FREETHOUGHT Conference

Transcription

1 Center for Inquiry Portland JANUARY January The mission of the Center for Inquiry is to foster a secular society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values. CFI has established centers throughout the world which provide a means of delivering educational programs and services on a local level and provide a venue for like-minded individuals to meet and share experiences. experientgces. In aiming to foster a secular society, we do not seek to abridge the rights of believers. We vigorously object to government support of religion and the use of religious dogma to justify public policy; we do not oppose the free exercise of religion. The secular society we are building is a community of reason and compassion in which the dignity and fundamental rights of all individuals are respected. Three goals represent the focus of our activities: an end to the influence that religion and pseudoscience have on public policy, an end to the privileged position that religion and pseudoscience continue to enjoy in many societies, and an end to the stigma attached to being a nonbeliever. 4th ANNUAL Northwest FREETHOUGHT Conference Friday-Saturday-Sunday April 5-6-7, 2013 Portland State University Portland, Oregon Main Guests/Speakers: Dr. Darrel Ray Dr. Valerie Tarico Hemant Mehta Shelley Segal

2 More information on NW Freethought Convention speakers and workshops It's still a little early to have the complete and final line-up, but we know enough to build some antipication for this great annual conference. We re posting the workshop schedule soon, but in the meantime, here s a brief list of who is speaking and on what topic. Dr. Steven Green will present a general session Saturday morning on the status of Church/State separation cases in the judicial pipeline. Hemant Mehta, the Friendly Atheist blogger, is doing a Critical Thinking Skills workshop. Dr. Darrel Ray is doing a double workshop for about 20 people (we re hoping they are all leaders of their organization) on Leadership in the Secular Community. There s a workbook that we will pay for if your group cannot. Monica Harrington is sharing her experiences trying to prevent the Catholic Church from dictating women s health policies in a new taxpayer-funded hospital in the San Juan Islands. Dr. Jon Peters, who talked about DNA last time, is doing a new program on whale evolution. Dr. Erik Bodegom, from Portland State, is doing a workshop on the actual Physics that undercuts much of the pseudo-science out in the marketplace of ideas. Dr. Cameron Smith, also from Portland State, is doing a workshop on human evolution. He spoke at our very first conference in There s also a shorter session on Saturday about the new grants program we are initiating. There s information on the web site about that and an application. Hemant Mehta, Saturday's Luncheon keynote speaker, is currently the chair of the board of directors for Foundation Beyond Belief (a charity organization targeting non-theistic donors) and spent several years as the chair of the board of the Secular Student Alliance. Hemant Mehta wrote How I Sold my Soul on Ebay: Viewing Faith though an Atheist s Eyes. He s a high-school mathematics teacher in the Chicago area. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/hemant_mehta Dr. Valerie Tarico, the author of Trusting Doubt, is the Closing Keynote speaker on Sunday and will talk about the current politics of usurping women s control over their own bodies. Her widely read blogs (one just got over 200,000 hits) are at awaypoint.wordpress.com/ and her columns appear on her web site and at The Huffington Post. valerietarico.com/ Sunday, after breakfast, after Dr. Valerie Tarico s keynote, there ll be a question and answer session with two of the keynote speakers, Drs. Darrel Ray and Valerie Tarico, joined by Dr. Peter Boghossian. Dr. Darrel Ray, our Banquet speaker, is a professor who speaks on leadership and organizational development and is the author of two books, The God Virus: How Religion Affects Our Lives and Culture, and Sex and God: How Religion Destroys Sexuality. He is also the founder of the organization "Recovering Religionists," a national self-help group for those leaving religion. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/darrel_ray thegodvirus.net/ Shelley Segal is an Australian singer-songwriter involved in the secular movement. Brought up in a musical family, she began singing at the age of 3. At the age of 11, Shelley began song writing and found her first performing role with her father's function band. She also plays piano. Raised Jewish, she rejected religion at the age of eighteen. We ve also invited The Historic Conjuror to share what he knows about the early use of magic tricks in such activities as séances.

