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Article: Should secular humanists celebrate the rites of passage? An affirmative view of celebrations.
- Article from:
- Free Inquiry
- Article date:
- September 22, 1993
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1993 Council for Democratic and Secular Humanism, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Should secular humanists celebrate the rites of passage? My personal answer is Yes!
I share the concerns of some secular humanists and freethinkers who are adamantly opposed to anything that smacks of religious ritual and ceremony.
Certain poignant moments of life stand out, however, and we need to commemorate them. Virtually all cultures do. It is, therefore, important that humanists, who are committed to the full realization of fife here and now, likewise be willing to highlight the passages of time. Humanists need to provide, by means of social festivals, opportunities for human beings to exult in the joyful events in life, such as the birth of a ...