On December 16, Secretary of Defense1 Pete Hegseth published a three-minute video on Twitter2 decrying what he called a “real problem” within the U.S. military: the “weakening” of the Chaplain Corps. According to Hegseth, “as part of the ongoing war on warriors, in recent decades [the Chaplain Corps’] role has been degraded. In an atmosphere of political correctness and secular humanism, chaplains have been minimized, viewed by many as therapists instead of ministers. Faith and virtue were traded for self-help and self-care. If you need proof, just look at the current Army Spiritual Fitness Guide.” Hegseth went on to assert that the guide “alienates our warfighters of faith by pushing secular humanism,” and announced that he was immediately revoking the guide as part of his plan to “make the Chaplain Corps great again.”

Hegseth is a Christian nationalist, and the changes he is imposing on the military’s Chaplain Corps represent an overt effort to impose his version of Christianity on service members. These maneuvers have been denounced in a statement from the American Humanist Association and The Humanist Society, which is how this issue first came onto my radar. What caught my attention most, however, was Hegseth’s claim that the Army’s Spiritual Fitness Guide “pushes secular humanism.”

I organize SHL’s monthly Freethinkers’ Forum, and our topic for January is “Can secular humanism meet our spiritual needs?” The idea for this topic came from our very first Freethinkers’ Forum last August, and I have been thinking about it ever since writing the discussion prompt. It is not at all clear to me what “spiritual needs” are supposed to be—or even whether such things exist—so I was particularly interested to learn that (1) the U.S. Army believes we have spiritual needs; (2) that it treats spiritual fitness as just as important as, but distinct from, physical and mental fitness; and (3) that the Secretary of Defense considers the Army’s guide to spiritual fitness—published just this past August, around the time I began thinking seriously about these issues—to be illegitimate because it is infused with, and supposedly “pushes,” secular humanism.

I initially had difficulty finding the Army’s Spiritual Fitness Guide because Hegseth had it removed from official Army websites. I was able to find many articles discussing the guide, but they all linked back to pages where the document had already been taken down. After I emailed the SHL general announcements list about the issue, partly to promote the Freethinkers’ Forum, a member tracked down a PDF of the guide and sent it to me (thanks, Deb!), along with the accompanying Battlebook, a forty-page workbook designed to help individual soldiers assess their spiritual fitness and develop a personal spiritual development plan.

The first thing worth saying about the guide is that it is not pushing secular humanism. Pete Hegseth is an idiot, and it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that he does not actually know what secular humanism is. In October 2022, the SHL Book Club read Religion and the Rise of Capitalism by Benjamin Friedman, which explains how, after the fall of communism, right-wing conservatives needed a new boogeyman to replace the godless communists, and have zeroed in on secular humanism. It is in that context that Christian nationalists like Hegseth deploy the label “secular humanist” without much depth of understanding.

To be sure, there are secular humanist values exemplified by the guide. It is framed in language broad enough to be compatible with any religious tradition, including non-theistic ones, and it explicitly affirms the First Amendment guarantee of free exercise of religion. It assigns clear duties to people in leadership roles: to respect the diversity of religious belief among their subordinates, to affirm individuals in their respective beliefs, and to foster a supportive, cohesive culture of mutual respect and dignity for everyone, regardless of belief or lack thereof. Respect for human dignity, concern for human rights—including the right to freely exercise religious belief—and defense of the First Amendment are all secular humanist values. They are not, however, exclusively secular humanist values. They are values we should all share in common. Upholding the rights established in the First Amendment should be understood as a fundamental American value.

Unfortunately, these are not values shared by Christian nationalists. Their desire to impose their religion on the rest of us is both un-American and inhumane. It is worth pausing to consider the rhetorical strategy at work in Hegseth’s video3. Most people are not especially familiar with secular humanism. Right-wing media frequently uses the term in a pejorative sense without explaining what it actually means, loading it with negative connotations. The result is that many people do not know what secular humanism is, but feel confident that it is something bad. From there, it becomes easy to label anything you dislike as “secular humanism” in order to provoke hostility toward something that people might otherwise view positively.

If the Army’s Spiritual Fitness Guide were described as a framework that people from any religious tradition could use to develop good spiritual fitness, and as a way to help people from very different religious perspectives work together with mutual respect and dignity, I suspect most Americans would respond favorably. Here, by contrast, is how Hegseth portrays the guide:

In an atmosphere of political correctness and secular humanism Chaplains have been minimized, viewed by many as therapists instead of ministers. Faith and virtue were traded for self-help and self-care. If you need proof, just look at the current Army Spiritual Fitness Guide. In well over 100 pages it mentions god one time. That’s it! It mentions “feelings” 11 times. It mentions ‘playfulness’--whatever that is–9 times. There’s zero mention of virtue. The guide relies on new age notions, saying that the soldiers’ spirit consists of consciousness, creativity and connection…It alienates our warfighters of faith by pushing secular humanism.

You do not need to know much about secular humanism to hear this description and conclude that the so-called Spiritual Fitness Guide is trying to minimize—or even eliminate—God. Once again, the specter of godless communists secular humanists appears, allegedly trying to trick the faithful into giving up the ghost.

