With all of the fun and fascination at Skeptrack 2009, a couple of controversies emerged in the conversations there. The first, discussed openly in a few panels, was the role of religion in the skeptic/atheist/freethought movement. This is still a sore spot for some, particularly given the wide range of individuals who fall under the freethought umbrella. The second controversy, the dearth of women and other minorities in freethought, was more subtle and didn’t get its own discussion panel. It was left to casual hallway conversations but has become a hot discussion topic in the freethinker blogosphere in the past weeks.

Should skeptics talk about religion and faith? Why should atheists care about ghost hunting and aliens? Why is this even a problem? The problem lies in the wide-ranging spectrum of freethought. While there is a large overlap of skeptical thought and non-belief in religion, there are differences at both ends. On the one hand, religion is a personal issue for many skeptics, of no interest until it begins to infringe on science, medical care, or education. On the other hand there are atheists who are skeptical but don’t care to tackle ghosts and psychics. Personal woo seems harmless and is only of interest when it achieves cult status.

That leads us to the kinds of tensions that arise at large events like Skeptrack and James Randi’s The Amazing Meetings. These gatherings cover both topics. Skeptrack had panels on everything from “The Truth About Ghost Hunting” to “The Future of Atheism.” Ultimately, we have to remember that we are truly a “big tent” movement. Some of us are going to have to accept that the discussion of UFOs and lake monsters is just another way to promote critical thinking; some of us are going to have to accept that religion is a topic that can and should be debunked like any other. I am hopeful that the freethought movement can handle this challenge. We skeptics are intelligent, passionate people with the ability to realize that we can share our strength at the places where we converge. Everything else is just details.

As far as the demographic issues, the freethought movement is still largely older, white, and male. Women are making large inroads but may still feel like outsiders. Few minorities show up at skeptic groups and events, and college outreach is still in the early stages. Fortunately, I don’t think freethinkers are overtly sexist, racist, or homophobic, except for a few unfortunate exceptions. The biases that still linger are an issue to be sure, but those which a group of rational people could overcome if they wanted.

I don’t want to get into the gender issue too much as it’s been far better covered by others, particularly at Skepchick.org and in an excellent two-part post this week from Greta Christina’s atheist blog.

I would mention, however, that I think Derek and Swoopy, the hosts of the Skepticality podcast and directors of Skeptrack, did a wonderful job this year of bringing balance to the female equation. Women were well represented at the panels and were not only included but also leaders in discussions of science, the future of the movement, education, and critical thinking. The Skepchick panel was a big hit with the attendees and is a strong force for attracting young, female critical thinkers.

Getting together at events like Skeptrack at DragonCon is wonderful and fun and one of the best ways to grow and evolve the freethought movement. Despite a 30+ year history of advancing critical thinking, the current freethought movement is still young enough and really just coming into its own. I believe that we still have the time, the resources, and the open minds to handle these challenges and controversies and create a more cohesive, inclusive, and stronger group going forward. Stick around. Things are just starting to get interesting!

Related posts:

1. The Skeptrack Experience at DragonCon – Part 1
2. Education is Not Just for Kids

Every Labor Day weekend 40,000 or so geeks descend on Atlanta to revel in at least four days of Nerdvana at DragonCon (www.dragoncon.org). It’s the largest fan-based popular culture convention in the U.S. There is a fan track dedicated to almost any science fiction, fantasy, horror, game, comic, art, or geek subculture that you can think of. Since 2008, there’s even been a fan track for skeptics: Skeptrack (www.skeptrack.org).

Skeptrack emerged in 2008 as an offshoot of the original Science track. From time to time the Science track would host panels dedicated to skepticism and critical thinking. These panels were always popular and often packed to capacity. Eventually the DragonCon powers-that-be wondered if an entire track dedicated to skepticism would be worthwhile. They called on Science and Podcasting track veterans Derek Colanduno and Robynn “Swoopy” McCarthy to direct the fledgling Skeptrack – and it was a huge success! Nearly every panel was overflowing, and guests had to be turned away. Derek tells a story about one panel that even he couldn’t get back into so he had to hit the floor and crawl his way through the crowd to get to the microphone and introduce the panelists. The inaugural year of Skeptrack proved that it was definitely here to stay. In 2009 the track was given a bigger room, pulled in even bigger guests, and presented several live skeptic podcasts.

The Skeptrack Experience

Panelists this year included Dr. Phil Plait and Jeff Wagg from the James Randi Educational Foundation; Daniel Loxton of Junior Skeptic Magazine; DJ Groethe, Joe Nickell, and Ben Radford with The Center for Inquiry (CFI) and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI); David Silverman of American Atheists and the No God Blog; prominent scientists such as Dr. Eugenie Scott of the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) and Dr. Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute; and also several skeptical science fiction authors, bloggers, and podcasters. Oh, then a guy from a Discovery Channel TV show called Mythbusters – the indefatigable Adam Savage. Links to most of the panelists or their organizations can be found at the Skeptrack.org website. Derek and Swoopy also maintain a Facebook page for Skeptrack here.

