Curt Collier
From Philosopedia
Collier, Curt (21 February1961- )
Born and raised in rural South Texas, Collier studied Philosophy (B.A.) at Texas A&M University (with a Minor in Religious Studies). After college, he attended a Kibbutz Ulpan (studying Hebrew) in Israel. Collier returned to the United States and completed a post-Baccalaureate at Southwest Texas State University (winning the Zedler Scholarship) and a Masters in Audiology (M.S.) at Texas Tech University. During this program, he was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student in Audiology and published research in auditory brainstem response in Ear & Hearing.
He was accepted into an Internship at the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, where he continued to present research in a variety of topics. Also, he taught Audiology at Texas Tech University and founded the Audiology Department for the Texas Tech Health Science Center. Curt entered into private practice in Corpus Christi, Texas, and taught Audiology at Texas A&M Kingsville before deciding to study for Ethical Culture Leadership.
Collier is a graduate of the Humanist Institute and the Post Graduate Center for Mental Health.
He is completing a Doctorate in Ministry (ABD) from Hebrew Union College. He is the founder of Just Matrimony, promoting marriage equality for Gay and Lesbians, and served as co-Mentor for the Humanist Institute and the Humanist in Leadership Training programs. He is credited for founding the Ethical Society of Austin, Texas.
Collier is Adjunct Faculty with the University Studies Department at Hofstra University.
He has served on several committees for the American Ethical Union (including the Assembly Committee and the Leadership Training Committee), and has served on faculty of the Lay Leadership Summer School.
Collier is Deputy Director of Groundwork USA, an environmental organization founded in the US by the National Park Service and the EPA which engages, empowers, and transforms the physical and social landscape of America through partnerships with local residents.
Collier travels widely and his plays have appeared on several stages in the New York area. He was a recipient of a grant from the Bronx Council of the Arts for his Yeats: Mad as the Mist and Snow, and his play Displaced Moments was performed Off-Off Broadway.
Collier was leader of the Riverdale Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture in New York for 10 1/2 years. He now is leader of the New York Society for Ethical Culture.
“The Bible has been used as a weapon against people,” he has said. “What humanists need to realize is that not all believers in the Bible believe in it in the same way. There is a difference between the way a Presbyterian looks at it as opposed to a Fundamentalist.”
He prefers the term “non-theist” to describe his outlook, adding, “An atheist is certain there is no God. For an agnostic, the jury is still out. I’m a non-theist. I really don’t care whether people believe or don’t believe in a god.”
{WAS}
