The 'Central Ohio Humanist' Current Edition Highlights

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A Fond Farewell to Jim Ridenour

Editor's note: Longtime HCCO member Jim Ridenour passed away Thursday, June 23. Some of his friends have shared their memories here.

Jim was a friend always there at the HCCO meetings with a smile and something kind to say.

— Jay S.

I first met Jim many years ago when attending meetings of the local chapter of Amnesty International. At the time, I was HCCO’s representative at AI meetings, and would inform the HCCO membership of upcoming AI events. Jim seemed to be at every AI meeting, and would invite everyone to join him for socializing at Bernie’s Bagels after the meetings. He clearly was concerned about and liked people. I think Jim joined HCCO after seeing me working at the group’s Comfest booth one year. He stopped at the booth, took some of the literature and decided that HCCO was where he belonged. I’m sure glad he did, and will greatly miss him.

— Joe S.

Jim usually acted as host/leader at the monthly book club meetings. The interesting thing about HCCO's book club was that rather than everyone reading and commenting on the same book, as many clubs do, everyone would just bring and discuss whatever they'd been reading lately. And the interesting thing about Jim's participation is that he rarely presented a book himself; he was content to listen to everyone else and add his two cents to the discussions that ensued. I think that was just part of his manner: Laid back, unimposing, but insightful.

— Jerry P.

I’d enjoyed talking to Jim at the MCL dinners and our regular meetings. Sometimes we talked shop (programming). We often exchanged cat stories since we both had cats. Very friendly guy. I’ll miss him.

— John S.

I remember Jim Ridenour’s regular participation in the Sunday morning discussion groups at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus at 93 West Weisheimer Road in Clintonville. Jim was willing to listen to others, even when he disagreed with their positions. Jim Ridenour was a gentleman of the first caliber. We will miss Jim.

— Earl W.

Jim and I enjoyed each other's company at our “Last Saturday Dinner” that he helped start several years ago at the MCL at Kingsdale in Upper Arlington. He would show up first to reserve the long tables so we would all have a place to sit together.

I also remember he and I working the HCCO booth at Comfest and then after his shift with us he went to

work the Amnesty International booth. That was his other cause - human rights.

I don’t have a lot of stories about Jim since we weren’t close but I do have a quote from him that I use in my e-mails as a tag line: ”Christianity produced confusion. I could never tell who was responsible, me or God. Now I know I am mostly responsible so if I want something to happen I must do it.” — Jim Ridenour (1999)

— Doug B.

Jim always struck me as someone with a very quiet and sublte intelligence — there was always more going on inside than he let on. He occasionally came to book club, but usually more to listen than to share. He was also the most active participant in the MCL dinners — in fact, that was sort of "his thing." I know HCCO was very important to him, and he did what he could to support the group.

— Amy B.

Respect, tolerance important parts of humanism

June has been especially full of activities for the Humanist Community, including our annual picnic with food, music, games, and lots of conversation. Many humanists participated in Columbus's Pride Festival. At the Community Festival, we set up a newly designed booth.

Humanism at the ballgame

Recently, I attended a Columbus Clippers Baseball game. By sharing my reactions to things that happened that night, I'd like to give some insight into humanist living.

Natural wonders are awesome without having to be divine

In Colorado I visited the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater; in Utah I went to Arches National Park and in Arizona I visited the Grand Canyon. I call it my Earthscapes Tour.

Some people look at the wondrous beauty of such places and attribute it to the hand of God. They might evenask themselves how someone can look upon such beauty, or that of many other natural scenes, and not believe that God was responsible.

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