The reality is that the guide is not trying to eliminate God at all. It is attempting to be equally useful to someone with deep and abiding faith in God and to someone who does not believe that any gods exist. One can reasonably question whether such a goal is achievable—I certainly do—without questioning the intention behind the attempt. If Christian nationalists were being honest, they would simply say something like, “Only Christians can be spiritually fit, so a proper guide to spiritual fitness would just be a Christian devotional.” That position would have little broad appeal, and it would not withstand constitutional scrutiny, even in the courts’ currently diminished state.

The Army’s Spiritual Fitness Guide

I do not think it is necessary to explain in detail what is actually in the Army’s Spiritual Fitness Guide in order to make the broader points I want to make here. That said, I was genuinely interested in learning how the Army understands spiritual fitness, and in asking whether there might be anything in the guide that I would find useful in thinking through questions about spirituality from an atheist perspective. For that reason, I have decided to include as brief a summary as I can manage4. Feel free to skip this section if you like; nothing here is essential to the argument.

Earlier, I said that the guide is not pushing secular humanism. The next thing I want to say about it is that it is not rigorous. In academic philosophy, that is the charitable way of saying that something is not entirely coherent and does not hold up well under scrutiny. There is a lot of vague language that only makes sense if you don’t think about it too carefully. That does not mean the guide is useless. In my experience, making something rigorous enough to withstand scrutiny often renders it obscure and difficult to understand in a different way. The guide strikes a middle ground, being broad enough to be accessible, but with enough substance that, if you approach it in good faith, you can probably get something out of it. At the very least, it seems well suited to its stated purpose of creating space for people across religious divides to talk about spirituality with mutual respect.

Spiritual fitness is one of five domains in the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program. The other four are physical, nutritional, mental, and sleep fitness. These domains are presented as non-hierarchical, in the sense that all five are necessary for optimal functioning. You cannot neglect one without consequences for the others. That said, the guide places particular emphasis on spiritual fitness, claiming that “a fortified spirit can sustain other depleted H2F domains during life’s crucibles.” The idea is straightforward: when challenges—such as fighting a war—leave you sleep-deprived, hungry, and physically and mentally exhausted, a strong spirit can keep you in the fight.

According to the guide, the spirit is engaged whenever we respond to external stimuli. It defines this saying, “The Soldier’s Spirit lies at the intersection of external influences (stimulus) and applied behavior (response).” The spirit is said to have three primary components: consciousness, creativity, and connection. Consciousness is described as awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, shaped by a sense of purpose, beliefs about the self and the world, and the ways all of these interact to influence decision-making and action.

Creativity is defined as the ability to generate novel ideas and solutions, drawing on innovation, imagination, and playfulness5 to adapt to challenges. Somewhat curiously, the guide treats ethics as a component of creativity. It explains this by arguing that ethical decision-making requires applying moral principles to situations that many people interpret differently. Because perspectives on morality vary, the space between “right” and “wrong” becomes complex. Navigating that space, the guide suggests, requires creativity: careful evaluation of outcomes and deliberate alignment with Army values and the perceived greater good. I would have expected ethics to fit more naturally under consciousness than creativity.

Connection emphasizes relationships with other people, but it also refers to the connectedness of different elements within the self, such as sense of purpose, identity, beliefs, and values. Maintaining this kind of connectedness requires accountability—keeping those elements aligned—as well as growth, understood as an ongoing commitment to developing and sustaining spiritual fitness.

An absolutely central concept in the framework is what the guide calls the Source of Strength. “A source of strength is the internal, driving purpose that empowers each Soldier, anchoring them amidst the challenges of life. This source is chosen by each Soldier as the centerpiece of their life’s direction. Soldiers choose a source based on their personal values, beliefs, experiences, and cultural backgrounds.” This is where God enters the picture. For soldiers from monotheistic traditions, God can serve as their source of strength. The guide uses a compass metaphor in which the spirit is the substance of the compass and the source of strength is the compass needle. But that source need not be God6. The guide explicitly offers several alternatives that can fill the same role.

For some, the centerpiece may be God, family, community, or patriotism; for others, it may stem from a desire for personal growth, integrity, or the bonds formed with fellow Soldiers in shared experiences.

Regardless of the chosen source, recognizing this internal source is vital, as it instills resilience, determination, and accountability to allow Soldiers to navigate adversity with confidence. Ultimately, a well-defined source of strength enhances a Soldier’s sense of identity and commitment to the Army.

In determining a source of strength, the guide identifies three qualities to look for: it should be proven, reliable, and responsive. To be proven, a source of strength should be something that has consistently helped you through difficult times. To be reliable, it should be something that cannot be lost, taken away, or decide to leave when things get tough. To be responsive, it should be readily available in any situation. As the guide puts it, “a source of strength must be there for you when war and life throw unexpected events and circumstances at you.”

A source of strength should also inform your identity and sense of self, as well as your broader purpose in life. It should provide a sense of meaning by giving value to the pursuits that matter most to you.

With this framework in place, you can develop a spiritual fitness plan consisting of a set of spiritual practices and descriptions of how those practices will be carried out, specifying details such as how, when, and where they will be deployed. Each practice is then evaluated against eight spiritual fitness principles. I will not attempt to explain those principles here; they are listed on the sample plan shown in the image below, along with illustrative examples of spiritual practices.

The purpose of the spiritual fitness plan is to enable individuals to grow and develop their spiritual fitness. The guide identifies four stages of spiritual fitness. I think these are better understood as levels rather than stages, since one does not necessarily start at the first level. If you already have a high level of spiritual fitness and maintain it, you may never leave the fourth stage. Importantly, movement is not one-directional. Trials, crises of faith, or even major life changes can cause someone to fall back to a lower level. The four stages are External, Agency, Purposed, and Empowered.

