H-R Free Thought Society Founded

Free thinkers at Harvard have a new forum for debate.

Citing concern about "intolerant" activity on campus by members of the religious right, two first-years recently formed the Harvard-Radcliffe Free Thought Society.

The club, which met for the first time last week, is intended as a "forum for the rational, critical analysis of morality, religion, and philosophical opinions," said founders Thomas C. Munro '97 and Charles A. Goodman '97 yesterday.

"The spirit of the organization is that there is nothing so certain that it cannot be doubted," Munro and Goodman said. "There is nothing so incredible that we cannot try to understand it."

Munro and Goodman said the goal of the Free Thought Society is the same as Harvard's--or, at least, the same as the school's motto.

"We're after veritas,"Munro said.

T he founders said the invite anyone to join the Free Thought Society." Any religion or opinion is welcome to debate," Munro said.

"As long as they rely on logic for their arguments and not faith," Goodman added. "We formed the group not to oppose religious morality but to strengthen secular morality."

Because of this goal, President of the conservative Club Christopher B. Brown '94, said yesterday that he thinks the foundation of the Free Thought Society is weak.

"True humanism--concern for human dignity, human society and humane culture--can find its full realization only in the context of religious values," Brown said.

Other students on campus also said they disagree with the new group's agenda.

"The majority of people at Har- vard lead lives that would seem to indicate alack of morality," said Robert K. Wasinger '94, amember of the presidential council of theAssociation Against Learning in the Absence ofReligion and Morality (AALARM).

"It's no wonder that...a group of these godlesslunatics formed their own group," Wasinger saidyesterday. "Their efforts, of course, willultimately be futile."

Although the new group is still awaitingapproval from the campus life committee of theUndergraduate Council, it has already received aprovisional sanction from Dean of Students ArchieC. Epps III.

"[The Free Thought Society] will be a forum tothink hard about issues to which people can'treach easy conclusions," Epps said yesterday."They seem to want to apply reason and logic. Thatwould be refreshing."

Thomas M. Ferrick, Humanist chaplain at theUnited Ministries, said that he agrees.

"Free thought it an American institution," hesaid. "The ethos at Harvard is in favor ofknowledge and tolerance. This will further that.

"It's no wonder that...a group of these godlesslunatics formed their own group," Wasinger saidyesterday. "Their efforts, of course, willultimately be futile."

Although the new group is still awaitingapproval from the campus life committee of theUndergraduate Council, it has already received aprovisional sanction from Dean of Students ArchieC. Epps III.

"[The Free Thought Society] will be a forum tothink hard about issues to which people can'treach easy conclusions," Epps said yesterday."They seem to want to apply reason and logic. Thatwould be refreshing."

Thomas M. Ferrick, Humanist chaplain at theUnited Ministries, said that he agrees.

"Free thought it an American institution," hesaid. "The ethos at Harvard is in favor ofknowledge and tolerance. This will further that.