Winter Festival Celebration

The Northern Virginia Ethical Society celebrates "Winter Festival" on Sunday, December 21, 2008, borrowing from many traditions willingly and lovingly. As the cold weather drapes our shoulders, we nevertheless feel the warmth of the holiday season.

Ours is a festival of festivals -- a sharing of traditions and joy. All are welcome!

We join with the many faiths and cultures who hold this time sacred. Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 21, and western Christmas is celebrated on the 25th. As the world turns again towards the sun at the winter solstice, most cultures celebrate holidays dedicated to hope and renewal. Our Buddhist neighbors will celebrate Bodhi Day on December 8 -- the date, according to Mahayana tradition, of Siddhartha Gautama’s presentation of the Four Noble Truths, the foundation of Buddhism. Northern European cultures celebrate Yule with bonfires and feasting. This holiday period belongs to many cultures and many voices. We welcome them all.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate an ancient birth, Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate the festival of lights, a wonderful Bodhi Day for those following the Eightfold Path, and happy holidays to all who celebrate our many untold traditions.

Moral Heroes and Feet of Clay

The platform address to be presented on Sunday, December 14, 2008 at the Northern Virginia Ethical Society by Hugh Taft-Morales

Great moral leaders, such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., are often placed on a pedestal by human society, yet we are inevitably disappointed by their human limitations and frailties. Some people idealize such leaders because, in a world darkened by violence and greed, we seek moral heroes that can balance evil with their unblemished goodness. At the other extreme, some take a certain pleasure in tearing down these icons of moral purity, either to expose hypocrisy or to relieve themselves of the burden of living up to such a high standard.

Platform question: From an Ethical Culture perspective, how can we acknowledge the goodness expressed by our moral leaders, while admitting their limitations, in a way that brings out our best as moral leaders? Can we, for example, avoid setting up President Elect Obama as so much a hero that he will, in time, disappoint us?

Spiritual But Not Religious?

The platform address to be presented at the Northern Virginia Ethical Society on Sunday, December 7, 2008 by Leader, Jone Johnson Lewis:

When couples schedule weddings with our Society's officiants, they often describe what they want as "spiritual but not religious." NoVES Leader Jone Johnson Lewis will explore what they might be asking for, and what both "spiritual" and "religious" can mean to members of an Ethical Society.

Shall We Pray?

On Sunday, July 17, 2008, Jone Johnson Lewis spoke at the Washington Ethical Society (WES), giving a slightly-updated version of an address she gave at NoVES in 2005. The audio version of that talk is available at the Washington Society's website. Here's the description as WES announced it, and following that, links to their platform address archive and to this particular audio file:

Shall We Pray?
Jone Johnson Lewis, Leader Northern Virginia Ethical Society
From the early years of the Ethical Movement, community prayer was rejected. Why was that? What has science found about the power of prayer? What needs of a community and of individuals are served by prayer in religious groups? If we reject community prayer, what serves those needs in an Ethical community?

Washington Ethical Society platform addresses archive

Audio file: Shall We Pray? Jone Johnson Lewis, WES, 7/17/2008

Is This the Religious Community for You?

The Northern Virginia Ethical Society is a religious and educational fellowship uniting people whose central spiritual concerns are with how to improve the quality of life. To this end, we believe that ethical principles are the foundation for quality relationships and humane cultures. While we respect the right and responsibility of each individual to determine his or her own ethical values, we share a belief in the intrinsic worth and dignity of every human being. Indeed, we believe that, by working to bring out the best in others, we bring out the best in ourselves.

We view education as a lifelong challenge, and we offer educational programs for both adults and children which provide a framework for making ethical choices. Human beings are capable of and responsible for creating a better and more humane world for all. To this end, and because of our ethical commitments, we strive to be agents of change in the personal, community and global environment. We respect the right of each member to decide how to make these efforts.

We are theologically neutral. Each member is free to make up his or her own mind about the existence of a deity. We are humanistic in the sense that we focus on human well-being. However, we also believe that human beings are embedded in a web of life, and we believe that our ethical responsibility extends to all living things. We support an open search for truth using all human faculties, including reason, emotion, and aesthetics.

Our ethical growth is enhanced by having a community in which we go through life together, sharing each other’s joys and supporting each other in times of crises. We celebrate life’s milestones through personal and seasonal ceremonies. We do all this in an environment in which people can explore the meaning of spirituality in a humanistic context, and which seeks the positive contributions of diverse peoples and cultures. Finally, because shared decision-making embodies respect for each person’s worth and dignity, we support democratic processes in our own organization and in the world.