External Stage: Life is seen as happening to the Soldier. Identity is shaped by outside forces, and spiritual growth is limited by passivity, frustration, or disconnection. This stage sees harmful behaviors peak.

Agency Stage: The Soldier begins to take ownership of beliefs and choices. This stage marks growing self-awareness, initiative, and personal responsibility. Positive growth but limited team-focus.

Purposed Stage: Spiritual clarity guides the Soldier’s actions. Life is seen as happening through them, with values driving service to others, leadership and mentorship. Soldiers here see the bigger picture/meaning in life.

Empowered Stage: The Soldier lives and leads from a deep well of spiritual strength. Their identity, purpose, and meaning empower others and leave a lasting impact and positive legacy.

The guide also prescribes specific roles for leaders at each stage, which I find problematic. A leader’s stage of spiritual development is not necessarily higher than that of every subordinate. This framework seems better suited to mutual support among peers than to serving as an evaluative tool within a hierarchical institution like the military.

The next part of the guide shifts from defining spiritual fitness at the individual level to explaining how spiritual fitness is provided as a service to Army units. Every unit has a Unit Ministry Team (UMT) composed of chaplains and religious affairs specialists. These personnel provide a range of services. They conduct religious services, rituals, and sacred rites in their capacity as clerics, but they also offer confidential, individual counseling. UMTs provide care for the wounded, grief counseling and support, and memorial ceremonies and services for fallen soldiers.

UMTs are also responsible for administering the Army’s spiritual fitness program, which includes conducting spiritual fitness training for entire units.

Chaplains and religious affairs specialists host other training events that focus on spiritual fitness. For example, the UMT may organize a spiritual fitness run that blends rigorous physical training with the spiritual fitness principles. UMTs also focus on unit and section tailored training. While a Chaplain is endorsed by a religious body, they still have the ability to support Soldiers from any faith, or no faith, through spiritual fitness events. Religious affairs specialists have no religious requirement, uniquely positioning them to deliver spiritual fitness training without the stigma that some Soldiers perceive towards a religious leader.

That is enough of a summary of the Army’s Spiritual Fitness Guide to get a sense of what they mean by spirituality and the role it plays in training and operations. Hopefully it also provides some sense of the care taken to make the program neutral with respect to particular faith traditions, at least in principle. How that might work in practice is another question, on which I will now speculate.

Is the Army’s approach to spirituality noble or nefarious?

Having reviewed the Army’s Spiritual Fitness Guide, the Holistic Health and Fitness Field Manual, and the Spiritual Fitness Battlebook, I see two ways of interpreting the Army’s approach to spiritual fitness: one noble and the other nefarious. I will start with the noble interpretation.

Creating a stable, pluralistic society in which people from different cultures can live peacefully as equals is a fundamental challenge, and I think it remains to be seen if we humans are up to that challenge. While we have shown both promise and progress, democratic backsliding in the United States and around the world, along with the rise of right-wing nationalism, can be understood—at least in part—as a backlash against pluralism. I remain hopeful that we will navigate this rough period successfully, but the possibility of collapse into something far darker is real. The outcome depends on us, and on how seriously we commit ourselves to upholding, defending, and promoting democracy and progressive values.

The military presents an especially acute challenge for pluralism. In civilian life, it is not particularly difficult to compartmentalize religious practice. Pray as much as you like in your home or church, but keep it out of government meetings, schools, and workplaces. The battlefield is different. We place soldiers in mortal danger and require them to function as a unified whole. When operations push warriors to the precipice, where life and death hang in the balance, religious beliefs and practices can become immediate and urgent—at least for many soldiers. Maintaining mutual respect across religious differences, ensuring that each individual’s dignity is preserved, and preventing differences of faith from becoming sources of division is a challenge most of us will never face.

Seen in this light, the Army’s spiritual fitness program can be interpreted as a sincere attempt to rise to that challenge. It defines a spiritual domain in a way that is general and abstract enough for any religious tradition to adapt to, while still making space for people who reject the supernatural altogether. That shared framework allows individuals to connect meaningfully even when they hold radically different views about the metaphysical structure of reality. By explicitly acknowledging differences, searching for common ground, and providing a way to connect across those differences, the program appears to offer a promising means of fostering mutual respect and maintaining cohesion, even under the most harrowing circumstances. It also respects the First Amendment by avoiding endorsement of any particular religious viewpoint, while still protecting every soldier’s right to freely exercise their own religious beliefs and practices.

The nefarious interpretation of the Army’s spiritual fitness program is that it serves as cover for compelling soldiers to engage in religious practices and subjecting them to religious indoctrination disguised by euphemistic language. The generic framing allows soldiers to be required to participate in spiritual training led by Christian ministers, to submit to invasive questioning about their spiritual lives, and to produce written accounts of their practices and level of engagement—all while being evaluated on whether they are progressing toward a prescribed spiritual ideal.

I do not know how reliable existing estimates of religiosity within the military actually are, but based on my own proximity to military culture7, it seems likely that a majority of service members are practicing Christians. While there is some diversity within the chaplain ranks, the overwhelming majority are Christian. The First Amendment prevents the military from doing what Hegseth openly appears to want—imposing Christianity outright—but by adopting a generic framework for spiritual fitness, it becomes possible to generate significant social pressure in favor of Christian belief without explicitly violating the letter of the law.