3 HUNDREDS TURN OUT FOR BANG! by Fred Strong, writer and director of BANG! This year s DARKTOLIGHT Event, BANG!, the world s first Humanist musical, played to enthusiastic audiences during its three-performance run on Winter Solstice and the day after. With BANG!, DARKTOLIGHT, funded by CFI-Portland with a sponsorship by Wager Audio Services, took a giant leap forward to an all original, world premier show based on Humanist themes and, though open to all, was supported primarily by a secular audience. Spirits were high during intermissions and after the shows as the crowd shared in the excitement of a December theater event whose goal was to provide an inspiring experience sans religion and religious traditions. BANG!, which sports a cast of 14 and a four-piece band, is a celebration of the universe, life and mankind by way of a musical journey starting at the Big Bang and proceeding through time and space to present-day Earth. The cast was quite diverse boasting straight and gay members of many ethnic backgrounds who ranged in age from 11 to in their 70 s. The play, like the universe, harbors many unique worlds however, instead of quantum physics, this little universe expresses itself through the laws of music and words. At times funny, at times thought-provoking and at times inspirational BANG! delivered a December message that we believe highlights the universality of the Humanist philosophy. BANG! brought widespread attention to the Portland secular community as it received mentions and write ups in several national & international secular blogs and media outlets including those of Richard Dawkins, Hemant Mehta, Peter Boghossian and Freedom From Religion Foundation. CFI member Jay Small acted as videographer for the shows and is working on a finished product DVD. He videoed all three performances from different vantages and is editing and splicing to create the best possible video representation. To sign up for information on upcoming DARKTOLIGHT events please go to our website, darktolight.org and navigate to CONTACT US page, leave contact info and we will keep you updated. To become a supporter with a donation of any amount simply press the DONATE button (all deductions are tax deductible). Thanks to all who have supported and continue to support DARKTOLIGHT The Event!

4 Tutoring. A new adventure for a new year? by David Gray About a year ago I tried to elicit an interest among other CFI members in volunteering to tutor high school students. Several people liked the idea, but no one actually volunteered. So, I decided to do it on my own, not as a representative of any secular organization, but just as an individual wanting to help kids do a little better in high school. I live a couple of miles south of the city of Milwaukie in unincorporated Clackamas County. I contacted a couple of counselors at Milwaukie High School and let them know I would like to tutor. I rather arrogantly said I could help kids in lots of different subjects. So far, to my relief, my help has been solicited only for math, specifically algebra and advanced algebra. Algebra seems to be the stumbling block for many kids who don t like it and have no idea how learning the rules of exponents has anything to do with their present or future lives. Kids who are seeking tutoring at MHS are not those who will be applying to an MIT or Caltech. Rather, some of them will be satisfied to start the next level of their education at a two-year community college, such as Clackamas Community College or Portland Community College. If these kids are struggling just to pass algebra, where do they go for help? Even if their teacher wants to help, they are already overloaded and simply do not have time to spend with any one kid. Example: I have had two sessions with a girl taking advanced algebra who is taking advantage of a procedure I never saw in high school: retaking a test to try to get a better grade. The retake will cover the same concepts but with different problems. Her teacher wrote on her test paper correct answers for the problems she got wrong and gave her some spoken explanations for those answers, but of course she could not remember exactly what he said. Going through the test with her made it obvious that whatever brief explanations he may have given her during a conversation of a few minutes did not translate into better understanding on her part. So, how is she supposed to achieve a higher level of understanding necessary to do much better in the test retake? The answer is simple, but not easy: Someone has to teach her and re-teach her as much as necessary. It s been quite rewarding for me, but at times stressful because I studied this stuff 60 years ago and have forgotten a lot. Therefore, I sometimes feel as if I am just one step ahead of the kids I am tutoring. The most interesting and challenging task I have been involved in was developing a series of review practice tests for the ACT. Another volunteer and I did this work and found it quite time consuming and challenging, but also very interesting. We both learned a lot, not only about the academic subjects but also about test-taking strategy. I hope a few of you, especially retired people like me, might be tempted to try this yourselves, whether or not it can be done under the auspices of CFI. For those of you who live anywhere SE Portland, you might call Cleveland High School. I did so last year and, although I did not end up volunteering there, I liked what I heard about how they assign volunteer tutors to students. I would be glad to answer questions. me at DRG1937@ gmail.com or call

