Come to the 3rd annual Baltimore HumanLight gathering hosted by the Baltimore Coalition of Reason on December 23!

I hope many members of the Baltimore Ethical Society will register for Ethical Culture’s Annual Assembly taking place this 2013 in nearby Fairfax, Virginia, June 13 through 17.

BES joins the Baltimore Coalition of Reason to celebrate this day with a screening of the documentary In God We Teach.

Join Hugh Taft-Morales for the first of four fun explorations of different ethical paradigms from the Western tradition.

Ecofeminist author and activist Pattrice Jones will analyze the links between animal exploitation and social/environmental injustice.

According to a 2012 Pew survey about religious affiliation, the fastest growing group in the U.S. is the one claiming no religion at all.

Join Hugh Taft-Morales for the third of four fun explorations of different ethical paradigms from the Western tradition.

Francis Collins, the director of the NIH, has stated that personalized medicine is likely to dramatically alter healthcare in the next few years.

Karen Elliott and Hugh Taft-Morales host our celebration of harvest and thanksgiving with stories, music, and poems!

Join Hugh Taft-Morales for the fourth and final exploration of different ethical paradigms from the Western tradition.

Join Hugh Taft-Morales as he explores some people’s hostility towards knowledge and celebrates the liberating power of books.

Craig Dilworth will bring to the listeners’ attention that the nature of the development of our species is not as it is normally thought to be.

Tom Flynn will provide a secular humanist perspective on the state of civil rights 222 years after the Bill of Rights was ratified.

Charlie Cooper will report on GMOM’s campaign to get the Maryland Legislature to pass a joint resolution formally calling for a Constitutional Convention.

Come to the 4th annual Baltimore HumanLight gathering hosted by the Baltimore Coalition of Reason on December 22!

As 2013 flies out the door, we celebrate with a hearty breakfast and time to connect.

Bonnie Bessor, Executive Director of Rebuilding Together, will speak about the organization’s role in preserving affordable homeownership in Baltimore.

What can we glean from the power of some to transcend jail and bring out the best? How can we apply these lessons to our own ethical action efforts, including reforming a prison system that destroys hopes and maximizes recidivism? Can we help society transform imprisonment?

Join Hugh Taft-Morales for tea, snacks, and philosophical discussion.

Aaron Merki, Executive Director of FreeState Legal Project, will explain FreeState’s work, give a sense of Maryland’s low-income LGBT population, and discuss the issues and work still remaining after marriage equality.

Join us for an excursion after platform to the Lewis Museum to see the Kinsey Collection, a special traveling exhibit that chronicles over 400 years of African American history and culture from the 1600s to the present.

Climate Leader Meagan Braganca was trained by former Vice President Al Gore on how to educate the public about climate change at the Climate Reality Leadership Corps training.

Dr. Evan Lipson, oncologist and founder of Seize the Days, Inc., will explore the ways that people touched by cancer bring fulfillment and meaning into their lives.

This discussion, led by Ayanna Watson, will cover the importance of embracing one’s own diversity and the benefits of encouraging others to embrace their differences.

Come for ethical discussions with Hugh Taft-Morales about some of the moral quandaries posed by changes in science, technology and medicine.

Tyrone Barnwell, Founder and Director of the 3 C’s Youth Initiative, will report on the efforts of the Initiative to block the proposed juvenile detention facility in Baltimore City (“Youth Jail”).

In honor of the birthday of Charles Darwin, Hugh Taft-Morales will explore the use and abuse of animals by homo sapiens.

A vegan advocate, Megan Graney will demonstrate vegan dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as a couple of deserts. You will get to sample everything she makes.

Don Kraus will report on efforts to increase U.S. support for international law, including the new 2014 Congressional Report Card published by the Global Solutions Action Network.

Few people have done more to support Humanist values than Eleanor Roosevelt. Come explore why she is a role model for Ethical Culturists today.

The Reproductive Justice movement creates space for much broader discussions about women, “choice” and feminism.

Although Maryland was recently found to be the best state for women, the Maryland Chapter of the National Organization for Women (Maryland NOW) is always seeking ways to improve women’s lives.

Prior to the Renaissance, the dominant direction in European art was upward, towards the heavens, reaching for God. As Aristotelian influences turned cultural perspective back to the earth, human beings dominated the artist’s eye.

“Building Stronger Families – Raising Confident and Compassionate Kids” presented by Dara Feldman and hosted by the Northern Virginia Ethical Society.

In this talk, Ben Klemens will discuss the status of the expansion, and measure the changes against the goals of intellectual property law.

Join our new Young Adult (YA) book club for kids and adults as we begin reading Cory Doctorow’s novel For The Win.

In Maryland, kids as young as 14 can be charged as adults, meaning they are sent to the adult criminal justice system and wait in adult jails pre-trial.

While socialists and anarchists might think the admission that “capitalism is not perfect” is the understatement of century, this is where Leader Hugh Taft-Morales begins his defense of some good things about capitalism.

Join Hugh Taft-Morales for the third installment of this series of discussions. This month’s topic is Money, Medicine, and Understanding Medical Controversies.

America was born at the height of the Enlightenment, yet outside of educated circles we seldom hear of this great humanistic movement today.

Join the Baltimore Jewish Cultural Chavurah at Prologue, Inc. for their Passover Seder, a nontheistic celebration of the Passover tradition.

Polish born 94 years old Morris (Moniek) Rosen is a survivor of Auschwitz concentration camp, living to tell about his horrific experiences during World War II.

This discussion will consider the ethical differences between punitive and unitive justice and the ways in which unitive justice is presently being implemented as an answer to the broken punitive system.

Fresh off his attendance at Ethical Culture’s annual national gathering, Leader Hugh Taft-Morales will talk about our brand of Humanism and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Join Hugh Taft-Morales for the final discussion of this spring series. This month we focus on environmental stewardship and feeding a hungry planet.

Adjunct faculty activists Katherine Kavanaugh and Joshua Wade-Smith will talk about why and how the part-time faculty at MICA chose to organize.

Our Memorial Day Remembrance Sunday is a chance for BES members and guests to remember those who have died. Sharing memories can inspire us, warm our hearts, and ease the pain of loss.

Many people know that haiku is a Japanese poetic form. Quite a few know that is has a set number of syllables (17: five plus seven plus five) and lines (three).

This talk will address an issue that Karen Helm brought up in her Ethical Action Report. There is a great need to sensitize ourselves to the critical issues of race.

Angad Singh will lead a discussion on the subject of beliefs inspired by the NPR program “This I Believe.”

Professor Amy Trauth-Nare will talk about the characteristics that make science a unique way of knowing and understanding the world.

After last summer’s successful seated-yoga program, Hugh Taft-Morales will offer another supplemented with more personal insights into the benefits of increased harmony between the body and mind he attains through his modest yoga practice.

Nancy Poznak will present some of the more mainstream practices popular in the U.S.

Karen Elliott, David Korn, Emil Volcheck, and Kathleen Wilsbach will report on the 99th Assembly of the American Ethical Union.

Almost all recovering addicts return to addiction within one year after successfully completing any number of recovery treatment programs. This unsolved problem is a result of our inability to agree on the nature of the problem.

BES member Fred Compton will share his personal experiences and lead a discussion inviting others to share theirs.

This presentation will include an overview of special education including a definition of Individual Education Plans (IEPs), services, and how students can be served outside public education.

Wondering why, in an age of increasing productivity, prosperity is lost, jobs disappear or move overseas, and we are competing with each other to work more hours for less? Concerned that your children have fewer opportunities than you did?

Ubuntu is an open source operating system developed on a collaborative/Wiki basis which makes an ideal replacement for Windows XP. I will explain how it works, what programs are available, and hope to have disks to give out.

Laura Griffin and Eilish McCahill report on the 2014 National Young Feminist Leadership Conference.

Climate change is drawing increasing attention around the world, no longer only from climate scientists and activists, but also more unlikely sources like the Pentagon, which recently pronounced climate change a “severe threat” to national security.

Fritz Williams tells a short story which revolves around a dream in which he, as an Ethical Culture leader, meets a much younger version of himself when he was an Episcopal priest.

Come join Hugh Taft-Morales for an evening of music and readings about peace. Potluck and BYOB, but the entertainment is free!

