From volcheck at acm.org Fri Jan 6 02:29:41 2012 From: volcheck at acm.org (Emil Volcheck) Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2012 02:29:41 -0500 Subject: [BES Friends] Struggle for GLBT Rights in Uganda, Wed. Jan. 11, 7:00 pm Message-ID: Dear friends, Please join BES and First Unitarian Church of Baltimore to learn about the struggle for GLBT rights in Uganda and the negative influence of US evangelicals pressing for anti-homosexual laws in Africa. Title: "The Struggle for GLBT Rights in Uganda" When: Wednesday, January 11, 7:00 pm Where: First Unitarian Church of Baltimore (Corner of Charles and Franklin) Meetup: http://meetu.ps/6tvlT Rev. Kiyimba has led the opposition against the anti-homosexual laws being advocated in Uganda by US evangelicals and adopted by the Ugandan Parliament. In early 2011, following the issue of a warrant for his arrest, Rev. Kiyimba fled Uganda and has been living in sanctuary in the US and spreading the word about the GLBT persecution in Uganda. This lecture is free and open to the public. Read the action alert on Uganda from the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU): http://www.iheu.org/taxonomy/term/123 Announcement from First Unitarian: http://firstunitarian.net/index.php/our-happenings/upcoming-events/calendar/view/20959/date/2012-01-11 Rev. Mark Kiyimba is the minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kampala, Uganda, a congregation which focuses its social mission on alleviating the profound generational pain caused by HIV/AIDS in African societies. In 2004, Rev. Kiyimba founded the New Life School, a residential K-8 school and orphanage for children whose parents had died of HIV/AIDS. The school and orphanage has grown to serve over 500 children, and Rev. Kiyimba and the faculty and staff of 13 persons represent the school's greatest resource. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Kampala has spoken out against the anti-homosexual laws being advocated in Uganda by US evangelicals and adopted by the Ugandan Parliament. In 2010, shortly after LGBT activist David Kato was bludgeoned to death after being targeted for assassination in the Ugandan press, Kiyimba organized a conference, "Standing on the Side of Love: redefining Valentine?s Day." This conference brought together gay, lesbian, bisexual and heterosexual activists who were resisting the anti-homosexual laws for support and strategizing. In the ensuing months, Kiyimba remained vocal in his opposition; and in early 2011, an arrest warrant of Kiyimba was issued. He fled Uganda and has been living in sanctuary in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is currently touring the United States and planning his return to Uganda. Rev. Kiyimba will be on a "Standing on the Side of Love" tour of the Baltimore-Capital Region from January 6 to 19, 2010, and will speak at First Unitarian Church of Baltimore on Wednesday, January 11 at 7 p.m. The intentions of this tour are: * to allow Baltimore residents to "stand on the side of love" and to stand in the spirit of love with LGBT people and their allies in Uganda * to raise consciousness about the criminalization of homosexuality in Uganda and many other countries around the globe * to lift up Dr. King's example of nonviolent protest, whether in word or in deed * to raise funds for the New Life School and other projects of the UU Church in Kampala * to consider what Unitarian Universalist congregations might do next to keep the momentum going, and invite others to join us Rev. Kiyimba is available to address the media by telephone beginning immediately, and will be available for in-person interviews beginning on January 6th. The Baltimore Coalition of Reason wishes to thank our member organization First Unitarian Church of Baltimore for extending this invitation to hear the Rev. Kiyimba. This lecture is part of the Zoerheide lecture series sponsored by First Unitarian. For more information about Baltimore CoR, visit http://BaltimoreCoR.org/ . -- Emil Volcheck volcheck at acm.org http://EmilVolcheck.com/ From volcheck at acm.org Tue Feb 7 09:46:12 2012 From: volcheck at acm.org (Emil Volcheck) Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2012 09:46:12 -0500 Subject: [BES Friends] Celebrate Darwin Day with BES and Baltimore CoR Message-ID: Dear friends, Come celebrate Darwin Day with friends of the Baltimore Coalition of Reason. You have two chances this week to show your support for reason and evolution! The first event is tomorrow (Wednesday) evening at the UMBC Secular Student Alliance. The second is Sunday at BES. The UMBC Secular Student Alliance event for Darwin Day is as follows: When: Wednesday, February 8th, from 7 to 9 pm Where: UMBC, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Physics 101, previously LH6 Meetup: http://meetu.ps/7bq8H Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/336730879693885/ Dr. Kevin Omland of the UMBC biology department will be joining the Secular Student Alliance in celebrating the legacy of Charles Darwin and his contributions to science for this holiday celebrating Darwin's birthday month. Parking: The best place to park on campus for non-students is in the Commons garage, on Commons Drive, at coin meters. The Physics building is a short walk across the street from the parking garage. Visitor parking is available in metered lots. Meters are enforced year round Monday-Friday from 7:30 am ? 