Nationally known secular humanist to address "The Necessity of Secularism" in Kalispell April 22

In a democratic nation with an ever-growing percentage of non-believers, will the doctrine of separation of church and state alone adequately ensure the rights of people of all ideological persuasions and belief systems?

Ronald A. Lindsay, president and chief executive officer of the Center for Inquiry, will address that question in his talk "The Necessity of Secularism," scheduled for 7 pm. Tuesday, April 22 at the Museum at Central School, 124 Second Ave, E. in Kalispell. The talk is being sponsored by the Flathead Area Secular Humanist Association. Admission is free, and is open to the public.
For the first time in human history, a large number of people in many countries no longer believe in God. This is especially true in the developed world. Unless religion collapses completely, or undergoes a remarkable resurgence -- and neither scenario is likely -- we will have societies with a mix of believers and nonbelievers for some time.

In such a religiously pluralistic society, a robust, thoroughgoing secularism is the only reliable means of preserving public order and freedom for all. Secularism is not just another term for the separation of church and state. Secularism implies not only a secular state but a secular society, that is, one in which religion remains in the private domain. In particular, religious precepts should have no place in public policy debates. Secularism is not only desirable; it is required if we are to have a democracy that respects the rights of all.