Like DragonCon itself, the experience at Skeptrack is a bit like homecoming. I spend most of my life surrounded by people who aren’t skeptical of anything, who are not rational or critical thinkers, who often talk about their “church home” and expect me to share their faith. It’s a relief to return to Skeptrack and find a place where I feel like I belong. It’s a bit like a family reunion, except with family that you actually like!

The Skeptrack Panels

A complete list of panels may still be available at the Skeptrack website. Panels began at 1 pm on Friday, September 4th and the skeptic party didn’t stop until the wrap-up panel at 4 pm on Monday, September 7th. Quite a few of the discussions focused on the role of atheism in skepticism and how skeptical believers and non-believers can try to work together. Other discussions were about the current state of the skeptic movement and its future. Daniel Loxton did his wonderful presentation on “What Do We Do Next?”. Several skeptical podcasts presented live shows from the Skeptrack room, including American Freethought, The Skeptic Zone, The Geologic Podcast, Skeptoid, and one of my personal favorites, The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe.

Surprise last minute guest Adam Savage was present at two very popular panels. The first was mostly about Mythbusters and drew a massive crowd in one of the ballrooms. The other was called “Stealth Science” about getting across a critical thinking or scientific message in entertainment form. Speaking of education through entertainment, there were a couple of panels for skeptical parents and kids — “The Skeptics Guide to Parenting” and the “Mystery Investigators Children’s Show” hosted by the friendly skeptics from the Australian show Mystery Investigators.

Did you miss all the fun?

If you weren’t able to attend Skeptrack 2009, don’t worry! Derek and Swoopy are already making plans for next year, and all of the panelists vowed to come back. Though James Randi was absent this year due to illness, he promised to be back next year via a short video to the audience to express his regret at having to miss the 2009 show. Skeptrack is a great opportunity for those of us who can’t make it out to Las Vegas or London for one of Randi’s JREF Amazing Meetings. If you have a skeptical frame of mind, check Skeptrack out!

Related posts:

1. The Skeptrack Experience at DragonCon – Part 2

There is a preacher for every intelligence level.  On the feeble fringe of the bell curve you’ve got the droolers watching Pastor Benny Hinn on cable TV perform his forehead-shoving healing miracles. Toward the other end of the believer IQ spectrum you’ve got well-groomed men who can tie a real tie and confident women capable of dividing 60 by 4 without a calculator or paper and pencil. In church these second class of folk hear, in passing, about the miracles that occurred back then . . . in another time and place, or, in other words, out of the range of what can be verified. Their spiritual leader talks about themes relevant to today: loving thy neighbor, setting a good example for thy children, etc.

On one pole you’ve got folks praying to win the big power ball drawing in this life. On the other pole are generally better educated and more affluent people who know, on some level, it is futile to ask their god for a specific favor today. And so they go to church and read their dusty Bible and perhaps lead Saltine cracker lives because their toast points and caviar will arrive many tomorrows later–when they close their eyes for a final time.

One of my aunts spent her last years in a nursing home. Throughout life she had a personality that was half kindness, half spitfire. Her good cheer stayed with her to the end. Pretty much. Some might say that she remained relatively upbeat because she knew, as she herself repeated, that she was “going to a better place.” In my aunt’s case, the literal interpretation of her words was absolutely true. Most cemeteries are far more beautiful, cheery, and peaceful than your average intensive care unit or nursing home.

Sometimes, when envisioning my last moments, I think it would be nice to have a little bit o’ religion. On the verge of the big good-bye, while other people can think “Jesus is waiting” (with open arms rather than a dope slap), what will I do? A Porky Pig imitation? Th-th-th-that’s all folks! Will I squeeze my wife’s hand, smile a sad smile, and tell her, again, how much I love her and have loved her and enjoyed our life together?

For those who cherish life, death sucks. There is no denying it. Why try? Oh sure, we can rationalize that without death, life would be meaningless and good parking spots even harder to come by. But the tough truth consists not of the fact of death alone, but also of the value we place on life. If we didn’t care about life, what would death matter? It’s a question of cognitive dissonance: of holding two conflicting perceptions in your mind at once. Without the two–both the love of life and the finality of personal death–no discomfort would arise. Normally, people resort to a number of strategies, conscious or unconscious, to deal with the discomfort cognitive dissonance brings. They deny; they lie; they distract themselves; they suck on their thumb and wait for the conflict to slip from their mind.

What do you do?

I suppose I could ease my own cognitive dissonance by de-valuing life, by convincing myself that life is shit, so why be bothered with the fact I will one day lose it. Or maybe I could deny that death will be the end of me. No death, no loss of all I value. But it seems to me that imagining a heavenly-life end-run around death might, beyond the possible reduction of death-bed discomfort, cause problems years before. By believing in a more important next life, the value of this life gets down-graded from first class to economy. Compared to an eternity in heaven, what is a bunch of decades on earth worth? Next to unending paradise, why get worked up over roughly seven dozen rides around the sun on a spinning planet?  Worse yet, with a better life waiting, a person may be more willing to squander his or her life on earth. And perhaps the lives of others.

