On the far side of the park lies the Ethical Humanist Society of Philadelphia, at 1906 South Rittenhouse Square. Every Sunday, from September to June, the Society holds platforms where topics range from the war in Iraq, the poetry of Walt Whitman, the definition of race, to this year's Presidential campaign. They are also very involved with various social justice campaigns and sponsor Camp Linden, a summer camp in Chester County for children in North Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey.

Ethical culture can be defined as a humanist religious movement which stresses the dignity and worth of each person. Each person is unique and can foster uniqueness in others. The Society's Leader, Richard Kiniry, stated "we are naturalists. . . and believe this world is all we have. We do not believe in the supernatural and we believe that we ought to spend this life making life great, or as good as it can be, for yourself, for the whole human race, and for the natural world." Many fundamentalist evangelists have spoken of secular humanism? as something evil. " I don't think they quite understand what humanism is," said Kiniry. "Humanism is the acceptance that we human beings live here in a human-created reality of our own, a cultural reality, and all of our values come out of our experiences, our relationships with one another other, and with life."

Kiniry was born and raised Catholic and after spending seven years studying at a Seminary he started to question his beliefs. "I did not believe in the Catholic faith any longer, or in God" so he went off and raised chickens in India with the Peace Corps for a couple of years then started his own stained-glass business. When he discovered the Ethical Society, he enrolled into a training program of Ethical Culture and became a clergyman in 1990. "Most traditional religions," added Kiniry, "fundamentalist Christianity especially, believe that you can't be a good person unless you have some relationship with God, and we think that is nonsense. There are certainly billions of people, who are very good people, that have no understanding of the Christian God or any God."

Does Kinary think that news media has been paying more attention to the existence of atheists, secular humanists, and other freethinkers? "Part of it," he stated, "is just a reaction to the last twenty-five to thirty years of having right-wing fundamentalist Christianity shoved down our throats and idea that you can't be a good American unless you are a born-again Christian, unless you accept the position of right-wing Republicanism has produced a reaction."

Jean Bradley is the Office Manager of the Ethical Society and is responsible for the care of the building and for renting out space, mostly to non-profits and people who want to hold private events. Bradley has been a member for twenty-two years and came to the Ethical Society, with her now ex-husband, when they walked by and saw the board out front which lists upcoming events. "It's not that we're atheists," added Bradley, "it's that we believe we are responsible for the world around us and if we don't like that world, if we're not happy with poverty and the many problems we see in our country and elsewhere, then we ourselves are responsible for taking care of it."

The Ethical Society building was built in 1885 and was originally, two twin homes. The auditorium was added in the 1920's with financial assistance from a few very influential people, who were also involved with laying the groundwork for The Curtis Institute, which is why the Ethical Society has such a nice recital hall. "Many shows take place in this first floor auditorium," says Bradley; "Bob Dylan, before he was famous, performed here, as did Marian Anderson."

The Ethical Society is located at 1906 South Rittenhouse Square and for more information about upcoming events, please stop on by or call (215) 735-3456 or visit their website at www.phillyethics.net