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February 12 marks the 199th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth. The Guardian has an excellent site for
On the Origin of Species and is a good way to spend your Darwin Day. This year, the Institute for Humanist Studies in charge of
DarwinDay.org and in promoting various events around the world. You can check out their
website for events in your area, learn about evolution, and explore the life of Charles Darwin. Minnesota Atheists' event for this year has come and gone, but now is a great time to think of ideas for next year, the 200th anniversary. Who should we have as speakers? Where should it be held? How would you promote it? What is the best way for supporters of evolution to be heard, both atheist and theist? You can post your ideas in the
Events section of our Forum. While you are patiently waiting for next year, why not read
this book from the National Academy of Sciences entitled Science, Evolution, and Creationism. It's a free download, and you can buy a physical copy from their site as well.
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The primate of the Church of England, archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, suggests that some aspects of Sharia be inserted into English Law. Why? To make British Muslims feel included, rather then excluded from Law. From a BBC interview, "We must face the fact that some of our
citizens do not fully recognise themselves in the British legal system
. . . I believe that it would be dangerous to maintain that there
exists a single law for all, and that anything else demanding fidelity
and respect is entirely irrelevant in judicial proceedings." He does caution later that elements of Sharia which treat women differently or the extreme punishments required would not be included. So, if you don't feel you are recognized in one legal system, you can choose to follow another legal system, there is no one Law for all. This suggestion rejects the humanistic advances of Europe made over the last decades. For more information, please read this article from by Samir Khalil Samir, sj.
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The Minnesota Atheists Center, as real now as a pink unicorn, will eventually become a reality. To reach that goal, we need the
support of our members, and others in the community who support our issues. But, what would this building be used for? Here's one suggestion. If there is a common place for people to meet, informally, it makes planning that much easier. It would be much more quiet then a restaurant or coffee shop, and you don't feel awkward for not ordering food if you happen to be broke. VJack in Mississippi writes on
Atheist Revolution about his ideal atheist organization. He feels that, "
If I want to pick up trash, I hardly need an atheist group to do so." He suggests small group meetings, similar to a support group of 5 to 10 people to just talk about atheism, and how to deal with being an atheist in America. For example, how to deal with dating, work issues, etc, as an atheist. A building would offer an opportunity for get-togethers like these which would serve members who find value in them. What do you think? When you imagine the Minnesota Atheists Center, how do you see it being used? Would you attend a small gathering of atheists to talk about atheism? You can post your comments below, or email your group ideas to info@mnatheists.org.
Brainerd Dispatch/Letters
December 28, 2008
Patrick Carey, M.D.
Brainerd, Minnesota
I am an atheist, and I am responsible for many things.
As an atheist, I am responsible for promoting the pursuit of truth. I am neither bound by ideology nor held hostage by dogmata, but rather speak in the simple manner of a child. "Why?" A favorite phrase of 3-year-olds is the underlying question of Atheism. When the answer is, "Because I (or God, or Allah) said so . . ." the discussion ends.
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Read more: The Responsibilities of an Atheist
Minnesota Atheists will launch a weekly, one-hour program on Air America Minnesota (AM 950) beginning Sunday, January 13, 2008 from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. It will be broadcast live, streamed live on the internet, and made available later as a free podcast. The name of the program is Atheists Talk (the same as our cable television show). The show will feature news, interviews, live call-ins, and more. We are proud to announce that our special guest on the inaugural program will be Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, The Selfish Gene, and many other important and influential books.
If you are out of the listening area and want to hear the program live, go to www.airamericaminnesota.com/listen and enter a Minnesota zip code. If you would like to become involved with the program by volunteering your services, making a donation, or purchasing advertising, please call August Berkshire at (612) 338-4548 or e-mail him at augustberkshire@gmail.com.
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