Speech: “Reframing the Discussion” – Humanist Association of Greater Philadelphia

I was invited to speak for the Humanist Association of Greater Philadelphia on 6/24/12. I’ve finally uploaded the speech to Youtube. I was initially considering uploading this speech as an episode of the NEPA Freethought Society Podcast which I host, but due to the bi-weekly release schedule and many episodes recorded but not yet released, I uploaded on Youtube. This speech is an interactive one; instead of me speaking for 45 minutes, audience members offered questions for discussion during the speech. Enjoy!

Here is the speech’s blurb:

“Secular individuals face many challenges when disputing supernatural-based belief systems and reaching out theists of various stripes. Problems may arise during any sort of conversation or transmission of information because many people — rather than looking at conversation and disagreement as a positive learning experience — see disagreement, even when respectful, as a negative thing which should be avoided. Secular individuals should benefit from countering these ideas by modeling positive conversational skills and being respectful in discussions with those who disagree on various issues while still employing an effective hard-hitting approach regarding challenging of ideas. Respectful disagreement can be had and should be encouraged by secular individuals who hope to educate others and challenge others’ beliefs.”