Atheists lack, and sometimes specifically reject, a belief in the
existence of a god or gods.
Humanists believe that ethical philosophy should be based on human
needs and rational thought.
Agnostics believe that the truth about the existence of god or gods is
unknown or unknowable.
If you find the above ideas interesting, you are invited to join AHA! for
fun and lively discussion. We have regular meetings each Wednesday at 7pm in
Old Union.
When: Wednesday, Feb 10, 7pm Where: Old Union room 201
Come win fabulous freethought prizes this week at AHA!’s regular Wednesday meeting. In honor of Darwin’s 201st birthday, we’ll be playing Creationism Bingo. We’ll watch some favorite creationist video clips on YouTube and play bingo with the things they say. Print our blank bingo card (or we’ll have some ready for you at the meeting) and fill it out with creationist phrases and concepts you expect to hear, then bring it with you and win! Also, e-mail us at atheists[at]stanford[dot]edu if you have a favorite creationist video on YouTube, or even if you have a short clip on DVD or your hard drive.
Intellectual, moral, and religious movements often have a calling, a social agenda with which they become associated by history. Nineteenth century “social Gospel” Protestants crusaded against urban poverty, child labor, and alcoholism; the refuseniks struggled for Jewish emigration rights in Soviet Russia. If secularism (in North America) is a movement, what is its calling? For what will it be remembered? Creating clubs of self-identifying atheists and agnostics? Desecrating communion wafers? This talk argues that the calling of secularism is not to champion atheism as such or to assemble congregation of nonbelievers, but to join in solidarity with liberal democratic movements against religious repression in unfree societies, especially under Islamic governments.
Austin Dacey is a writer and human rights advocate based in New York City. His writings have appeared in numerous publications including the New York Times, USA Today, and Science. In 2008 he released The Secular Conscience: Why Belief Belongs in Public Life, which argues for the central role of conscience in political and moral discourse. A former United Nations representative for the Center for Inquiry, Austin Dacey has participated in international debates regarding freedom of expression, religion, and the “dialogue among civilizations,” speaking before the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Austin Dacey will be delivering our keynote address, entitled “What is Secularism For?” This presentation is being hosted by AHA! @ Stanford.
Intellectual, moral, and religious movements often have a calling, a social agenda with which they become associated by history. Nineteenth century “social Gospel” Protestants crusaded against urban poverty, child labor, and alcoholism; the refuseniks struggled for Jewish emigration rights in Soviet Russia. If secularism (in North America) is a movement, what is its calling? For what will it be remembered? Creating clubs of self-identifying atheists and agnostics? Desecrating communion wafers? This talk argues that the calling of secularism is not to champion atheism as such or to assemble congregation of nonbelievers, but to join in solidarity with liberal democratic movements against religious repression in unfree societies, especially under Islamic governments.
Austin Dacey is a writer and human rights advocate based in New York City. His writings have appeared in numerous publications including the New York Times, USA Today, and Science. In 2008 he released The Secular Conscience: Why Belief Belongs in Public Life, which argues for the central role of conscience in political and moral discourse. A former United Nations representative for the Center for Inquiry, Austin Dacey has participated in international debates regarding freedom of expression, religion, and the “dialogue among civilizations,” speaking before the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.
When: Wed. Feb. 3, 7pm
Where: Old Union 201 This week we’re going to be having a discussion on the roles that religion takes in fiction. This has been a particularly hot topic in the online science-fiction community recently. There’s some (very optional) suggested reading, but if you have a favorite book or story with religious themes, bring it with you to the meeting.
Some people suggest that christians begin avoiding science fiction because it does not portray religion in a positive light. There might be good reason for that.
There was a response on the scifi blog Tor that suggests we should pick and choose which religious messages we look for in science fiction.
The time is finally here! Shirts arrive today and will be on sale starting tomorrow at PZ Myers’ talk.
Shirts will be sold on a first come first serve basis to members for $10 and to non-members for $15, tax included and payable by cash (or less preferably by personal check made out to AHA! @ Stanford). If we sell out we will likely print more, but having one of the first batch makes you a trendsetter!
I’m happy to say that Greg Epstein, Harvard’s Humanist chaplain, is continuing to recieve attention for his book, Good Without God. You can find a segment he did on ABC today, and his book is up to #330 on Amazon’s sales ranking right after the segment aired.
I’m also pleased to say that the talk he gave at Stanford is now up on YouTube, so if you missed it, now’s your chance to check it out.
Atheists, Humanists, and Agnostics (AHA!) at Stanford presents a guest lecture by “the celebrated scientific blogwit” P.Z. Myers. Professor Myers teaches biology at the University of Minnesota at Morris and is an outspoken critic of intelligent design and creationism. His blog, Pharyngula, receives over two million visits a month, and has been ranked by Nature magazine as the top blog written a scientist. In 2009 he was recognized as Humanist of the Year by the American Humanist Association.
P.Z. Myers has had numerous encounters with creationists of all flavors. He received widespread media attention when he was asked to leave a screening of the film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, in which he appears (having been interviewed under the pretense of a different film project). His guest for the evening, Richard Dawkins, was allowed to remain and watch the film.
In August 2009, Myers joined the Secular Student Alliance in a visit to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY, where nearly 300 freethinkers met to view creationist ideas first-hand. He then delivered the keynote presentation at the SSA’s 2009 conference, where he discussed hands-on ways to counter creationism and other pseudoscience.
This event is made possible by the Secular Student Alliance Speakers Bureau, the Graduate Student Council, and the ASSU Undergraduate Senate.
When: Wednesday, Jan. 20, 7pm Where: Old Union room 201
We’re happy to welcome Clint Korver, co-author of Ethics in the Real World this week. Korver is an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, and has taught ethics as a visiting professor at Grinnell College. His position on the college’s board of trustees and head of the audit committee, combined with his broad business experience, puts him in constant touch with people facing thorny ethical issues.
On this night, we will take time to consider the gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, the world’s most true religion. Join us in our sacrement, consisting of a pasta dinner. RSVP after the jump!
Hey everyone, welcome to 2010! We already have a good list of events (take a look at the calendar). This Wednesday, returning members are invited to an open business meeting. If you’d like to get more involved, or if you just have ideas or opinions, come and share. (If you’re happy with your level of involvement, you can just wait until next week.) Among other things, we’ll discuss: AHA! shirts; publicity; meeting topics; service projects; social activities; and, of course, your ideas.
There have been a lot of opinion articles going up after the Westboro Baptist Church vist and the corresponding pro-diversity rally at Hillel.
