Glass City Humanist
Douglas Berger
1 Creator
1 Creator
All episodes
Best episodes
Seasons
Top 10 Glass City Humanist Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Glass City Humanist episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Glass City Humanist for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Glass City Humanist episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Secular Humanism - The Sometimes Ugly Step-child of Humanism
Glass City Humanist
10/11/24 • 39 min
We start out by looking into the complex intersection of politics and disaster recovery. Recent events, particularly the devastating impacts of Hurricane Milton—following closely on the heels of Hurricane Helene—prompt a reflection on how political narratives can distort the truth of emergency assistance. As communities in Florida and the Carolinas grapple with severe weather damage, misinformation begins to circulate, largely perpetuated by certain political factions. We recount how, after Hurricane Helene, a disinformation campaign questioned the adequacy of federal disaster relief funds, falsely claiming that victims would only receive $750, while overlooking the extensive resources offered by FEMA and undermining the very science that informs our understanding of these disasters.
This politicization of disaster relief not only misleads the public but can also hinder individuals from seeking necessary assistance when they most need it. This also highlights the broader implications of anti-science rhetoric that has emerged from conservative leaders, particularly their attempts to undermine the value of scientific forecasting and climate change data. Through a critical lens, we analyze how the truth about disaster recovery funding and the context surrounding these storms is manipulated to serve narrow political agendas, which ultimately jeopardizes community welfare.
Transitioning into a different but equally pertinent theme, we share insights from Douglas' recent public appearance at the Maumee Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation, where he spoke on Secular Humanism. He navigated the nuances of being a secular humanist, a perspective that operates outside the confines of organized religion while advocating for humanist values rooted in reason, empathy, and a shared commitment to community well-being. We explore what sets secular humanism apart from Congrgational humanism, addressing its historical context and the societal implications of being considered an "ugly stepchild" in the wider humanist movement.
Douglas emphasizes the importance of building bridges rather than barriers amidst differing worldviews. He recounts his experiences with the Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie, the organization he represents, and how we strive to create a welcoming environment for all individuals regardless of their belief systems. His remarks provoke thought on the balance between fostering community and respecting diverse beliefs, even as we remain steadfast in our commitment to social justice and ethical responsibility.
Evangelicals Have Bible Verses To Justify Their Hate with Bruce Gerencser
Glass City Humanist
05/06/22 • 40 min
Bruce Gerencser knows something about evangelical Christians. He pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. He left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist. We talk to him about his journey to freethought and we get his intimate insights about evangelical Christians and why we need to be wary of them.
Show NotesSubscribe to our free newsletterCheck out our merch
01:12 Bruce's Journey to Humanism
20:40 The Problem with Evangelicals
28:24 What Can Be Done with Christian Nationalism
Conferences, Events, and Fairs OH, MY!
Glass City Humanist
05/20/22 • 33 min
We interview Bob Barnes from Bluewater Atheists Humanists and Agnostics in Sarnia Ontario, about their conference coming up in August. Then we note other conferences and events this summer and fall.
Show NotesSubscribe to our free newsletterCheckout our merch
01:27 Talking BAHACon with Bob Barnes
21:22 Other Conferences and events this summer and fall
Blumner Is Wrong: All Individuals Are Important To Humanism
Glass City Humanist
06/03/22 • 30 min
Robyn Blumner of the Center of Inquiry took the opportunity, in a recent editorial, to slam identity politics, woke progressives, and took a cheap shot at the American Humanist Association.
Show NotesSubscribe to our free newsletterCheck out our merch
01:22 Why aren't all individuals important to Humanism?
13:55 Richard Dawkins the Snowflake
Separation of Church and State Had A Bad Week
Glass City Humanist
07/01/22 • 39 min
In this episode, we look at the just concluded US Supreme Court term and how it shakes out for religious freedom. It isn't good.
Show NotesGet our free newsletterSee Our Merch
02:28 Boston Flag Case
13:15 Free Money for religious schools
20:12 Coach is kneeling on a prayer
Banning Abortion Violates Religious Freedom
Glass City Humanist
07/12/22 • 37 min
Our guest is Marcee Lichtenwald, a member of SHoWLE, who is a volunteer patient escort with the Toledo Abortion Center We talk about the post Roe landscape for reproductive rights, her time as a patient escort, and what we can do to support abortion rights.
Show NotesSubscribe to the newsletterCheck out our Merch
01:00 A Post Roe World
07:34 Ban is a violation of the 1st amendment
11:06 Why we need patient escorts
21:19 I Fund Abortions
25:15 What to know when protesting
27:26 Protesting churches
31:10 How can men support abortion rights?
