By George Kane
I hate to portray atheists as victims. After all, religions are so good at wallowing in self-pity that we can never hope to match them. Christians always don the mantle of victimhood whenever they are forbidden to use sectarian prayers as part of public meetings, or to teach creationism in public schools. Muslims scream that they are the victims of bigotry if an ink drawing of Mohammed is published in a newspaper – and they kill people for it.
I also despise victimhood because it is unseemly and personally corrosive. Nevertheless, there are times when we must call attention to anti-atheist bigotry, to assert legal rights where applicable and to shine a light in the faces of the bigots. Two recent examples deserve to be well known.
The Center for Inquiry’s Michigan chapter booked Richard Dawkins for a speech at The Wyndgate Country Club in Rochester Hills Michigan, near Detroit. When the owner of the club saw Dawkins interviewed by Bill O’Reilly on October 5, and realized that Dawkins is an atheist, he cancelled the event. The Wyndgate’s representative explained that the owner did not wish to associate with individuals such as Dawkins, or his philosophy.
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Read more: News and Notes
A joint production of Humanists of Minnesota and Minnesota Atheists. Hosted this year by Humanists of Minnesota
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at The Doubletree Park Place Hotel
1500 Park Place Boulevard, St. Louis Park
(Highway I-394 and Park Place exit just west of Hwy 100)
Featuring The Freethought Follies: A Theatrical and Musical Celebration of Rational Thinking
Written and Produced by Area Humanists, Atheists and other Freethinkers
Music by the Freethought Band
Social Hour 5:00 P.M. (cash bar) ~ Dinner: 6:00 P.M. ~ Entertainment: 7:00 P.M.
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Read more: 12th Annual Freethought Winter Solstice Celebration
By Rohit Ravindran
In the spirit of the holiday season, I’d like to suggest that you not only spare a turkey, but also the cows, pigs, and chickens that you consume every day. This is, of course, an unpopular opinion to voice. A majority of Americans are deeply attached to their succulent meat, and it is often seen as offensive to preach a change in another’s life choices. But atheists, more than any other demographic group, should remember that majority status does not by itself guarantee that one is in the right. We should consider even the most unpopular opinions through rational and ethical thinking before passing judgment. Animal welfare proponents who speak up about the moral issues surrounding factory farming may indeed have something valuable to say, and this is becoming apparent in the increasing number of atheists who are turning vegetarian or vegan.
Each Thanksgiving, more than 46 million turkeys are slaughtered for their meat. And the process by which they are killed can hardly be considered humane. The most common factory farm consists of large sheds overcrowded with artificially inseminated animals that are subjected to living in their own excrement and breathing in the toxic fumes that emanate from these feces.
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Read more: Pardon a Turkey this Thanksgiving
By August Berkshire
There have been three recent developments regarding Benson v. Alverson, the court case in which Minnesota Atheists has filed the sole amicus curiae (friend-of-the-court) brief on behalf of the Appellants.
As you may recall, the case involves three same-sex couples (collectively known as “Marry Me Minnesota”) who are trying to get their out-of-state legal marriages recognized in Minnesota, as well as to obtain the right for other same-sex couples to obtain legal civil marriages in Minnesota.
MNA Legal Fund Fundraiser
On October 9th Minnesota Atheists held a $50 per person fundraiser to raise money for our Legal Fund. Speaking at the event were Appellants Doug Benson & Duane Gajewski and Tom Trisko & John Rittman, the plaintiff’s lawyer Peter Nickitas, and our lawyer Marshall Tanick.
It was moving to hear the heartfelt stories of the couples involved. Anyone who had any doubts that we were doing the right thing in filing our amicus brief would have had those doubts erased when they heard how the current religiously based (and biased) civil marriage laws had hurt our fellow Minnesotans.
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Read more: President's Column: Benson v. Alverson Update
If God does not exist, anything is permitted,” concludes Ivan Karamazov, a character in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel, The Brothers Karamazov. “Anything is permitted” – leads to ethics. What is the right thing to do? How has evolution influenced our ethical behavior? Has religion influenced our behavior? Are our values defined by our culture or our biology? As emotions develop, how do they help form our morality and values?
On Sunday, November 20, Dr. Grant Steves will speak to Minnesota Atheists members on “Ethics, Science, or Religion – Which Has the Answer?” The above questions will be addressed in this presentation.
Grant is a former Board member of MNA and a past chairperson. He served as host for the Minnesota Atheists television show Atheists Talk and has been interviewed on the Minnesota Atheists radio show. He has also contributed articles and reviewed books for this newsletter. In the past, he has lectured on cults and fundamentalism. Grant has also delivered speeches at the Day of Reason. Listening to him is a real treat; some have said he has “the voice of God,” which we know is untrue since Grant is not mute. Nevertheless, he is a commanding speaker. Please join us!
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Read more: Ethics, Science, or Religion: Which Has the Answer?