Due to reactionary tough-on-crime politics and the over-criminalization of drug use, the U.S. penal population has grown from 300,000 to over 2 million over the past three decades. The retributive model of criminal justice is inhumane and ineffective.

People in Afghanistan have faced decades of roiling devastation and war; many somehow remain persistent and determined to survive and rebuild. How can we offer solidarity from afar?

Come hang out with old friends and make some new ones!

Growing up in the sixties, Hugh Taft-Morales experienced the peace movement as intimately wrapped up with music. Singing seemed a great way to give peace a chance.

West Baltimore stands out in the popular imagination as the quintessential “inner city” – gritty, run-down, and marred by drugs and gang violence. Prof. Alexander’s research focuses on children who grew up in west Baltimore neighborhoods.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores ways humanists could best approach the word “spiritual?” Does it threaten rationalism? Or, is it a term we should embrace? Can naturalistic forms of spirituality found in Spinoza, John Dewey, and Carl Sagan enliven humanism today?

Come join Hugh Taft-Morales for an exploration of who we are and how we can strengthen our social bonds in a way consistent with Ethical Culture.

Join Catherine Weber and Ellen Dinnerman as they discuss how a small group of volunteers and the national office of Compassion and Choices, DwD/AID is slowly moving towards an active campaign to bring a Death with Dignity law to Maryland.

Sharon Beischer Harwood will introduce us to Olive Dennis and remember her railroad legacy through the inventions, creative designs, work ethic, and the talent that made her ‘The Lady Engineer’ of the B&O Railroad.

Fern Shen will talk about what the experience of founding Baltimore Brew – an online-only news website – has taught her about the challenges and opportunities faced by the city and the Fourth Estate.

Ellen Barfield will discuss the original intention of 11 November as a day to mourn the terrible bloodshed of World War I, and the frightening distortion of the day to “Veterans Day”, yet another official U.S. holiday to glorify war and militarism, and thereby facilitate subsequent wars.

In this time of rising inequality and the commercialization of human interaction, how can we recapture and defend our humanity?

Our celebration of harvest and thanksgiving with stories, music, and poems! This Sunday we express gratitude for our harvest and the rich bounty that fills our life.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores ways we can learn, brainstorm and think outside of the box to lead more flourishing lives and save the world!

Charly Carter, Executive Director of Maryland Working Families, will speak on the victories and strategies of this independent grassroots political organization.

As many as 200 million females are missing world-wide because of gendercide.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores the waves of “righteous” social change that periodically wash over the United States and the possibility that there is a righteous humanist wave of compassion and activism on the horizon.

Dr. Doaty-Mundell will speak about the effects of homelessness on children and how to build their self-esteem and confidence in the face of challenges.

Come to the 4th annual Baltimore HumanLight gathering hosted by the Baltimore Coalition of Reason on December 22!

As 2014 flies out the door, we celebrate with a hearty breakfast and time to connect.

Leon Henry from Big Brothers Big Sisters will join us to discuss how mentoring not only helps youth reach their full potential, it also engages volunteers in the effort to create stronger, healthier, and more vibrant communities.

Leader Hugh Taft-Morales explores the questions: “What can Ethical Humanists do to help restore justice and rebuild trust? What can we do to demand ethical policing?”

BES Leader Hugh Taft-Morales tries to bring this esoteric topic down to earth. Come have some fun with philosophy and check your ego at the door!

O’Shai Robinson will explore and discuss how the education system grooms students to be passive participants in their education, while wrestling with ideas of how to improve the learning experience.

Liz Collier returns to closely examine two characteristics young adults look for in humanist groups such as BES.

Ellen Cassedy offers a close-up view of how an Eastern European nation is encountering the complex history of the Holocaust, World War II, and the Soviet era that followed.

Does the concept of ‘spirituality’ or ‘living a spiritual life’ have any place in Ethical Culture? Science and reason are valued by humanists, and rightfully so. But does intellect negate spirituality, emotional values or that sense of “awe”?

James Griffin, Physical Therapist and Civil Rights Activist, will share his recollections of this momentous period in the history of Baltimore.

A video presentation of Christopher Hedges’ address to the Brooklyn Ethical Society in September 2014 with discussion to follow.

The Frederick Douglass Humanist Society (FDHS) is organizing a tour of Frederick Douglass’ residential mansion “Cedar Hill” in Washington DC in honor of the internationally renowned slavery abolitionist and human rights leader.

BES Leader Hugh Taft-Morales relies on Benjamin Hoff’s The Tao of Pooh in an attempt to keep things simple.

Mr. Farajii Muhammad will speak about the role and work of the Young Leaders for Peace Coalition.

Ethical Culture, and much of humanism in general, promotes living a life of ethical action.

The Sunday Assembly is a global movement for wonder and good. It is an international not-for-profit that helps people start and run their own godless congregations.

Mr. Adrian Muldrow will speak about his work with the Baltimore Chapter of the NAACP.

Hugh Taft-Morales challenges himself and all humanists to deconstruct systemic racial privilege so we can all benefit from a more empowering multicultural perspective that honors the inherent worth of all.

This month instead of screening a film at BES, we have accepted the invitation by BES member Charlie Shafer to view the film “Vessel” at the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Instead of following the usual platform address format, this BES program will include a World Cafe discussion.

BES Leader Hugh Taft-Morales relies on Benjamin Hoff’s The Tao of Pooh in an attempt to keep things simple.

Mr. Farajii Muhammad will speak about the role and work of the Young Leaders for Peace Coalition.

In trying to change the world, sometimes it helps to take a break and have a good laugh. “The Faucet’s on Fire!” is ninety minutes of Zimmerman’s hilarious, rhyme-intensive original songs.

Nikola Nable-Juris will speak about the use of life-without-parole sentences for youth under 18, both nationally and in Maryland.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores this story in the context of current efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

Ms. Diamonte Brown will lead a community conversation on action for justice.

To help students and society flourish today, Hugh Taft-Morales suggests we emphasize some important elements of Ethical Humanism’s approach to education.

Obamacare, Health Care Mandates and Rationing – Is the Affordable Care Act good in principle? How do we balance health care mandates and personal autonomy?

Special Program – 11:00 am at First Unitarian Church

Memorial Day Sunday offers BES members and guests a chance to celebrate people who have died but left us with gifts that enrich our lives.

Dawn Moncrief, founder and executive director of A Well-Fed World, will discuss some of the ways in which the use of animals for food increases global food insecurity.

BES member Nathan Whitmore will address ethical issues regarding cognitive enhancement.

Anthropologist Stefan Goodwin discusses riddles, fascinations, and challenges of religion in his life and work.

Kathleen Wilsbach and Emil Volcheck report on the 2015 American Humanist Association (AHA) Annual Conference held in Denver, Colorado, May 7–10.

BES member Mav Vaughan is a co-coordinator of Turning Circle, an Earth-based spirituality group that meets in Columbia, MD.

BES member Uta Allers met Mr. Saleem while volunteering at Second Chance. She was inspired by his life story.

BES members Karen Elliott, Stephen Meskin, Emil Volcheck, and Kathleen Wilsbach will report on the 100th Assembly of the American Ethical Union that took place June 25-28.

BES member Dr. Joe Adams will speak about the health benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet vs. the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet).

BES member Laura Griffin will introduce Ms. Jessica Katzenstein, who will speak about her research into the militarization of the police.

The Humanist Service Corps (HSC) is a project of the Foundation Beyond Belief. Conor Robinson launched the HSC in 2014.

What is anarchism? Is it chaos? Is it disorder and rebellion? Is it violence and darkness?

Brian England will tell the story of how he joined the coalition “Business For a Fair Minimum Wage” to lobby for increasing the minimum wage at the national level.

BES member Tevis Tsai will offer an introduction to some of the common challenges faced by Asian Americans, ranging from their historical roots to their modern manifestations.

At BES we don’t say that “cleanliness is next to godliness” but it sure is nice to see the building sparkle at the start of each season!

Thomas Higdon and the Ethical Action Committee will present a progress report on implementing action plans from the May 3rd event “From Talk To Action” with Diamonte Brown.

Thomas Higdon is a group facilitator for SMART Recovery, an evidence-based peer support group for people struggling with addictive behavior.

