Why a Humanist Coming of Age Ceremony?
We humans have throughout our existence, in all cultures, at all times, celebrated the great turning points of life in our rites of passage. The transformation from child to young adult has been celebrated in most cultures. In earlier times, a boy took the responsibilities of a man immediately after such a ceremony. In modern times though, it may seem like the teenage years expand long into the twenties.
In a modern society, the freedom and responsibility of children increase with age and matureness. The formal rights are acquired at specific ages, that vary from country to country and state to state. The age of sexual consent, age of legal majority, age of drivers license and legal drinking are some common examples.
Nevertheless, it may be good to mark one symbolic occasion with a celebration, either in the family, local community or within an organization. Humans need not only intellectual clarity and truth, but also sharing the ideas one hold at the significant points in ones lifetime and celebrating them in forms fitting the occasion.
A Humanist Coming of Age may provide a such an occasion.
