Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

cleanhippie

(19,705 posts)
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 01:50 PM Apr 2013

Nonbelievers Excluded from Interfaith Service, Despite Two Humanist Victims in Monday’s Bombing

Washington, DC— The Secular Coalition for America is disappointed and saddened that the nontheist community was excluded from the Interfaith Service taking place in the wake of Monday's marathon bombing—despite that at least two of the victims of the bombing were part of the nontheist community.

Celeste Corcoran of Lowell, Massachusetts, who lost both her legs at the knees in one of the bomb blasts, and her 18 year-old daughter, Sydney, who suffered severe injuries as a result of being hit by shrapnel, were part of the greater-Boston humanist community.

The Interfaith event, called “Healing Our City” is taking place at Cathedral of the Holy Cross and will be attended by President Obama and representatives from the Protestant, Greek Orthodox, Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim faiths.

“The tragic events on Monday affected people of many different faiths and none,” said Edwina Rogers, executive director of the Secular Coalition for America. “The organizers said they want to ‘heal the city’ and to do that, we need to come together as a community in these times of need despite our differing beliefs.”

--snip--


“The very purpose of these types of programs are put on is to comfort the victims, their families and the community at large,” Rogers said. “To exclude the very community that at least some of the victims were a part of not only alienates the victims themselves, but also Boston’s vibrant nontheistic community and the nearly 20 percent of Americans who choose not to identify with a religion. We are grieving too.”

http://secular.org/news/nonbelievers-excluded-interfaith-service-despite-two-humanist-victims-monday’s-bombing
32 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Nonbelievers Excluded from Interfaith Service, Despite Two Humanist Victims in Monday’s Bombing (Original Post) cleanhippie Apr 2013 OP
Just curios how would they know someone is a non-believer? still_one Apr 2013 #1
How about we just assume some people are, and make things like this... trotsky Apr 2013 #2
They said the two women were members of a non-theist organization wryter2000 Apr 2013 #3
More discouraging news about our Country. nt ladjf Apr 2013 #4
OK, link doesn't work so who exactly refused to allow participation? sinkingfeeling Apr 2013 #5
Atheists Say Boston Prayer Organizers Snubbed Them struggle4progress Apr 2013 #25
They should have attended anyway. And, if they were physically restrained, it would ladjf Apr 2013 #6
Nonbelievers were not excluded from attending. Jim__ Apr 2013 #10
Link's broken. This one works - pinto Apr 2013 #7
Thanks for that. Jim__ Apr 2013 #9
since their god(s) allowed the explosion they were afraid of truth tellling? nt msongs Apr 2013 #8
Who is they and what gods were you talking about? Nobody I know, Thats my opinion Apr 2013 #23
Who said they were blocked at the door? Act_of_Reparation Apr 2013 #26
Yet more evidence xfundy Apr 2013 #11
so no one asked them? madrchsod Apr 2013 #12
I find it hard to believe that no phone calls were returned. rug Apr 2013 #13
I don't. Act_of_Reparation Apr 2013 #14
Why yes, you asserted a belief without evidence. rug Apr 2013 #15
So it is your position they should have provided evidence for the nonexistence of returned calls? Act_of_Reparation Apr 2013 #18
So, what did they say? rug Apr 2013 #19
To be fair, it was you who suggested the calls were not returned. Act_of_Reparation Apr 2013 #20
I look forward to the update. rug Apr 2013 #22
Here is a more revealing article Act_of_Reparation Apr 2013 #32
Could it have something to do... rexcat Apr 2013 #16
so wearingly typical.. Phillip McCleod Apr 2013 #17
I agree they should have been able to participate. hrmjustin Apr 2013 #21
I have my doubts about this. georges641 Apr 2013 #24
You misunderstand Act_of_Reparation Apr 2013 #27
Did you get an aswer to your email? rug Apr 2013 #28
As I stated... Act_of_Reparation Apr 2013 #30
So who represents the non-believing community? georges641 Apr 2013 #29
Again, you are mistaken Act_of_Reparation Apr 2013 #31

wryter2000

(46,016 posts)
3. They said the two women were members of a non-theist organization
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 01:58 PM
Apr 2013

Assuming this organization followed procedures like the religious organizations did, this is truly stupid.

ladjf

(17,320 posts)
6. They should have attended anyway. And, if they were physically restrained, it would
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 02:03 PM
Apr 2013

have strengthened the lawsuit that should follow this unlawful exclusion.

Jim__

(14,045 posts)
10. Nonbelievers were not excluded from attending.
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 03:27 PM
Apr 2013

At least that's my reading. They didn't have a representative at the meeting:

The Secular Coalition – in conjunction with the Secular Coalition for Massachusetts and Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University and Vice President of the Harvard Chaplains – work worked diligently to secure the inclusion of a representative from the nontheist community. For several days, the Coalition contacted representatives of all aspects of the planning and coordination of the event, including White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, the Office of Community Affairs in the Governor’s office, the Archdiocese of Boston, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, the Massachusetts Council of Churches, the Office of the Mayor and the Boston City Council.


Thats my opinion

(2,001 posts)
23. Who is they and what gods were you talking about? Nobody I know,
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 01:43 PM
Apr 2013

and I have a pretty wide knowledge of the people who planned this event, and NOBODY would take your snarky definition seriously. If you are going to make sarcastic comments about anybody perhaps you might take a look at what they actually believe.

No one of any persuasion should have been be excluded. What is the evidence that they were blocked at the door?

Act_of_Reparation

(9,116 posts)
26. Who said they were blocked at the door?
Sun Apr 21, 2013, 10:32 AM
Apr 2013
The Secular Coalition – in conjunction with the Secular Coalition for Massachusetts and Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University and Vice President of the Harvard Chaplains – work worked diligently to secure the inclusion of a representative from the nontheist community.


