Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville

Colloquy
2022-10-02 14:30 - 16:00, 2022-09-04 14:30 - 16:00, 2022-08-07 14:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Colloquy is an opportunity to explore and reflect on a particular aspect of life in a structured and facilitated small-group setting in a nonjudgmental, confidential atmosphere. It is held on the First Sunday of the month from 2:30 to 4:00 pm. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we will meet online -live! Join on Zoom
Colloquy was created more than 25 years ago by Arthur Dobrin (now Leader Emeritus of the Ethical Society of Long Island) and brought to Asheville by Joy McConnell, Consulting Leader for the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville. Colloquy inspires participants to raise awareness of their own views, emotions and values. Guided by a facilitator, participants sit in a circle, listen to a topic read by the leader, and take turns sharing responses – speaking from personal experiences, thoughts and feelings.
Examples of recent topics include: honesty, friendship, generosity, anger, forgiveness, music that defines us, “This I Believe.”
Visitors are welcome. Come join us!

"How Future Generations Will Remember Us" by William MacAskill
2022-09-18 14:30 - 16:00 | Zoom
We will listen to a TED talk by Professor William MacAskill on “What are the most important moral problems of our time” and view segments from interviews with Professor MacAskill. An article from the August 16, 2022 Atlantic “How Future Generations Will Remember Us“, by William MacAskill prompted the discussion topic.
MacAskill is prominent in the Ethical Altruism movement and has received a great deal of attention for his new book, What We Owe the Future. His work has been discussed recently in the NY Times, the New Yorker, Time, on NPR and elsewhere. A skeptical reaction to MacAskill’s work can be found in the August 26, 2022 Wall Street Journal (WSJ link). Among other things, MacAskill asks how future generations will assess our behavior. How much of our resources should we dedicate to the well-being of future generations?
William MacAskill is an associate professor in philosophy at the University of Oxford, and the most widely cited philosopher of his age. A TED speaker and past Forbes 30 Under 30 social entrepreneur, he also cofounded the Centre for Effective Altruism, which has raised over $1 billion for charities. He lives in Oxford, England.

"Death Penalty – Racist Roots" by Noel Nickle
2022-08-21 14:30 - 16:00 | Zoom
It has been sixteen years since the last execution in North Carolina, yet the death penalty remains on the books. To honor this anniversary, please join the NC Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (NCCADP) for a presentation and screening of the film Racist Roots. This 25-minute film, created by the Center for Death Penalty Litigation, exposes the death penalty’s deep entanglement with slavery, lynching and racism. The film highlights the diverse voices that are central to the movement to end North Carolina’s death penalty and reminds us why we must work together to ensure that state-sponsored executions are never again carried out in our names. Following the film, NCCADP Director Noel Nickle will facilitate a conversation focused on the movement to end the death penalty in our state.
Noel Nickle (she/her/hers) serves as the executive director of the North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Noel has worked as a mitigation specialist on trial and post-conviction death penalty cases in North and South Carolina since 2006. Working with attorneys from The Center for Death Penalty Litigation, Noel secured life sentences for two individuals previously sentenced to death. Noel has a long history of community organizing in opposition to the death penalty, including her leadership in a successful community effort for the Asheville City Council to adopt a resolution supporting a moratorium on the death penalty. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Noel founded a social media group (WNC Response to COVID-19 For Those In Custody) for families who have loved ones in jail and prison custody and advocated for early release for incarcerated individuals. Noel is deeply committed to the principles and practices of restorative and transformative justice. She has a master’s in social work from UNC-Chapel Hill and lives in Asheville.

Explore Ethical Living
2022-08-14 14:30 - 16:00 | Zoom
On Sunday, August 14 at 2:30 PM (by Zoom), we will begin a new series for members only.
“Exploring Ethical Living”
(meeting the second Sunday of every month)
We will explore such topics as ethical decision-making and goodness, and build our habits and skills in ethical living.This Sunday our topic will be “Ethical dilemmas”.

We look forward to “seeing” you at this new series. Join us on Zoom for Exploring Ethical Living →

EHSA Picnic
2022-07-30 12:30 | Friends Meeting House, 227 Edgewood Rd, Asheville, NC
Please join us on the front lawn of Friends Meeting House for a picnic. (Rain date is a few weeks later on Saturday, August 20, 12:30). Bring a lawn chair, your lunch, drink… whatever you may need.

Will you join us? Please let Karen Ziff know (kayzey@gmail.com) if you plan to attend. It would be helpful (though not necessary).

We look forward to sharing the afternoon with members, guests and the curious.

The Work of the Many Volunteers Across the Ethical Movement
2022-07-24 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom
For our latest All-Society Platform, we will be celebrating the importance of volunteerism to the Ethical Culture movement. Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture Leader Jone Johnson Lewis will discuss the work of Anna Garlin Spencer and how her work for social justice in the early years of the 20th Century relates to issues that we face today. Next, we will honor the recipients of this year’s Anna Garlin Spencer Volunteer Award. We will also pay tribute to those who we have lost this past year during our Mourners’ Moment.

"Individual Rights" by Ben Gilbert
2022-07-17 14:30 - 16:00 | Zoom
What individual rights do we enjoy? What does the Constitution guarantee? Where do our rights originate? How are they protected? Ben Gilbert will provide insights into how the Supreme Court has interpreted individual rights and what rights and freedoms are protected in the Constitution. Among the rights discussed will be Freedom of Ideas; Political Participation; Equal Protection: Privacy and other Liberties.
At times the Supreme Court has been expansive and protected individual rights and minority rights, at other times restricting rights. Bring your curiosity and questions to this interactive discussion.
Ben Gilbert taught courses in law and public health to graduate and professional students at UNC Chapel Hill, and he has served as general counsel for UNC Health.

Colloquy
2022-07-03 14:30 - 16:00
