Atlanta Freethought Society

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IMPORTANT NEWS: On Feb. 11, AFS bought a building which will become the Atlanta Freethought Hall, please check the Activities page for meeting location as AFS members are in the process of fixing up the new location so meeting location may vary during this transition from the original AF Center in Roswell and the AF Hall in Smyrna.

AFS ACTIVITIES

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Activities Overview (Detailed Listings Below)

May 2008 June 2008
Sun May 11 12:00pm Social Hour
Sun May 11 1:00pm Monthly Program
Sun May 11 2:30pm Social Luncheon
Fri May 16 7:00pm Friday Evening Social Dinner
Thu May 22 7:30pm Reading  Group
(book club)
Sun June 8 11:00am Board Meeting
Sun June 8 12:00pm Social Hour
Sun June 8 1:00pm Monthly Program
Sun June 8 2:30pm Social Luncheon
Fri May 13 7:00pm Friday Evening Social Dinner
Thu May 26 7:30pm Reading  Group
(book club)


Monthly Program Meetings

Our monthly meetings are held on the second Sunday each month at 1:00 pm unless otherwise noted. Program topics are listed below. A Social Hour begins before meetings at 12:00 noon. Visitors are always welcome. See "Monthly Program Topics" below for a description of upcoming programs and location.

Important News about meeting locations: AFS has recently purchased a building in Smyrna to become the Atlanta Freethought Hall. We are currently in the process of fixing up this facility so check individual program details listed below for location of the meeting.

The Atlanta Freethought Center is located in the Grimes Bridge Office Park at 1170 Grimes Bridge Rd Ste 500, Roswell GA 30075-3965.  Maps & Directions.

The Atlanta Freethought Hall is located at 4775 N Church Ln SE,  Smyrna GA 30080.

Monthly Sunday Social Luncheon: We have a Quarterly Potluck Luncheon before the meeting 4 times a year.  Other months the group goes to a nearby restaurant after the meeting.


Reading Group (Book Club)

The AFS Reading Group meets monthly to read and discuss interesting books covering a variety of topics – including arguments in favor of freethought, the political and social impact of fundamentalism, alternative religions, philosophy, evolution, early church histories, personal spiritual journeys, and other topics of interest to participants.

The group meets the fourth Thursday of every month. They are currently meeting at Wordsmiths Books, 141E. Trinity Place, in downtown Decatur, GA (404-378-7166).

Please sign up for the AFS eNews list (use the contact form) to receive updates on this and other AFS activities.  [AFS Reading Group webpage]

Friday Evening Social Dinner

The Friday Evening Social Dinner is held each month at Panahar Bangladeshi Restaurant on the Friday after the monthly program. Visitors are always welcome!

Panahar is located in the Northeast Plaza shopping center at 3375 Buford Hwy NE Ste 1060, Atlanta 30329.  Come enjoy the good Bangladeshi food and the great company.  Directions: 404-633-6655 or Google Maps - Yahoo! Maps - MapQuest

Secular Organizations for Sobriety

Secular Organizations for SobrietyThe Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS) meets at the Atlanta Freethought Center every Tuesday evening at 8:00pm.  SOS is the secular alternative for AA (Alcoholics Anonymous). Send an email for more info. This SOS group is sponsored by AFS.

 

Upcoming Program Topics  

 

May 11, 2008

Location: Atlanta Freethought Center, Roswell

12:00 noon: Social Hour 

1:00 pm: Monthly Program: Dr. Austin Dacey, author of the new book The Secular Conscience: Why Belief Belongs in Public Life, will speak about Secular Conscience

Dr. Austin Dacey is a representative to the United Nations for the Center for Inquiry. Dr. Dacey is also on the editorial staff of Skeptical Inquirer and Free Inquiry magazines. His writings have appeared in numerous publications including the New York Times.  For more on Dacey and his book, visit his website.

A Q&A session and book signing will follow the presentation.

Praise for The Secular Conscience

Dacey seeks nothing less than to interrupt a suicide, and he has written a beautiful primer on how our secular tradition can be rescued from self-defeat. The Secular Conscience reveals how simplistic notions of privacy, tolerance, and freedom keep dangerous ideas sheltered from public debate. This is an extraordinarily useful and lucid book.

