RATIONALIST INTERNATIONAL
Bulletin # 30
13 February 2000

Editor: Sanal Edamaruku
Address: P.O.Box 9110, New Delhi-110091, India.
Telephone: +91-11-2253255, Fax: +91-11-84539526
E-mail: edamaruku@yahoo.com



RATIONALIST AGENDA FOR THE NEW CENTURY

Speech delivered during the Second International
Rationalist Conference held at Trivandrum, India:
17-21 January 2000

Sanal Edamaruku
Founder President, Rationalist International;
Secretary General, Indian Rationalist Association

Moving forward the wheel of human progress has been
the task of the rationalist movement from its early
beginnings at the dawn of history. Meeting the
challenges of nature and improving the conditions of
human life, nurturing knowledge and spreading
education, lightening the spirit of freedom and
self-determination, of growth and development of the
individual, encouraging creativity, cultivating
responsibility, compassion, fraternity among
humankind, guarding the ideals of justice and equality
and human rights.

Understanding the conditions of their time and the
needs and limitations of the society which they were
destined to serve, rationalists had to meet different
challenges through the ages. From the Lokayatas, the
first known rationalists in ancient Asia, to our
present time at the beginning of the third millennium
of our chronology, the rationalist movement has come a
long way. To raise to the demands of today's planetary
society, this multifaceted, interrelated and
interdependent community, a new global agenda for the
rationalist movement, if it is to correspond with the
complexity of the real world, has to be developed on a
broad information base and in a wide frame with
careful considerations and balances. Much has been
analysed and proposed and discussed and worked out by
rationalist leaders over the last years to develop a
solid theoretical concept for the work to be done. And
I am very happy that Prof. Paul Kurtz is with us
during this conference, who has the merit of bringing
the fruits of this long
common discussion process into a form which reflects
systematically all its general aspects and remains all
the same very readable. The document, which he has set
up, has met with appreciation and broad consents and
has been endorsed by a wide spectre of leaders of the
movement, among them many who are with us in this
conference - including myself. The document has the
name "Humanist Manifesto 2000". But it is, in fact, in
the true sense and without any reservation, a
rationalist manifesto. There is no contradiction in
this. Rationalists, as we want to use the name,
include of course all those rationalists who for
technical or traditional reasons call themselves
humanists, atheists, secularists or freethinkers.
While not all humanists etc. are necessarily also
rationalists (for example religious humanists are
not), rationalists do certainly subscribe to the
ideals of humanism and they are freethinkers and
secularists and strong atheists.
While appreciating that we have reached a broad
consensus about our common agenda within the
international movement, a look back to the passed
century shows that it will depend on various different
factors, if we shall be able to use our historic
chances and to realise our aims. Not to deviate from
our course, we need to understand the undercurrents
and carefully watch the winds. We need to take the
bearings and to implement course control whenever it
proves necessary. We have to be alert and vigilant.

* * *

Fear of conflict is a crippling weakness. In the known
history of humankind every single step forward has
been determined by men and women who had the courage
and the strength to move against the prevailing tide.
The wheel of progress has through the ages been rolled
by those who would not submit to overcome power
structures, traditions and taboos, who were ready to
face obstacles and fight resistance to move forward
and further freedom and advance civilization.
Resistance came - vehemently, often with unimaginable
brutality - from those, who enjoyed the fruits of the
existing order, privileged minorities, equipped with
authoritarian philosophies and military powers - and
everytime in good company of religion. It has, indeed,
never been easy to move the wheel and thousands of
courageous rationalists have paid the attempt in the
torture chambers of the Inquisition. But heresies of
yesterday often turned into accepted worldviews when
they met the necessities and incensed the imagination
of their times - and
humankind made another leap forward.
The modern rationalist movement made its first steps
in the beginning of the last century. On the
foundations established by Thomas Paine, Robert Green
Ingersoll and Charles Bradlaugh, inspired by
Renaissance and Enlightenment, rationalism - not
withstanding its nomenclatures - emerged powerfully
and broke open new avenues of thought. The authority
of religion was challenged, social systems and
hierarchies were questioned, unheard-of alternatives
were discussed. The clarion of liberty called in
dramatic changes in the hitherto known world order.
The French Revolution and the ideals it had brought
forward, the growing anti-colonial movements around
the world and above all the everywhere arising
resistance against the old social orders, against the
dominance of religion over political structures,
against oppression based on racial discrimination or
caste systems  - all these provided fertile ground for
the growth of a new human species, a species that
transcended frontiers of nations and borders of
colonies
and awakened thinking minds everywhere.
Science emerged as a great force of liberation.
Technology shortened distances and experiences.
Information, freed from the treasure boxes of the
former elite, became accessible for everybody.
Communication broke monopolies and created new
alliances. The horizon broadened. The world of gods
and ghosts and the terrain of churches and empires
shrinked. The great leap forward shook the power
structures of the past and threatened to break them.
And the cracking forces of reaction answered with
all-out efforts to save their old position. And we
have to admit that those efforts have been partially
successful. They diluted the spirit of the great leap.

