NOSHA – Page 2

BOOK REVIEW: Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From?

In Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From?, archaeologist William Dever grapples with the disconnect between biblical texts and the material remains of the ancient cultures of Canaan. Dever’s perspective is scholarly, based on a knowledge both of the contents of Hebrew scripture — what Christians call the Old Testament — and of what digging in the dirt can still turn up from biblical times. Dever’s book focuses mainly on the origins of the […]

Reporting from Washington, DC: The Reason Rally 2016!

Four years ago, Reason Rally 2012 was promoted as the “largest secular event in world history,” a Woodstock for atheists and skeptics. Organized and produced by David Silverman, President of American Atheists, Inc., it was a momentous coming out party for 30,000 nonbelievers on the Mall in Washington, D.C. A long lineup of speakers from the scientific and entertainment fields were the main event. Reason Rally 2016, held last month again in Washington, “had a greater variety of activities over […]

Signs, Trans, and the Times

Another post by NOSHA Board Member and Humanist Advocate writer Marty Bankson to his blog Bricolage. Here is the opening excerpt: I just became familiar with the journal First Things. The same people that published it have a Facebook page by the same name. I ended up on their mailing list and got a steeply discounted offer to subscribe. The mailer introducing the publication said First Things “is the home of today’s greatest religious thinkers and writers…with…lively […]

God Took Care of Us!

A NOSHA member passed along this cartoon from a former New Orleans resident, Ralph Scheeler, who was a kindred spirit as you can see from the punchline : “We lost the house, the barn, the livestock and the farm equipment. Our two kids are still in the I.C.U. My wife has permanent brain damage and I have internal organ damage. But! God took care of us! We’re still alive!” Ralph Scheeler and his wife, Annette, […]

An Hour or Two with Harry

NOSHA board member and Humanist Advocate reporter Marty Bankson presents a thoughtful interview with Harry Greenberger, president emeritus of NOSHA. Born Free in Okeechobee When the first question came up during my discussion with Harry Greenberger, a quotation came to mind: “Everyone starts out being an atheist.” It turns out to be the words of the sage, but sardonic curmudgeon-commentator, Andy Rooney who appeared regularly on CBS’s “60 Minutes”. Harry has earned the “sage” moniker, stating […]

An Evening with Bart, Bird, and the Baptists

Persecutors Pay the Price February 2016 Getting comfortable in the nearly straight-backed, hardwood benches with a minimum of padding involved a continual re-alignment of posture for the dozen disciples of New Orleans’ club for Christian persecutors unaccustomed to sitting in church. The benches—pews in churchspeak– were in the voluminous Leavell Chapel, located on the grounds of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The Persecutors made a rare appearance in church and suffered the punishing seating arrangements as a penance to […]

Celebrating the Writer: Bankson Branches Out

We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated and community-minded supporter in NOSHA board member, Marty Bankson, who does double-duty as the newsletter reporter for The Humanist Advocate, our quarterly publication reflecting on our recent meetings and activities. We couldn’t do it without him! He has his work featured on “At The Well” that tries to improve the image of Christians in American public discourse. That Bankson’s writing is featured here is a wonderful testament to the ideas and efforts […]

Learn something new everyday!

This graphic may be hugely helpful to anyone who is grappling with the terminology and definitions for sexuality, gender expression, and identity that can be confusing at times, especially if some of the terms have been used interchangeably (or that people think they are). From the text for the “Genderbread Person”: Gender Identity is how you, in your head, think about yourself. It’s the chemistry that composes you (e.g. hormonal levels) and how you interpret what that means. Woman < […]

NOSHA’s Social Aid and Pleasure Club: Helping at the Holidays!

~A special report from NOSHA member Eve Ortiz As 2015 comes to an end, NOSHA members came together once again to volunteer at the Second Harvest Food Bank. While families and friends all across the nation start preparing for their end of the year festivities, many see the need to give back to their communities through volunteer work. This time of year is about giving; giving our time and our labor can be the best gift of all. Food banks […]

Humanism (and NOSHA) Goes to Church!

Mr. Alan Wolfe helps coordinate the “First Tuesdays: Spirituality in the City” speaker series and acts as the liaison between the guest speakers and a the co-sponsorship of The Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church and several other Catholics entities. Now in it’s seventh season, guests from diverse religions, human interest groups, and prominent leaders in local government and business are chosen to “initiate conversations about their spiritual traditions and address the theme ‘Spirituality in the City’.” We met up with Mr. […]