–- Sam Harris, author of the New York Times best sellers,
The End of Faith and Letter to a Christian Nation

Austin Dacey is a secularist philosopher spoiling for a fight.

–- New York Post

2:30 pm: Social Luncheon

June 8, 2008

12:00 noon: Social Hour 

1:00 pm: Summer Potluck Luncheon (Cookout/Picnic on the Grounds)

Before the  meeting, we will have our Quarterly Potluck Dinner which will be a cookout/picnic on the ground of the Freethought Hall. Join AFS members and guest for some good eats and great socializing. Please bring food according to the first letter of your last name as follows: A-G: Bring a main dish; H-P: Bring a dessert; Q-Z: Bring a side dish. AFS will provide drinks, plates and silverware.

2:00 pm: Monthly Program: Tony King will speak about  Sumerian influence on religion and Western culture

July 13, 2008

12:00 noon: Social Hour 

1:00 pm: Monthly Program: Lori Lipman Brown, a lobbyist for the Secular Coalition of America, will speak.

2:30 pm: Social Luncheon

August 10, 2008

12:00 noon: Social Hour 

1:00 pm: Monthly Program: TBA

2:30 pm: Social Luncheon

September 14, 2008

12:00 noon: Social Hour 

1:00 pm: Fall Potluck Luncheon

Before the  meeting, we will have our Quarterly Potluck Dinner. Join AFS members and guest for some good eats and great socializing. Please bring food according to the first letter of your last name as follows: A-G: Bring a side dish; H-P: Bring a main dish; Q-Z: Bring a dessert. AFS will provide drinks, plates and silverware.

2:00 pm: Monthly Program: Ben Radford will speak.

October 12, 2008

12:00 noon: Social Hour 

1:00 pm: Monthly Program: Dr. Niall Shanks will speak about his book, "God, the Devil, and Darwin."

2:30 pm: Social Luncheon


 

Prior Program Topics & Special Events
2007-08

April 13, 2008

Location: Atlanta Freethought Hall, Smyrna  


Robert Boston

Monthly Program:  Robert Boston will speak on “A Defense of the Secular State.” Boston will explain why the Religious Right is wrong in portraying the secular state as an enemy of religious liberty. He will further explain how secular government helps foster freedom for believers and non-believers and outline why alternatives to secularism are unsatisfying.

Robert Boston is the Assistant Director of Communications for Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Assistant Editor of AU's monthly magazine Church & State.

Boston, who joined the Americans United staff in 1987, frequently writes about the political goals of the Religious Right and other church-state issues. He covers the U.S. Supreme Court for Church & State and has attended oral arguments in every church-state case at the high court since 1988. 

Boston is the author of three books: Close Encounters with the Religious Right: Journeys into the Twilight Zone of Religion and Politics (Prometheus Books, 2000); The Most Dangerous Man in America? Pat Robertson and the Rise of the Christian Coalition (Prometheus Books, 1996) and Why the Religious Right Is Wrong About Separation of Church and State (Prometheus Books, 1993; second edition, 2003). 

In addition, Boston often serves as a spokesman for Americans United and has appeared on NBC's "Nightly News," CNN's "Anderson Cooper," Fox News Channel's "O’Reilly Factor" and other programs.
 

Creationism Debate

Rob Boston of Americans United debates the Family Research Council's Sharmane Yost over teaching creationism in public school science courses on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360."

 

 

Muslims in Public Schools

Rob Boston from Americans United - Fox News channel's "Big Story Weekend" discussion - Muslims in Public Schools.

 

March 9, 2008

Spring Potluck Luncheon: Before the  meeting, we will have our Quarterly Potluck Dinner. Join AFS members and guest for some good eats and great socializing. Please bring food according to the first letter of your last name as follows: A-G: Bring a dessert; H-P: Bring a side dish; Q-Z:  Bring a main dish. AFS will provide drinks, plates and silverware.

Monthly Program: Ed Buckner and Jack McKinney will speak on "Opinions."  

McKinney is a board member and Buckner is treasurer of AFS and are both longtime leaders and members. They will present a lively and contradictory program of advice on expressing freethought opinions, mostly via letters to the editor (LTEs) and “vents.” 

