Naturalistic Support

With just a couple of weeks left until the New Year, it’s time to look back at our personal victories and setbacks of 2025.  What were the high points for you?  What brought you joy,and what are you most pleased about? What challenges did you struggle with, and what did you learn from them?  And what do you want to leave behind?Join Arnell and Elaine and the Naturalistic Support Community as we reflect on 2025. 

How should we understand what makes us angry?  And what’s the best way to deal with it?How should we respond to others when they are angry?  Andwhat about passive-aggression?Join us as we examine passive-aggression, anger, and rage and how a Naturalistic Humanist approach can help. 

How should we understand what makes us angry?  And what’s best way to deal with it?How should we respond to others when they are angry?  Andwhat about passive-aggression?Join us as we examine passive-aggression, anger, and rage and how a Naturalistic Humanist approach can help. 

The upcoming holidays presents many of us with a problem –dealing with people who may have ideas directly opposed to our own.  Is there a way for people with very different ideas to getbeyond conflict?   How can we speak to people who have beliefs that are verydifferent than our own respectfully, and in way that connects?   And how can an approach informed by Naturalistic Humanism help?

Naturalistic Humanism supports lasting personal growth, healthier, more satisfying relationships, and provides an approach to building dynamic, experimental communities.But Naturalistic Humanism also has profound implications for how we can create a more socially just, equitable, and stable society.What happens when we apply letting go of blame and judgmental thinking to rebuilding our social institutions?  Join Arnell and Elaine as we continue our look at Naturalistic Humanism and Society including understanding and dealing with the MAGA movement. 

Naturalistic Humanism supports lasting personal growth, healthier, more satisfying relationships, and provides an approach to building dynamic, experimental communities.But Naturalistic Humanism also has profound implications for how we can create a more socially just, equitable, and stable society.What happens when we apply letting go of blame and judgmental thinking to rebuilding our social institutions?

Many people think of God as being infinitely loving andbenevolent.  But to millions of Americans, God is about order, power, authority, and punishment for those who offend him.   This is the god widely worshiped on the Christian right, partially explaining why our president continues to be supported by the religious right no matter how narcissistic,authoritarian, or capriciously he behaves.But is it possible to re-imagine God in waysthat are compatible with Naturalistic Humanism?  

Many people think of God as being infinitely loving andbenevolent.  But to millions of Americans, God is about order, power, authority, and punishment for those who offend him.   This is the god widely worshiped on the Christian right, partially explaining why our president continues to be supported by the religious right no matter how narcissistic,authoritarian, or capriciously he behaves.But is it possible to re-imagine God in ways that are compatible with Naturalistic Humanism?  

When we view human behavior through a naturalistic lens ourretributive system of criminal justice cannot be justified.  The punitive approach we take also fails to keep us safe. Is there a more effective and ethical way to respond to peoplewho harm others?   

When we view human behavior through a naturalistic lens our retributive system of criminal justice cannot be justified.  The punitive approach we take also fails to keep us safe. Is there a more effective and ethical way to respond to people who harm others?   

Humankind is frequently regarded as being in perpetual conflict with nature.  And while no other animal has transformed the earth so profoundly, humans are also life’s best hope.Only humans can act as life’s agent who will transform life sothat sentience, experience, and cognition will continue to flourish even when the home from where it originated becomes uninhabitable. Pursuing this quixotic endeavor may humanity’s highest purpose.

Humankind is frequently regarded as being in perpetual conflict with nature.  And while no other animal has transformed the earth so profoundly, humans are also life’s best hope.Only humans can act as life’s agent who will transform life sothat sentience, experience, and cognition will continue to flourish even when the home from where it originated becomes uninhabitable. Pursuing this quixotic endeavor may humanity’s highest purpose.

In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General called loneliness andisolation a “public health crisis” as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.  And, according to the Cigna U.S. Loneliness Index, nearly half of U.S. adults report experience loneliness on a regular basis.So, in our high-tech age of hyper-connectivity, where virtually everyone has a cell phone in their pocket, what exactly is causing this public health crisis?  And what can we do about it?

In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General called loneliness andisolation a “public health crisis” as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.  And, according to the Cigna U.S. Loneliness Index, nearly half of U.S. adults report experience loneliness on a regular basis.So, in our high-tech age of hyper-connectivity, where virtually everyone has a cell phone in their pocket, what exactly is causing this public health crisis?  And what can we do about it?

When our understanding of the world is based on evidence and reason it’s obvious that the way each moment unfolds is the inexorable result of all that precedes it — in Naturalistic Humanism this idea is called metawareness. Applied to humans, the implications of metawareness arerevolutionary requiring, among other things that we reconsider the way we credit, blame, punish, reward, and apportion resources.    Metawareness helps us deal more effectively with everything we encounter supporting equanimity and a sense of serenity.