How has Ethical Humanism evolved to respond to our current crisis while maintaining our commitments to honor the worth of each person, grow ethical relationships, and build justice?

Join us for a fun evening of food, drink, and games!

Jaime DeMarco examines the current climate movement, addressing how we talk about climate change as well as how we can move past scientists and polar bears and begin speaking from a place of deep personal experience.

In this workshop on “racism and other isms,” explorations of the concept of race and other differences that divide will take place as workshop leader J. C. Faulk guides participants in working towards a more equitable and just society.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores what it will take to bring lasting peace to the planet.

This is a video of a platform address delivered to the Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago on May 3, 2015.

Ethical Humanism proclaims the importance of “deed before creed.” But how do you figure out WHAT deed to do?

Can crimes like domestic violence, human sex trafficking and sexual assault be opportunities to send a message of compassion and love to someone who is suffering?

Globalization, poverty, war, and climate change has accelerated the migration of people all over the globe.

Ms. Melissa Rock will talk about how Advocates for Children and Youth improves outcomes for Maryland’s foster youth through policy advocacy.

Is there a connection between the erosion of civility and unethical behavior? What, if anything, does South Park, talk radio, and on-line bullying say about the state of ethics in America?

Come view and discuss a video on “Exploring White Privilege” on November 8th at 4:00 p.m.

Celebrate the brisk days of autumn, at our Fall Festival. Let us gather together to feast, and delight in the bounty and beauty of autumn.

Karen Story will tell us about her work within Dorsey Run Correctional and MCI-W.

Do Ex-Offenders really get a second chance? Are we aware of the collateral consequences of incarceration?

Speakers who have personally experienced homelessness will share their stories of that experience and talk about ways that the general public can get involved in ending this injustice.

Professor Zabel will be speaking about the work of the Institute for Innovation and Implementation (the Institute) of the University of Maryland.

Frank Jannuzi will briefly share personal experiences attempting to integrate human rights concerns into U.S. foreign policy in two challenging countries: China and North Korea.

Join us at the annual Baltimore HumanLight gathering at First Unitarian hosted by the Baltimore Coalition of Reason on December 23!

On the 10th anniversary of the “Intelligent Design” court case Kitzmiller v. Dover School District, humanists appropriately celebrate the liberation of science education from religion.

In 2019, three years from now, we will mark the 400th anniversary of the first time Africans were brought to this continent against their will.

The goal of this conversation is to develop action items to reduce the use of solitary confinement in Maryland and mitigate it’s negative consequences.

Strategies that have been proven to reduce food insecurity will be reviewed, including specific steps that BES can take to reduce food insecurity in our community.

The UMB CURE Scholars Program is a groundbreaking program that prepares sixth- to 12th-grade students in Baltimore for competitive, lucrative, and rewarding research and health care careers at UMB and other health institutions in the region.

Mr. Todd Oppenheim, Public Defender, will lead a discussion on the many problems with the justice system along with possible solutions.

Celebrate the Theory of Evolution on the birthday of Charles Darwin! Join the Baltimore Coalition of Reason for a potluck dinner and to hear a talk by Fred Edwords!

Rebecca Hensler created Grief Beyond Belief, an online community in which grieving non-believers gather to share their memories, experiences and emotions.

An interactive grief support workshop for those who are grieving without myths or mysticism and for anyone who loves someone who is grieving.

While millions of people living near landfills and dumps scavenge anything of value from the trash we discard, Hugh Taft-Morales asks, “Can’t we come up with a better way to live?”

The judge will be talking about the work of the Court of Appeals and the changes in the Court’s jurisprudence, including the changes reflected in the Court as a result of President Obama’s seven successful nominations.

Public health policies at the federal, state and local levels can have a tremendous impact on community and individual health, yet those policies often threaten individual autonomy or property interests.

Join the Frederick Douglass Humanist Society of Baltimore for a screening of “Black Church, Inc.”

Food insecurity exists when a household has insufficient access to enough nutritious food to support an active and healthy life.

This year’s theme is how important it is that we continue to “broadcast” humanism from our home at Radio BES.

Join BES members and others for this enjoyable evening of baking. Moveable Feast provides meals, weekly groceries, and nutritional counseling to homebound people living with HIV/AIDS.

Unlimited campaign money, the corruption of our political system by the donor class, systematic voter suppression, and voter cynicism conspire to challenge what’s left of our Democracy.

With another presidential campaign in high gear, the public is again being tested by the best-paid spin-doctors in the world.

Baltimore’s own Marc Steiner of WEAA and the Center for Emerging Media will be joining us to talk about race, poverty, building our city’s future and to share stories about his work in journalism.

How can we keep the unfamiliar in our lives? What is “wonder” and how can it help inspire us to live more fully?

Due to snow and schedule, Hugh and some others missed the first discussion, so Hugh is offering a second round of discussion of Coates important work.

In trying to change the world, sometimes it helps to take a break and have a good laugh. “The Faucet’s on Fire!” is ninety minutes of Zimmerman’s hilarious, rhyme-intensive original songs.

Dr. Margaret Flowers will connect the dots between a Calvert County gas plant and the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). She is a leader of the resistance movements to both.

In this season of Passover, which honors the ancient liberation from Egyptian slavery, Hugh Taft-Morales explores some of the Jewish and Reform roots of Ethical Culture.

A TED Talk video by Steven Pinker and Rebecca Newberger Goldstein.

The Baltimore Jewish Cultural Chavurah (BJCC) has invited BES to attend their annual Potluck Seder.

A community conversation on action for justice. Issues will include empowerment of youth, opportunities for ex-offenders, and the worth and dignity of individuals (Black Lives Matter).

Join us for a Volunteer Day at Real Food Farm, an innovative urban agricultural enterprise in Clifton Park.

Enjoy readings by authors, talks with illustrators, cultural performances, an interactive storytelling workshop by a griot performer, and craft activities to include bookbinding demonstrations by local book artists.

Lynne Cherry will share her experiences with educating children, tomorrow’s leaders, about the importance of protecting our natural environment.

In her book The Fragility of Goodness, philosopher Martha Nussbaum explores the perils of trying to live ethically. Hugh Taft-Morales searches for answers and more.

As a follow up to the April book discussion of Between the World and Me Hugh Taft-Morales will lead a discussion of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Memorial Day Sunday offers BES members and guests a chance to celebrate people who have died but left us with gifts that enrich our lives.

Come promote fact-driven public policy and separation of church and state all while celebrating freethought with many diverse groups and unique individuals attending the 2016 Reason Rally.

Baltimore City Police officer SSG Derek Tucker will share his experiences in a program facilitated by Uta Allers.

BES member Wayne Laufert will be joined by Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library board member and Vonnegut Baltimore book club founder Jane Wehrle to explore the best-selling author’s views.

Karen Elliott will talk about qi gong and then lead some simple qi gong exercises.

Time banking is a way for people to give and receive services in which their contributions are measured in time, not dollars.

BES member Gordon Stills will relate a story (full of excitement) about the joy and dismay of teaching middle school students about the ethical culture of Charles Dickens and Ebenezer Scrooge.

No experience necessary – all levels of right brain use are welcome.

Today we welcome our friends from the B’More Clubhouse – a nonprofit membership organization which assists adults with mental illness in leading meaningful and productive lives of their choice in the community.

BES members Karen Elliott, Stephen Meskin, Emil Volcheck, and Kathleen Wilsbach will report on the 101st Assembly of the American Ethical Union that took place July 14-17 in St. Louis.

The Real News Network (TRNN) is a non-profit, viewer-supported daily video-news and documentary service.

Esperanto is a language introduced in 1887 by Dr. L.L. Zamenhof after years of development.

BES member Fred Compton will share his views, insights about Humanism; What it’s about and what it means to him.

Gabriel Soudry, M.D., Director, Section of Nuclear Medicine, Medstar Health

Join members of the Baltimore Parenting Beyond Belief Meetup for a family board and card games party at the home of Marjeta Cedilnic in Howard County.

In Sacred and Scared, Charles Shafer assumes a variety of quirky characters who have religious encounters of various sorts, including, a lovely but lonely young lady, a loudmouth know-it-all, and a rabbi/teacher/CEO along with Jesus and God himself.