Would you like to know more about us? Please visit our website at: http://www.noves.org

Is There a Humanist Jesus?

12/09/2007 - 11:00am

"Is There a Humanist Jesus?" -- Jone Johnson Lewis, NoVES Leader

There was a time in studies of "the historical Jesus" to find that Jesus had been, as a Sunday School teacher of my childhood said, "the greatest ethical teacher of all time."

Distinguishing between the Jesus of history and the Jesus of belief and faith is difficult enough -- we also have to distinguish between a lot of different understandings of each of those Jesuses.

Jone will bring to bear some of her Bible history studies and her interest in religion in modern culture to try to answer this platform's title question.

Ethics and Harry Potter

On February 4, 2007 the Northern Virginia Ethical Society will host a presentation on "Ethics and Harry Potter." J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books chronicling the adventures of the young wizard are among the best-selling books of all times.

These books have also created controversy and are among the most banned books of all times, most often by conservative Christians. But beyond the religious controversy, there are moral themes in the books; themes to which children and adults world wide have responded strongly. Ms. Amy Anderson, graduate of Yale Divinity School and currently a play therapist, will discuss
these moral themes and values.

Time: 11:00 a.m. Sunday February 4, 2007
This event is free
Address: 225 Nutley St., NW,
Vienna, VA 22180

For driving directions and more information about NoVES, please visit www.noves.org, or call 703 437 3161.
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Platform Address on January 14, 2007: Economics and Ethics

January 14

"Economics and Ethics" -- Dr. Sven Sinclair, NoVES Member

Is free market always the best? Is it immoral to place a monetary value on human life? How should society punish criminals? Being the "physics of social sciences," modern economics not only informs policy, but also helps think rationally about ethical issues. On the other hand, influential economists are often guided by their preconceived ethical values and what the public perceives as economic ideas are sometimes value judgments in disguise. Economics and ethics are more intertwined than we might like. And new research in biology of human behavior may force us to rethink some fundamental ideas in both economics and ethics.

Platform Address: Beyond Right and Wrong

January 7, 2007



"Beyond Right and Wrong" -- Jone Johnson Lewis, NoVES Leader

Ethics is about deciding who's right and who's wrong, who's good and who's evil, right? In our Ethical Culture tradition, ethics is about relating to others by attributing essential human worth, right or wrong. Jone will explore this paradox.

What Is the Ethical Society?

The Ethical Society is a congregation of members who are joined together by a common commitment to improving human relations and a desire for a more meaningful and humane life, for themselves and for others. The Society is a religious and educational fellowship based on the premise that ethical concerns are the central religious issues. Our activities are oriented to education and service.

Wanted: Religious Leader. Belief in God Not Required

Wanted: Religious Leader. Belief in God Not Required
Local Ethical Society Ponders Core Values In Choosing a Leader

from washingtonpost.com

It is very exciting to see news of the Ethical movement in our everyday media. Let's make sure it becomes a regular event!

Two-day symposium on Human Rights and Conflict Resolution

October 17 and 18, 2006 at Fairleigh Dickinson University's campuses in Florham Park and Teaneck, New Jersey.

This event was organized by Joseph Chuman, the leader of the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County.

The two-day Symposium on Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, sponsored by Fairleigh Dickinson University's Office of Global Learning is open to the public. The following are some of the speakers:

• Kenneth Roth, executive director, Human Rights Watch


• Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, under-secretary-general for political affairs, United Nations.


• Kenneth Cain, author and former U.N. Peacekeeper in Somalia, Cambodia, Rwanda and Liberia


• Simon Deng, former child slave, spokesperson on Darfur genocide and adviser to President Bush


• David Rosen, author of "Armies of the Young: Child Soldiers in War and Terrorism"


• Keyla Rodriquez, victims specialist, Victims Service, FBI, Newark office

NoVES Platform Meetings Available As Podcasts

The wonders of modern technology bring us the opportunity to share actual recordings of platform addresses given at the Northern Virginia Ethical Society .

These are the first two available from NoVES:

September 10, 2006: Communication, Commitment, and Community
Jone Johnson Lewis, Leader CLICK HERE
with Doris Justis performing her original song, "Who To Turn To"

October 8, 2006: Things My Preacher Never Told Me
Guest speaker: Edward L. Ericson, Ethical Culture Leader CLICK HERE
The major religions of the West and the Middle East share a deadly tradition that threatens to be a time bomb at the heart of civilization. Preserving our liberties and saving humanity from an Apocalypse of our own making requires a radical rethinking of the purpose and content of religion and ethics.

