Ethical Action
Ethical Culture Societies have a strong tradition of ethical action – initiatives expressing our belief in the worth and potential of all human beings and our commitment to building a better world for ourselves and our children. There are so many human needs and problems that call for a hands-on response. We’re also aware of the importance of modeling an ethical approach to life. Nothing contributes more to our own development as ethical human beings and to the vitality of our fellowship than active engagement with many ethical and social challenges.
Ethical action at BES includes community service and social issues advocacy inspired by humanist values. Community service is directed at helping organizations and individuals in our region. Currently, our primary community service commitment is to provide desserts for Moveable Feast, an organization that provides meals and nutritional counseling to people struggling with HIV or cancer. The second Sunday of each month is Moveable Treats Sunday, when members and friends bring desserts they have made or bought to BES, and we package them for distribution by Moveable Feast. Once each month, we have volunteers who work in the kitchen at the Moveable Feast headquarters. BES has also hosted Speak Out, an oratorical contest for middle school students in Baltimore.
Our social issues advocacy efforts include teaching our members and visitors about current issues, as well as writing letters to political and business leaders concerning significant public issues. Sometimes members come together to participate in demonstrations, conferences, workshops, and boycotts.
We also celebrate commitments made independently by individual members to worthy organizations and causes that enrich the lives of volunteers and clients alike! Our Ethical Commitments brochure (click the cover image at right to download a PDF) highlights some of these individual commitments of BES members. We encourage you to contact any of these members and join them in their good work! If you are a member and want to have one of your independent ethical commitments included, please contact our Ethical Action Committee.
We believe that even a small organization like the Baltimore Ethical Society can be a strong voice for positive change.