One detail that stood out to me while reading the guide was the inconsistent capitalization of the term Source of Strength. In the chapter where the concept is introduced, it is mostly not capitalized. But then in every subsequent occurrence it is capitalized, as stylistic conventions generally prescribe for references to God. It may be unfair to read too much into a stylistic inconsistency, but it is hard not to hear the subtext: “We are not allowed to use that word, but you know we are talking about God, right?”

These two interpretations are not mutually exclusive. In practice, implementation depends on the character and intentions—dare I say, the spirit—of the individuals administering the program: the Unit Ministry Teams, many of whom are Christian chaplains. How seriously they adhere to the program’s commitment to doctrinal neutrality, as opposed to seizing opportunities to quietly infuse their own denominational views, will vary from case to case.

Perhaps if Hegseth read the guide through the lens of my nefarious interpretation, he might have left well enough alone and issued quieter guidance to the Chaplain Corps signaling that there would be no consequences for leaning into indoctrination. That approach may well have achieved his Christian nationalist ambitions while avoiding the scrutiny that will hopefully now make implementation more difficult. But Pete Hegseth is an idiot and a preening asshole. He wants the attention. He wants the fight.

So, with the United States Constitution as a source of strength, let us have the spiritual fortitude to rise and meet him in battle.

Discussion Prompt:

Religion has long claimed to be the source of meaning, transcendence, and connection — needs that are often called “spiritual.” But if we reject the supernatural, do those needs go away? Or do secular humanists also experience a yearning for awe, wonder, and a sense of belonging to something larger than ourselves? If so, how do we meet those needs without belief in gods, souls, or the afterlife?

Some find fulfillment in art, music, nature, or science. Others adapt rituals or create new traditions. Still others reject the very idea of “spirituality” as unnecessary baggage from religion. So: Do humans really have spiritual needs — and if they do, what are they?

Can secular humanism itself provide experiences of meaning and transcendence? What would spirituality look like for an atheist? Do we need new rituals, language, or communities to fill that role — or is secular humanism already enough?

Let’s talk honestly about how we each understand spirituality, what role (if any) it plays in our lives, and whether secular humanism can meet those needs.

When & Where:

The forum is on Thursday, January 8, 2026 at 6:30 pm in Community Room A at the Keith Summey Library, located at 3503 Rivers Ave in North Charleston.

You can bring dinner! We are allowed to have food and drink inside the community room at the library (we just can’t have heat sources). Since we are meeting around dinner time, we invite people to bring take-out dinner or snacks. We also have the space from 6 pm, so welcome people to come early to socialize before we begin the discussion.

RSVP on Meetup

About the Group:

The Freethinkers’ Forum is a monthly gathering facilitated by the Secular Humanist of the Lowcountry to discuss topics of interest to freethinkers, atheists, agnostics and other non-religious people. The purpose of these gatherings is to foster respectful dialogue of interesting and intellectually stimulating topics. The focus is discussion and so we will not have speakers. We may have brief presentations to introduce topics, but those will be restricted to 15 minutes or less. There may be optional readings or television or film recommendations to stimulate discussion.

***All participants are asked to familiarize themselves with and agree to follow our code of conduct.

🎞️ Jan 4 — The Friendly Infidels Movie Club: 3:30 showing of Song Sung Blue at Citadel Stadium 16

🧶 Jan 8 — Makers’ Studio

🤔 Jan 8 — Freethinkers’ Forum: Can secular humanism meet our spiritual needs?

🤸‍♀️ Jan 11 — Secular Kids Playdate at Gahagan Park in Summerville

🪧 Jan 11 — Activist Sunday: Pop-Up Protest

🍻 Jan 12 — Reason on Tap: Freethinkers Under 40 Happy Hour at New Realm Brewing Co

🍎 Jan 13 — Volunteering at Lowcountry Food Bank

🍸 Jan 13 — Happy Humanist Hour at La Hacienda on International Blvd in North Charleston

🥬 Jan 17 — Food Distribution with Park Circle Cares

📚 Jan 18 — Book Club: The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker

🚯 Jan 25 — Adopt-A-Highway

🤸‍♀️ Jan 25 — Secular Kids Playdate at Pinckney Park on James Island

🕵️‍♂️ Jan 25 — Coleman Watts: Confessions of a Former Conspiracy Theorist

🎲 Feb 111 — SHL Kids Board Game Recess at Hoodie Cat in Northwoods Mall

We’ve posted a special 2025 Highlights photo album on our website showing off what a great year we have had coming together as a community.

Deb & Rob Britt hosted the SHL Movie Club in their home to watch the 2022 film Spirited, the top voted holiday favorite on December 7, 2025.

SHL members packed “Good Cheer” boxes and sorted donations at our monthly shift at the Lowcountry Food Bank on December 9th.

We had 13 Happy Humanists enjoying dinner together at Bahama Breeze on December 9, 2025.

Six crafty humanists got together for our second monthly Makers’ Studio on December 11, 2025.

We were just 3 people shy of the 24-person limit for our Pop-Up protest on December 14, 2025. For our Activist Sunday we are supporting the SINO protest movement, hosting monthly protests on the 2nd Sunday in front of City Hall in Charleston. Additional photos can be seen on our website.

We had a big turnout for our annual Winter Solstice Celebration and Potluck, hosted by Beth Balkite at The Overture on Daniel Island. See additional photos on our website.