McKinney and Buckner will, among other things, introduce their new book, Opinions are Like Rear Ends . . . (Freethought Press, 2008) and will urge freethinkers to defend our ideas. The two authors like to think of AFS members and friends as farmers and letters to the editor and vents as farm equipment: they urge all to use LTEs and vents not only to defend our positions but to plant seeds of doubt as well. Choice of fertilizer may vary.

Jack and Ed will cheerfully dispense advice, whether sought or not, such as:

Be timely. What counts as “recent” varies some, but the sooner after a “hook” is printed that you get your LTE composed and submitted, the better. A mediocre LTE that arrives at the paper that night or the next day is much more likely to get printed than an eloquent one that shows up ten days later.

Don’t be rash. Never mind that previous rule—don’t fire off an LTE before you reread and reflect on what you’re saying. Even if you only take time to have a meal or watch the news between writing and submitting, let your LTE breathe a bit before you let it loose on the world. This is especially true of LTEs sent in response to something that really pissed you off.

February 10, 2008

Bruce Herr will speak.

January 13, 2008

Dr. Hos Lotfi, a neurologist originally from Iran talk is entitled, “Living Under Theocracy.”

December 9, 2007

Winter Potluck Luncheon: Before the  meeting, we will have our Quarterly Potluck Dinner. Join AFS members and guest for some good eats and great socializing. Please bring food according to the first letter of your last name as follows: A-G: Bring a side dish; H-P: Bring a main dish; Q-Z: Bring a dessert. AFS will provide drinks, plates and silverware.

Dr. John Henderson will speak on his new book, Judging God.  

Dr. Henderson is a retired Air Force Flight Surgeon and General Surgeon. He and his wife Ruth live in Asheville, NC. During his Air Force career, he served in England, Spain, Japan, and in various states across the USA.

Regarding his latest book, Henderson says, “Religions and their gods have been judging man since man created his first god thousands of years ago. It is now our turn to judge gods. We cannot afford a god who does not live up to our standards of justice and morality. No longer can we afford a god who incites and condones intolerance, hatred, and killing. If there is to be peace on earth, we and we alone must define morality and strive to enforce justice among human societies. Gods have failed to do so. This book dares to criticize the god in common usage today.”

November 15, 2007

Peaceful Protest of Governors Illegal State Sponsored Prayer Service at State Capital 

November 11, 2007

Camille Ann Brewer will speak on “Taking a Look at Contemporary Art produced by Freethinkers.” We will view the work of several freethinking contemporary artists who use both religious and non-religious iconography in their work. We will discuss if freethinking is a direct or indirect influence in their work. All of the work presented will be from the late 20th century.

Camille is the principal of CAB Fine Art Services, a consulting and appraisal firm. Prior to being with CAB, she served at the Detroit Institute of Arts in Michigan as the Assistant Art Curator for the Department of African, Oceanic, and Indigenous Cultures and the Assistant Exhibition Coordinator for the Department of Exhibition Coordination. She also has served at the Public Arts Commissioner of the Arts and Culture Commission for the City of Richmond, California.

Camille has taught as an adjunct professor at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida, Wayne State University and Marygrove College College of Education in Detroit, Michigan, and the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan.

October 14, 2007

Ice Cream Social 

AFS Plans for the Future. This program will feature presentations by AFS Officers and informative, interactive discussions with members on the direction of AFS, our programs, activities, the Atlanta Freethought Center, and other aspects of our future.

Board Nominations: We will also be taking member nominations for AFS board and officer positions at the October meeting. Elections will be held in December. 

September 9, 2007

Doug Hattersley, a retired geologist, will speak on "A Geological Perspective of Current Events." Doug will focus on how the geological sciences support evolution along with discussing climate change in perspective of geologic time. 

Hattersley is a graduate of the University of Dayton in Ohio where he had the good fortune of studying under a very well known glacial geologist (which makes climate change especially interesting to him). After graduation he went to work for the US Department of Agriculture (Soil Conservation Service and Forest Service) in DC, NC, ID, and Puerto Rico. He has been in Atlanta since 1980 and retired here after 31 years of Federal service. He presently keeps busy running around with his eight grandkids.

