Frans de Waal argues that morality is based in emotion. He’s written some fantastic stuff on the subject, well worth a read.

It is supremely arrogant to suppose that we are even capable of abandoning our emotions. That, to me, seems just another form of placing ourselves above the rest of “nature”, which is what bugs me about religion in the first place.

Also, I don’t see how taking advantage of the physical/mental benefits of “spiritual” exercises makes a person any less rational. Religious people believe they’re getting in touch with their deity; science might have another answer, but it’s clear that meditation does have observable benefits (the chanting, grounding, focusing, bonding, etc., it can all happen whether or not you believe in Jesus). If you don’t believe in the deity, you can still take the useful parts of the exercise, and you don’t have to pretend you believe OR feel guilty for your lapse of reason. It’s probably neurological (I’m assuming, but I’ve never read up on it); how is it irrational to take advantage of a technique known to be beneficial for explainable reasons? If you don’t believe it’s God making these people feel this stuff, then it has to be something observable, right?

Worry not and travel to a Latin American contry!

Meet the people, or watch them from afar… and you’ll find folks give and receive more hugs, for starters. Then, there’s the tradition of men and women salute and kiss each other in the cheek (men to men usually not, but men to women yes, BTW) when arriving at the office, even if they’re not close friends nor family. People are used to have less personal space between them.

Afterwards, talking about emotions with others does not seem touchy-feely. At most, it seems just plain feely.

I was gonna say something about meditation, but that topic is already thoroughly covered.

I’m also a lifelong atheist, so “mystical” or “spiritual” rituals are just not part of my background. I’m not much of a group person, have never belonged to a church community, and thus have little interest in getting together with other atheists to engage in group discussion, let alone singing, lighting candles, chanting, etc.

But I am glad to see the “kinder, gentler” face of atheism getting some media attention. I’m looking forward to Greg Epstein’s book.

Come on, I know a lot of single atheists read this blog. How are you ever gonna find someone unless you get in touch with your touchy-feely side!

I am gonna be following this magazine.

Humanism isn’t for everyone and it has no need to be. We should be wary of becoming balkanized though. People for whom Humanism is not attractive shouldn’t dismiss it as nonsense or a quasi-religion out of hand. It should naturally be entirely open to debate and criticism, both as a global concept and in it’s various facets, but the assumption that because you don’t want it other people shouldn’t or that they are “weaker” because they like it is wrong. Likewise Humanists should avoid the (many) pitfalls that await anyone becoming a part of an organized moral philosophy. Dogmatism, a sense of superiority and intolerance to others who choose a different path do not require an accompanying deity.

Personally, I’ve been sort of interested in Humanism for quite some time. I’ll bookmark the magazine for a few weeks, see how it goes.