ChiCago EthiCal humanist Newsletter of the Ethical humanist sociEty of chicago

February 2015

Welcome to Our Sunday Morning Programs in FebruaryARIKA OKRENT, recipient of a joint PhD in linguistics and cogni-tive neuroscience from the University of Chicago, speaks February 1st on “Babel Rousers: The 900-year-old Quest to Build a Better Language.” An expert in such artificial languages as Esperanto, Klingon, and Loglan, Okrent will speak on her acclaimed book In the Land of Invented Lan-guage. She will present a fascinating and entertaining history of the many attempts to create a perfect world language.

J. KEVIN CHAPMAN, popular bagpiper and a graduate of the North American Piping School, presents “The Myths and Facts about the Great Highland Bagpipes” on Feb-ruary 8th. Chapman will introduce us to the history of bagpipes, one of the world’s oldest currently played musical instruments. Dressed in full regalia, he will give a stirring dem-

onstration of his piping skills.

JUNE TANOUE, a teacher at the Zen Life and Meditation Center of Chi-cago, and director of the Hula School of Chicago, presents a February 15th intergenerational program on “Hula and the Art of Hawaiian Dance.” Ta-noue will artfully describe and demon-strate hula as an emotional expression of Hawaiian culture. Accompanying her will be several hula dancers who will perform and also teach us some of the dance.

ERIC POSNER, professor of law at the University of Chicago, speaks February 22nd on “The Limits of Presidential Power.” An expert in constitutional law, Posner will discuss the bounds on executive authority in the U.S. and review several precedents that suggest the president is bound more by political than legal con-straints. He will describe his reasoning as to why President Obama’s recent

executive order on undocumented immigrants is legal.

• Our next Ethical Humanities discussion is on Sunday, February 1st, at 12:15 p.m. We’ll discuss Anne K. Ream’s Lived Through This: Listening to the Stories of Sexual Violence Survivors. These vivid profiles put a human face on an ugly issue often consigned to statistics and headlines. It tells how rape survivors are awakening their communities. The book is available at libraries and bookstores. • Our popular Second Saturday Coffeehouse is back! On February 14th, we’ll enjoy “The Lexicon of Love,” a lyrical program featuring our own vocalist Marne Glaser, accompanied by jazz pianist Dennis Luxion and bassist Kelly Still. Hosting the program will be Vicki Elberfeld. We start at 8 p.m. An $8 donation includes refreshments. Join your friends for a relaxing evening.• Our Creative Writers group meets again on February 15th, the third Sunday of the month, at 12:15 p.m. Come and share your short, original works with a stimulating bunch of your peers. Newcomers are welcome!

• Our Film Discussion group meets Monday, February 16th, at 7:15 p.m. Newcomers are welcome to share with us their views on these currently playing movies:

American Sniper is a psychological drama about the bloody mission of a Navy Seal sharpshooter in Iraq. It was directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Bradley Cooper.

Selma is a biopic film about Martin Luther King, Jr., and his leading the historic campaign to secure voting rights for African Americans. It was directed by Ava DuVernay and stars David Oyelowo.

Still Alice is about a family’s struggle with the mother’s early onset Alzheimer’s disease. It was directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, and stars Julianne Moore.

Coming Society Events

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The meetinghouse of the Society is at 7574 N. Lincoln Ave., Skokie. Sunday programs start at 10:30 a.m. A social hour fol-lows. For parking, use our lot, spaces at the adjoining store, How-ard St. or Jerome St., or the lot at the Albany Bank. If you need transportation, call the office by 1 p.m., Friday—we’ll try to get a ride for you.

• Our annual Winter Fun Night is on Saturday, February 21st, starting at 5 p.m. Join us for potluck food, friendly conversation, and unplugged games for all ages. For the potluck, bring a main dish, appetizer, salad, bread, or des-sert. For what to bring and to help, please contact Katie Wokosin at 847-361-5642 or Ed Thompson at 847-239-4751 by February 20th. • Our next Fiction Circle is on Sunday, March 1st. We’ll discuss Daniel Woodrell’s novel Winter’s Bone, the gritty story of a teenager’s frantic search for her missing father. Made into the Sundance award-winning film starring Jen-nifer Lawrence, it is available in paperback and at libraries.

Recent Sunday Programs• Stephen Asma, professor of philosophy at Columbia College, spoke December 7th on “Lessons from Galileo’s Trial.” Svetlana Bekman was moderator.

Asma called 16th–17th Century astronomer and physicist Galileo Galilei a “devout Catholic” who, with evidence from the newly invented telescope, argued against the Aris-totelian insistence on an Earth-centered universe, embracing the Copernican view that the Earth revolves around the sun.

