I might be the only one to ask that question, and considering my role in the Chapter, I am probably the only one to answer it. It is a question I have had in my mind during the past year and especially at the recent Portland conference.

Of the possible directions there are two extremes and a range in between. The first extreme is to be iconoclastic and do battle with Traditional Established Religion (TER) and their symbols and practices. Personally, I reject that approach, I don't recommend that we be the skunk at the family picnic. It is my belief, based on my own experience, that thinking, reasonable people (the possible humanists) do not maintain their membership and activity in TERs to satisfy their intellect. They go to the TERs because the experience satisfies social, emotional, spiritual and family needs.

Another approach is that presented by Dr. Don Page in his editorial, the lecture of Professor Appleby, Fred Edwords at the conference and Anne Zielstra's conclusion who all say that if humanism is to have a future, it must do what TERs do, but do it more effectively and in the humanist manner.

In the April issue of the Utah Humanist, I published the program of the Humanist Community of San Jose (HCSJ). In that program, Art Jackson set forth nine characteristics of the "Model" humanist group. Briefly, these are: (1) have a vision to be a institution with a message (have an attitude?), (2) recognize the need to build a community where searchers for truth can come, (3) have a building to meet in and leadership to carry out policies and goals, (4) programming should be broad enough to appeal to every kind of humanist, (5) have festivals, its ceremonies, etc., as part of the activities of the group, (6) hold weekly meetings on Sunday mornings to bring everyone together with programs to appeal to the whole family, (7) recognize every member of society as a potential organization or a church which holds all people together, and (9) be open to the idea of humanist spiritually and mysticism.

Before I go any further with this, I want to consider the beginnings of the Humanist movement. Briefly, it grew from the desire of Unitarian ministers in the western U.S. to preach a secular doctrine, and to "establish its right of a naturalistic humanist to fill the pulpit," as opposed to the eastern part of the church which was theist oriented. Ed Wilson, one of those Unitarian ministers, was part of this movement, and has written its history published in the Humanist 50th Anniversary issue of Jan/Feb, 1991. In talking to him recently, I asked him about the beginnings of the American Humanist Association and what it was meant to be and do. He stated that it was to be a "channel for expression," which meant a journal which would write about Humanism in such terms that the "ordinary intelligent layman would understand, versus the academic approach." Ed and the others of the group wanted to "draw a ring around liberal, humanistic thinkers and scholars in the academic world," such as John Dewey, E.A. Burtt, and John Herman Randall Jr., and "establish communication and cooperation." The publication in the New Humanist Journal in 1933 of the Humanist Manifesto was an example of that effort.

An organization was needed to support the journal and members "were important for influence and income." The chapter movement began in the late "40's primarily as "cottage meetings" to extend that support of the journal. In some places, the chapters became a support group for the members themselves and for the most part were independent entities, changing the emphasis. The Unitarian church, in the meantime, was becoming increasingly agnostic, and depending on local leadership, supported and cooperated with local Humanist chapters. From then to now, there have been changes in the emphasis of the journal and the formation of many new chapters.

After the Portland conference, I pessimistically concluded that the American Humanist Association after 50 years now has a static membership of only under 10,000, with 76 or so chapters which act like separate little fiefdoms engaging principally in iconoclastic with some notable exceptions like the Humanist Community of San Jose, which is going along its merry independent way. And the AHA magazine--in the year I've been a member, has added nothing to my idea-system. However, there is presently the promise of change!

What is happening, then, with the HCSJ group is a change away from what has been done toward building what they call a "humanist community." The record of their efforts indicates that it is successful. From my reading of its journal and newsletters, it is doing what religions do: it gives the answers to the existential questions of "Who am I?" and "What is the purpose of life?" and promises salvation, not in the religious sense, but as they state. I will write a life story that makes my interval a story of high purpose and significant meaning--a movement of grace, tolerance, exuberance, joy." (Humanist Community Programs and Ideas, May 1992).