I’m writing this on Christmas Day.

While I was out walking this morning, many strangers passed me and wished me a “Merry Christmas.” My polite response was, “Thank you.” I knew they meant well even though they have no idea of my religious beliefs.

Most of those greeters probably know parts of the Christian Bible that I support, like “Love your neighbor” and “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” These people mean well, but I’m unlikely to have a conversation about Christmas with them. This Christmas is sadder than most for me because our president is Donald Trump. I can’t blame all well-wishers for Trump. Many Christians don’t like Trump for the same reasons I don’t. Most Christians are not MAGA and don’t support his religious right agenda.

In fact, most people have become less religious over the decades. The most recent Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape Study showed that less than half of all adults now say religion is very important in their lives. This is particularly true among younger adults.

Many Christians don’t realize that the Jesus of the Bible was not a Christian. He was a Jew and so am I. There was no such thing as a Christian in the time of Jesus, who would have been considered a false god by his people, not one to be worshiped.

And most Jews today are atheists, as am I. See SimpleToRemember.com (Judaism Online). I like to keep my title of Jew, because I don’t want to give Adolf Hitler a posthumous victory by denying my Judaism.

Christians and most other people say they support the Ten Commandments, even if they can’t name all of them. They view them as among the finest guidelines for a virtuous life. Few people understand how our democratic society would change were those Ten Commandments from Exodus 20 to become law. The first four Commandments are religious edicts that have nothing to do with ethical behavior. They describe how to worship and pay homage to a jealous and vindictive God.

And the First Commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” conflicts with the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution that guarantees freedom of religion—the right to worship one, several, or no gods.

The next three Commandments (no graven images, not taking God’s name in vain, keeping the Sabbath day holy) refer to specific kinds of worship directed toward a God who punishes several generations of children because their fathers did not believe.

Further, those who claim these commandments are our Judeo-Christian heritage don’t realize that the Commandments predate Christianity. And the Sabbath would be on Saturday, not Sunday.

The Fifth Commandment to honor parents should not be so unconditional as to condone child abuse. There is no reciprocal commandment about parents honoring their children or treating them humanely.

I recognize that the four Commandments against murder, adultery, stealing, and lying have obvious merit and existed in cultures long before the Ten Commandments were written.

The Tenth Commandment, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, wife, slaves, ox, donkey, or any other property,” condones slavery and treats women as property. And by the way, the American system of capitalism relies on coveting our neighbor’s possessions.

The Biblical penalty for violating most of the religious commandments is death.

The commandments are also notable for what they omit: Why not condemn slavery, racism, sexual assault, child and spouse abuse, torture, and war?

As you can see, I get a little riled when I think about Christmas.

Just don’t get me started on Santa Claus.

Greetings to all my SHL friends:

Tucker asked me to write a little about what I’ve been up to, including my involvement with a progressive group called Equality Florida. After retiring in May 2024, I began to think about moving back to Fort Lauderdale, where I had a lot of friends and support. I made that move in March of [2025] and, though I initially had some doubts, I now know it was a wise move in more ways than one.

I brought a recovery program to Florida in 2002 and made a lot of friends through this fellowship, not only regionally but worldwide. I am still active with the organization on a global level. This was one of the main reasons I moved back: for community and support in recovery.

Within two months of my move, I was informed of a group called Equality Florida, which is the largest progressive organization working against anti-LGBTQ activities in the state. I think of Florida as the “petri dish” of anti-civil rights; for example, most know that Moms for Liberty started here in Florida, with the current governor in support of the group. Equality Florida was founded in 1997 to combat initiatives against civil rights.

I went to my first meeting of Equality Florida in April at a local restaurant and learned that the prior year, this group helped defeat 20 of 21 anti-LGBTQ initiatives. Last year, all 8 of the 8 proposals were defeated. Two friends from my hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, were at this meeting, and they suggested I learn more about the group. A state representative spoke at this gathering, and I was convinced that I wanted to be involved.

After a couple of months, I was asked to become co-chair of the Broward County Equality Florida Gala, which took place on November 15. In the three months before this event, I assisted with developing a silent auction as well as soliciting funds for the Gala. This is held annually and is the main fundraising event of the year. Other cities have Galas as well, but Broward is the most “blue” county in the state. This Gala brings in the most donations, which go toward paying Equality Florida employees and supporting advocacy activities.

The night prior to the event, a wealthy couple held a VIP function at their home on the Intracoastal. One of these individuals was one of the founders of a very large nonpartisan outlet dedicated to balanced and accurate news. He is a very unpretentious man who has a passion for civil rights.

At the Gala, 455 members of the community attended an evening filled with entertainment as well as education about the functions of Equality Florida. One of the founders of Equality Florida reported on strategies used in the last few years. Volunteers and paid employees often travel to Tallahassee, the state capitol. As an example, when an anti-LGBTQ initiative was presented to Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature, about 1,000 individuals opposed to the proposal showed up to comment, as allowed by policy. However, one of the state senators said that this would take up too much time, and the proposal dropped to the bottom of the agenda. This is just one way to defeat these proposals.

The founder then reported that school boards across the state are now attended by so many Equality Florida employees and volunteers that Moms for Liberty (M4L) does not even show up anymore in many cities. M4L has significantly weakened in the state where it originated.