Condemning the new theory for defying biblical scripture, the Catholic Church tried Galileo for “heresy” in 1633. Asma noted that “to save face” before the growing threat of Protestantism, and with the intervention of Galileo’s influ-ential friend Cardinal Bellarmine, the Papal court exoner-ated Galileo and merely placed him under house arrest.

Asma summarized the lessons of Galileo’s trial: that both biblical literalism and scientific dogmatism are “in deep trouble,” but that science, unlike religion, “does not speak of purpose but searches for causes.”

• Mimi Noonan, long-time veterinarian, spoke January 4th on “My Job as a Veterinary Internist—Being a Vet Is Personal.” Kara Malenfant was moderator.

“I was drawn to animals at an early age,” Noonan said, noting her graduation from the University of Illinois veteri-nary school and her then specializing in internal medicine. She showed and commented on videos of her diagnosing and treating illnesses in dogs. “I see a lot of odd cases,” most of them by referral, she added. “It’s a very stressful job,” but “I’m privileged to have it.”

Noonan linked her emotional, compassionate ties with the animals she treats to those she has with her own family. She discussed the wrenching terminal illnesses of two of her children and her then becoming a public advocate for palliative care. “My love affair with animals,” as well as training as a marathon athlete, has provided her with neces-sary personal therapy, she said.

• Nick Epley, a professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago spoke January 11th on “How We

Understand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want.” Anil Kashyap was moderator.

“I’m a psychologist,” but “so is each of us,” Epley said. “We would like to read the minds of others” and “know what others think of us,” he pointedly added. He cited numerous experiments that revealed a discrepancy between what we feel and what we think we feel. He questioned how well even married couples know each other’s feelings.

Epley charged that “disengagement with others” is what led to the historical dehumanization of Native Americans as “savages,” and also to egocentrism, stereotyping, and even today’s political divisions. He called for recognizing “body language” and urged us to ”ask questions” and “stop guess-ing” about people’s feelings. In engaging with each other, he quipped, “Flattery is very effective.”

• Michael Gurin, CEO of CogniTek, a renewable energy developer, spoke November 30th on “The Unique Fla-vor of a Chicago Technology Hub.” Jay Woldenberg was moderator.

Gurin declared that “we can solve our energy problems.” Citing his past success with start-up technology companies, he discussed the necessary steps, which included forming a technical team to develop the product or service, assessing the market, finding space, and raising investment capital. “It can’t be done alone,” he said, calling for new startups to share resources, such as conference rooms, technical advice, and energy supply. Noting “massive failures, espe-cially in renewable energy,” Gurin said the Solyndra solar panel case, for example, was due to Chinese competition.

Pointing to existing technology centers in the Chicago area, such as at Argonne and in Evanston, Gurin noted the opportunities for local community development. He cautioned against any notion that Chicago could be “a new Silicon Valley” but expressed great optimism for the future.

Our People . . . • Ruth Myers, a longtime member of the Society, died last month, at the great age of 96. Mary Novakovic, another longtime member, has also died. She was only 83 years old. Ruth and Mary loved our Ethical community. We will miss them very much.

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The Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago, founded in 1882, is a member of the American Ethical Union and a chapter of the Ameri-can Humanist Association.Officers & Trustees: Ed McManus, President; Jan Kuhn, Vice

President; Christine Martin, Secretary; John Ungashick, Treasurer; Steve Julstrom, Alan Kimmel, Katherine Ross, Ed Thompson, Sue Sherman, Sue Walton.Sunday School Director: Katherine RossYES Advisors: Katie Merrell, Melanie Neal Office Administrator: Sharon AppelquistNewsletter Editor: Alan Kimmel Ethical Officiants: Jo-Ann Hoeppner, Tom Hoeppner,

Ellen McManus, Ken Novak

Activities and Announcements• “Don’t Believe in God? Join Us!” This was the Society’s message last month on a giant billboard overlooking the north-bound Edens Expressway at Wilson Ave. It has drawn a lot of interest and we hope it stimulates membership growth. • Our annual Pledge Drive is coming to a successful close—but we’re still expecting to hear from a few strag-glers. Thanks everyone for your generous support!• We have a new Emerging Artists Exhibit. Just placed on the walls of our reception room are several beautiful pieces by artist Hannah Blue. Included are delicate drawings and pastels from her “shadow series,” which divest shadows from their customary secondary role. Pause awhile and enjoy them!• A Board Nominating Committee has been named for the election at our May 31st Annual Meeting. Members are Ed Thompson, Alan Kimmel, Svetlana Bekman, Matt Cole, and Lisa Crowe. • Interfaith Action of Evanston, of which the Society is a member, has its annual Vision Keepers fundraising din-ner on Sunday, February 15th. Proceeds go to a homeless shelter, soup kitchens, and winter warming centers. Each participating congregation honors a member for their ser-vice to the community.

