May birthdays: 1, 1933: "A Humanist Manifesto." With the publication of the original Humanist Manifesto, the movement went public. Successor Manifestos have followed. The current Humanist Manifesto 3 (2003) is on this website.   3, 1933: Steven Weinberg, distinguished theoretical physicist. Humanist of the Year 2002  7, 1937: Paul Beattie, Humanist lecturer and writer 10, 1898: Will Durant, historian. Humanist Pioneer Award,1976 17, 1923: Konstantin Kolenda, philosopher, author of Religion Beyond God 18, 1872: Bertrand Russell, philosopher, mathematician, peace activist, Humanist 24, 1915: Andrei Sakharov, Russian Nobel Prize-winning physicist, activist for peace and democracy, Humanist of the Year 1980 30, 1814: Mikhail Bakunin, author of God and the State    Welcome to the website of the Humanist Fellowship of San Diego.  Explore and enjoy! The Humanist Fellowship of San Diego thanks the Chapter Assembly of the national organization, the American Humanist Association, for a grant which makes this site possible. We're Humanists. We say - people are what matters most.   We don't know anything in the universe that matters more to humans than human well-being. Do you? The Humanist Fellowship of San Diego is proudly a chapter of the American Humanist Association, the original and largest of the nationwide Humanist organizations, founded 1941, incorporated as an Illinois non-profit in 1943, represented in San Diego by a succession of chapters since September 1954. Since 1982, the Humanist Fellowship of San Diego has presented a presence of organized American Humanism in this community, representing Humanism as it is now expressed in Humanist Manifesto 3. It is a non-profit organization, and holds an IRS 501(c)(3) tax exemption, not religious but educational. The most recent Humanist Manifesto (2003) is posted on this site. Do you agree with what it says? Read it and see! Is Humanism religious? Anti-religious? Secular? None of the above? All of them? Well, Humanism isn't just a derivative of anything else. It's a new worldview, enjoying elements of those. Humanism is a new worldview, it's a new lifestance, developed over about 70 years by a series of thoughtful people who respect the findings of science and do not fear probing critical inquiry. They are many of the best thinkers of Western civilization.  Organized Humanism has won the respect and allegiance of many able people of good will, as well as the dismay and horror of those who cling in desperation to the fading remnants of older systems of belief, their eyes averted in fear from advances in thought and understanding. Humanism has no creed. It is not a set of conclusions or a destination. Humanism is a pathway, a method for human beings to discover values through experience. Consequently, Humanists often disagree with each other about the results of inquiry - but they enjoy confidence in you and your humanness - not condemning you as "born in sin" needing "salvation" but confident that your free mind, compassionate heart, and a shared love of goodness, truth and beauty, will lead you to a full, honest, satisfying life on the path alongside others - the Humanists. We would like to welcome you as a member of the Humanist Fellowship of San Diego. Want to discuss it? Call 619-670-4159 (Susi) or 619-544-0640 (voicemail). Better still, email us right now at Humanists@gmail.com  Join the Humanists! Click on Contact Us and go to the Membership page. Or just send your check to                                  The Humanist Fellowship of San Diego,                                  P. O. Box 12163, Attention: Susi                                   San Diego CA 92112-3163 Membership is $30 per year (individual) or $40 (couple). Humanism - What Is It? A rational philosophy ...        informed by science ...               motivated by compassion ...                      inspired by art  The Humanist "Happy Person" This is our variant of the internationally recognized Humanist symbol, the Happy Person. Think of a man or woman who is governed by reason and compassion, who considers that, so far as we know, there's nothing in the universe more important to humans than human well-being. But what about religion? What about God or the gods? Well, Humanism is not about anything supernatural; it's about what's human. Humanists consider that human beings, acting in self-responsibility, can enhance the human condition. They are more likely to work than to pray when things need change and improvement. It's an approach that works. SOCRATES The roots of Humanism are in classical Greece, harmonizing with humanistic ideas in the teachings of Confucius and others outside the Greek tradition. Humanism has always stood for the best of rational thought and respect for the human ability to inquire into nature. Humanism emphasizes what is natural, and does not occupy itself with things alleged to exist outside nature, supposed to be known by faith rather than by evidence. Click on image to enlarge The term "Humanism" originated 500 years ago in the Renaissance. Thinkers and artists such as Leonardo da Vinci gave attention to what is human rather than what is alleged to be divine. Erasmus of Rotterdam, Thomas More, Lorenzo Valla and many others advanced Humanism. The leaders of the Reformation benefited greatly from Humanist influence. England's magnificent Queen Elizabeth 1 was educated by Roger Ascham, a Humanist. Click on image to enlarge Humanism sets people free Humanism has influenced literature and art, set people free and honored human life. It is the mainstream of Western Civilization. Although there are a few fundamentalists, inadequately informed, who imagine that Humanism is somehow marginal, Humanism is in fact central, right in the mainstream of Western Civilization. The Humanist Fellowship of San Diego symbolically claims its rightful place in the very heart of its community and so meets always downtown, mostly at the Central Library, bringing a clear Humanist message to San Diego. Humanists - What kind of people are they? Humanists, Silicon Valley These Humanists are in the Humanist Community of Silicon Valley and Stanford University. We Humanists here in the Humanist Fellowship of San Diego would like to be able to photograph happy scenes of lots of Humanist children like this image by Sena Havasy, however we're not there yet. CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF HFSD - the 25th anniversary dinner party. Susi Reed, contact person for the Humanist Fellowship of San Diego Mel Lipman, president of the national American Humanist Association Jack Sanders, founding president of the Humanist Fellowship of San Diego, 1982 at the birthday banquet, February 2007, celebrating HFSD's first 25 years Are you a Humanist… perhaps without knowing it? If your response to most of these points is “yes” then you won’t be far off the mark if you say “Yes - I’m a Humanist too!” The universe is natural, neither for us nor against us Natural events have natural causes Morality is a challenge to be figured out by human beings from experience Compassion and reason are a pretty good guide to deciding right from wrong We are responsible to ourselves and to each other to do what’s right People need each other to make it in life Reason is a useful and powerful tool for solving problems The methods of science seem to work better than other methods of knowing It’s better to go to work on your problems instead of expecting God or the government to solve them for you Your happiness is more likely to be created by you than just happening to you You’re not born sinful or doomed, just born human, with possibilities and opportunities, not burdens of guilt, and there are no promises of special privilege to anyone What happens to you often results from choice and by chance, not determined by stars and planets, or by gods It’s right to be open to learn from others and hear their views Individual freedom of choice is part of being human and worth defending We human beings are part of nature and have kinship with all life Human life is a “do-it-yourself” job with nobody waiting around to rescue us ____________________________________________ What do you think of these points?  We discuss Humanist ideas, round table style, along with the official statements of organized Humanism and Ethical Culture, at regular Sunday meetings once each month, mostly in the Wangenheim Room, San Diego Central Library, 820 “E” St., downtown, usually on the third Sunday. Free off-street parking at rear of Library building while you attend these meetings - the Five Star lot, Eighth and Broadway - but be careful; that's the only one of the Five Star lots that's free for your use while attending the meeting in the Library building.