Freethinkers' Forum: What are our political obligations?

***Note the change of venue. We normally meet at the Keith Summey Library, but it was not available, so we are meeting at the Otranto library.***

Discussion prompt:
We’re meeting just after the 2025 general elections. While this year is off-cycle, participating in local elections still matters, so it is the perfect moment to reflect not just on outcomes, but on our responsibilities as secular humanists in a politically turbulent time.

Secular humanism is more than a worldview grounded in science and reason — it’s also a moral framework. We affirm human dignity, equality, and justice. But affirming those values in principle is different from acting on them in public life. So: What are our political obligations?

In an era when basic human rights are being rolled back, when disinformation is rampant, and when authoritarian movements are gaining ground, many of us feel overwhelmed. No matter how much we do — vote, donate, protest, organize, argue online — it can feel like it’s not enough. So:

• What is enough? How do we define our responsibilities without burning out?
• What if I hate politics — or feel it’s harming my mental health? Is disengagement ever justifiable, or is that a moral abdication?
• How do I find the kind of political engagement that fits me? Do I have to be out in the streets? Should I be running for office? Is voting and staying informed enough?
• How much news should I consume? How do we balance staying informed with maintaining well-being?
• Should we engage with media or people on the “other side”? What do we owe, if anything, to political dialogue across divisions?

Let’s talk honestly about our personal boundaries, our political values, and what it means to live out humanist ethics in public life. How do you decide what your political obligations are — and how do you stay sane while fulfilling them?

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.

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

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.

Upcoming Forums:
We have posted topics and discussion prompts for the next few month's forums on our website at https://lowcountryhumanists.org/freethinkers-forum