Imagine three people standing on the deck of the sinking Titanic. All life boats have been dispatched. As if descending slowly downward in an elevator without walls, the freezing ocean waters rise. There is no way out; death is certain. One person paces back and forth. He screams frantically into the wind, No, no, no! This is not fair! I can’t die! It isn’t right! The second person takes a seat on the tilting floor. He believes that after the cold waters have caused his heart to stop beating he will be plucked from this world into a next. Yes, he’s apprehensive about the suffering he may endure, but his god awaits. The third stands, hands to the railing. He watches his frosty breath drift over black waves toward a distant darkness punctuated by stars.  Although he does not protest the coming of his final night, neither does he abandon his love and appreciation for the great opportunity he had. When to his neck in frigid water, he marvels at the taste of salt spray, the weight of clothing, the buoyancy of flesh.

I aim to be the third person. Sure, my inner pacing man will undoubtedly be there too, at least in the background of my mind. But with sufficient emotional maturity I can keep his cries from distracting me, of subtracting from those final precious moments as they count down to none.

Related posts:

1. Life Just Is…And So Is Death!

“Life is pretty simple: You do some stuff. Most fails.
Some works. You do more of what works. If it works big,
others quickly copy it. Then you do something else.
The trick is the doing something else.”
— Leonardo da Vinci, thinker, scientist, artist

Presently our scientific knowledge doesn’t know the origins of our existence and we may never be able to answer the questions associated with those origins. Most of the enormous amount of what we do know, we have learned in the past 100 years or so.

Imagine what a prehistoric man would have thought of the things we take for granted today. If he saw a light bulb he would have no way of understanding what it was. If the light was turned on, he might very well have fallen to his knees and worshipped it as a godly thing. There are still people deep in some jungle somewhere who haven’t advanced much past the prehistoric state who might do the same. Not knowing the origin of the existence of matter does not mean that we should turn to thousand-year-old superstitions and folk tales for an explanation.

What is the purpose of life?

More so, whoever said there had to be one? Maybe, we just live. Maybe, we just are. What we do know is we are born through a natural biological process and die from the same process. Do dogs or cats or rabbits or rats need a purpose to justify their existence? Of course not, they are animals of low intellect. Just about every cell in our bodies contains the evidence of our evolutionary origins. By assuming that living things have some sort of metaphysical purpose, they are intrinsically assuming what they want to prove.

Purpose is an abstract human concept that exists only in our minds, much like beauty — with no physical reality. The basic process of life on Earth is so common that we share about 50% of our genes with carrots, and 98.5% of our genes with chimpanzees. In fact, according to the journal Nature, “earliest known ancestors of modern humans might have reproduced with early chimpanzees to create a hybrid species”.

But even though we share almost identical DNA with chimpanzees, most have nothing more than the basic survival instinct. That instinct is why they were able to survive and evolve while other species became extinct just as Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals lacked the ability to survive and Homo sapiens flourished. We have the same basic instinct as lesser animals, but we also have the ability to make tools and to use REASON.

We are simply smarter animals at the top of the evolutionary chain. No other animal has the ability or the need to contemplate his or her life. It’s only us, the smartest animals. We are aware of our existence and the world around us. We are sentient. We know that we are alive and will some day die. It is the fear of death that drives people to hope and/or imagine that there is a life after this one. Even I, a committed Atheist by my own admission, hope there is a life after this one.

Unfortunately, I have never seen any proof that there is, and of all the friends and relatives I have known that are now dead, not one has ever come back and told me otherwise. With absolutely no proof to the contrary, it appears that when you’re dead, you’re dead…end of story. “Death is therefore nothing to us and does not concern us at all, since it appears that the substance of the soul is perishable. When the separation of body and soul, whose union is the essence of our being, is consummated, it is clear that absolutely nothing will be able to reach us and awaken our sensibility.

“Not even if earth mixes with sea and seas with heaven.”
— De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things), Roman poet Lucretius (d. 55BCE)

Can it be that Gods and our ‘souls’ were created out of peoples’ misunderstanding of natural things, their fear of death and the desire to live forever? At one time people worshipped the sun because they thought it was some magical thing, but we know now that it is simply a huge ball of burning hydrogen held together by a powerful gravitational force and that there are millions of stars just like it in the universe. Consider someone worshiping the sun today: Would not even an elementary school student consider them odd or primitive in their thinking?

“For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.”
— Ecclesiastes 9: 5-6 (King James Version)

So where are we in all this? Maybe, the same place as everyone else. We decide what life we want to lead. We define our own purpose. It’s OUR responsibility to create the life WE desire. We don’t need to worry about whether there is a supernatural purpose for our existence or some existential meaning to life. I prefer to live my life by a very wise tradition establish in India circa 3000 BC. Does the following sound familiar?

“This is the sum of duty. Do not unto others that which would cause you pain if done to you.”
— Mahabharata 5:1517, from the Vedic tradition of India

Let’s strive to enjoy the life we have!

Life just is! And so is death!

*****************************
Orlando Jack founded the Orlando Atheists and Freethinkers in 2002.

Related posts:

1. Eleven Things I’ve Learned in My Life
2. Starry Night: My Thoughts on Death