The begone century has seen the raise of despotism,
world wars, agonies and pain. Fascism emerged
powerfully, with vigor supported by the Pope in
distress. The holy symbiosis paid off for both sides:
Mussolini presented the Pope generously with the
Lateran Treaty, which granted him a special status for
the Vatican. The Hitler Concorde offered him
unprecedented privileges in the German Reich.  Pious
XII, in return, recognised the fascist states and used
his authority to give them political and moral
backing. He did not only look the other way when
millions of humans were slaughtered, he blessed and
awarded the slaughterers for their great services for
Christianity - after all, the Jewish and Orthodox
victims had the wrong religion.

The rule of fascism did not last its thousand years.
But it lasted long enough to have a disastrous impact
on Europe. The forces of progress suffered a hard
blow. The movement was practically dissolved. To
combat the fascist onslaught it had partly merged with
resistance or communist movements and exhausted
itself. There were countless victims, who paid their
conviction with their lives.

* * *

Time went by. The rationalist movement consolidated.
But it was a weak Phoenix, which had rosen from the
ashes. Despite great moral authority on its side and
despite widespread optimism - sometimes even
enthusiasm - for a new start into a better world, the
historic chance to powerfully take up the spirit of
the great leap and unite the world against the forces
of reaction remained unused. The fascists lost the war
- the Pope did not. There was no trial, the Vatican
was never held responsible for its crimes. It
continued to enjoy the fruits of collaboration and
emerged a respected global political negotiator. Fury
evaporated, memory faded, wounds healed. Thirst for a
new world had to be quenched with softdrinks. Public
memory, if not supported, is weak.

The rationalist movement that had once been able to
shake and brake the adversaries, grew and flourished
again, but it had lost much of its determination and
strength.  The broad horizon, which once had been
opened, moved out of reach and out of sight, the
vision of a new world order got lost.

Fear of conflict took its toll, force of habit and
lure of comfort and the little advantages which use to
reward the obedient: corruption. Here and there
symptoms of degeneration became visible and spread
like an ailment. Armchair humanism developed in some
parts of the movement, satisfying itself on Sunday
afternoon with sweeping statements or just enjoying
the tickling of playing cards on Sabbath. Feel-good
humanism established hermitages in the wonderful world
of the happy humans club (for members only).

The process of degeneration was, needless to say,
promoted and used by the forces of reaction. The
movement perverted there, where apologists took the
lead and celebrated the "essentially integrative
aspects" and the "ethical qualities" of religion. The
idea to build up a new religion - a humanist religion
- caught the imagination of many. The "ethical baby"
should not be thrown away along with the religious
bathwater, they warned, conveniently forgetting that
the "ethical baby" has been growing in the crate of
civilization, from where organised religion tried to
steal it only. The champions of the new religion
pleaded for equal status with the established
religions and a chair at their table, some of them
very proud, if accepted by real bishops.

In some countries, national organisations got trapped
in a fix. They had successfully managed to secure a
share of the tax money, which their respective states
would reserve for funding of religious communities.
Such payments would, of course, be dependent on
co-operative behavior and could stop any moment, if
they attacked their paymasters or the church, which
happened in some cases to have the status of a state
church - a quite delicate situation.

