Freethought martyr, Giordano Bruno
Campo dei Fiori, Rome
Campo dei Fiori, Rome
Freethought
I've been an unbeliever for most of my life. Some of the terms I've used to describe myself and others like me: atheist, agnostic, secular humanist, freethinker, infidel, pagan, rationalist.
I've written for the secular humanist press since 1974, when my first article appeared in The Freethinker (London). My most extensive writing on the topic is my 1998 book, A Freethinker's Primer of Male Love. (See the Pagan Press booklist.)
This section has a few of my freethought/humanist writings, as well as a vintage freethought book, which I have put into PDF form.
• An Post (Ireland) recently issued a stamp celebrating the bicentenary of Jane, Lady Wilde,
the mother of Oscar Wilde, a boldly independent woman who spoke
out for women's rights and Irish independence. To see the stamp click here. She wrote a great short story, “A Wolf Story”, which I've made into a pdf book — click here.
• Percy Bysshe Shelley's: DECLARATION OF RIGHTS.
Written
in 1812, when he was only nineteen, this is an outstanding expression of
classical liberalism. I especially like his statements on
Freethought and Free Speech, points 11 through 14. To read it click here.
• Expelled from Boston Atheists for Thought Crime.
Boston Atheists expelled me for criticising the failed Democratic Party
presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton. To read about this outrageous
offense against Free Speech click here.
• Friends of Lucifer. a blasphemous satire echoing the Hail Mary, Paradise Lost, and cliches of Alcoholics Anonymous. The serious point is that AA should be secular. To read it click here.
• A Freethinker in Alcoholics Anonymous. Celebrates and defends the True AA, the AA that works, but criticizes with no holds barred the things that are wrong and ought to be changed. For information click here.
• Religious Roots of the Taboo on Homosexuality: A Materialist View. This pamphlet sold thousands of copies and was translated into German. Religious Roots helped bridge the new Gay Liberation movement and the older Freethought and Atheist movements. To read it as a PDF publication click here.
• Homosexuality, Intolerance, and Christianity: A Critical Examination of John Boswell's Work. On 14 September 1980, shortly after the publication of John Boswell's book Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century, the New York Gay Academic Union convened a forum to discuss and examine his work. The speakers at the forum — entitled “Sex and the Medieval Church” - were Wayne R. Dynes, Warren Johansson and John Lauritsen. The three talks, along with a substantial annotated bibliography of reviews of Boswell's book, a new preface, and biographical notes on the authors, are now on the Pink Triangle Press web site. To read these click here.
• The Boswell Thesis is a review I wrote for the Gay Humanist Quarterly of a book edited by Mathew Kuefler, The Boswell Thesis: Essays on Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality. To read it click here.
• A Place at the Table for Humanists is a mini-sermon I delivered at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House in Provincetown, 7 March 1999. To read it click here.
• The Greek Spirit is a sermon I delivered when I conducted the service at the UU Meeting House in Provincetown on 23 May 1999. To read it click here.
• Gay Liberation and Humanism HDS is a talk I gave on the panel, “Staying and Leaving: Responses to the Fear in Our Traditions”, at the Harvard Divinity School, Gay Conference, 23 April 1999. To read it click here.
• Gay Liberation and Humanism URI is a longer version of the preceding. It was delivered on 24 March 2000 at the Sixth Annual Symposium on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues at the University of Rhode Island. To read it click here.
• Socrates and the Ladder of Love is a sermon I delivered at the UU Meeting House, Provincetown, 9 September 2001. To read it click here.
• Debunking the Mary Shelley Myth — discussing the authorship thesis of my new book, The Man Who Wrote Frankenstein — was published in the Spring 2007 issue of the Gay & Lesbian Humanist. To read it click here.
• Recovery Without Religiosity: Atheists and agnostics can enjoy good sobriety in the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous without sacrificing their principles. To learn more click here.
• Arthur M. Lewis's book, The Struggle Between Science and Superstition (1918), is a great favorite of mine. His descriptions of the martyrdom of Giordano Bruno and the forced recantation of Galileo are especially moving. To read this book in PDF form (the file is 6 mb.) click here.
• Warren Johansson (birthname: Joseph Wallfield) may have been the most learned gay scholar of the second half of the 20th century. In a short position paper he argues: “From its very first day the debate over homosexuality in modern society has been a struggle between the homophile movement and the religious establishment.” To read Our Struggle click here.