August 30, 2007 

Special Program featuring world-renowned skeptical author and editor, Benjamin Radford. Radford will offer Normal? No Way! Paranormal? No Way!: "Reflections on a Decade of Paranormal Investigation," discussing his varied experience as a writer and scientific paranormal investigator. Radford, managing editor of Skeptical Inquirer, will tell tales of "unexplained mysteries" such as ghosts, Bigfoot, dowsing, crop circles, and psychic powers. He’ll comment on what science says about the evidence for these topics, drawing from case studies over a decade of personal investigations into these and dozens of other topics. Skeptics and believers alike will enjoy this entertaining and informative talk. There will be plenty of time for audience questions.

Radford’s hilarious satirical short film, "Clicker Clatter," will be featured at Dragon*Com in Atlanta during the weekend following his talk.

Media Mythmakers Book

Radford is managing editor of the science magazine Skeptical Inquirer and editor-in-chief of the Spanish-language magazine Pensar published in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He has written hundreds of articles on a wide variety of topics, including urban legends, the paranormal, critical thinking, film, and media literacy. He is author of three books: Hoaxes, Myths, and Manias: Why We Need Critical Thinking (with sociologist Robert E. Bartholomew); Media Mythmakers: How Journalists, Activists, and Advertisers Mislead Us, examining the ways in which deception is used in various media to influence decision making and public policy; and Lake Monster Mysteries: Investigating the World's Most Elusive Creatures (with Joe Nickell), a scientific examination of lake monsters around the world. Radford is also a columnist for Skeptical Inquirer magazine and the Skeptical Briefs newsletter, as well as online at LiveScience.com and MediaMythmakers.com.

Hoaxes Myths and Manias Book

In his work with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (formerly CSICOP-the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal), Radford is one of the world's few science-based paranormal investigators, and has done first-hand research into psychics, ghosts and haunted houses; exorcisms, miracles, Bigfoot, stigmata, lake monsters, UFO sightings, reincarnation, crop circles, and other topics. Radford also writes on many other topics, including world travel, science literacy, jungle hiking, sex offender panics, and popular fallacies. Radford has appeared on CNN, The History Channel, the National Geographic Channel, the Learning Channel, CBC, BBC, and others. He also served as a consultant for the MTV series "The Big Urban Myth Show."

Most recently, he solved the mystery of the Santa Fe courthouse "ghost video" in June 2007. He is also the writer and director of the animated short film "Clicker Clatter," now in festivals.

August 12, 2007 

Quarterly Potluck Dinner: Before the  meeting, we will have our Quarterly Potluck Dinner. Join AFS members and guest for some good eats and great socializing. Please bring food according to the first letter of your last name as follows: A-G: Bring a main dish; H-P: Bring a dessert; Q-Z: Bring a side dish. AFS will provide drinks, plates and silverware.

Ed Buckner, who holds a doctorate in Educational Foundations, will discuss "Secular Schooling," the topic addressed in his chapter in the recently-published book, Parenting Beyond Belief: On Raising Ethical, Caring Kids Without Religion (Dale McGowan, editor, 2007). The purpose of the book is as a handbook for raising ethical, caring kids without religion. Among Buckner's long list of co-authors are such impressive writers as Julia Sweeney, Dan Barker, Penn Jillette, David Koepsell, Mark Twain (yes that Twain), and Richard Dawkins.

Editor Dale McGowan will also be in attendance at this program and participating in the Q&A session.

What others are saying about Parenting Beyond Belief...

"Highly recommended" --Library Journal

"Irresistible...a compelling read." --Newsweek

"Engaging and down-to-earth" --Library Journal

"A wonderful new resource" --WoodMoor Village

"An invaluable sourcebook" --Robert M. Price, PhD

"A wonderful array of essays" --Mother Talk Network

#1 Parenting Reference on Amazon.com (26 May 2007)

"Accessible, funny, and still substantial" --Esperanza Review

"Almost impossible to put down!" --A Gaggle of Book Reviews

"Touching...succinct...a must-read guide." --Life in the Hundred-Acre Wood

"Makes those of us struggling with these issues fee not so alone" --PunditMom Reviews

July 8, 2007

Bob Collins, an ex-fundamentalist, will speak on “More Bible Contradictions.” 