Get Younger or Die
Glass City Humanist
08/02/22 • 28 min
Organized groups are having trouble with declining numbers because younger people don't think the groups address their concerns like social justice. Secular groups should address those issues because they have long roots in the conflict between church and state.
Show NotesSubscribe to our free newsletterCheck out our merch
00:50 Our upcoming events
06:18 Get Younger or Die
Evangelize For Humanism Without Evangelizing Humanism
Glass City Humanist
08/31/22 • 45 min
How can one sell Humanism to the public without appropriating suspect tactics used by the religious to recruit to their groups? Doug talks about his experiences selling Humanism over the years and how we can reach people and bring them to us. Finally we give an update about a busing dispute involving religious school kids and a public school district.
Show NotesSubscribe to our free newsletterCheck out our merch
A Pseudo Conflict Between Intersectionality And Humanism With Michael Werner
Glass City Humanist
10/18/22 • 60 min
Michael Werner, longtime member of the Unitarian Church and a past President of the American Humanist Association, believes an effort to finally update the church's bylaws will extinguish the strong history of Humanism and leave the church open to the evils of post modernism. Werner also believes that the church is abandoning Enlightenment principles of reason, science, tolerance, affirming the inherent worth of all people, and replacing it with work on social and racial justice issues. Is that really true?
Show NotesSubscribe to Our NewsletterCheck Out Our Merch
01:00 Interview with Michael Werner
37:18 The Black Empowerment Controversy
50:08 Social Justice Is Not Pie
Discrimination Under the Banner of Faith: Analyzing Project 2025's Impact on LGBTQ+ Rights and Religious Freedom
Glass City Humanist
08/17/24 • 43 min
We look into the complex religious dimensions of Project 2025, a strategic initiative shaped by the Heritage Foundation and influenced by various far-right and religious conservative groups. This document serves as a comprehensive playbook for a future conservative presidential administration, detailing policies aimed at reconstituting government to align with a conservative ideology. Building upon our earlier discussions about the dangers posed by Project 2025, we focus specifically on how its religious undertones conflict with our shared humanist principles.
While Project 2025 does not primarily center on religious topics, it does touch upon the concept of religious freedom in a way that allows for discrimination under the guise of protecting sincerely held beliefs. This framework threatens to undermine civil rights protections established by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlaws discrimination based on race, religion, and other criteria in public accommodations. We examine how the authors advocate for policies that would enable private businesses to act on their religious convictions, potentially allowing them to legally refuse service to marginalized individuals, especially in areas such as LGBT rights—issues we previously addressed in another episode.
We then highlight a concept refered to as "communal rest," ostensibly aimed at reinstating Sabbath laws to privilege religious practices over the rights of workers. This proposal seeks to require additional compensation for work performed on Sundays while reinstating historical blue laws that serve a primarily religious purpose. These measures are inconsistent with humanist values, emphasizing the importance of separating religious observance from government regulation.
Moreover, we scrutinize the section of Project 2025 that addresses parental rights within education, particularly in relation to gender identity. The document reflects a profound misunderstanding of how transgender youth navigate their identities and the medical processes involved in transitioning. By leaning into the idea of "parental rights," the authors push back against established medical practices that support trans youth, reflecting a broader effort to delegitimize these identities entirely under regulatory frameworks. We make the case that this poses significant harm to already marginalized groups and raises ethical concerns around informed consent and accessibility to healthcare.
Interspersed throughout our commentary are historical references to the implications of anti-LGBT laws, alongside reflections on how the far-right distorts concepts such as critical race theory and anti-discrimination efforts to paint them as forms of oppression against the majority, rather than protections for vulnerable populations. This misrepresentation is designed to frame institutional racism and support for marginalized communities as threats to the established order, which is not supported by empirical evidence.
We reiterate the urgency of actively engaging with the tenets outlined in Project 2025 and invite listeners to remain vigilant against the encroachment of policies that prioritize religious conservatism over humanist values. It is essential to critically analyze how these proposals will impact our communities and work to ensure a society grounded in compassion, equity, and reason.
Show more best episodes
Show more best episodes
FAQ
How many episodes does Glass City Humanist have?
Glass City Humanist currently has 94 episodes available.
What topics does Glass City Humanist cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on Glass City Humanist?
The episode title 'Diversity By Itself Is Not Enough with John Lombard' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Glass City Humanist?
The average episode length on Glass City Humanist is 37 minutes.
How often are episodes of Glass City Humanist released?
Episodes of Glass City Humanist are typically released every 16 days, 23 hours.
When was the first episode of Glass City Humanist?
The first episode of Glass City Humanist was released on Jan 24, 2020.
Show more FAQ
Show more FAQ