One proposal that became law made it a requirement to eliminate street artwork (including the rainbow flag). The law used “safety” as an excuse. This was not put forth as a blatant anti-LGBTQ proposal (like one initiative that would eliminate pride flags on state buildings), but it was intended to hurt the LGBTQ community. Safety studies were completed at each of these intersections where rainbow flags and other artwork existed. The results were that these intersections had significantly fewer accidents than those without artwork. Unfortunately, the law was written so that, even though appeals can be submitted, the state would reject them (unsure how that’s even legal?). The state destroyed the rainbow artwork at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando (in the very early morning hours); other cities had little recourse, and the artwork was bulldozed. EXCEPT Fort Lauderdale; our city commissioners and the mayor sued the state, claiming that FDOT has no jurisdiction at a municipal level.

The speaker gave a final example of how our community is fighting the hate. Jacksonville had rainbow-colored lights during Pride on one of the main bridges during Pride Week. The governor had the lights shut off purposely this past year; however, a group responded by walking across that bridge with rainbow flashlights. The state responded by shutting the bridge down temporarily. The Jacksonville LGBTQ community then walked with the rainbow flashlights on another nearby bridge.

Over $250,000 was donated at the Equality Florida Gala, with over $1 million collected for Broward County. This group inspires me—it shows me that there are ways to defeat hatred, and it demonstrates that there are many wealthy people who are engaged. In my opinion, this is how extreme wealth should be utilized.

The first legislative session starts in January, and our hope is that, once again, all blatant anti-LGBTQ initiatives will be defeated. And if we lose a battle here and there, we will keep marching and will not be erased despite the actions of regional and national government.

So this is what I’m doing in retirement. I’m having fun and feel a “balance” for the first time in my life. I bought a house in Fort Lauderdale and have been renovating it. I have solitude at home with my Matrix cats (Trinity and Neo). And besides being part of the recovery community as well as my work with Equality Florida, I am a member of Frontrunners and Walkers (if you don’t know the group or book The Front Runner, maybe consider reading it for perspective!), and other groups for Canasta, Classical Pianists (I performed in front of an audience for the first time in 30 years last month), a book club, and Mahjong (love it, but it’s not easy for me).

I sold my condo in Charleston last month, which was unplanned, but with a large cash offer, I couldn’t resist. To keep me engaged somewhat with Charleston, I asked Tucker to please keep me on the list so I can see SHL activities and the books you’re reading.

I’ll be watching the SHL FB page and hope all are well. Even though I’m living several hours away, I think of SHL and the friends I’ve made there. I miss the book club discussion, movie night, and advocacy activities, which I know will continue as you fight to win America back!

Keep marching,

Fred1

P.S.

We’re so excited! Miami Dade county elected a democratic mayor [on November 4, 2025] for the first time in 30 years. Miami wasn’t as deep red when I lived here before, but then the state government convinced the Cubans they were living under a “Castro”. Now the “Latinos for Trump” organizations’ leaders are switching parties as their friends are being deported. The disinformation here was heavily exploited, but now eyes are being opened. Florida will likely be red for a long time, but hopefully is heading toward purple again!

The list of individuals who have managed to escape the rabbit hole of conspiracism is short, but there is an even shorter list of individuals who have then gone on to become popular skeptical podcasters. Former conspiracy enthusiast Coleman Watts discusses why people fall for cults and cons, and how he managed to climb out of the rabbit hole. What’s the best way to talk to a conspiracy theorist to dissuade – and persuade – them from their views? Is misinformation taking over, and if so, why?

For our January member gathering Coleman Watts will talk about all of this and more in an engaging talk about his experiences debunking the views he used to embrace.

Coleman Watts is the host of the YouTube show Think This Through. He debunks cons, cults and conspiracies with a humorous flair, drawing on his own experience of falling down the rabbit hole himself.

The meeting will be held at 3 pm on Sunday, January 25th in the auditorium of the Main Public Library downtown (68 Calhoun St in Charleston). It is free and open to the public. Metered street parking is free on Sundays, and there is parking available in the garage under the library (garage closes at 5).

RSVP on Meetup

Q1 2026 Charity of the Quarter: Transformation Table

At a time of deep polarization—marked by rising antisemitism, anti-Asian hate, attacks on LGBTQ rights, and pervasive systemic racism—Transformation Table offers a deceptively simple and profoundly human response: bring people together around food.

The mission of Transformation Table is to create space among strangers of different backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences to come together to see, hear, and understand one another. Using food as a tool for connection, Transformation Table supports communities in promoting cross-cultural understanding, combating hate, and advancing peace and equity. Their vision is nothing less than a globally connected community that actively resists hate and nurtures peace.

The organization’s origins are as meaningful as its mission.

Transformation Table was founded by Tina L. Singleton, whose journey toward this work began thousands of miles away in Kabul, Afghanistan. While serving as a disability rights and inclusion technical advisor, Tina planted a small vegetable garden behind the high walls and razor wire of her compound. Cooking meals with produce from that garden soon turned into pop-up dinners that brought together Afghans and foreign nationals from across the globe. In a place shaped by conflict and division, the simple act of sharing food dissolved barriers and fostered unexpected connection.

One small but powerful ritual stood out: after each meal, guests received a free slice of chocolate cake from Kamal Hamade, a Lebanese restaurant owner nearby. Tina describes it as “a little slice of love”—a reminder of how generosity and hospitality can disarm fear. Tragically, Kamal was killed in a terrorist attack on his restaurant on January 17, 2014, along with 21 patrons and staff. Transformation Table honors Kamal’s memory at every meal, carrying forward his legacy of love in the face of hate.

