"The Conservative Movement is ... schizophrenic"?

"The Jewish Week" has an interesting article on the hypocritical treatment of intermarriage in the Jewish conservative movement: http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/new-york-news/conservatives-walking-intermarriage-tightrope.

Annual Westchester/Fairfield Thanksgiving Diversity Breakfast

Celebrating diversity within diversity. Sponsored jointly by AJC/Westchester, the Duchesne Center, and the Westchester Jewish Council. Honoring Sarah Henkel, Multi-Cultural Coordinator of the Hudson River Presbytery, Rabbi Rigoberto Emmanuel Vinas, Lincoln Park Synagogue, and Bishop Martin Nelson, Bezer Holiness Church. For more information and reservations, click here.  To download the event flyer, click here.

Thursday, November 15th, 7:30 a.m.  Manhattanville College, Purchase, NY.

In Memoriam: Paul Kurtz, CFI's Founder

The Center for Inquiry marks with great sadness the passing of Paul Kurtz, founder and longtime chair of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, the Council for Secular Humanism, and the Center for Inquiry, who died Sunday at the age of 86. A philosopher, activist, and author, Kurtz was for a half-century among the most significant and impactful figures in the humanist and skeptic movements. 

Kurtz's legacy includes the above organizations, the creation of the skeptics' magazine Skeptical Inquirer, the secular humanist magazine Free Inquiry, independent publisher Prometheus Books, and a library of books and scholarly articles that will continue to inform discussions of morality, ethics, reason, and religion for generations to come.

We at the Center for Inquiry and our affiliate organizations the Council for Secular Humanism and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry express our sincere condolences to the family of Paul Kurtz, as we recommit ourselves to carrying on with determination the causes Kurtz helped bring to global prominence.

To learn more about the life and legacy of Paul Kurtz, please see this obituary.

Secular Coalition of America's Presidential Candidate Scorecard

Unsurprisingly, Romney is at the bottom.  He does need Rick Santorum's supporters to vote for him.

http://secular.org/content/2012-general-election-presidential-candidate-scorecard

Surprisingly, a guy named Johnson has the best score.  Turns out he is the Libertarian Party's candidate.

Online Seminar "Critical Inquiry: The Appeal to Reason"

For general information about online classes,
visit the CFI Institute Online.

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SCI 201-1112: "Critical Inquiry: The Appeal to Reason"November 1 – November 30, 2012

Instructor: David Koepsell, JD, PhD

Arguments demand more than arguing, and reasoning requires more than just reasons. Fortunately, philosophers have long known and applied the "laws of thought" that are at the heart of good reasoning and that form the core of logic. This course on Critical Inquiry will explore all of the various tools necessary not just to persuade, but to make logically valid and sound arguments. We will explore formal validity, which helps make arguments incontrovertible, and the tools of inductive reasoning that help to demonstrate the truth of premises. We will also delve a bit into the proper use of rhetoric, combined with logic, to make persuasive arguments. Finally, we will examine some common formal and informal fallacies which you should avoid making and should point out when others make.
This four-module, four week course includes video lectures and a free digital handbook which includes examples, definitions of common terms, methods of proof and testing validity, and problems for you to try on your own. We will also conduct discussion of the lectures and texts in our forum. Once completed, you will have a better mastery of logic and induction, and be more confident in your arguments. You will also be more able to confront common fallacies made by others. As well, Critical Inquiry makes clear the role of logic in science, and shows its vital, ongoing role in all areas of inquiry.

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Your instructor for SCI 201-1112:

David Koepsell, JD, PhD, was executive director of the Council for Secular Humanism from 2003-2008. Since then, he has been an assistant professor of philosophy at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, where he teaches ethics and engineering as well as research ethics to masters and PhD students. He holds a law degree (1995) and PhD in Philosophy (1997) from the University at Buffalo, and has authored and edited numerous books, as well as popular and scholarly articles, and has spoken to audiences worldwide on issues relating to civil rights, secularism, science and technology, ethics, humanism, and ontology. He has provided commentary on these topics in a variety of media outlets including: MSNBC, Fox News Channel, The Guardian, NPR, and the Associated Press, among others. His complete CV can be found at davidkoepsell.com.

About CFI Institute Online courses:

CFI 200-level courses are taught at an intellectual level equivalent to an introductory college course. We expect students to participate in the class discussion at their own chosen pace, and there are no other writing requirements and no grading. These classes are entirely online — everything for the course except the book is provided on a CFI website. You will read the course lectures, follow links to other webpages, ask your questions, and participate in class discussion with the instructors and other students on our website.
There is no specific time that you must be online. There is no "live" part to these courses, and you cannot miss anything even if you can only get online at 6am or 11pm — you can log in and participate anytime, day or night, 24/7. A certificate of course completion is available to students who do participate online (as opposed to only lurking and reading, which is also an unobjectionable option for some students). Completion of eight courses at the Expertise 200-level is rewarded with the Institute's Certificate of Expertise.
Online courses are now jointly advertised by the Center for Inquiry and the American Humanist Association, and both organizations encourage their members and affiliates to consider taking them. Online courses are the most visible sign that CFI and the AHA have entered a cooperative relationship on some educational programming. That cooperation is facilitated by Dr. John Shook, who now serves as education coordinator for both CFI and AHA.