Join a panel of Society members and friends as they share their experiences with mental health, addiction, and different pathways to recovery.

Felix Adler, the founder of Ethical Culture, chose as his first lieutenant someone quite different from himself. John Lovejoy Elliott did not display the academic precision or vigor of his mentor Adler.

Navigators USA is an inclusive, co-ed, secular, all-ages scouting group.

Organizing has been the cornerstone of human movement and development since the days of Moses.

The Maryland state chapter of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) educates the public and grows the movement toward marijuana legalization in the state of Maryland.

The Sunday Assembly is a global movement for wonder and good. It is an international not-for-profit that helps people start and run their own godless congregations.

Baltimoreans United In Leadership Development – is a broad-based, non-partisan, interfaith, multiracial community power organization rooted in Baltimore’s neighborhoods and congregations.

What are some of the ways we can process the poignant and terrifying realization that each one of us is going to die?

Represent Maryland is a local chapter of the national organization known as Represent.Us.

Come and increase your awareness of the problem of intimate partner violence and learn how you can help women in need.

Possibly the most emotionally charged debate taking place in the U.S. today centers on the rights of citizens to bear arms.

BES comes together in community to share gratitude for all of the things we are fortunate to have in this celebration for all ages.

Hugh Taft-Morales, a cis-gendered heterosexual, explores his own path toward fuller appreciation of the challenges for the transgender community.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is the most successful orphan-elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world.

As a life-long sports fan, Hugh Taft-Morales is challenged to address the many ethical issues that arise around athletics in the United States.

Barbara Mancini will show how dying can be fraught with unanticipated perils for the person and caregivers.

Members and friends are invited to go out together for lunch.

Innovative reform proposals will be a hot topic in the Maryland General Assembly this year.

Margaret Placentra Johnston is the author of the award-winning book Faith Beyond Belief: Stories of Good People Who Left Their Church Behind.

Join us at the annual Baltimore HumanLight gathering at First Unitarian on December 23!

Celebrate New Year’s Day with ethical society friends and family! And start the New Year with your health resolutions intact!

Enjoy the warmth and greenery of the Rawlings Conservatory with ethical society friends and family!

Too often in political discussions and always around January 15, we hear speculation — even predictions — about how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would react to a situation.

Thanks to a new community solar law in Maryland, everybody can go solar.

As President Trump moves into the White House, what will become of our First Amendment rights, in particular freedom of press, speech and assembly?

The world faces critical issues relating to water as the result of human pressures and climate trends.

DNA, formed in the famous double helix, is organized into chromosomes and helps shape the identity of all living things.

Join members for conversation and delicious food at a family owned restaurant in Baltimore.

In her new book Stefanie DeLuca and colleagues reveal some surprising factors associated with resiliency and upward mobility in a large proportion of disadvantaged youth, despite overwhelming odds.

Dr. Lawrence T. Brown will highlight how white supremacist theology helped sanctify and justify America’s racial segregation.

The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) is the nation’s leading organization devoted to addressing LGBTQ issues in America’s K-12 schools.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores the important trait of resilience to survive health challenges, national crises, and ecological threats.

Mahir Zeynalov is the first Turkish journalist to be deported from Turkey, and the first that President Erdogan sought to have imprisoned.

In this reunion with BES friends, Fritz will reflect on his relationship with Kayla, his granddaughter who is serving a four-year sentence as an accomplice to a violent crime.

With our recent shift in political winds, we need progressive humanist broadcasting more than ever! So we’re launching “Pirate Radio BES!” Avast ye, all hands on deck!

There is a reason why the valiant efforts to address racism and improve race relations have been only marginally successful.

As intolerant political ideologues whip up anti-Islam hysteria, one lesson we can all teach the world is that Islam is incredibly diverse.

This month, the Charm City Film Series will be screening Good Ol’ Freda.

Baltimore recycles almost 30% of its trash, a complicated and challenging endeavor. How do we stack up to recycling powerhouses like Portland and Seattle?

The “ReZist” tour is ninety minutes of Roy Zimmerman’s hilarious, rhyme-intensive original songs that will bring laughter and encouragement to progressive-minded people who need a lot of both.

Race is a social construction. But it is also a profoundly powerful, frightening, and omnipresent part of our current public conversation about the future as a nation.

Our rat race culture pits people against each other in a competition to get as much money, materials, and power as possible.

Michael Greenberger is the Founder and Director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security and a professor at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law.

One of the most profound characteristics of the human race is our ability to question. Hugh Taft-Morales will explore this topic by asking more questions than you may want to hear!

Sven Sinclair, a member of the Northern Virginia Ethical Society, is an economist, actuary, former physicist, one-time Jeopardy! champion, halfway-decent chess player, news junkie, and an insatiably curious person.

Memorial Day Sunday offers BES members and guests a chance to celebrate people who have died but left us with gifts that enrich our lives.

Every person has lost or will lose someone close to them. How do our experiences of death influence our worldview, choices, and lives?

Drawing lessons from a continuing personal journey, Hugh Taft-Morales explores some challenges and opportunities in our collective effort to build racial justice.

Max Romano will discuss his experiences exploring the influence of racism in the health outcomes of children through his work as a family physician.

Joanna Brandt’s PowerPoint presentation of her 2013 spiritual pilgrimage to India to attend the Kumba Mela.

Hear from BES member Maya Kosok about some of her experiences in this young and dynamic field as well as how her urban flower growing relates to Ethical Culture.

Mass development of renewable resources has been proposed, almost to the exclusion of traditional fossil fuels and nuclear energy.

One in nine Marylanders struggle with food insecurity, which means they are uncertain where their next meal will come from.

Film and television are centerpieces of American culture, so why don’t the racial demographics of either match the country at large?

Michael Luginbill, a music student at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, recently completed his senior project on community music.

People often associate Western philosophy with a passionless, logical approach to problem solving.

Baltimore park ranger of five years, Mel Tillery will be joined by several live animals native to the Maryland area for a talk about Maryland’s Piedmont ecosystems and the creatures that inhabit them.

Mike Kohut is a cultural anthropologist who has studied creationism in Tennessee.

Come and get a feel for what Ethical Humanist ceremonies are like. After the discussion, Karen Elliott will officiate at a real live wedding ceremony.

BES members Argentine Craig, Karen Elliott, Kirk Mullen, and Emil Volcheck will report on the 102nd Assembly of the American Ethical Union that took place June 8-11 in Baltimore.

Join us for food, fun, and fellowship following the Sunday program at BES, which will end earlier than usual at approximately 11:30 a.m.

How can we better appreciate the beauty and awe nature offers? How can learn from our environment how to act less like masters of nature and more like stewards of earth?

Nate VashtiBlue Couser’s mission is to build a stronger and more diverse arts community in Baltimore City. Ten years ago, Nate created ‘The Artist Exchange’ as a networking tool for his fellow Urban Arts majors at Coppin State Univ.

September is National Recovery Month – a time to discuss the benefits of prevention, treatment, and recovery for substance use disorders.

The presentation will interpret the ethical implications of globalization with a focus on the role of human reason and agency.

Are you interested in getting together for a casual lunch with Ethical Culture Leader Hugh Taft-Morales?

Referencing films such as Her, Marjorie Prime, and Bladerunner, Hugh Taft-Morales explores how computer apps, holograms, and robots challenge our concept of social relationships.

Interested in knowing more about our unique alternative to religion? Come for a presentation and discussion of the history and philosophy of Ethical Culture.

Dr. Javad Mohsenian, an immigrant, author and psychiatrist will explore the process of immigrant adoption, adjustment, and contribution to American society, cultural and religious conflicts.

Walkers can pick between two paths; the smoother paved way, or the more rugged uphill trek.

Can we find a way to protect ourselves while deescalating our own “fight or flight” reactions?

All children, parents, grandparents, BES members/friends are invited to attend a SPOOK-tacular Halloween Pot Luck Dinner and Party.

Monica Yorkman will be sharing ways in which colonialism, white supremacy, misogyny, trans-misogyny, and other forms of unethical behaviors impact and inform unhealthy self-views of transgender women of color.

BES comes together in community to share gratitude for all of the things we are fortunate to have in this celebration for all ages.

CANCELLED TODAY!

