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NOTE: Most of our meetings are on the 4th Wednesday of the month, at 7:30 pm in
Mtn. View.ASV Library at meetings: bring books & magazines; get books and magazines
Everyone is welcome at our meetings: members, non-members, Atheists, Agnostics, Pagans, Deists, Christians, Jews,
Muslims, ... You don't have to come out of the closet at the meeting or even give your real name. Our membership and
Yahoo lists are not public. We don't charge for atttendance, but do ask if people want to donate to help with
the small expenses of keeping us going and doing outreach.
Bad News about the Mt. Davidson Cross Suit
The US Supreme Court turned down Dave Kong’s case regarding the Mt. Davidson Cross, so it looks like that
issue is dead. The huge cross stands on a tiny sliver of private land surrounded by a big park on SF county
land. Well, at least they didn’t take the case and overturn it! Three cheers for Dave Kong and John Messina
for fighting a good fight. And let’s not forget that they still have one hell of a big legal bill to pay,
so Dave will be happy to take anything you’ve got.
To help, send a check to Dave at POB 1741, Pacifica, CA, 94044, call him at 415-771-9872, or
email him for more info.
For events in San Francisco, see the
San Francisco Atheists calendar.
For events in the East Bay, see the East Bay Atheists calendar.
For Humanist Community Sunday events in Palo Alto, see their calendar.
Psychologist Marlene Winell Offers Weekend Retreats For Recovery From Religion
Marlene Winell, Ph.D., the author of a book on recovering from the
psychological scars resulting from a fundamentalist upbringing, plans weekend retreats that focus on what that recovery means.“The effects of authoritarian religious training can last a long time and run deep, seriously impacting your
ability to enjoy life. The process of leaving one’s faith often creates intense feelings of confusion, grief,
anxiety, and anger. Full recovery can be difficult if the issues are not clear and you feel alone in the struggle.
“This workshop is designed to support you in this process of healing and growth. The weekend is a powerful group
experience of sharing personal history, examining key issues, and exploring new liberating concepts. In addition
to discussion, we will use experiential methods including art, guided visualization, movement, and role-play.
There will also be time for shared meals, relaxation, and fun.”
To register, send an email to mwinell 'at' gmail.com with your contact information.
On blogtalkradio.com.The Toll-Free: 888-503-0802
Send debate suggestions to: producer 'at' infidelguy.com
» Upcoming Events «
Sunday, July 5, 11 am: Humanity’s Evolutionary Past Reveals the Path Toward a Sustainable Future
- at The Humanist Community in Palo Alto
Arthur Jackson, longtime member, past President of the HC, and author of The Humanist Chapter of the Future and the
Future of Humanism, presents a talk based on his understanding of evolutionary theory and how it provides the essential
foundation for everything people need to know about how to live the good life and the path we are on since the evolution
of symbolic language. He suggests that we are not on a random walk, but have a specific goal: how to achieve “stability”
based on memes, now that genes no longer guide our specific choices.
Location:
Mitchell Park Community Center
3800 Middlefield Rd
Palo Alto
Thursday, July 9, 6:30 pm: One Giant Leap: How the Apollo Moon Missions Changed Humanity
- at NASA Ames Research
Center in Mountain View
The Apollo moon missions are among history’s greatest technological achievements and greatest scientific explorations. But they were also a turning point in the evolution of the human species. For the 40th anniversary of the first lunar landing, Apollo 11, science journalist and space historian Andrew Chaikin, author of the new book Voices from the Moon: Apollo Astronauts Describe Their Lunar Experiences, will discuss Apollo’s significance, its impact on our culture, and how it changed our view of ourselves and our planet. He will also convey the otherworldly experiences of the astronauts themselves, and the impact that experience had on this handful of men who became the first humans to visit another world.
All guests are required to have a ticket to attend the lecture. Tickets will be distributed on the night of the event between 6:30 - 7:25 p.m. at the Ames Exploration Center by the Main Gate on Moffett Boulevard on a first-come, first-serve basis. Parking is also located at the Exploration Center and guests will walk to the N201 Auditorium (about 3 blocks).
Location:
NASA Ames Research Center
801 Moffett Blvd
Mountain View, CA 94043
Thursday, July 9, 6:30 pm: Christopher Hitchens
The famed scholar turns a critical eye on the so-called Axis of Evil. Sponsored by
The Commonwealth Club.
Location:
Cubberley Community Center
4000 Middlefield Road
Palo Alto
Thursday, July 16, 7 pm, Bay Area Russell Set, in PA
The topic will be Russell on appearance and reality. The suggested reading is Russell's essay "Seems Madam? Nay It Is."
This essay can be found in the collection Why I Am Not a Christian, or in the "Files" section of the BARS Yahoo! Group.
Location:
Szechwan Cafe
406 S. California Ave
Palo Alto
The Skeptic's Toolbox is an intimate and informal affair where participants
get an opportunity to put the tools of science and skepticism directly to work on the many claims and ideas considered
paranormal or pseudoscientific. Along with fascinating case studies and experiences presented by a wonderfully engaging
faculty, attendees break up into small groups and tackle a case study of their own, under the guidance of a faculty
member.Featured speakers include:
- Ray Hyman, Professor emeritus of psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene
- James Alcock, Professor of psychology, York University, Toronto
- Loren Pankratz, forensic psychologist, Oregon Health Sciences University
- Harriet Hall, retired physician and flight surgeon, author, and SkepDoc
- Lindsay Beyerstein, philosopher, photographer, and polymath
Fri-Sun, Aug 7-9, 1st Annual Conference of Black Nontheists, in Atlanta
- FREE
For more, see their website.
Featured speakers include:
- William Lobdell, author of the fascinating and thoughtful new memoir, Losing My Religion, about losing his faith as a devout believer while covering the religion beat. Lobdell will receive the 2009 “Emperor Has No Clothes” Award and has titled his speech, “Free at Last!”
- Barry Kosmin, principal researcher of the American Religious Identification Survey, the definitive survey which found that the nonreligious had grown to 15% of the adult U.S. population by 2008. Kosmin is the author of several books, including coeditor of Secularism and Science in the 21st Century. Dr. Kosmin holds degrees from the Universities
of London and McMaster (Canada) and directs the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture at Trinity College. He will speak on “The Rising Tide of Secularity in the U.S.”
- Phil Zuckerman, author of Society Without God. His contribution, “Atheism: Contemporary Rates and
Patterns,” in The Cambridge Companion to Atheism documents the inability of popular religiosity to thrive in modern,
egalitarian democracies. His speech will be on “The Goodness of Godlessness.”