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Philosophical Foundations of Ethical Culture 
David Sprintzen's address to the Ethical Culture Society of Westchester on Sunday Jan. 17, 2010

Foundations of Ethical Culture: Ethical Culture History
Dr. Howard Radest
http://www.nysec.org/2009/10/22/radest-foundations-ec-history/

Sustainable Living and Ethical Culture
Bart Worden
New York Society for Ethical Culture Sunday Address
January 24, 2010
http://www.nysec.org/2010/01/24/worden-sustainable-living-and-ethical-cu...

Reclaiming Ethical Culture Spirituality
Anne Klaeysen, Leader, NY Society for Ethical Culture. 
Anne gives us a guided meditation for the opening words of this Platform. She shares on the distinctive niche Ethical Culture fills in the world. You can find her talk on the website of the Ethical Society of Northern Westchester (in NY) (http://www.esnw.org/Main.html). You can then select Listen to ESNW Lectures in the left-hand column and find Anne's talk on that page.

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Pain, Loss, Love: An Ethical Humanist Perspective

Ethical Society of Northern Westchester

Jim White is now Leader at the Riverdale-Yonkers Ethical Society in New York, but his first "gig" as a Leader was at the Essex Society in Maplewood, NJ. His talk shares about how Humanists can experience pain of varying kinds in their lives and often use the pain as an inspiration for living a more ethical life.

Howard Radest spoke at the Ethical Society of Northern Westchester (ESNW.org) on October 4, 2009 on the topic Can Virtue Be Taught? (The possibility and impossibility of moral education) (You need to scroll down a bit to find his talk.) While the sound quality isn't the greatest, I thought it was well worth listening to. You might especially appreciate the question and answer session at the end. This is Howard Radest's biography as it appeared in the program of the ESNW and you can find out even more about him on the Philosopedia website.  Read more »

John Lovejoy Elliott 

Spiritual Discoveries 

In the beginning of this piece John Lovejoy Elliott tells us, "My ultimate faith in the Ethical Movement and my hope for the future of religion in this world are founded on my associations with living men and women."

I don't know what year Elliott wrote that in, but I'm guessing it was before 1933 when Felix Adler died. My ultimate faith in the Ethical Movement and my hope for the future of Ethical Culture certainly are founded on my associations with living men and women, including you who are reading this. Yet I am happy that we have ancestors to call on, to study, to provoke our own thoughts and actions.

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John Lovejoy Elliott 
Spiritual Discoveries 
In the beginning of this piece John Lovejoy Elliott tells us, "My ultimate faith in the Ethical Movement and my hope for the future of religion in this world are founded on my associations with living men and women."

I don't know what year Elliott wrote that in, but I'm guessing it was before 1933 when Felix Adler died. My ultimate faith in the Ethical Movement and my hope for the future of Ethical Culture certainly are founded on my associations with living men and women, including you who are reading this. Yet I am happy that we have ancestors to call on, to study, to provoke our own thoughts and actions.

Kate Lovelady, Leader of the St. Louis Ethical Society, spoke in August about Bertrand Russell's approach to happiness in our lives.She includes some thoughts about adding small practices to have a more zestful life and even shares some of Russell's thoughts about women:

http://www.ethicalstl.org/platforms/ESSTLPlatform2009-06-28.mp3

Born Again: A Conversion Story
Fritz Williams, Leader Emeritus of the Baltimore Ethical Society
I was so moved to read Fritz's story of moving from his life and work as an Episcopal minister eventually becoming an Ethical Culture Leader. Most people who come to Ethical Culture have been raised in other religions. Some have had easy times turning away from the religion in which they were raised, but many have a far more difficult journey. Having grown up in Ethical Culture I've only had the experience perhaps of being a born again Ethical Culturist, having moments of great impact when I openly embrace my religion. I am glad to have a colleague who so openly shares his experience. How do you relate to Fritz's talk? Have you had a conversion experience? 

Here is the link to Born Again:  A Conversion Story

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