has been a powerful instrument of progress in science and technology, contributing enormously to the betterment of humankind."

Paul Kurtz had been instrumental in moving the international headquarters of the organized humanist movement from its birthplace Utrecht, Netherlands to London. While arguing passionately for this change, he expressed hope for a dramatic transformation in the whole nature of this organization. There was a chance to come out of the limited frames, to gain wider international participation, to reach more democracy and transparency, to become a dynamic center giving new impulse to the whole movement. The chance was, regrettably, wasted. Today we see lesser participation of national organizations and concentration of policy and decision making process in few hands. Behind the relics of democratic structures, single-handed bureaucracy came to power.

But does this mean that the humanist movement is dying? In fact, there are promising signs emerged during these hard times of the world humanist movement. Reaffirmation to rationalism and scientific thinking as well as uncompromising atheism has been a ray of hope. The concern of Paul Kurtz has to be taken seriously. Only a process of self-criticism and re-evaluation can revive and re-vigor the movement internationally.

JAPAN: COURT RULING AGAINST SOLE HEALER CULT

Hogen Fukunaga, the leader of the Ho-no-Hana Sampagya cult, doesn’t read peoples’ palms but the soles of their feet. And he claims to be able to diagnose and cure their illnesses that way – for a price. Victims with the "diagnosis" cancer are told that they can save their lives only by giving millions of yen to the cult. A Japanese court ordered the sole healer now to pay compensation of one hundred million yen to 16 of his victims. This is the second ruling against the cult.

THAILAND: BUDDHIST MONKS’ SECRET NIGHTLIFE

Abbot Thammathorn Wanchai was part of the "Chivas Regal gang" who used to get right spirit for religious sermons from a good Scotch. Thai police arrested the head of the Dan Chang Temple in Suphan Buri province on one of his secret excursions. After dark, His Excellency used to slip off his saffron robes and enjoy himself in bars and brothels in a colonel’s disguise. In his private residence, pornographic material, lingerie and condoms were confiscated. He will be charged for breaking his monastic vows. The abbot was not the only high cleric of the Buddhist institution leading this kind of a double-life. Just one week before, the abbot of Wat Sriboonruang, Phra Pastvetvisit, and his friend Phra Khru Sukumbhammakkhun of Ang Thong province were caught under embarrassing circumstances. The series of sex and money scandals involving the abbots of major temples has discredited the Buddhist institution and is seen by many Thais as a ! irreversible symptom of decline of the thousand year old religious structures.

AFGHANISTAN: NO BEARD – NO CHANCE

Men without beards have become outcasts in Afghanistan. Pasted at the gates of all government ministry buildings is Kabul, the latest decree of mullah Mohammad Omar, the reclusive leader of the ruling Taliban, informs that "citizens without beards" were no longer considered for jobs nor were they entitled to any other services by the government. Growing beards is, according to the Taliban, compulsory for Muslims. Beardless men have been facing pressure since the fundamentalists captured power in 1995 and started their efforts to turn Afghanistan into a "perfect" Muslim state.

UK: CHILD-SOLDIERS SERVING IN CONFLICT AREAS

Amnesty International has accused Britain of using child-soldiers to serve in conflict areas. According to a report of AI, the British Army has recruited 9,466 youngsters between March 1998 and March 1999, who did not reach the age of 18 years. This is more than one third of the total recruitment during this period.

IRAN: TRIAL AGAINST TOP REFORMIST WOMAN POLITICIAN

Prominent reformist politician Jamileh Kadivar, who gathered the second most votes in parliamentary elections in February this year, is on trial in a Revolutionary Court for violating state security and insulting Islam – charges with scope for death penalty. Co-accused in the case are student leader Ali Afshari and the authors Mahmoud Dowiatabadi and Mohammed Ali Sepaniou. All of them participated in a conference on the future of Iran’s reform movement in Berlin last April, which – according to the persecution – "was held with the aim of changing Iran’s system of religious government, insulting the sanctities and rejecting Islamic judgements". In the opening hearing, the accused rejected all charges. Jamileh Kadivar clarified that foreign ministry and intelligence service had given her green light for participation in the Berlin conference. Jamileh is the sister of reformist leader Mohsen Kadivar, one of the heroes of the movem! ent, who was jailed for political and religious dissent and released in July this year due to his enormous popularity and support base in the student movement.

The recipients of Rationalist International Bulletin # 56 may publish, post, forward or reproduce articles and reports from this bulletin, acknowledging the source, Rationalist International Bulletin # 56. If you wish to invite your rationalist friends to receive Rationalist International Bulletin (it’s free), please ask them to send a blank message from their address to Rationalist-subscribe@egroups.com or you may send their email address to HQ@rationalistinternational.net

How to contact Rationalist International? Postal address: Rationalist International, P O Box 9110, New Delhi 110091, India. Phone: +91-11-2253255, Fax: +91-11-914456201 (please note the change in fax number), Web Site: www.rationalistinternational.net Email: info@rationalistinternational.net

Honorary Associates: (alphabetically) Katsuaki Asai (Japan), Prof. Colin Blakemore (UK), Prof. Vern Bullough (USA), Dr Bill Cooke (New Zealand), Helena Cronin (UK), Prof. Richard Dawkins (UK), Joseph Edamaruku (India), Jim Herrick (UK), Christopher Hitchens (USA), Lavanam (India), Prof. Paul Kurtz (USA), Dr. Henry Morgentaler (Canada), Taslima Nasreen (Bangladesh), Steinar Nilsen (Norway), Prof. Jean-Claude Pecker (France), James Randi (USA), Dr G N Jyoti Shankar (meanwhile deceased) (USA), Prof. Harry Stopes-Roe (UK), Prof. Rob Tielman (The Netherlands), Jane Wynne Willson (UK), Prof. Lewis Wolpert (UK).

Sanal Edamaruku, President of Rationalist International, can be contacted at Edamaruku@rationalistinternational.net