don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

The last essay summarized the nature of a workshop that I will conduct at the National Wellness Conference (NWC) in Stevens Point in a couple weeks. The focus, as the title of this essay suggests, deals with raising children in a non-religious environment that promotes strong ethical, caring values along with such qualities as free inquiry, a respect for reason and a preference for natural over supernatural worldviews.

One of the recent developments I'll mention is an Islamic summit held in March 2007 in my hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida. On this occasion, Islamic reformers challenged what they view as many destructive qualities of the Islamic religion. A declaration of rights for Muslims was released which seems applicable to children. It seems to me all children have a right to understand the nature and varieties of religion, without being pressured to adopt and follow any of them.

As noted in the last essay, what to believe about religion should be an adult decision, not a demand imposed by parents on a child incapable of making such a choice. Here is the statement released by the delegates concerning such issues at this landmark gathering.

We are secular Muslims, and secular persons of Muslim societies. We are believers, doubters, and unbelievers, brought together by a great struggle, not between the West and Islam, but between the free and the unfree.

We affirm the inviolable freedom of the individual conscience. We believe in the equality of all human persons.

We insist upon the separation of religion from state and the observance of universal human rights.

We find traditions of liberty, rationality, and tolerance in the rich histories of pre-Islamic and Islamic societies. These values do not belong to the West or the East; they are the common moral heritage of humankind.

We see no colonialism, racism, or so-called "Islamaphobia" in submitting Islamic practices to criticism or condemnation when they violate human reason or rights.

We call on the governments of the world to reject Sharia law, fatwa courts, clerical rule, and state-sanctioned religion in all their forms; oppose all penalties for blasphemy and apostacy, in accordance with Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights; eliminate practices, such as female circumcision, honor killing, forced veiling, and forced marriage, that further the oppression of women; protect sexual and gender minorities from persecution and violence; reform sectarian education that teaches intolerance and bigotry towards non-Muslims; and foster an open public sphere in which all matters may be discussed without coercion or intimidation.

We demand the release of Islam from its captivity to the totalitarian ambitions of power-hungry men and the rigid strictures of orthodoxy.

We enjoin academics and thinkers everywhere to embark on a fearless examination of the origins and sources of Islam, and to promulgate the ideals of free scientific and spiritual inquiry through cross-cultural translation, publishing, and the mass media.

We say to Muslim believers: there is a noble future for Islam as a personal faith, not a political doctrine; to Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Baha'is, and all members of non-Muslim faith communities: we stand with you as free and equal citizens; and to nonbelievers: we defend your unqualified liberty to question and dissent.

Before any of us is a member of the Umma, the Body of Christ, or the Chosen People, we are all members of the community of conscience, the people who must chose for themselves.

So much in this declaration applies to our discussion about raising ethical, caring kids. No matter what religion a parent professes, if any, would it not be beneficial to ensure that children were exposed to the values enumerated in this statement? In particular, does it not seem odd that all parents would not want their children to enjoy freedom of conscience, to value equality, to observe universal human rights, to respect traditions of liberty, rationality, and tolerance and to enjoy an unqualified right to question and dissent? What is the case AGAINST such values, save that they interfere with dogma and blind obedience to a ruling clique? How about opposition to colonialism, racism, penalties for blasphemy and apostacy, female circumcision, honor killing, forced marriage and other practices that oppress women? Is there anyone other than religious zealots in FAVOR of such barbarities? Ditto for religious (Sharia) law, fatwa courts, clerical rule and state-sanctioned religion in all forms.

Let's encourage children to appreciate, respect and embrace reason and human rights. Let's give them an appreciation for empiricism, a process of trial and error, along with an understanding of the scientific method and a strong sense of the importance of observation and evidence as tools for reliable knowledge. Revelation is not a reliable path to knowledge -- and we should tell the children why this is so. Let's empower our own children with the awareness and regard for scientific inquiry through cross-cultural communications that the courageous Islamics who gathered in St. Petersburg asked for their own religionists and cultural brothers and sisters.

Perhaps separation of religion from state is a Western notion that will never be embraced by Islamic societies, which seems a pity. Excuse the lack of sensitivity, if that's what it is, but I have no fondness or regard for theocracies or dictatorships. Must be a personal failing of mine.

It ought to be a lot easier for us in Western societies to advance these kinds of values than it will be in the lifetimes of the Islamic freedom pioneers from Muslim countries who gathered in Florida in March. Let's wish them well and do what we can at home to ensure that our own children have a strong foundation for growing into ethical and caring, free, an  healthy adults.

Be well, look on the bright side.

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the MENTAL DOMAIN under the skill area of effective decisions. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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