Collins, a member of the Alabama Freethought Association, is a longtime freethinker and experienced activist. He saw the light of reason while he was in seminary studying to become a Reformed Presbyterian minister. Bob is the author of hundreds of letters published in Alabama newspapers, and has helped effectively oppose Creationist bills in the Alabama legislature even though they were actively promoted by national far-right groups.

Bob’s education includes a Bachelor of Science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a Master’s degree from Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine. He manages a team of mainframe computer programmers at a major insurance company. He is also a single parent to two freethinking children.

Bob has made an extensive study of the Bible and has found that many of the clearest and most persuasive arguments against the Bible are found in the Bible itself. Practical knowledge of the Bible’s errors and contradictions can help freethinkers effectively oppose the religious right, and can help religious people make better informed decisions about their own beliefs.

June 30 - July 2, 2007

Lake Hypatia July 4th Celebration. AFS members will Celebrate Freethought and Independence Day with the Alabama Freethought Association at its annual "Glorious Fourth" weekend at Lake Hypatia, near Taladega, AL. The June 30 - July 2 event will include these speakers:

Annie Laurie Gaylor, on "FFRF vs. Faith-based Initiative"
Dan Barker, Concert and Talk
Ed Buckner, on "Atheists, We Hardly Know Ye"
John Henderson, on "Fear, Faith, Fact, Fantasy."
Michael Chandler, State/church litigant
Also Eric Pepke, Bob Collins, Pat and Alice Cleveland

Speeches take place in the spacious, air-conditioned Lake Hypatia Freethought Hall. Inexpensive catered meals are held at a beautiful lakeside pavilion. Swimming, paddling, boating, hiking, poetry-reading, relaxing and socializing are all on the agenda. See registra-tion details at www.ffrf.org/lakehypatia.

June 10, 2007

Dr. Steve Burnett will speak on the topic, "Evolution: What it Really Is." Burnett is an Associate Professor of Biology at Clayton State University and holds a doctorate in Evolution, Ecology, & Organismal Biology, and a masters in Zoology.

May 13, 2007

Dr. David E. Giannasi, Associate Professor, emeritus, Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, will present “Comments on Religion and the Bible.”

April 8, 2007

Bruce Herr will present a talk on "Beyond the Myth of God." 

Quarterly Potluck Luncheon: Following the  meeting, we will have our Quarterly Potluck Dinner. Join AFS members and guest for some good eats and great socializing. Please bring food according to the first letter of your last name as follows: A-G: Bring a desert; H-P: Bring a side dish; Q-Z: Bring a main dish. AFS will provide drinks, plates and silverware.

March 11, 2007

Keith Nalumango, former head of programming for the Zambia National Broadcasting Corp (ZNBC) will present a talk entitled: “A Bone in the Throat: Threats to a Free Press, in Africa and America.”

February 12, 2007

Darwin Day Celebration at the Georgia Capitol Building: The Atlanta Freethought Society will have a table at the Georgia Capitol Building on Monday, February 12, to celebrate Charles Darwin's birthday! We will hand out birthday cupcakes and coffee, as well as a flyer on Darwin and his contribution to modern science. If you can help with setup or in talking with people about Darwin, please plan to attend this event! Our table will be right outside the main entrance on Washington Street from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. February 12 is also Georgia Day at the Capitol (as well as Abraham Lin-coln's birthday), so it will probably be very busy. The exact address is 100 Washington St. SW, Atlanta, GA.

February 11, 2007

Jeff Sellman, President of the Georgia Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, will talk about AU's First Freedoms First project.

January 14, 2007

Thomas Nisley, Ph.D., will present a talk entitled: “God has a Foreign Policy? Israel and U.S. Foreign Policy.” Dr. Nisley is an Assistant Professor of International Studies at Southern Polytechnic State University. His doctorate dissertation, given in 2002, was on Democracy Promotion and U.S. Foreign Policy.

     

 

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©1998-2008 Atlanta Freethought Society, Inc.  · 404-ATHEIST (404-284-3478)
Atlanta Freethought Center · 1170 Grimes Bridge Rd Ste 500 · Roswell GA 30075-3965
Atlanta Freethought Hall · 4775 N Church Ln SE · Smyrna GA 30080