What Should We Worship?
Reclaiming Spirituality from Religion

An Objectivist Center conference on secular alternatives to religion Saturday, October 23, 1999 Marriott Marquis Hotel, New York City Can we be good without God? Can we find meaning in our lives without a divine point of reference? Religion has always claimed a monopoly on the realm of the spirit, the realm of moral values and ideals, the realm in which we seek meaning, purpose, and inner peace. To satisfy these spiritual needs, millions of people are turning to religion, or to New Age equivalents, fleeing a culture that so often seems degraded and nihilistic.

But couldn't there be a fully secular basis for the life of the spirit? Do meaning and purpose have to come from faith instead of reason? Do our values need a supernatural sanction?

Objectivism, the worldview originated by novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand, holds that spiritual needs arise not from an ineffable soul but from our nature as rational and moral beings. It holds that morality, idealism, and a sense of meaning in life are compatible with — indeed, are necessary for — material success and happiness. The religious concepts of exaltation, worship, reverence, and the sacred, Rand said, "do name actual emotions, even though no supernatural dimension exists." Their source "is the entire emotional realm of man's dedication to a moral ideal."

"What Should We Worship: Reclaiming Spirituality from Religion" will examine this idea from a number of perspectives.

Program

8:30 - 9:00
Conference registration

9:00 - 9:30
David Kelley,
Opening remarks
As conference MC and moderator, David Kelley, executive director of The Objectivist Center, will begin the conference by framing the issues.

9:30 - 10:30
Robert James Bidinotto,
"Green Cathedrals: Modern Spiritual Poverty and the Rise of Environmentalism"
Environmentalism arose as a spiritual quest for meaning in nature, rejecting the premises and practices of modern capitalism. Robert Bidinotto will trace the movement to its religious roots, challenge its claims of Western spiritual bankruptcy, and show how the modern secular worldview can incorporate a sense of the sacred. Mr. Bidinotto has written extensively on environmental issues for Reader's Digest and other publications. He is currently Director of Membership Development at The Objectivist Center.

10:30 - 11:00
Break

11:00 - 12:00
Kenneth Livingston,
"The Psychology of Belief: Why Religion Seems to Work"
Many empirical studies claim to show the psychological benefits of an active religious life. Despite serious flaws in the method and logic of such research, there appears to be some truth in the claims. If the benefits of religion do not derive from a supernatural being, what is their actual source? What facts of reality have the major religions managed to incorporate into their beliefs and practices? What can we learn from religion about the psychology of human happiness and well-being? Kenneth Livingston, a professor of psychology and cognitive science at Vassar College, is recognized in his field as a leading expert on the psychology of concepts and cognitive development.

12:00 - 1:30
Lunch

1:30 - 2:45
Nathaniel Branden,
"What Are Our Spiritual Needs?"
Nathaniel Branden will explore the meaning of spirituality, the misconceptions about it, and the use of the term "spiritual" in Ayn Rand's writings. Based on his many years of practice and reflection, he will present his own understanding of our spiritual needs and their role in our development. Dr. Branden is known worldwide as the first to articulate the nature and importance of self-esteem. He is the author of Six Pillars of Self-Esteem, Taking Responsibility, and The Art of Living Consciously, among many other books.

2:45 - 3:15
Break

3:15 - 4:30
Timothy J. Madigan,
"Rational Rituals or 'Pay No Attention to That Man Behind the Curtain'"
Humanists have been pioneers in creating secular organizations and rituals, such as weddings and memorial services, to help people cope with life changes on a nonreligious basis. How successful have these efforts been? Timothy Madigan will discuss the experience of the humanist movement in creating secular alternatives to religious practices — especially the challenge of making rituals effective when they are based on reason rather than faith. Mr. Madigan is former editor of Free Inquiry: The International Secular Humanist Magazine and a frequent speaker at humanist conferences. He is currently Acquisitions Editor for the University of Rochester Press and Chair of the Free Inquiry Editorial Board.

4:30 - 5:00
David Kelley,
Closing remarks
Dr. Kelley will close the conference by commenting on its main themes and proposing an agenda for the future of secular spiritual practices.

Banquet
Following the conference will be a banquet to celebrate ten years of growth as the Institute for Objectivist Studies and to support its future as The Objectivist Center. The banquet price includes a four-course meal (with choice of entrée), as well as the opportunity to meet the Center's staff, its trustees, and many of the people who form the Center's diverse community.

7:00
Dinner

9:00
Banquet Address: David Kelley,
"Truth and Toleration, Ten Years Later."
When it was published in 1990, David Kelley's monograph Truth and Toleration launched a new movement within Objectivism, committed to open discussion and debate and rejecting dogma, authority, and exclusionary practices. Has the experience of the past decade borne out his original analysis? Dr. Kelley will comment on the development of Objectivism as an open system of thought, on Objectivism and libertarianism as movements, and on the behavior of exclusionary Objectivist organizations.

Please note! As memento of David Kelley's evening address, all those attending the October 23 banquet will be presented with a free copy of The Objectivism Store's latest videotape: "A Philosophy for the Twenty-first Century," the unforgettable speech that David Kelley gave at the celebration held two years ago in Washington, D.C., to mark the fortieth anniversary of the publication of Atlas Shrugged.