Join us every other week on Sundays at 2:00 p.m. in the BES Library to discuss great ethical texts from the history of philosophy!

From ancient Aristotle to contemporary self-help books, many have argued that the goal of life is happiness.

Trevor Vaughan will talk about basic computer security issues. From the reality of having your information out on the web, to home computer safety, and to kids and the internet.

Join us every other week on Sundays at 2:00 p.m. in the BES Library to discuss great ethical texts from the history of philosophy!

Building peace is not only an act of compassion. To be sustainable, peace building must also be guided by equanimity and thoughtfulness.

Jean Hargadon Wehner will talk about the way she has used her own fear as the springboard for coping with the memories of the horrific abuse she suffered 45 years ago.

What children’s stories helped shape your life, your sense of self, and your conception of right and wrong?

Hugh hosts and teaches how to play “Fictionary,” his favorite parlor game, at BES!

We claim universality in our faith community. We talk about the worth and dignity of every person. It doesn’t matter whether one is black or white, gay or straight. That’s true but it’s also not true.

Please join us to celebrate HumanLight with the Baltimore Coalition of Reason on Saturday, December 23.

This event is meant to be an expression of free flow of the inner experience a member brings or develops as a result of listening to others.

There is a growing realization about the importance of instilling a sense of wonder, awe, and appreciation for the natural world, and the ethical values of human beings in childhood, for children’s long-term intellectual curiosity, emotional resiliency, and academic success.

In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s lifelong legacy, journey with us as we explore the subtle erased history of Bayard Rustin and Walter Neagle.

Hugh Taft-Morales attempts to unearth some reason for optimism about the future of ethical politics in the United States.

Yuval Noah Harari, in his book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind proposes that three revolutions – cognitive, agricultural, and scientific – have shaped what we have become as a species.

The Baltimore Ethical Society will be hosting a reception on Saturday, February 3, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. to support the work of BES member and artist Kimberly Sheridan who paints portraits of Baltimore gun violence victims.

In this discussion, we will explore why holistic well-being for human beings is such a critical issue for our times.

Join BES members and friends to explore Freedom: Emancipation Quilted & Stitched, an exhibition of documentary-style story quilts that celebrate the contributions, lives, and legacies of people of color in Maryland.

Nicole Hanson is the Executive Director of Out For Justice. She will discuss her organization’s priorities in the 2018 Maryland legislative session.

Celebrate the birthday of Charles Darwin with the Baltimore Coalition of Reason!

Join BES members and friends as we explore and enjoy our first visit to Wakanda.

The recent surge by the #MeToo movement focuses on abuse in the workplace and on a power structure that allows unethical behavior to go both unpunished and even unchallenged.

It’s a sad fact that the #MeToo movement surprised men more than women. Sexual harassment and assault have scarred the lives of most women in one way or another.

If there’s any event you should attend as a member of the Baltimore Ethical Society, it is this one: the 2018 BES Pledge Luncheon!

This presentation will share a brief introduction to Housing our Neighbors history and biography and talk about some of the work they have done and what they are currently doing.

Come join us for witty conversation! (Wittiness not guaranteed.) Carnivore, Vegetarian and Vegan friendly.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores the challenge of balancing diverse perspectives and group cohesion within Ethical Culture.

Join Hugh Taft-Morales for a book discussion of Creating Change through Humanism by Roy Speckhardt, Executive Director of the American Humanist Association.

How Evolution and Development Shape Personality and Life Choices

Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia of Non-Terminal Psychiatric Patients

Shaw’s play throws down a gauntlet, challenging trite conceptions of human relations, as well as our sense of self and growth.

Let’s hope for moderate spring weather and hit the Cascade Falls (easy–moderate) Trail.

Ethical Culture was greatly shaped by rationalism, and today Ethical Societies are part of a humanist movement dedicated to reason and skeptical of blind passion and magical thinking.

How does the loss of a sense of community put our nation and our world in danger?

The League of Women Voters of Baltimore City is a nonpartisan political organization which encourages informed and active participation in government.

Come enjoy a 60 minute reservation and grab a cup of coffee in the company of cats at Charm Kitty Cafe!

Participants will be guided in creating an interactive song with hand held percussion instruments.

All members are encouraged to stay after the platform address for our Annual Membership Meeting. We hope you can join us!

Marnie Halpern, Ph.D., will review some of the scientific literature on lateralization of brain functions across the animal kingdom

Challenging Perspectives, Perceptions and Beliefs Through Character Dramatizations

The trail is flat and paved, an easy 4 miles. We can go that far, or simply turn back whenever we care to, the trail goes much further.

How should we relate to our planet? Ethical Culture, and humanism in general, has been criticized for being too humano-centric.

The Baltimore Ethical Society is moving to our new home at the Village Learning Place (VLP).

Please join us at the exhibit Sacred Spring: Vienna Secession Posters from the Collection of LeRoy E. Hoffberger and Paula Gately Tillman Hoffberger.

This month we will be discussing How Democracies Die, by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt.

On Remembrance Sunday we gather to remember those who have died in the last year or before, and whose lives and work have made a positive impact.

Join us for food, fun, and fellowship following the regular Sunday program.

A discussion of the BES budget. Our sources of revenue and what we spend it on. The annual “Tax Letter” to members from the Treasurer and other information that members may request from the Treasurer.

Max Romano and Maya Kosok will share stories from their 2010 tandem cross-country bike adventure.

Psychological essentialism is a well-documented cognitive tendency or mental shortcut that underlies racism, sexism, and political tribalism.

Bonnie “Raven” Lane will present an interactive presentation on homelessness.

At every Ignite Baltimore, 16 artists, technologists, thinkers and personalities get 5 minutes and 20 slides to spark new conversations and collaborations across cultures and disciplines.

BES members will report on this year’s AEU Assembly in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The theme this year was Seeds for the Future: Environmental Justice and Ethical Culture.

The teaching, the experience, and what cognitive science is learning about the practice.

BES member Stuart Hirsch will explain what he perceives the role and limits of government power as envisioned by the constitution and federalist papers.

Mary Beth Sodus RD/LD, will share her experiences working with people living with HIV in West Baltimore, white privilege, and what she has learned in her first year of patient care as a Registered Dietitian.

Artist Therese Spadaro and poet Karen Elliott team up to get you playing in 3 dimensions.  

The most common misconception about yoga is that it puts the body in strange positions for the purpose of developing flexibility.

A year ago, we started our improvisational theater group on a drop-in basis, open to people having any level of improv experience.

This is meant to be an expression of free flow of the inner experience of what a member brings or develops as a result of listening self and others.

In this talk, Tevis Tsai, BES Vice President, will discuss the two-thousand year history of the game, the humans that play it, and the computer that usurped a world champion.

Highlights of the history of Ethical Culture from its founding in 1876 by Felix Adler up to the present time will be discussed with particular attention to our relationships with similar movements, such as Humanism.

Public Health United fosters new partnerships between scientists and the public that they are trying to reach to co-create excellent, evidence-based science communication.

Join Gayle Danley for an electrifying 40-minute performance featuring her original poetry expressing and sharing her experience with grief and loss.

Master Teaching Poet Gayle Danley will lead participants through her fun, simple, four-step process for writing and sharing performance poetry.

The talk will look at political activists from the 1960s to today who have started businesses as vehicles for advancing their movements and disseminating their messages.

In these days of discord, is there still room for civility in social interactions? Come for an informal discussion of P. M. Forni’s work.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores how we can promote our values, grow our movement, and protect individual dignity and autonomy.

Come enjoy a “casual and social slide show” of Hugh Taft-Morales’s first trip to Africa – a safari in Tanzania.

Meet up with fellow BES members and friends to explore the Edgar Allen Poe Festival.

We will watch the opening section of the 2003 documentary “The Fog of War” and then discuss it both as filmmaking and in terms of its political content.

Did you know you have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change how Baltimore City schools are supported and funded?

Roy Zimmerman is bringing his funny songs about Peace and Justice to Baltimore. On this RiZe Up tour, Roy will bring laughter and encouragement to progressive-minded people who need a lot of both.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores “civility” and the ways Ethical Humanists can best embrace it as a virtue.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. This is an opportunity to understand and expose intimate partner violence.

Come hear Hugh Taft-Morales critique the self-destructive nature of selfishness.

