Community
Totally scientific and objective application of reason in human groups runs up against human emotion and individual differences, which the most progressive groups feel compelled to value. This presents a challenge for progressive political and economic groups. As we have seen too frequently in the recent political environment in much of the U.S., the loud, monolithic and nasty win elections over the moderate, diverse and rational.
So, how do we form humanist communities which are self-sustaining and open to new members and ideas without marching in lock-step behind one reactionary banner or without wearing a uniform? I am finding in my humanist community that not focusing on unity of purpose has been helpful. Under the leadership of Greg Epstein, the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard, the humanist community at Harvard Square's Humanist Center at 12 Eliot Street seems to be thriving upon a lack of linear or rational direction. Instead, a diversity of directions and talents have come together to form a progressive meeting place for the exchange of ideas and fellowship.
There is truth in the "If you build it, they will come" philosophy of business or service industries. It's hard to form a self-sustaining community in a parking lot on the odd Saturday. So, the the process of building a community from scratch does require space, which requires money, people-hours and direction. The money issue is always a challenge and inevitably comes down to finding humanists with resources which they are willing to contribute to starting the ball rolling. The people-hours often come before the money in the form of dedicated volunteers and those who have committed themselves to the rather sketchy future of making a living as a humanist leader, the person who maintains the direction of mission and pays the light bill from whatever funds can be gathered as the community grows.
Once there is a place, the next challenge seems to be consistency. Humanists, being committed to science and progress/evolution, are a very creative bunch. The same-old seems to tarnish very quickly in a humanist community. This works both for and against the community's maintenance.While the new and experimental is wonderful in the programming of discussions and entertainment, a certain mundane consistency and repetition is necessary to mop the floors, empty the waste baskets and prepare the food for community meals. This has been evolving at my Humanist center by volunteers and staff seeking some consistency by open conversation about procedures Center etiquette. It is sometimes reminiscent of a joke: How many humanists does it take to sweep a floor? But, to our credit as a community, staff and volunteers alike work together at the most mundane tasks.
I am learning from my experience at the Humanist Center that the most basic human comforts provide the incentive for humanists to come together in community. And, the inclusion of as many members of the community as possible in the provision of the community's needs helps to sustain the community itself in concrete and psychological terms. We recently began to have a Sunday Meeting which lasts from noon until 4:30 PM every Sunday. This was a leap toward consistency from a previous menu of activities which occurred every other week and on different days. We began with very little preparation time. The staff worked hard to get the new space set up before we began the program. We have folding chairs and folding conference tables and little else. But, after a month, we have a regular community of people who come on Sundays. Many of them bring food for the community table at noon. Some volunteer to organize menus for each week. Other volunteer to help clean, set up chairs, facilitate groups. Volunteers, staff and guests present food for the mind. We have volunteer musicians who come to share their talent for the benefit of the community.
The key to the development of this community is utilizing the creative energies within the community with minimal structure and basic predictability of a safe, friendly and nourishing environment. Inclusion is essential. Every effort must be made to include each individual member by learning what that member both needs from and may bring to the community's growth and health. That growth and health entails massive creativity and a predictably clean rest room. Balancing creativity in community and dedicated consistency is part of my own humanist practice, and I feel I have seen that this Middle Path is a method of building and sustaining humanist community. Vibrant, self-sustaining humanist community can channel great energy for promoting the greater good.
So, how do we form humanist communities which are self-sustaining and open to new members and ideas without marching in lock-step behind one reactionary banner or without wearing a uniform? I am finding in my humanist community that not focusing on unity of purpose has been helpful. Under the leadership of Greg Epstein, the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard, the humanist community at Harvard Square's Humanist Center at 12 Eliot Street seems to be thriving upon a lack of linear or rational direction. Instead, a diversity of directions and talents have come together to form a progressive meeting place for the exchange of ideas and fellowship.There is truth in the "If you build it, they will come" philosophy of business or service industries. It's hard to form a self-sustaining community in a parking lot on the odd Saturday. So, the the process of building a community from scratch does require space, which requires money, people-hours and direction. The money issue is always a challenge and inevitably comes down to finding humanists with resources which they are willing to contribute to starting the ball rolling. The people-hours often come before the money in the form of dedicated volunteers and those who have committed themselves to the rather sketchy future of making a living as a humanist leader, the person who maintains the direction of mission and pays the light bill from whatever funds can be gathered as the community grows.
Once there is a place, the next challenge seems to be consistency. Humanists, being committed to science and progress/evolution, are a very creative bunch. The same-old seems to tarnish very quickly in a humanist community. This works both for and against the community's maintenance.While the new and experimental is wonderful in the programming of discussions and entertainment, a certain mundane consistency and repetition is necessary to mop the floors, empty the waste baskets and prepare the food for community meals. This has been evolving at my Humanist center by volunteers and staff seeking some consistency by open conversation about procedures Center etiquette. It is sometimes reminiscent of a joke: How many humanists does it take to sweep a floor? But, to our credit as a community, staff and volunteers alike work together at the most mundane tasks.
I am learning from my experience at the Humanist Center that the most basic human comforts provide the incentive for humanists to come together in community. And, the inclusion of as many members of the community as possible in the provision of the community's needs helps to sustain the community itself in concrete and psychological terms. We recently began to have a Sunday Meeting which lasts from noon until 4:30 PM every Sunday. This was a leap toward consistency from a previous menu of activities which occurred every other week and on different days. We began with very little preparation time. The staff worked hard to get the new space set up before we began the program. We have folding chairs and folding conference tables and little else. But, after a month, we have a regular community of people who come on Sundays. Many of them bring food for the community table at noon. Some volunteer to organize menus for each week. Other volunteer to help clean, set up chairs, facilitate groups. Volunteers, staff and guests present food for the mind. We have volunteer musicians who come to share their talent for the benefit of the community.
The key to the development of this community is utilizing the creative energies within the community with minimal structure and basic predictability of a safe, friendly and nourishing environment. Inclusion is essential. Every effort must be made to include each individual member by learning what that member both needs from and may bring to the community's growth and health. That growth and health entails massive creativity and a predictably clean rest room. Balancing creativity in community and dedicated consistency is part of my own humanist practice, and I feel I have seen that this Middle Path is a method of building and sustaining humanist community. Vibrant, self-sustaining humanist community can channel great energy for promoting the greater good.
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