This is a one-month course, running from November 1st, 2012 through November 30st, 2012.
Course Fees: $70 for general registration; $60 for Friends of the Center; and $30 for college students.

 Ready to sign up? Register online here.

New Online Seminar: "Humanism, Atheism and Social Justice" w/ Jennifer Hancock & John Shook in December

"Humanism, Atheism and Social Justice"
(SEC 235-1212)December 1 – December 31, 2012

Instructor: Jennifer Hancock, humanist activist, author, speaker, and journalist
Instructor: John Shook, PhD, CFI director of education and AHA education coordinator

This one-month, four-module course will discuss how humanists, atheists and freethinkers have historically been at the forefront of social justice movements. What is it about freethought, humanism and atheism that leads people to take progressive stances on social justice issues? With gains in social justice being threatened and with the recent conflicts within our movement about whether to engage in social justice work and if so, how much, and more importantly, how we can be inclusive as a movement, it is important that we take the time to consider where we have been so that we can better understand what we might be able to accomplish if we embrace our social justice heritage.

 Click here to register now!

Westchester Jewish Council Presents A Night of Music and Joy

Enjoy the talented Cantors of Kol Hazzanim as they share their rhythm and soul in a community concert.  Enjoy a unique selection of music ranging from traditional to contemporary, Jewish to secular, rock to rap.  Enjoy an evening celebrating the richness of our Jewish community.  Enjoy a delicious dairy dessert buffet.  Tickets $20 per person before November 9th, then $25/person.  Saturday, November 17th, 7:30 p.m., Temple Israel Center of White Plains

To register, click https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?llr=gxnnvccab&oeidk=a07e6de446y73923b92.

A program of Kol Hazzanim/The Cantors of Westchester and the Westchester Jewish Council, with grant support from UJA-Federation of New York's Westchester Program Services cabinet.

Roundabout Underground Presents: Bad Jews

Kicking off the sixth season of Roundabout Underground®, Bad Jews is a world premiere comedy by Joshua Harmon about the holy and the holier-than-thou. Daphna Feygenbaum is a Real Jew—just ask the Israeli boyfriend she met on Birthright. So when her cousin Liam brings home his shiksa girlfriend Melody and declares ownership of their grandfather’s Chai necklace, it sparks a viciously hilarious brawl over family, faith and legacy.

 

Bad Jews is directed by Daniel Aukin. Previews performances begin on October 5, 2012 and the show will open officially on Tuesday, October 30, 2012. This is a limited engagement through December 16, 2012. All tickets for Roundabout Underground productions are $20.

 

Due to strong language, Bad Jews may not be suitable for younger audience members. We recommend this show for ages 14 and up.

 

Performances: Tuesday through Sunday evenings at 7:00pm
Saturday and Sunday matinees at 1:30pm

 

Major support for this production provided by Jodi and Dan Glucksman.

 

New plays are supported by Roundabout Leaders for New Works: Alec Baldwin, Linda L. D’Onofrio, Jodi Glucksman, Sylvia Golden, Caryn and James Magid, Laura Pels International Foundation for Theatre, Laura S. Rodgers, Mary and David Solomon / GS Gives, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Yolanda R. Turocy, Lori Uddenberg, Deborah and Thomas Wallace, and Xerox Foundation.

The Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre

The Black Box Theatre, 111 West 46th Street, New York, NY, 10036  |  Ticket Services: (212) 719-1300

Liquor Vs. God

Wall Street Journal reported today that a New York state law passed back in 1933, which denies liquor licenses to establishments within 200 feet of a house of worship or a school, is hampering the development of Harlem: people cannot open restaurants, etc.  Only businesses already licensed before 12/5/1933 (i.e, before the law was passed) are exempted.

I guess purveyors of opium for the people are afraid of competition with purveyors of liquor for the people. :)

Turkish Pianist on Tiral for Blasphemy

As reported by Associated Press, a top Turkish pianist and composer appeared in court on Thursday to defend himself against charges of offending Muslims and insulting Islam in comments he made on Twitter.
Fazil Say, who has played with the New York Philharmonic, the Berlin Symphony Orchestra and others, is on trial for sending tweets that included one in April that joked about a call to prayer that lasted only 22 seconds.

Say tweeted: "Why such haste? Have you got a mistress waiting or a raki on the table?" Raki is a traditional alcoholic drink made with aniseed. Islam forbids alcohol and many Islamists consider the remarks unacceptable.

Prosecutors in June charged Say with inciting hatred and public enmity, and with insulting "religious values." He faces a maximum 18 months prison term, although any sentence is likely to be suspended.

Say, who has served as a cultural ambassador for the European Union, rejected the charges and demanded his acquittal, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/10/18/turkish-pianist-fazil-say-goes-on-trial-accused-insulting-islam-on-twitter/#ixzz29hp26Cbr

"Unmasked Judeophobia" Screening at Mid-Westchester JCC

A meticulous examination of rising anti-Jewish ideology

UNMASKED JUDEOPHOBIA

The Threat to Civilization

Thursday, November 8, 2012  *  7:30 pm

Screening and discussion

Order Your Tickets Today