Free Showing of "An Inconvenient Truth"

Please join us for SPOTLIGHT ON GLOBAL WARMING this Sunday October 8, 2006 at 2:00 PM in the Green Hedges School (Vienna, Virginia), as we present the recently acclaimed documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" featuring Al Gore. This film documents the impending climate crisis and urges viewers to act. We are participating with over 4,000 congregations across the country to screen this fascinating documentary. A short discussion will be held afterwards. We hope to see you there.

More Upcoming Events

October 8

"Things My Preacher Never Told Me" --Edward Ericson, AEU Leader
The major religions of the West and the Middle East share a deadly tradition that threatens to be a time bomb at the heart of civilization. Preserving our liberties and saving humanity from an Apocalypse of our own making requires a radical rethinking of the purpose and content of religion and ethics.

October 15

TBD --Delegate Adam Ebbin

Delegate Adam Ebbin, Virginia's first openly-gay state legislator, represents the 49th district--the most diverse legislative district in Virginia---covering parts of the City of Alexandria, Arlington County,and Fairfax County. He will discuss his experiences working for
equality for all in Richmond and his thoughts on the upcoming statewide referendum on the Marshall/Newman so-called "Marriage Amendment" to the Virginia constitution.

October 22

"A Humanist Looks at the Story of Job"--NoVES Leader, Jone Johnson Lewis NoVES Leader Jone Johnson Lewis takes a look at one of the ancient stories of humanity, the story of Job and his troubles, to see what it teaches us about how humanity has struggled with the meaning of suffering, and how we might respond compassionately and ethically to suffering in today's world.

October 29

"TBD"-- Julia Frank, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, George Washington University MFA Dr. Frank will discuss some of the ethical implications, good and bad, of medicalizing stress, trauma, or other psychological consequences of current conflicts or disasters. For instance, we know that many soldiers currently overseas may be permanently affected by ongoing stress, unnoted trauma, etc. Are there any ethical implications, or policies, we might derive from this fact?

November 5

"I Am a Rock. I Am an Island." -- Jone Johnson Lewis, NoVES Leader Living in densely-populated cities and suburbs, Americans today are arguably lonelier than ever. At the same time, busy-ness makes true solitude difficult. What a paradox! Leader Jone Johnson Lewis will explore the ethical implications of loneliness and busy-ness in our world today, with some suggestions for dealing with these conditions in our own lives.

November 12

"The Seven Myths of American Judaism" Rabbi Art Blecher Arthur Blecher has been Rabbi of Congregation Beth Chai in Washington since 1987. Dr. Blecher is both an ordained Rabbi and a practicing psychotherapist. He received his B.A. Degree with honors from Lafayette College in 1969. He received his M.A. Degree in Jewish Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary School of America in 1972 and was awarded the Graduate Rabbinical Degree in 1975. He earned the Doctor of Ministry Degree in Psychology at Wesley Theological Seminary in 1994. He is the co-author of "The Jews of America: History and Sources," "Interfaith Couples in the Rabbi's Study," and of numerous articles. He is a member of the Washington Board of Rabbis and the American Mental Health Counselors Association. The presentation will be based on his forthcoming book, The Seven Myths of American Judaism.

November 19(Note: 10:00 AM start time!)

<-Click on the picture for the story of "Stone Salad" at NoVES

Stone Salad: a community celebration of generosity and diversity.

November
26

Closed - Thanksgiving

Ethical Society of Northern Virgina - Upcoming Platform Addresses

September 17

"A Liberal and Successful Foreign Policy" -- Dennis J. D. Sandole , Ph.D., Professor of Conflict Resolution and International Relations, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR), George Mason University

September 24

"Standards for Behavior in Intelligence Practices" -- Jan Goldman, Board Member, International Intelligence Ethics Association (IIEA) Intelligence ethics is an emerging field without established guidelines for resolving the ethical problems confronting the intelligence community. There is no traditional or comprehensive ethic of responsibility, analogous to "just war" theory in military ethics. Consequently, a focus of the International Intelligence Ethics Association (IIEA) will be to provide a forum through which we can engage many voices to survey the entire ethical terrain of intelligence work. From this comprehensive view we can begin to develop a consensus theory of ethics for application to the problems and dilemmas that confront intelligence practitioners and their constituencies. Dr. Goldman has just published "Ethics of Spying: A Reader for the Intelligence Professional", a text that is certain to become a must-read for all future intelligence personnel.