Phoenix tried to fly with clipped wings. Since the
Christian homefront seemed in some countries taboo or
hopeless, other fields of useful work for the course
of progress had to be identified. The sprouting
neo-religious movements, the so-called sects, came
under attack. The situation in the developing
countries and the victims of non-Christian religion
moved into the focus of attention and sometimes even
action. These evading strategies had some positive
outcome: sailing in less controversial waters, these
organisations use to appeal to a wide spectre of the
population and can score high membership numbers.
Since the majority of their members are
"also"-humanists without necessarily cutting their
ties with religion, this success does, however, not
prevent the church to step forward.  So it has, for
example, happened that quasi over night a new law
emerged forcing state-religious education on all
school children, and despite enormous membership and
great efforts there was nothing which could be done
about it.

Despite the still powerful position of the Vatican and
occasional attempts of the Christian churches to push
forward and reconquer lost ground, the situation in
the Western hemisphere is by far not so hopeless as
many in the movement seem to feel  - and are only too
ready to accept. Organised religion had to loosen its
grip considerably. Today more and more people take
religion lightly and consider it no longer the guiding
force of their day to day life. The influence of
bishops and other religious leaders is diminishing.
The rationalist movement - despite some clipped wings
- has been growing and broadening its base.
Rationalist ideas and arguments are taken up by wider
forums. The very good example that the Rationalist
Press Association went practically out of business
because the main stream publishing took over the task
shows the broad acceptance of the views which once had
been banned in the poison-chest of history.

The weakening of the traditional religions has, on the
other side, orphaned a major section of religiously
oriented people. No longer able to find relief in
their old religion, they look for new ways to fulfill
their urges. Some of them end up in rigid dogmatic
offsprings of the old religion with aggressive and
intolerant leadership. Such fundamentalist groups -
which can be seen in Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and
Buddhism - show extreme views and high psychological
tension and find a new dimension with political
aspirations to bring back the lost glory, if necessary
by force.  A major section of others, in polarisation,
does not want to change reality at all. They just want
to close their eyes and ears and find solace in one of
the mushrooming new mystic religions, faith healing,
charismatic prayers or submission to a guru.

Growing fundamentalism and boomtime for gurus and
faith healers may create the impression that religion
makes a powerful comeback.  But one has to see that
the monolithic powerblocks of established religions
are crumbling and giving way to a colourful exotic
multitude of neo-religions - a quasi-Indian scenario.
In this frame, competition keeps the newcomers in
control and weakens the traditional religions. More
than the rationalists, the established religions have
to worry about this development. Threatened by a
multitude of "illicit" competitors, they have a vital
interest to stop them. In their struggle for survival,
some of their leaders don't hesitate to adopt a
somewhat progressive attitude in order to garner
rationalist support. The basic question whether we
should collaborate with them to fight out the
newcomers seems to divide the movement. The bishops'
new friends, who lobby for the "essentially
integrative aspect" of religion (which means
everytime: established religion) stand on one side. We
stand
on the other.  We would not let the old enemy of
civilization escape so easily.  Our fight against the
new exotic religious phenomena is only one inseparable
aspect of our fight against the greatest evil that
blocked the progress of humankind. The apologists have
tried to brand this position as "abolitionist" and
predicted it was, damned to be unsuccessful, heading
for the scrap yard of history.  Working with the
probably largest and most vibrant and visible
rationalist movement in the world, I can assure: they
are wrong. More: the agenda of the rationalist
movement, as long as it deserves its name, has to be
based on the determination to shackle not only the
superstructure but the very foundations of organised
religion and help more and more people to come out to
freedom. We shall not build a new prison house for
those who come out. Let the liberated have free air,
let them enjoy the fruits of their new freedom and
learn to value life without religion.  If we try to
make a new religion, a new prison house
for them in competition with gurus and faith healers,
the rationalists of the coming generations should take
up the cudgels of their armory against the new
rationalist and humanist bishops.  We have no right to
survive if we emerge as a new religion. All religions
the world has ever seen asked for submission demanded
surrender and wanted to orient our views. The place of
the rationalist movement is at the forefront of the
avowed march of civilizations. Let civilization take
us forward with a beacon light.
* * *
Loosing their grip in Europe, the Christian churches
have turned East. On his recent visit to India, Pope
John Paul II signed the document "Ecclesia in Asia",
which will serve as a blueprint for the activities in
the new millennium. The language does not leave any
scope for interpretation: "Just as in the first
millennium the Cross was planted in the soil of
Europe, and in the second in that of the Americas and
Africa, we can pray that in the third Christian
millennium a great harvest of faith will be reaped in
this vast and vital continent".  The evangelisation of
Asia had to be an "absolute priority", the Pope said,
and the Asian Synod was "an ardent affirmation of
faith" and a "call to conversion". The Pope spoke
under a historic map, marking the route of Vasco da
Gama to India.