This year our Ethical Action Committee chose Alan Kim-mel, Board member, newsletter editor, and Sunday Program Committee co-chair. In past years our honorees have been Ken Novak, Tom Hoeppner, and Jo-Ann Hoeppner. To sign up for this $75 gala, please contact Marilee Cole or Jan Kuhn.• Our next Soup Kitchen is on Sunday, March 29th, 1:00–4:30 p.m., at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Evanston. Vol-unteer by contacting Svetlana Bekman at 847-636-6579 or svetbek@yahoo.com. A signup sheet is outside the kitchen. Please join us in helping many of our needy neighbors. • A warm welcome to our many visitors! We hope you like our Sunday morning programs and our many activities. We also hope you’ve made new friends. Perhaps you’ve been attracted by our Golden Rule Sunday School. If we’re the caring, non-theistic congregation you’ve been looking for, think about becoming a member. Email joinus@ethical-human.org if you have any questions. Or come to our next Newcomers Chat on Sunday, February 15th, at 12:15 p.m.• Our Men’s Group welcomes new participants. As a sup-port group for fellow Society members, we share personal stories in strict confidence. We meet on the fourth Monday of the month, at 7:15 p.m. If you’re interested, contact Oli-ver Pergams at 708-955-6681 or oliver@pergams.com.

• The enjoyable coffee and social hour after Sunday morn-ing programs depends on the bite-sized snacks we bring. But more of us need to participate. So follow this monthly schedule corresponding to your last name: 1st Sunday: A–D; 2nd Sunday: E–K; 3rd Sunday: L–P; 4th Sunday: Q–Z. Thanks! • Our Tribute Fund is a way we honor each other—like condolences on losing a loved one and congratulations on a birth, wedding, or personal achievement. Each tribute is printed in the newsletter. Forms are on the literature tables.• Do you need public transportation to our Sunday meet-ings? A #290 bus leaves the Howard L station at 9:30 a.m. and goes to Touhy and Cicero, a short walk to our building. A return #290 bus to Howard leaves Touhy and Cicero at 1:20 p.m. The Skokie Swift’s Oakton St. station is nearby.• Our lively new Current Events Discussion Group is skipping this month. But we’ll meet again on March 8th and 22nd.

Sunday School Scoop . . . We started the New Year by learning a little about the

history of this oldest holiday and making some resolutions. Native American storyteller Victor Ramirez regaled us with legends from his people and taught us a song. We remem-bered Martin Luther King, Jr., and discussed what it means to be brave.

As February is the month of love, we will begin by mak-ing Valentine cards to send to EHS community friends and family. We’ll share that feeling with our decorated lunch bags filled with good food for the Lincoln Park Commu-nity Shelter for the homeless. On the 15th, we’ll have our monthly Parent Teacher Sunday School Meeting at 9:30 a.m. We’ll then turn up the heat and head to the auditorium for our Intergenerational Program with master dancer June Tanoue, who will instruct us in “Hula and the Art of Hawai-ian Dance” and its promises of an early taste of Spring. Throughout the month we’ll ponder Aesthetics in our Phi-losophy discussions and see if we can define Beauty.

Who We Are

The Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago is a self-governing, inclusive, caring community—providing a home to those who seek a rational, compassionate philosophy of life without regard to belief or non-belief in a supreme being.We focus on the ethical values that bring people together, not

on the beliefs that keep people apart. In the spirit of intellectual, philosophical, and artistic freedom, we come together to explore life, nature, and the universe.We celebrate births, conduct wedding ceremonies, and host

memorial services. We provide for the ethical education of our children, based on rational, critical thinking. We believe in working together for a better world, and strive to

act so as to bring out the best in others and thereby in ourselves.

—Katherine Ross, Director

Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago

7574 N. Lincoln Avenue, Skokie, IL 60077-3335Phone: (847) 677-3334; Fax: (847) 677-3335Web Site: www.ethicalhuman.orgE-mail: office@ethicalhuman.org

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FEBRUARY 2015 CALENDARThe office of the Society is openevery weekday - 10 am to 2 pm.

Call 847-677-3334 with any questions.

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

BoArd of TrusTees

7:15 p.m.

film discussion Group 7:15 p.m.

2nd sATurdAy coffeehouse

8:00 p.m.

1 75 62 3

8 1412 139 10 11

15 2119 2016 17 18

22 2826 2723 24 25

410:30 ArikA okrenT

“Babel Rousers: The 900- year-old Quest to Build a Better Language” 12:30 - Ethical Humanities discussion

10:30 J. kevin chApmAn “The Myths and Facts about the Great Highland Bagpipes”12:15 - Sunday Program Committee

10:30 June TAnoue

“Hula and the Art of Hawaiian Dance” 9:30 - Sunday School Parents Meeting12:15 - Newcomers Chat - Creative Writers

10:30 eric posner “The Limits of Presidential Power”

WinTer fun niGhT

5:00 p.m.