In April 2016, Tina relocated to Charleston, arriving just one year after the horrific June 17, 2015, mass shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church. At a community event commemorating the tragedy, Dr. Bernice A. King issued a challenge to Charleston: if we are serious about change, we must “get intimate,” go to one another’s homes, and share dinner. Transformation Table is a direct response to that call.

The first Transformation Table dinner took place in November 2016 in a private home, featuring a Vietnamese meal prepared from family recipes by chef Janice Nguyen Hudgins. Ten people arrived as strangers and left with shared stories, laughter, and a deeper understanding of one another. Since that first dinner, Transformation Table has hosted in-home dinners and community events with over 700 participants, featuring the cuisines and stories of 26 chefs from 21 countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Iraq, Peru, and the Philippines.

So how does it work?

Transformation Table operates on a simple but intentional model. Anyone interested in expanding their heart and mind is welcome. The only requirement to attend is an open heart and an open mind. Home-based dinners are intentionally limited to around ten guests to ensure meaningful conversation and connection, while community dinners can accommodate more people when needed.

Local chefs and home cooks—each passionate about sharing their food stories and cultural roots—prepare multi-course meals using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. The food is the entry point, but the goal is connection. Around the table, labels and assumptions fall away, replaced by curiosity, empathy, and the recognition that we do not have to be the same to belong.

Transformation Tables can be hosted in private homes or curated by community organizations, nonprofits, and cultural institutions. Each gathering is a deliberate act of resistance against dehumanization—and an investment in a more compassionate, connected future.

We are proud to support Transformation Table as our Q1 2026 Charity of the Quarter and invite you to join us in sustaining this work. Your contributions will help ensure that more tables are set, more stories are shared, and more strangers leave as neighbors.

Thank you, as always, for your generosity and for helping us put our values into action—one quarter, one cause, and one shared table at a time.

Donate Now

Protest with SHL! ✊ in front of Charleston City Hall (80 Broad St) at 2 pm on Sunday, January 11th.

Join us as we stand up for First Amendment freedoms—including the separation of church and state, press freedom, and freedom of speech and assembly.

📢 Bring a sign if you’d like (we’ll have extras on hand if you don’t).

To comply with Charleston’s restrictive protest ordinance, we’re capping this action at 24 participants. RSVP on Meetup AND please also email Bonnie Cleaveland (activism@lowcountryhumanists.org) with your phone and email so we can confirm your spot.

RSVP on Meetup

👉 Why the cap? The City of Charleston requires a permit for protests with more than 24 people and has been forcing permitted groups into out-of-the-way locations like Hampton Park. To make our voices heard in well-trafficked downtown spaces, we’re joining Silence Is Not an Option’s (SINO) effort to hold pop-up protests every 2nd Sunday of the month, each in small groups of 24 or fewer.

Come make your voice heard!

SHL is volunteering to work at the Lowcountry Food Bank, located at 2864 Azalea Dr in Charleston, on Tuesday, January 13th from 1 - 3 PM. Volunteers work in the warehouse, helping to inspect food donations, sort fresh produce, and pack food, ensuring that it is ready to be distributed throughout the community. Upon arrival, please check in at the front desk.

The Volunteer Center is not climate-controlled, so please wear comfortable clothes suitable for the weather. Also, you must be above the age of 12 and wear closed-toe shoes. Anyone who arrives in sandals, flip flops, or any other style of open-toes shoes will not be allowed to participate due to safety concerns.

RSVP on Meetup

Food Distribution with Park Circle Cares

Volunteer to distribute food with Park Circle Cares. SHL will be supporting Park Circle Cares’ monthly food distribution on Saturday, January 17th at 8 am at North Charleston High School, in the parking area facing the train tracks.

Park Circle Cares is a non-faith based, non-profit organization created in 2016 to assist people in the Lowcountry who struggle with food insecurity. Park Circle Cares is a member agency with the Lowcountry Food Bank, and distributes 120-150 thousand pounds of food each year. What makes them unique among the many organizations working on the widespread problem of food insecurity in our community is that they only distribute healthy and nutritious foods, 75% of which is produce. Healthy dry goods and proteins make up the remainder.

Park Circle Cares is operated by an all-volunteer working board, and an enthusiastic group of volunteers who set up a farmers’ market style distribution at North Charleston High School on the third Saturday of each month.

RSVP on Meetup

Adopt-A-Highway

SHL is volunteering to clean a 2-mile portion of Azalea Drive across from the Bend on Sunday, January 25th starting at 9:30 AM. Volunteers can park at 3775 Azalea Dr in North Charleston. Enjoy a pleasant walk in the fresh air, with good company and conversation, all while making the world a cleaner place. Please join us if you can.

Trash bags, gloves, and safety vests will be provided.

RSVP on Meetup

The 2026 SHL member pin features a lighthouse paired with the phrase “A Beacon of Reason,” symbolizing the guiding role that reason, evidence, and humanist values play in navigating a complex and often confusing world. Inspired by the Morris Island Lighthouse, the design reflects our deep connection to the Lowcountry while evoking the lighthouse’s timeless purpose: providing clarity, direction, and safety amid uncertainty. Just as a beacon cuts through darkness and fog, SHL strives to promote thoughtful inquiry, compassion, and reasoned action in our community.