For those unable to attend September’s session, Hugh Taft-Morales will host another book discussion of Choosing Civility, P. M. Forni.

Neal McFarland will share some of the fascinating history about Baltimore in the Civil War.

Together we’ll enjoy some old traditions and maybe we can start some new ones, too!

Hugh is hosting a book discussion of Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger, by Rebecca Traister.

BES members and friends will meet inside the Pow-Wow at the Maryland State Fairgrounds at 3:30 for the 4:00 p.m. Grand Entry.

Ethical Culture Leader Michael Franch will join us to discuss his belief that we do change the world when our lives exhibit our faith and hope.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores the question: How do we escape from self-criticism on the one hand and indifference on the other? and more.

In the rough and tumble world of state politics, it can be difficult to keep your moral compass straight and true. Senator-Elect Mary Washington will share her legislative agenda for Maryland and how she applies her ethical values in Annapolis.

What is this thing we call conscience? Although it is clearly aroused when we witness injustice, can we nurture it so that it more consistently and smoothly guides our behavior?

As part of Hugh’s 2018–2019 focus on personal growth, he is offering a “Personal Ethical Evolution Workshop” on Sunday, December 9th at 3:00 p.m.

This interactive discussion will cover the racist history and harms of the war on drugs, ethical arguments in both upholding and fighting this “war,” and strategies to reduce some of the harms.

Please join us to celebrate HumanLight with the Baltimore Coalition of Reason on Sunday, December 23, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at First Unitarian!

Reflecting on Rebecca Traister’s new book, Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger, Hugh Taft-Morales explores the history of anger and how it is manifesting in women, men, and himself.

The lessons of J20 come together at the intersection of the First Amendment, anti-fascism, and the American criminal code.

The Encampment for Citizenship, founded in 1946 by Ethical Culture Leader Algernon D. Black and Alice (“Nanny”) Pollitzer, a prominent civic leader, offered an opportunity for “young adults of many religious, racial, social and national backgrounds” to learn “the principles and techniques of citizenship… through lived experience.”

To mark the 400th year since Africans were brought against their will to the British Colonies, Hugh Taft-Morales will host a book discussion of Before the Mayflower: A History of Black America by Lerone Bennett Jr.

Dr. Whitehead will discuss how the arc that Dr. King and Theodore Parker talked about is still bending and moving slowly toward justice.

Join BES and march in Baltimore’s MLK Parade!

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and February’s Black History Month, Hugh Taft-Morales will explore the weight of history.

Our leader Hugh is co-hosting with member Ann Litke at her home a book discussion of Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger, by Rebecca Traister

Frederick Douglass is known as an abolitionist, advocate of racial equality and feminist supporter. However, his life is a statement about the practice of ethics as a vocation, avocation and provocation.

Discussions about the food we eat can be intense and divisive. Hugh Taft-Morales shares his unfinished personal journey into this ethical thicket.

Celebrate the birthday of Charles Darwin with the Baltimore Coalition of Reason!

Join us for this two-part talk: “A Time When I Stood Up” with celeste doaks and “A Guest in the Conversation” with Dr. Karl Henzy.

Hugh Taft-Morales honors Black History Month by exploring how Frederick Douglass can teach humanists principles and habits to enrich our lives today and contribute to a better world.

If there’s any event you should attend as a member of the Baltimore Ethical Society, it is this one: the 2018 BES Pledge Luncheon!

Pat Shannon Jones will share some stories and some hard facts about migration, resettlement, and hope in Baltimore today.

What is it to “own” something? Is it just to have exclusive access to, or control over, a resource? How did the concept of “ownership” arise?

In this talk, we will present key insights into how health equity has to be the center of any change process for communities.

Join Hugh Taft-Morales at the Impact Hub (10 East North Ave.) for a presentation and discussion of “Ethics, Money, and Private Property.”

Climate change and associated global warming and sea level rise are now on the near term horizon.

Fifty years ago to the day, Kurt Vonnegut’s best-known, most critically acclaimed novel was published.

There is power coiled within poetry. Some of it is quite accessible, some falls into the hard-nut-to-crack category, and some unspools with a minimum of effort.

For many people, sexual identity and expression are an important part of life.  Shouldn’t Ethical Humanism support these people as sources of energy, joy, and pride!

Hugh Taft-Morales hosts a discussion of Chapters 1 and 2 of American Dialogue: The Founders and Us, by Joseph J. Ellis (2018). 

The Charm City Land Trusts is a resident-led organization designed to hold land together and cultivate a neighborhood vision that promotes the values, prioritizes the needs, and creates a path for community ownership of its residents.

Many find solitude a source of inspiration, creativity, and renewal. How can we better appreciate the place of solitude in our lives?

All members are encouraged to stay after the platform address for our Annual Membership Meeting. We hope you can join us!

This presentation is about beautiful native plants and their environmental benefits. Participants will learn how to select the right plant for the right place and how to avoid invasive species.

So much of our lives are lived in distraction. We are constantly reacting to the world around us. We get sucked into regrets of the past or anxiety about the future.

Baltimore’s trash incinerator(s) have for many years been the paramount polluter of our air. Ownership has changed but the incineration industry has not; it profits at the expense of residents it claims to serve.

Roy Zimmerman is bringing his funny songs about Peace and Justice to Baltimore. On this RiZe Up tour, Roy will bring laughter and encouragement to progressive-minded people who need a lot of both.

Memorial Day Sunday offers BES members and guests a chance to remember those who have died and celebrate the gifts they gave us.

Autonomous vehicles are coming and will reshape America in the same way the adoption of manual vehicles did.

The American Humanist Association annual conference will be live-streamed.

An exhibition focusing on what might be humanity’s most essential performance art — the transformative and complex art of parenting.

This past year, Natanya Robinowitz received a Fulbright Fellowship.  She promptly moved her family to Catalonia, Spain to study the public health system for people who use drugs.

Why does the US have such a convoluted and costly health insurance system? What does single payer healthcare really mean?

Please join us for our first family Sunday Funday immediately following platform. Grillables and children’s activities included. All are welcome!

BES Members who attended the Annual AEU Assembly will present their experience of the conferenceans share what other members and societies are doing to Reclaim Democracy.

An examination of some of the ethical dimensions of our capitalist economy.

CANCELED – We apologize for any inconvenience, but this month’s 2nd Sunday Family Meetup has been canceled.

This lecture proposes we distance ourselves from focusing on the “goods” and the “bads” associated with weight related issues.

With the advent of the Internet, your photographic likeness can spread all over the world in an instant. Who owns the rights to your likeness?

Each year the Director of National Intelligence presents to Congress the Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community.

Combine your problem solving skills with length, width, and height in a limited amount of time (bringing a fourth dimension into it – wow!).

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a program formulated at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center to assist individuals in exploring their own inner resources for self-care to manage stress and pain in their lives.

It’s time to have some fun! Learn “The Secrets of Improv” and, if you want, join the members of the Ethical Dilemma improv troupe as we “Make Sense Out of Nonsense.”

Ethical Culture founder, Felix Adler, was not a humanist and he prevented Ethical Culture from identifying with the Humanists while he was alive. 

Join us for food, fun, and fellowship following the Sunday program at BES, which will end earlier than usual at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Baltimore’s trash incinerator(s) have for many years been the paramount polluter of our air. Ownership has changed but the incineration industry has not; it profits at the expense of residents it claims to serve.

Intolerance is growing. Our political world is a mess. We are poisoning our biosphere. At times like this, it is easy to forget gratitude.

We are looking forward to starting this year! It is sure to be full of strengthening connections, going on fun adventures, and challenging yourself!

Evocative art (and perhaps especially poetry) often pushes us to ask uncomfortable questions about ways we have framed our understandings about ourselves and our world.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores the intersection between racism, peace, and climate justice. He will share some of the insights garnered by the NAACP in their Environmental and Climate Justice Program begun 10 years ago.

Join Hugh Taft-Morales at the Impact Hub (10 East North Ave.) for a presentation and discussion of “Humanist Spirituality.”

Together we’ll enjoy some old traditions and maybe we can start some new ones, too!

What are the ethical uses of humor?  Humor is fun. It can provide important cathartic release of tension and bond groups together. Humor can help us keep our perspective. But humor can also mock and degrade others.