In Utah especially, we live in a culture with a traditional established religion which answers in a particularly effective manner the existential questions with a promise of salvation. Those questions are a part of the teaching curriculum and the problems of salvation are emphasized constantly.

The question then presents itself, can a humanist movement succeed here unless it addresses those same existential questions and a promise of a humanist kind of salvation? Can it in fact succeed anywhere? The next question: Does Humanism have the answers to the existential questions? It there a humanist kind of salvation? The people out in San Jose think so.

One more point: Why did I discover that I was a humanist a year ago? Because the first thesis of that first Humanist Manifesto said: "Religious humanists regard the universe as self-existing and not created." Finally, a life idea-system that included evolution! And it went on from there to continue to answer those existential questions that as a Mormon I had been trained to ask and consider very important.

Shortly after that, I asked the question: Why did it take so long for me to discover Humanism? It was in the fall of 1953 that I formulated my humanist idea-system. I consider myself a well-educated and well-read person, and although I knew about Humanism, I had never met a humanist or heard of the AHA (that I remember). I now know the answer: it isn't structured so that it could reach someone like me and it wasn't intended to. Is it going to stay that way? I hope not.

Coming back to the original question, what kind of program should the Humanists of Utah have? I recommend we follow the HCSJ model with an important difference. We should recognize that we don't need to build a Humanist community, we need to recognize that we already have one. What is a Humanist community? It depends on the definition of both terms in this context. Define humanism as an idea-system that asserts the dignity and worth of humankind and its capacity for self realization through reason and science, and a community as a group of larger society. This is the humanist community in which the Humanists of Utah will find its role. And there are many kinds of humanists here: secular, religious, rational, ethical, atheist, and even LDS humanists.

Considering the HCSJ nine characteristics one by one, what do we have? (1) Yes, we do have a vision of who we are and that we have a message and I daresay there are those of us with an attitude. (2) and (3) We do have a community and a place and the leadership in both the chapter meetings and in the Unitarian church where we meet. (see Tom Goldsmith's letter, following.) (4)The programs which take place in the Unitarian church, of which ours is only a part could appeal to every kind of humanist, (5) Yes, festivals and ceremonies are present (but we could do more), (6) There are meetings every Sunday morning in the Unitarian church and a religious education program for children, (7) I'd like to think that every member of society in Utah is a potential member but that's too difficult (if that is limited to only the thinking, rational people, okay). (8) We have been saying all along that a religious (generic) organization is necessary, and (9) We are open to the idea of spirituality and mysticism, in a humanist frame.

In this humanist community the Humanists of Utah have a place. That place is essentially the same role that the founders of the American Humanist movement set for themselves when they began. We will publish a journal that will write about the Humanist idea-system in terms that the "ordinary intelligent layman can understand." We have members who are good writers and we will find more. There is a distinguished group of humanist scholars in Utah and they will be encouraged to participate. The journal needs important improvements in its presentation and editing, and we are working on that.

There is also a great deal to do yet in preparing informational materials to explain humanism to those who request information. (That is a summer project of mine.) Generic Humanism (if you will) has always been difficult to define and explain. The idea-system of humanism needn't be because there are specific ideas that explain the existential questions and have a great deal to say about "salvation" in the here and now.

The lecture/discussion series will of course be continued. I have enough suggestions for speakers that I could hold two meetings a month for the next year. The emphasis will continue to be on the idea-system of humanism.

Last week I wrote a letter for the Grassroots News of the AHA chapter assembly at the editor's request to explain why we were chosen as the Chapter of the Year. Many of the ideas I wrote for the News are included in this article, and this is pertinent here: "...we decided that our mission was to help humanists be humanists, find new humanists, and provide an association where all could find a sense of belonging to a larger community."

In summary, we will continue to do what we have been doing. However, the difference now is that we will have a clearer vision of why we are doing it, and improve on it.

--Bob Green