In Good We Trust

<p>If the current political situation in the U. S. is making you feel raw, exhausted, depressed, angry, frustrated, sad, or fearful, think about others who are in more challenging spaces. Then consider how you might...

<p>Martin Luther King was raised to appreciate his own inherent worth – a worth independent of background or resources. When speaking in Cleveland in 1967, he said, "In order to be truly free, the first thing we must do...

<p>Doubt, if tempered with optimism and curiosity, can encourage dialogue and exploration. It offers more opportunity for the changing of minds. If nothing else, doubt will help us follow one of the most rudimentary...

<p>Felix Adler who founded Ethical Culture warned about the certainty of religious fanatics. Certainty can lead people to condemn heretics and burn witches in the fires of fanaticism. Crusades, inquisitions, and jihads...

<p>There are lots of psychological reasons for why so many of us believe in ghosts: they thrill, they sell books, movies, and ghost tours, they can give us a sense of control over death, and they can connect us to those...

<p>NOTE: Join me live at 11AM this Sunday at the Philadelphia Ethical Society or on Zoom at this link to hear more reflections about Stoicism and peace. Those living in or near<br> Philadelphia can also learn more about...

<p>Like all human institutions, organized labor is not perfect. But I believe that no other movement has done more to uplift average people and offer hope for a fairer society. We need it revived today more than ever...

<p>I want to explore what we can learn about personal heartbreak that can help us heal as a nation. I try to keep my eyes and heart open, but I struggle. It’s not easy to be both aware and empathetic when so many in the...

<p>Politicians from both major parties and with a wide variety of political perspectives often seem more interested in power than character. In the case of too many male politicians, this manifests in misogyny and...

<p>Patriotism is defined as “the love, devotion and sense of attachment to a homeland and alliance with other citizens who feel the same.” It’s a term that goes all the way back to the Greek word “patrios,” meaning, “of...

<p>The psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg believed humans developed through stages of moral reasoning in their lives, from doing good because we are told to do good, to doing good for rewards, to doing good to fit into...

<p>As a species, human beings love and kill. We can empathize deeply each other, and treat each other with dignity and respect. But we can also dehumanize one another to the point of becoming mortal enemies. This...

<p>What lessons we can draw from solar eclipses? They've frightened animals and fueled the supernaturalism of our ancestors. While science now offers us logical explanations, eclipses still provoke wonder and awe. For...

<p>All around the world people celebrate springtime. The return of warmth and light can make us feel revived and rejuvenated. Smell the flowers, reach up toward the sun, or try some "tree-bathing" by walking through the...

<p>We have so little time and there are so many good deeds to do. When prioritizing how to do good, let’s strive to: 1) honor inherent worth of every person; 2) build social justice; 3) nurture ethical personal and...