Member Pins, first introduced in 2023, are given to any dues-paying members of the Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry (SHL). We offer several levels of annual membership:

• Individual: $35

• Family: $50

• Sustaining: $100

• Benefactor: $150

You can also become a lifetime member for $500.

Become a Dues Paying Member Today!

Collect your member pin from the SHL treasurer, Tucker Lentz, at an upcoming SHL Event.

Come see the film Song Sung Blue with your non-religious friends from the Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry (SHL)! We are going to the 3:30 pm showing at the Citadel Stadium 16 theater in West Ashley on Sunday, January 4, 2025.

Song Sung Blue is a biographical musical drama starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson as Mike and Claire Sardina, a Milwaukee couple who form a Neil Diamond tribute band called Lightning & Thunder. They build a life together through music, love, and resilience. Adapted from a 2008 documentary of the same name, the story follows their rise as performers, the personal hardships they endure, and the power of music to sustain them through adversity. The movie blends heartfelt performances with classic Diamond songs, and currently has a 97% verified hot rating on Rotten Tomatoes Popcornmeter.

RSVP on Meetup

You can use the link below to purchase tickets. Tickets are assigned seating. Sit wherever you like, but we encourage you to check the on Meetup to see which seats your SHL friends have purchased, and buy seats next to them, in front of them, behind them, near them… then post your seat choice back in the comments.

After the movie those who wish will be going to dinner at Metro Diner, located at 1808 Sam Rittenberg Blvd (Suite 1) in West Ashley for drinks, food and to discuss the film. If you don’t want to attend the showing, feel free to join us to discuss the film afterwards. We should get there around 6 pm, depending on the number of commercials and previews. If you want to reach out to me ahead of time, I’d be happy to text you when we leave the theater. Please just let me know so I can try to get a big enough table.

You can buy tickets at:
https://www.southeastcinemas.com/movies/CitadelMallStadium16/SONG-SUNG-BLUE/SO517-077654000005

Additional info:

• Tickets bought online $10

• The running time for the film is 2:12 plus or minus commercials and previews.

Movie Selection:
The SHL Movie club normally meets on the first Sunday of the month. Films are usually chosen by a ranked choice vote. An email with the voting link is sent to the movie club mailing list about 10 days before the film. If you are not on the movie club mailing list, but would like to vote on future film selections email shl@lowcountryhumanists.org and ask to be added to the list.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, SHL has funds available to ensure everyone feels welcome and able to participate. If the cost of participation presents a challenge, please email us at shl@lowcountryhumanists.org, and we can discreetly arrange to cover your costs.

We had so much fun, we are meeting again! Join SHL Makers/Crafters for an SHL Makers Studio. Hosted by Ann H. on Thursday, January 8th at 2 pm in her home, located at 1138 Shoreside Way in Mt Pleasant. Bring your own project, or start something new with supplies on hand.

This year we hope to explore Craftivism, establish a service or fundraising project, host a repair cafe, and more. Come be part of the conversation.

RSVP on Meetup

We’ve got three fun kid-friendly activities planned for January. We will continue having our Secular Kids’ Play Dates on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. On Sunday, January 11th at 11 am we will return to Gahagan Park in Summerville.

RSVP for Gahagan Park

Then on Sunday, January 25th at 11 am we are going to Pinckney Park on James Island.

RSVP for Pinckney Park

Originally scheduled for Wednesday, January 14th, this had to be rescheduled to February 11th.

We are also trying a new activity [next month]—SHL Kids Board Game Recess at 11:30 am at Hoodie Cat in Northwoods Mall. They offer free 'all-you-can-play' to homeschool families every Wednesday from 11-3. They boast over 300 games in their library, ranging from all ages, interests, and abilities.

We plan to be there around 11:30 and will stay as long as the kids want to play. All ages welcome.

RSVP for Board Game Recess

Calling all Freethinkers Under 40—skeptics, agnostics, atheists and any other non-religious folk. This event is for you! Join the Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry (SHL) for Reason On Tap: Young & Godless Happy Hour, a social space created to bring together Charleston’s next generation of freethinkers.

We are working to create more diverse and dynamic spaces for younger humanists to connect. If you’re looking for friends who share your values of reason, compassion, and curiosity, we hope you’ll find your people here.

Grab a drink, meet other open-minded young people, and be a part of the secular community in the Lowcountry.

👉 No agenda, just good people and good vibes.
📅 Monday, January 12 | 🕠 5:30–7:30 PM | 📍New Realm Brewing Co on Daniel Island

RSVP on Meetup

Find the group by looking for our table top sign.

Join your Humanist friends on the second Tuesday of each month for Happy Humanist Hour, where we will share a meal, drinks, and good company.

For our January 13th dinner at 7 pm we will be going to La Hacienda located at 5070 International Blvd in North Charleston.

RSVP on Meetup

Please RSVP so we can get an accurate headcount and try to make a reservation. RESERVATIONS ARE CALLED IN TO THE RESTAURANT ON THE MONDAY PRIOR, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO RSVP BY THEN!

Look for our table top sign to find the group.

Dinner group is always a fun and relaxing evening of stimulating conversation over drinks (alcohol is optional) and yummy food among old and new friends! Hope to see you all there!

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, SHL has funds available to ensure everyone feels welcome and able to participate. If the cost of participation presents a challenge, please email us at shl@lowcountryhumanists.org, and we can discreetly arrange to cover your costs.