Besides the Roman Catholic church there are others in
the race: Protestants, Evangelical church, Baptists,
Pentecostals - they all are trying hard to get the
best piece of the Indian cake.  "Joshua 2000", an
united "Prayer Mobilization Network" of different
Protestant churches announced the implementation of
"Hindi-Heartland Penetration Strategies" and unleashes
thousands of newly trained missionaries on the
country. The great hope into India, which all these
christianizers share, is founded on the experience
that poverty is an ideal base for religion. "The poor
have the natural capacity to put their trust in almost
everything... That has always been the entry point in
the structure of any society", speaks a representative
of the Evangelical church. Overpopulation, poverty,
ignorance, illiteracy and superstition are the
religious monster's most reliable brothers in arms.
Therefore they enjoy its special care and protection.

The invasion of the Third World countries is operated
from safe forts in the West, where the Christian
churches have established themselves comfortably.
There seems to be nobody there, who would disturb
them. Having survived times of public criticism by
wearing sheep's clothes and chalk softening their
voices, they have managed to silently creep deep into
the systems and to get integrated into the states as
respected "social partners" and advisors. They had to
loosen their grip all right, but under cover they have
also consolidated their positions. They are sitting at
all round tables. The Vatican sits in the policy
setting conferences of the UN and the WHO and tries to
block all programs to check overpopulation without
being challenged by anybody (except, recently, by a
progressive group of Catholics)

How can one fly with clipped wings?

"If there is an iota of sincerity about changing the
situation in the Third World,..the base of the
religious monster has to be attacked with moral
authority. That has to be done where it has sternly
placed its foot. The comfortable forts have to be
stormed." - This appeal to our Western colleagues I
have made last year in my speech at the Hundredth
Anniversary of Rationalist Press Association at
Birmingham. It provoked some very sincere responses,
which give some hope that things may change in future.

To develop a rationalist world movement, strong and
decisive enough to lead the fight against the
multinational religious and social monsters, has to be
our agenda for the time to come. It has to overcome
fear of conflict, force of habit and the tendency to
corruption.  It has to beware the apologists, who
insult the victims of religion by praising its
"ethical qualities". It has to beware of budding
bishops who dream of a new prison house. It has to
free its wings.

It has to overcome pseudo-international structures and
grow into an integrated world movement. Parasitism is
banned: no clip-winger should decorate himself with
feathers from far-off countries, bought for baksheesh.
No small-time Vasco da Gama is tolerated. No begging
bowl should be raised anymore, no pseudo-project
business for money's sake should flourish, and no
mailbox clubs should be "created" to fill up address
lists.

We need a world movement of equal partners in East and
West, committed and sincere, each of them facing up to
the situation and the needs of their own society and
inspiring by their example of successful work in their
own country, and all of them united in the spirit of
co-operation and solidarity.

This world rationalist movement has to identify
fearless and uncompromising leaders, considerate and
responsible and with wisdom and vision. Under their
guidance and watchful eyes, it has to cut-off its
degeneration and cure its illnesses and overcome its
weakness and put-off its childish ways and grow to
become the avant-garde of human progress, the guardian
of the wheel.

Let us finally set course again for an Age of Reason.

PAUL KURTZ ON THE SECOND
INTERNATIONAL RATIONALIST CONFERENCE

"Please allow me to express my gratitude for the
splendid conference in Trivandrum. The papers were
first rate as were the dialogues that ensued at
various meetings. The Rationalist Conference was
especially important since it strengthened the bonds
of collegiality between rationalists and humanists
throughout the world and it provided a base for
continuing co-operation."

Rationalist International Bulletin # 30 may be
reproduced, forwarded or quoted from by recipients if
they wish. Please acknowledge the source while
reproducing: "Rationalist International Bulletin # 30".
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