9:00 pm. Meter fees are $.25 for each 15 minutes, quarters only, maximum time of 5 hours. If visitors come park after 7pm they can park in whichever section they choose, regardless of parking permit zone. ********* The second event is hosted by the Baltimore Secular Humanists and the Baltimore Ethical Society. When: Sunday, February 12, 10:30 am Where: Baltimore Ethical Society, 306 W. Franklin St. Meetup: http://meetu.ps/77P06 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/341482992552765/ Foundations of Evolution Mike Reid President, Washington Area Secular Humanists As have all accomplished scientists, Charles Darwin built on the work of his predecessors. In this talk with accompanying slide presentation, Mike Reid will discuss the amazing ideas of Erasmus Darwin (Charles? grandfather who speculated on organisms originating from primitive ancestors), James Hutton (the 18th-century geologist who discovered the antiquity of the Earth and speculated on natural selection), Sir Charles Lyell (the geologist who inspired Darwin and later became his close friend), Alfred Russel Wallace (the naturalist who independently discovered organic evolution and natural selection), and others who while less well-known also made essential contributions. He will argue that Charles Darwin was the greatest of the evolutionists, but not the first or only one. He will also make the case that precursory scientific discoveries had to have been made and that society had to have reached a certain level of social, political, economic, and technological development before evolutionary theory could be formulated. Mike Reid is the president of the Washington Area Secular Humanists (WASH), the parent organization of the Baltimore Secular Humanists. He holds degrees in geology and computer systems. He formerly taught geology and astronomy at a community college in California and works in the aerospace field and the space program. He has a long-standing interest in the history of science and in the 19th century. Washington Area Secular Humanists website: http://WASH.org/ Baltimore Coalition of Reason website: http://BaltimoreCoR.org/ -- Emil Volcheck volcheck at acm.org http://EmilVolcheck.com/ From bmorethical at gmail.com Thu Apr 19 17:32:42 2012 From: bmorethical at gmail.com (BES Baltimore Ethical Society -- bmorethical) Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:32:42 -0400 Subject: [BES Friends] Mayoral Proclamation honoring BES Message-ID: Dear friends, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has issued a proclamation honoring BES and designating Saturday as "Baltimore Ethical Society Day". The proclamation document will be presented at the 60th anniversary banquet. The text of the proclamation follows. ------------------- PROCLAMATION BY MAYOR STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE DESIGNATING APRIL 21, 2012 AS "BALTIMORE ETHICAL SOCIETY DAY" IN BALTIMORE IN CELEBRATION OF THEIR 60th ANNIVERSARY WHEREAS, the people of Baltimore are proud of their rich and diverse religious community and join in celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Baltimore Ethical Society (BES); and WHEREAS, the BES is a humanistic religious fellowship that focuses on human lives and relationships, and explore what it means to live ethically as individuals, family members, and participants in the larger community; and WHEREAS, the BES also established the first racially integrated Sunday School in Baltimore in 1951, and then organized and incorporated in 1952; and WHEREAS, the people of Baltimore extend a very Happy 60th Anniversary and best wishes to the members of the Baltimore Ethical Society. Happy Anniversary! THEREFORE, I, STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF BALTIMORE, do hereby proclaim April 21, 2012, as the "Baltimore Ethical Society Day" IN BALTIMORE, and do urge all citizens to join in this celebration. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set the Great Seal of the City of Baltimore to be affixed this twenty-first day of April, two thousand twelve. (signed) Stephanie R Blake Mayor --- Baltimore Ethical Society bmorethical at gmail.com http://bmorethical.org From volcheck at acm.org Tue May 15 22:41:51 2012 From: volcheck at acm.org (Emil Volcheck) Date: Tue, 15 May 2012 22:41:51 -0400 Subject: [BES Friends] Ethical Culture Movement founded on this day in 1876 Message-ID: Dear friends, On this day in 1876, Felix Adler founded the Ethical Culture Movement with an address in New York City. You can read the full text here: http://www.aeuleaders.net/web/content/founding-address-felix-adler There's much that rings true today. Consider this passage: Eulogies on the nineteenth century are familiar to our ears, and orators delight to descant upon all the glorious things which it has achieved. Its railways, its printing presses, its increased comforts and refined luxuries -- all these are undeniable facts, and yet it is true none the less, that great and unexpected evils have followed in the train of our successes, and that the moral improvement of the nations and their individual components has not kept pace with the march of intellect and the advance of industry. Adler had the big picture in mind and believed that the efforts of individuals and communities can advance the progress of humankind. It's worth reflecting on this today. Thanks, --Emil -- Emil Volcheck, President Baltimore Ethical Society http://bmorethical.org/