• Pornography & Censorship. Three writers counter demands for censorship of pornography, arguing that censorship of any kind brings us closer to a police state.
• Antony Grey: “Linda: What Sticks in My Gullet!”
• Brigid Brophy: “The Longford Report”
• John Lauritsen: “Feminism and Censorship in the United States”
• Is this a poet? My article in The American Dissident, exposes the fraudulent reputation of Susan Howe. The American Dissident blasts the rotten Poetry Establishment and publishes poems that it wouldn't touch. Click here.
I write books and am proprietor of Pagan Press, a small book publisher. Each of our books is unique and well produced. Please check out the Pagan Press BOOKLIST — John Lauritsen
• A Freethinker in Alcoholics Anonymous. Celebrates and defends the True AA, the AA that works, but criticizes with no holds barred the things that are wrong and ought to be changed. For information click here.
• Religious Roots of the Taboo on Homosexuality: A Materialist View. This pamphlet sold thousands of copies and was translated into German. Religious Roots helped bridge the new Gay Liberation movement and the older Freethought and Atheist movements. To read it as a PDF publication click here.
• Homosexuality, Intolerance, and Christianity: A Critical Examination of John Boswell's Work. On 14 September 1980, shortly after the publication of John Boswell's book Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century, the New York Gay Academic Union convened a forum to discuss and examine his work. The speakers at the forum — entitled “Sex and the Medieval Church” - were Wayne R. Dynes, Warren Johansson and John Lauritsen. The three talks, along with a substantial annotated bibliography of reviews of Boswell's book, a new preface, and biographical notes on the authors, are now on the Pink Triangle Press web site. To read these click here.
• The Boswell Thesis is a review I wrote for the Gay Humanist Quarterly of a book edited by Mathew Kuefler, The Boswell Thesis: Essays on Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality. To read it click here.
• A Place at the Table for Humanists is a mini-sermon I delivered at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House in Provincetown, 7 March 1999. To read it click here.
• The Greek Spirit is a sermon I delivered when I conducted the service at the UU Meeting House in Provincetown on 23 May 1999. To read it click here.
• Gay Liberation and Humanism HDS is a talk I gave on the panel, “Staying and Leaving: Responses to the Fear in Our Traditions”, at the Harvard Divinity School, Gay Conference, 23 April 1999. To read it click here.
• Gay Liberation and Humanism URI is a longer version of the preceding. It was delivered on 24 March 2000 at the Sixth Annual Symposium on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues at the University of Rhode Island. To read it click here.
• Socrates and the Ladder of Love is a sermon I delivered at the UU Meeting House, Provincetown, 9 September 2001. To read it click here.
• Debunking the Mary Shelley Myth — discussing the authorship thesis of my new book, The Man Who Wrote Frankenstein — was published in the Spring 2007 issue of the Gay & Lesbian Humanist. To read it click here.
• Recovery Without Religiosity: Atheists and agnostics can enjoy good sobriety in the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous without sacrificing their principles. To learn more click here.
• Arthur M. Lewis's book, The Struggle Between Science and Superstition (1918), is a great favorite of mine. His descriptions of the martyrdom of Giordano Bruno and the forced recantation of Galileo are especially moving. To read this book in PDF form (the file is 6 mb.) click here.
• Warren Johansson (birthname: Joseph Wallfield) may have been the most learned gay scholar of the second half of the 20th century. In a short position paper he argues: “From its very first day the debate over homosexuality in modern society has been a struggle between the homophile movement and the religious establishment.” To read Our Struggle click here.
• Pornography & Censorship. Three writers counter demands for censorship of pornography, arguing that censorship of any kind brings us closer to a police state.
• Antony Grey: “Linda: What Sticks in My Gullet!”
• Brigid Brophy: “The Longford Report”
• John Lauritsen: “Feminism and Censorship in the United States”
• Is this a poet? My article in The American Dissident, exposes the fraudulent reputation of Susan Howe. The American Dissident blasts the rotten Poetry Establishment and publishes poems that it wouldn't touch. Click here.
I write books and am proprietor of Pagan Press, a small book publisher. Each of our books is unique and well produced. Please check out the Pagan Press BOOKLIST — John Lauritsen