We continue our look at Proanthropy — the idea that when humans get the developmental and life support they requirethey are naturally inclined towards being cooperative and caring, wanting to participate and contribute.Sadly, despite voluminous supporting evidence, oursociety is premised on the complete opposite.  The consequence of this confusion rationalizes extreme inequality and injustice.What do you believe about human nature?

Another concept central to Naturalistic Humanism is proanthropy— the idea that when humans get the developmental and life support they require they are naturally inclined towards being cooperative and caring, wanting to participate and contribute.Sadly, despite voluminous supporting evidence, oursociety is premised on the complete opposite.  The consequence of this confusion rationalizes extreme inequality and injustice.What do you believe about human nature?

When our understanding of the world is based on evidence and reason it’s obvious that the way each moment unfolds is the inexorable result of all that precedes it — in Naturalistic Humanism this idea is called Metawareness. Applied to humans, the implications of metawareness arerevolutionary requiring, among other things that we reconsider the way we credit, blame, punish, reward, and apportion resources.    Metawareness helps us deal more effectively with everything we encounter supporting equanimity and a sense of serenity.

This week we continue our look at belief and disbelief.  Why do we believe as we do?  Are some beliefs inherently intolerant of other beliefs?  Are nonbelievers intolerant towards believers?  How can believers and nonbelievers treat each other with respect and kindness?  Are there ideas that both believers and nonbelievers can share?

Over the past 10 years, the number of American atheists and agnostics has doubled. And the percentage of adults without religious affiliation is on the rise. But despite these demographic trends, being a nonbeliever can be challenging.Are you a non-believer navigating through a believingworld?Or perhaps you are a believer with non-believing family or friends?    

In group and out group dynamics, and the larger phenomenon of tribalism, have been with humankind for millennia, yet never before have they posed the existential threat that they do today.  How can humankind resolve its differences before it’s too late, and how can Naturalistic Humanism help?

From a Naturalistic Humanist perspective children are naturally curious, creative and inclined to share, presently however, the way our children are parented and taught is strongly influenced by a misanthropic view and the dominator model.  We assume that children are naturally uncooperative and in need of continuous extrinsic motivation. Join us as we challenge much of the conventional wisdom around parenting and education and explore better alternatives.

From a Naturalistic Humanist perspective children are naturally curious, creative and inclined to share, presently however, the way our children are parented and taught is strongly influenced by a misanthropic view and the dominator model.  We assume that children are naturallyuncooperative and in need of continuous extrinsic motivation. Join us as we challenge much of the conventional wisdom around parenting and education and explore better alternatives.

In group and out group dynamics, and the larger phenomenon oftribalism, have been with humankind for millennia, yet never before have theyposed the existential threat that they do today.  How can humankindresolve its differences before it’s too late, and how can Naturalistic Humanismhelp?

Starting with their experience in pre-school and continuingthrough elementary school, secondary school, and college, boys are strugglingto keep up with girls.  The trajectory this puts them on can lead to lowergraduation rates, higher unemployment, living with parents longer, fewerromantic relationships, social isolation, and a higher likelihood of mentalhealth issues including suicide at four times the rate of females.How can a Naturalistic Humanist approach help?

The dismantling of patriarchal culture has given young womenmuch of the freedom and empowerment they had long been denied.  The shiftin the cultural landscape, however, has left many young men alienated,confused, frustrated, and often angry — by almost every metric that mattersboys and young men are struggling.Can a Naturalistic Humanist approach help?

Just about everyone has experienced some grief and loss.  How can a naturalistic approach help? 

Showing kindness is fundamental to the human experience.  Acts of kindness are psychologically and physically beneficial to both those who act kindly as well as to therecipients.  It’s easy to miss the everyday acts of kindness happening all around us. 

An encore presentation from our parent program Equal Time for Freethought featuring the last known debate between Jesus and the Easter Bunny.

There are a lot of ways we can feel betrayed. Having our trustviolated, or our expectations breached can be deeply emotionally painful.  And during this turbulent time of political unrest our communication with family and friends can be fraught with frustration and disappointment.  One way to react is to put up a protective wall, but doing socomes at a high cost. Is there a way to deal with feeling betrayed without putting up a wall?  Join the discussion with Arnell and Elaine.  And as always we will be live taking your calls.

This week on Naturalistic Support we'll consider how, by forgiving, we can free ourselves.  And we'll be welcoming a new cohost, and as usual we'll be taking your calls.