The Encampment for Citizenship, founded in 1946 by Ethical Culture Leader Algernon D. Black and Alice (“Nanny”) Pollitzer, a prominent civic leader, offered an opportunity for “young adults of many religious, racial, social and national backgrounds” to learn “the principles and techniques of citizenship… through lived experience.”

We will not be hosting a regular platform. Instead, the Village Learning Place is hosting the annual Charles Village Brunch this week and all are invited to attend.

Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS) is a grassroots think-tank which advances the public policy interest of Black people, in Baltimore, through: youth leadership development, political advocacy, and autonomous intellectual innovation.

What are we talking about when we speak of “good” and “evil”? The dynamic struggle between good and evil has been examined through art, literature, and philosophy for millenniums, but there’s no consensus about the meaning of the terms.

What did the Founders intend when they created a new government in 1787? There is much to comment on but the the talk will focus mainly on the current issues that relate to the original Constitution such as impeachments, emoluments, and the role of the President.

How urgent are the crises we face? How radical should our responses be? What do different answers to these questions do to the cohesion of communities? How should we react to extremism expressed by those who feel their very survival is threatened?

How urgent are the crises we face? How radical should our responses be? What do different answers to these questions do to the cohesion of communities? How should we react to extremism expressed by those who feel their very survival is threatened?

When you serve other people in need, one of the best gifts is to appreciate their story. Whether at a shelter, a youth program, or a street corner, it’s so important to listen to others with caring attention.

Dr. Eric Katkow will share anecdotes about his experience as a member of the Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners. Learn about the consequences dentists have faced when poor ethical decision-making occurred.

For all of recorded history, human beings have marked this time of the year – sometimes by calling on gods to bring back the sun that nourishes life, and other times by gathering together to stoke our communal hearth.

Join Hugh Taft-Morales for a discussion of Chapters 13-16 and the Epilogue of These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lapore. This final section covers selected historical themes between 1946-2016.

Please join us to celebrate HumanLight with the Baltimore Coalition of Reason on Monday, December 23, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at First Unitarian!

As the year draws to a close, we celebrate with a hearty breakfast and time to connect. Pancakes are on flap, with a variety of expert chefs turning out to turn things over. The Pancake Breakfast is free and open to all.

Four panelists will address questions such as: What are the best decisions I made in my life? and What one choice would I change, if I could do it over again?

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., Hugh Taft-Morales explores “somebodyness” – a term that King used to ground his dedication to advancing civil and human rights. How is this concept similar to, and different from, other approaches to individual human beings?

Come join Hugh Taft-Morales as he hosts the first of his “On Good Behavior.” Free and open to the public.  Please register with Eventbright and share the link with your friends!

Christian Hayden, member of the Philadelphia Ethical Society, took a humanist pilgrimage to Ghana 2015 – 2016 where, while serving, he engaged with ideas on what it meant to be humanist and black.

The Baltimore Ethical Society does not endorse any political candidate or political party. Analyzing the transformation of the Repubican Party over the last seventy years, however, seems fair game! Leader Hugh Taft-Morales explores the values and policies of the Republican Party regarding how the state can best serve its citizens.

Twenty-five years ago I stood on a sidewalk in Baltimore and decided to take my life. I set a date and told no-one, until a chance conversation with a friend saved me and set me on a path to a joyful and grateful life.

In honor of Black History Month, Hugh Taft-Morales explores both a cruel and unjust criminal justice system that hits particularly hard on people of color and the efforts of one person to right the scales of justice.

Celebrate the birthday of Charles Darwin with the Baltimore Coalition of Reason! 

We will begin the process of community change by listening to create opportunities for transformational real outcomes.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores the prioritizing of action over metaphysics that makes Ethical Humanism a lived philosophy.

A Vision for Our Future – 2020! If there’s any event you should attend as a member of the Baltimore Ethical Society, it is this one: the 2020 BES Pledge Luncheon!

It is hard to care about government ethics these days. There’s too much. Which news stories should we care about and which ones are simply designed to get us all riled up?

Most humanists reject the concept of “sin” as it relates to divine judgment. Many liberal religions embrace the idea that human nature, as flawed as it is, is basically good.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, BES will not hold platform on Sunday, March 15th nor Sunday, March 22nd. 

We are a drop in group and welcome anyone at any level or with any amount of experience.

SMART Recovery (Self-Management And Recovery Training) is a free peer-support group for individuals who have chosen to abstain, or are considering abstinence from any type of addictive behaviors (substances or activities).

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, BES will not hold platform on Sunday, March 15th nor Sunday, March 22nd.

SMART Recovery (Self-Management And Recovery Training) is a free peer-support group for individuals who have chosen to abstain, or are considering abstinence from any type of addictive behaviors (substances or activities).

Alan C. Reese will speak on the project and the manuscript, A Symphony for Stone Flutes, and read selected entries.

Presented via Zoom: Society members will automatically receive login details via email. Friends of the society are welcome to request access by emailing president@bmorethical.org.

Join us in the library as we play a variety of unusual pen and paper roleplaying games.

What is more important is the impact your actions have on others and what you do about it. Through examples and musings, Randy will elaborate on this idea.

As the whirlwind of current events threaten to tear apart our foundation, let us remember some lessons taught by someone Barack Obama eulogized as “a man of pure joy and unbreakable perseverance.”

This is a time of a turning of the year. Rosh Hashanah or the New Year in the Jewish calendar. Fall Equinox. A mid-harvest festival time. Mabon in Celtic and pagan cultures.

Michael Moore has a well-earned reputation for rocking the boat – for challenging the NRA, the healthcare industry, General Motors, and capitalism in general.

Few books so effectively combine the mundane and the profound as does Atul Gawande’s Being Mortal. It bemoans the fact that technological society has lost touch with “the art of dying.”

Though police reform has been in the spotlight recently, the need for restructuring law enforcement has been an ongoing issue for many years. 

Music, Literature, Mathematics. I believe that it is the same muse that informs them all. The focus of this talk is on the aesthetic value of mathematics and the fact that too many of us “miss the boat.”

Film has the ability to bring people together and to drive them apart. Ken Burn’s The Civil War portrayed the conflict in a way that highlighted our shared identity as Americans.

For many Ethical Humanists, the collective effort to assure that our system of government honors the worth of every person is as close we get to a “sacred” quest. In this context, the term holds only secular meaning indicating veneration of the democratic process.

Baltimore Ethical Society members are invited to join Hugh for a virtual coffee discussion as we gather for mutual support in the wake of election day. 

This interactive talk will focus on the work of the Baltimore Community Mediation Center and the various ways the Center addresses many types of conflict.

Join Hugh and members of Ethical Societies in Baltimore and Philadelphia as we process where we are regarding election results one week after election day.

You’ve likely heard the calls for defunding the police, during this summer’s demonstrations against police killings.  You may agree and wonder how we could get there, or you may think that defunding goes too far, or you may just wonder what it means.

Join Hugh Taft-Morales and members of the Philly and Baltimore Ethical Societies as we discuss Alex Vitale’s “Defund the Police.”

Unconscious bias (otherwise known as implicit bias) can be defined as prejudices or stereotypes that most people hold, even though they are outside of conscious awareness.

The Victorian Felix Adler was not a big fan of therapeutic exploration of the psyche; he resisted what he considered a narcissistic invasion of the private world. Today, however, counseling is an important part of Ethical Culture.

What is environmental racism? Why DO the most polluting industries tend to end up in certain parts of town? Isn’t it just about class? Learn about the realities of environmental racism.

This talk is a confession, a commitment, and an exploration. Hugh Taft-Morales confesses that his reading habits have fallen prey to centuries of systemic neglect of women writers.

Lea draws on the article, “The Case for Reparations” by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Coates argues that America’s prosperity is tied to its history of slavery and racism.

Join us on Wednesday, December 23rd, to celebrate HumanLight, the Humanist celebration of the Winter holiday season!

What lessons did 2020 teach you? What resolutions do you have for the new year?  How can we bring out the best from a dumpster fire of a year full of struggle and anxieties?

We come together virtually to celebrate the season, enjoy a new take on a few old BES traditions, and look forward to the new year.

How does the indigenous perspective and history inform how we think about environmental ethics and environmental justice?

