Our platform speakers are selected based on their knowledge and expertise on a given subject, not necessarily on the degree to which they agree with the basic values and principles of Ethical Culture. We may invite speakers with dramatically opposing views in order to challenge the existing "politically correct" views.

Presentations are on Sundays at 1:30PM at Extraordinary Ventures in Chapel Hill, NC. Childcare is provided.

1. December 21
   Winter Solstice Celebration
   

2. December 7
   Randy Best, Leader
   My Wake Up Call
   

3. September 21
   Martha Gallahue
   A Report from the United Nations
   

4. September 7
   John and Marge Holmgren
   A Report on the 2008 AEU Lay Leadership Summer School
   

5. August 17
   Rep. Paul Luebke, North Carolina District 30 (Durham)
   North Carolina: Stop Torture Now
   
   Platform Overview: Can the Tarheel State become the first in the nation to outlaw torture and extreme rendition by making it a felony offense to commit such crimes in the State of North Carolina? Rep. Luebke is the primary sponsor of House Bill 2417 which would do just this.
   
   See also NCSEC Resolution: Stop Torture in North Carolina
   

6. August 3
   Alex Hitt, Owner, Peregrine Farms
   Sustainable Agriculture in the Piedmont
   

7. July 20
   Chris Moran, Executive Director, Interfaith Council for Social Service (IFC)
   New Initiatives at the IFC
   

8. July 6
   Jan Broughton, Hugh Giblin
   Review of AEU, & AHA Assemblies
   

9. June 15
   Lyle Estill
   Biofuels
   

10. June 1
    Bill Green
    An Ethical Violation (Ethics in Journalism)
    

11. May 25
    Scott Waybright, Chris Kaman
    Technology Workshop for NCSEC
    Note: This meeting will be at Caribou Coffee at Franklin St. and Estes Drive in Chapel Hill. The Arts Center will not be available for this meeting.
    

12. May 18
    Speaker: tba
    NCSEC Recognition Day
    

13. May 4
    Prof. Elin O'Hara Slavick, Professor of Art, UNC at Chapel Hill, Artist
    Art & Activism
    

14. April 20
    Hugh Giblin, Paul Piersma
    Socially Responsible Investing (SRI)
    SRI Bibliography
    

15. April 6
    Blair Pollock
    Recycling
    

16. March 30
    Clark Jones, Musician, Poet
    Ethics & Music
    

17. March 23
    Rev. Hoyle
    The 7 Deadly Sins
    

18. March 16
    Randy Best, Leader of North Carolina Society for Ethical Culture
    Topic: tba
    

19. March 2
    Prof. Sarah Shields, Ph.D. History at UNC Chapel Hill
    War and Poverty Topic
    

20. February 17
    Dr. David Pfennig, Professor of Biology at UNC Chapel Hill
    Evolution: How It Works and Why It's Important
    
    Platform Overview: Evolution is as much a scientific fact as the germ theory and the atomic theory. Moreover, it unifies all of the life sciences. Yet, many people, including even some educators and policy makers, have only a dim understanding of how evolution works. In this talk, we will explore what evolution is, how it works, why it is misunderstood, and why it is important to understand. As we will see, an appreciation of evolution can be critical in our everyday lives.
    

21. February 3
    Kate Lovelady, Leader of Ethical Society of St. Louis
    Ethical Sex
    
    Platform Overview: America has a difficult relationship with sex. On the one hand, sexualized images are everywhere and are an important fuel for our desire-based economy; more-conservative countries complain that our images and attitudes are corrupting their cultures. On the other hand, many politicians, preachers, and educators build careers on trying to convince Americans — particularly American youth — to re-embrace our Puritan past; more liberal countries find our sexual attitudes and policies to be unscientific and even dangerous. Personally and as citizens, we all make decisions about sex: who should have it, when, how, with whom, under what circumstances. Ethical decisions need to be conscious and informed; therefore we need to start with some fundamental questions: What is sex for? What is "good" and "bad" sex in an ethical sense? Where do people's assumptions about sex come from? To what extent is the issue of sex in America not really about sex at all, but about other things: power; idealizations of childhood; assumptions about women's and men's roles, about sexuality and orientation, about families? What are the hidden beliefs and agendas behind much of today's "sexuality police"?
    
    "When authorities warn you of the sinfulness of sex, there is an important lesson to be learned. Do not have sex with the authorities." — Matt Groening
    

22. January 20
    Jan Broughton, President, NC Society for Ethical Culture
    Annual Meeting of Members
    

23. January 13
    Ed Brown, PhD Chemistry
    Drug Laws
    

24. January 6
    Installation of Randy Best as Leader of the North Carolina Society for Ethical Culture