Humanist group falls short of official recognition

[rug]

Friday, October 4, 2013
By Vivian Wang
Contributing Reporter

When the newly organized Yale Humanist Community applied for official recognition from Yale’s religious community at the beginning of the school year, the group realized its request was an unusual one.

The YHC was a nonreligious group striving to join a religious community — so when its application was rejected in late September, the group’s founders were disappointed, but not entirely surprised.

The YHC was founded in 2012 by Paul Chiariello GRD ’18 and Miles Lasater ’01 as the first university-wide association for humanists, an umbrella term for nontheists who believe in using reason and human experience to create a set of ethics. But shortly after the group applied for membership to Yale Religious Ministries — an organization that comprises campus religious groups such as the University Chaplain’s Office and the University Church — its request was turned down.

“We had a good discussion at that time, and individuals expressed thoughtful concerns, positive feedback and diverse wise counsel to me,” said University Chaplain Sharon Kugler in an email to the News. “[But] after much discernment, I decided that the nonreligious nature of the YHC did not fit with membership in a group with explicitly religious self-definition.”

http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2013/10/04/humanist-group-falls-short-of-official-recognition/

[cbayer]

1. It's not at all clear why they wanted this recognition.

In light of what has been happening within the interfaith movement, I would have liked them to have gotten the approval.

[xfundy]

2. And religionists continue to claim non-belief is a "religion."

Anything to keep muddying the waters so no one can see.

[rug]

3. "The YHC was a nonreligious group striving to join a religious community"

Don't let that stop your "religionist" yammering.

No offense.

[cbayer]

4. What? It's the humanists that were asking for admission into the religious circle.

Reading the posted articles really helps when you want to discuss them.