This talk will be a brief summary of the 1619 Project and a more in-depth analysis of the project’s place in our contemporary society.

Join Hugh and members of the Baltimore and Philadelphia Ethical Society for a Zoom Inauguration Watch Party.

Hugh Taft-Morales remembers how conscious he was of racial identity the first time he was in a multiracial group singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” nick-named “The Black National Anthem.”

Join Hugh Taft-Morales for the first of his twelve 2021 book discussions of books by women writers. In January, Hugh will lead a dialogue about The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison.

How can freethinkers help restore democracy?

This will be a joint Philly-Baltimore discussion about The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison.

Many people believe being a citizen means paying your taxes, obeying the laws, and casting a ballot every four years. But is that all we really ought to do, transact with America like a consumer?

Almost a year into our pandemic crisis, millions of Americans have responded by working harder than ever and putting themselves in harm’s way.

Hugh Taft-Morales and members of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Ethical Societies will discuss this important new book.

An Environmental Engineer’s Reflections on Climate Change, Sustainability, and Leadership

As part of Hugh’s year-long “Women of Fiction Book Discussion,” our second installment focuses on Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott.

The pandemic has done a lot to affect our perception of time, but not all people experience the warping the same way – for some time has moved slowly, for others quickly, and for many they feel both ways!

As part of Hugh’s year-long “Women of Fiction Book Discussion,” our second installment focuses on Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott.

Biologist, author, and cancer survivor, Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D. writes about climate change, ecology, and the links between human health and the environment.

Join BES members and friends of Anneke to remember and celebrate her life.

In honor of Women’s History Month, explore the life of freethinker and feminist Helen Hamilton Gardner.

Non-fiction Book Discussion on the second half of Caste, by Isbel Wilkerson.

Historic East Towson, an African-American community unique to Baltimore County and the nation, is a thriving, tight-knit enclave adjacent to Towson’s urban core.

Defining Public Ethics After the January 6th Insurrection – A special All Society platform featuring Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD)

BES members discuss Their Eyes Were Watching God, Sunday, March 28, 4:00PM.

Join poet and teaching artist Linda Joy Burke to read, listen to and discuss poetry.

This Easter, come celebrate the arrival of spring in humanist style with poetry, music, and communal gathering on Zoom!

Members of Sunrise Movement Baltimore will introduce you to Sunrise Movement.

Join Hugh for another installment of fiction by women authors when he explores Virginia Woolf’s 1925 classic, Mrs. Dalloway.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores why so few people feel comfortable even discussing their personal wealth.

In this interactive platform, we will be guided through an exploratory journey of shared dreams.

We all like to be right, but should we get more comfortable being wrong?

Hear from the teens of Youth of Ethical Societies (YES) about this year’s Conference.

“Any future vision which can encompass all of us, by definition, must be complex and expanding, not easy to achieve.”

Join Hugh for another installment of fiction by women authors when he explores Isabel Allende’s first novel, The House of the Spirits.

In this program we will come together to share our memories of people who we cared about or who influenced us who died over the last year or before.

Join Hugh for another installment of fiction by women authors when he explores Isabel Allende’s first novel, The House of the Spirits.

Attend a Zoom event hosted by the Interfaith Institute of Long Island (IFI) on “Judging Another as Good or Bad.”

Despite evidence to the contrary, many continually refer to the climate crisis as a distant threat…In fact, the climate crisis is already upon us.

What is the constitutional basis for the second amendment and what is meant by it? How did the Federalist Papers envision guns in the hands of the people?

Hugh Taft-Morales will share his comments about, and solicit member reflections on Octavia Butler’s book.

As a follow up to the platform presentation of June 27, Hugh will host a summer book discussion in his series of fiction books by women authors.

This talk will discuss the history of ESG investing, current trends and policies within ESG funds, and how to invest in ESG funds.

Addressing the problem of fast fashion through the lens of theatrical costuming. We all get dressed every morning. How can we do it more ethically and mindfully?

BES members will share how they have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic through the LetsBMore time bank, mutual aid, and other projects.

Earth Stories, a Colloquy project launched by the BES Green Team, presentsThe BES Climate ‘StoryCorps’.

The 106th Assembly of the American Ethical Union has addressed “the whole truth about America” where history has been triumphant for some and traumatic for others.

I spent 17 days intubated, how my life changed then, and going forward.

April may be National Poetry Month in the U.S., World Poetry Day is March 21st, and Poetry Day in the UK is in October but we can enjoy poetry any time we want.

I’ve been on an intentional journey of learning how to dismantle white supremacy within my own life for several years.

Join Jé Exodus Hooper as we discuss life’s graduation and a path that leads into a site of memory.

Joe Biden won the 2020 election fair and square, but the outrageous lie that the election was rigged fueled the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

Come gather for informal lunch conversations with Leader Hugh Taft-Morales at a place to be determined.

Privacy is gravely endangered in the digital age – and we, the spied upon, collude in the effort.

Ever since the Department of War was created in 1789, the United States followed an all-too typical strategy: prepare for war to keep the peace.

For those wanting to know more about the history and philosophy of Ethical Culture, join Hugh Taft-Morales for six Sunday meetings when we discuss Ed Ericson’s, The Humanist Way.

Come gather for informal lunch conversations with Leader Hugh Taft-Morales at a place to be determined.

Too soon? Not what you’d pick after a year and a half dealing with a pandemic? Well, Hugh Taft-Morales was nevertheless lured into reading Years of Wonder: A Novel of the Plague.

Colloquy inspires participants to raise awareness of their own views, emotions and values.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores the virtue of courage and the reality of vulnerability, and how they can help us lead a more ethical life.

The concept of “balance” in the traditional sense has ceased to be useful when it serves to obscure present dangers.

As children once again prepare to trick or treat, Hugh Taft-Morales explores some of the history and culture surrounding some scary superstitions.

Hugh Taft-Morales continues his group exploration of The Humanist Way, by Ethical Culture Leader Ed Ericson.

Join Hugh Taft-Morales and members of BES for a discussion of his October fiction book by a woman author: Barbara Chase-Riboud’s Hottentot Venus.

My presentation reflects my perspectives as a public health researcher, and personal identity as a Black woman who works and lives in the proposed JHPD catchment.

If you missed the October discussion, Join Hugh Taft-Morales’ November discussion of this fiction book by a woman author: Barbara Chase-Riboud’s Hottentot Venus.

Join with members of other Ethical Societies in a small group discussion of When They Call You a Terrorist.

Hugh Taft-Morales explores the civic omnipresence of prayer and suggests ways to deal with it with integrity.

Join Hugh Taft-Morales as we continue this fall’s series of “On Good Behavior.”

November’s discussion of a fiction book by a woman is a short PEN/Faulkner award-winning work by Julie Otsuka, The Buddha in the Attic.

Hugh Taft-Morales hosts a celebration of gratitude. Join him on Zoom for some mindfulness, music, readings and reflections of gratitude!

Join Margaret Downey and Hugh Taft-Morales for their annual Tree of Knowledge program.

Come hear what Hugh learned from immersing himself in the works of woman novelists.

Hugh Taft-Morales continues his group exploration of The Humanist Way, by Ethical Culture Leader Ed Ericson.

Are there ethical ways to win and lose?  Do adults engaged in high stake contests maintain the “good sport” habits we’re taught growing up?

Join us on Saturday, December 18, to celebrate HumanLight, the Humanist celebration of the Winter holiday season!

Join Hugh Taft-Morales and Philadelphia Ethical Society member Leigh Buchanan for another end-of-the-year “weird news” quiz and other fun.

My performance will include poetry, quotes from my recent letter to the press on the occasion of Barbados’ assumption of republican status, and more.

Join Hugh in discussing this winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor.

How can the divisiveness tearing at the fabric of our communities, especially surrounding issues of racism and oppression, be overcome?

Martin Luther King was a dreamer. What are the experiences that led to the development of his philosophy?

How should humanists approach forgiveness so that it elevates our quality of life and strengthens our commitment to ethical living?

The author of the address is Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, who spoke to a group at the New York Society for Ethical Culture on February 7, 1949.

After the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln hoped to bind the nation’s wounds. “Let ‘em up easy,” he told the Union Army, trying to discourage retribution.