Anyone who wanted to show up could show up. But that's not the point.

The issue is the non-believing community was denied representation.

madrchsod

(58,162 posts)
12. so no one asked them?
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 04:01 PM
Apr 2013

yet i just read where they were but never replied.if they do`t believe in a higher power would`t they be uncomfortable? i find it really hard to believe that the interfaith coalition would exclude the non believer organization from joining in the service

 

rug

(82,333 posts)
13. I find it hard to believe that no phone calls were returned.
Thu Apr 18, 2013, 04:27 PM
Apr 2013
The Secular Coalition – in conjunction with the Secular Coalition for Massachusetts and Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University and Vice President of the Harvard Chaplains – work worked diligently to secure the inclusion of a representative from the nontheist community. For several days, the Coalition contacted representatives of all aspects of the planning and coordination of the event, including White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, the Office of Community Affairs in the Governor’s office, the Archdiocese of Boston, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, the Massachusetts Council of Churches, the Office of the Mayor and the Boston City Council.


I wonder why the response is not reported.

Act_of_Reparation

(9,116 posts)
18. So it is your position they should have provided evidence for the nonexistence of returned calls?
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 01:19 AM
Apr 2013

Clever.

 

rug

(82,333 posts)
19. So, what did they say?
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 01:27 AM
Apr 2013
“We gave the White House an opportunity to exert a little more influence to help include us, and I’m disappointed that didn’t happen,” Epstein added. “We spoke to high ranking members of the governor’s staff multiple times — people we know for a fact were involved in organizing the vigil — in fact we called them every hour on the hour. And when I say we, I don’t mean me: I mean our lobbying office, the Secular Coalition for America.”


http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/18/harvard-atheists-shocked-at-exclusion-from-boston-bombing-memorial-service/

Act_of_Reparation

(9,116 posts)
20. To be fair, it was you who suggested the calls were not returned.
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 10:13 AM
Apr 2013

But since this question is very pressing (no doubt the evil atheists are making this shit up for publicity's sake), I've taken the liberty of sending an email over to the Secular Coalition's PR department. I will post here whatever they reply, if they reply.

I hope you don't mind me preempting you. As suspicious as you are, no doubt you were planning to ask them yourself... right after you finished impugning their integrity.

Act_of_Reparation

(9,116 posts)
32. Here is a more revealing article
Mon Apr 22, 2013, 02:42 AM
Apr 2013
No Room for Non-Theists at Boston Interfaith Service

According to Lauren Anderson Youngblood, Communications Manager for the SCA, they had been working since Tuesday to make sure that the non-theist community was a part of the service. “We were consistently given the run-around, relayed to other people, told we would be called back, and so forth.” The White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships stated they were not responsible for the planning of the event and directed them to call the local organizers. Youngblood recounts their efforts:

We reached out to the Office of Community Affairs in the Governor’s office, the Archdiocese of Boston, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, the Massachusetts Council of Churches, the Office of the Mayor and the Boston City Council. We spent the entire day doing this and were repeatedly brushed off by each person we called. Our lobbyist, Kelly Damerow, called the Governor’s office every hour yesterday, and was still trying this morning, before the event, at which point we finally realized it wasn’t going to happen.


rexcat

(3,622 posts)
16. Could it have something to do...
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 12:05 AM
Apr 2013

with the services being held at a catholic church? The RCC is not keen on atheists.

 

Phillip McCleod

(1,837 posts)
17. so wearingly typical..
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 01:00 AM
Apr 2013

..there are those who are insulted at the very idea of grieving without god.

to have atheists around would be an affront to their pain and their way of dealing with it.

i think the decision was consciously made not to call SCA back.. or to pretend to not notice until it was too late.. to save the tender feelings to hypersensitive believers.

 

georges641

(123 posts)
24. I have my doubts about this.
Sat Apr 20, 2013, 12:07 PM
Apr 2013

How would anyone know that someone is a nonbeliever?

Besides, I don't believe anyone would be excluded.

I'm a Catholic and I know for certain that anyone may attend our services. Non-believers are not excluded. And I can't think of any church that doesn't allow visitors and the curious. After-all, that could be the first step to becoming a believer.

Act_of_Reparation

(9,116 posts)
27. You misunderstand
Sun Apr 21, 2013, 10:34 AM
Apr 2013

Anyone who wanted to attend the interfaith service could have done so.

The issue is that the non-believing community was denied representation alongside the various clergymen who were invited to speak.

 

georges641

(123 posts)
29. So who represents the non-believing community?
Sun Apr 21, 2013, 06:37 PM
Apr 2013

I was at one time a non-believer of sorts, but never identified with any particular non-believing group. My guess is that any group that would stand up and claim to be "the voice" of non-believers is a very tiny subset, and speaking up without the consent or knowledge of all unbelievers.

There is no group or person that represents non-believers as there are in the case of believers, such as Muslims, Christians, Jews, etc.

Act_of_Reparation

(9,116 posts)
31. Again, you are mistaken
Mon Apr 22, 2013, 02:27 AM
Apr 2013

None of the clergy invited to attend the interfaith service "represent" the entirety of their faith. A singular priest does not represent the Catholic church entire. Moreover, there is no "Muslim", "Jewish", or "Christian" church of which to speak. The speakers each represent constituent demographics of the affected community, nothing more.

Those who expressed interest in representing Boston's non-believing community were members of local secular or humanist societies, as was clearly indicated in the OP. Whether "most" non-believers belong to these societies isn't relevant. Services such as these are a forum through which communities find solidarity through hardship. They are about coming together to help each other out, regardless of sectarian differences. The exclusion of non-believing speakers from this event is prohibitive to this end.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Religion»Nonbelievers Excluded fro...