5 by James Funston Does Bee Honey Cure Allergies? Could bee honey act like a vaccine against pollen allergies? A vaccine injects dead virus cultures into an individual to teach the person s immune system how to attack that virus. Once the immune system learns how to combat a specific virus, it can build up standing armies of antibodies and will be able to produce many more very rapidly. For example, chickenpox is a mild, if irritating, illness in children, but in adults it can be life-threatening. For many children, going through the ordeal of chickenpox is a rite of passage, which is good for the chickenpox-immune adults. (Sadly even with an effective vaccine, a number of parents who reject vaccinations and medical science are subjecting their children to dangerous pox parties.) Allergies are not caused by viruses. They are the result of an overactive immune system that responds to perceived threats. Those threats can be anything from food, to animal dander, to pollen. Pastor Recovers from "Identity Suicide" In 2011, Jerry DeWitt, a Pentecostal preacher for 25 years, committed "identity suicide." DeWitt, a successful pastor and respected community member of DeRidder, Louisiana, lost his faith after a difficult struggle. After friends and family discovered his nonbelief, he lost his job, was ostracized by many peers and relatives, and he and his wife separated. He found help on the internet, and started communicating with the vast wealth of freethinkers online. He is now executive director of Recovering from Religion, a nonprofit organization providing support and encouragement to individuals leaving religion. He's also the first graduate of The Clergy Project, a private, invitation-only "safe house" community of current and former ministers who no longer hold supernatural beliefs. He talks about his The problem with using bee honey to dampen our immune response to pollen is that the pollen that bees encounter and the pollen that causes allergies are not from the same type of flower. The pollen that gives me the sniffles and makes me sneeze is transported by wind. Plants that require wind to spread their pollen are called anemophilous. Their pollen is light, fluffy, and abundant. These plants have a shotgun strategy. They make large amounts of pollen that is low in nutritional content and hope that even a small fraction will find its way to another flower. This is the type of pollen that might happen to get into your respiratory system and cause an allergic reaction, requiring Claritin and Kleenex. Ragweed is the most common cause of pollen allergies. In extreme cases where medicine doesn t work, allergy shots can be given over a period of several months or years to build up a resistance. Plants that use insects (including bees) to transport their pollen are entomophilous past, why he became an atheist, and his upcoming biography, Hope after Faith, which will be published in June, (insect-loving). The strategy these flowers use is to manufacture less pollen along with nectar to seduce insects into service. The bees come seeking nectar and inadvertently pick up some pollen which is transported to the next flower on the bee s route. Unless you inhale a bee, you re unlikely to breathe this type of pollen into your nose. So go ahead, eat your honey and royal jelly as long as that s not what causes your allergic reaction but don t expect it to stop that runny nose. And as always, be wary of supplements that lack good evidence of their efficacy. For more information on what can actually help allergy sufferers, go to aafa.org and search for Ragweed Allergy. (Whether bee honey is vegan or not, I can t say.) You can read more from James Funston on his blog Skeptic in a Foxhole Flower in a Sea of Woo. Here is the link: malcontentsgambit.com/2012/12/18/ atheist-pastor-recovers-from-identitysuicide-2/

6 CFI January Events For more information about any of these events, late additions, or to RSVP, go to the CFI calendar at and click on that event Wednesday, Jan. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 11am Skeptics of Eugene Coffee Klatch Theo's Coffee House 199 W. 8th Ave., Eugene, OR Casual conversation about whatever we feel like. Drop in or out as your schedule allows. Thursday, Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 10am Preschool Playdate Beaverton, OR For preschool children aged 3 & 4 (and other ages). Please RSVP on the CFI-Secular Family Network Meetup calendar. Thursday, Jan. 3 & 17, 11:15am South Coast Skeptics Meetup Denny's 98 E 1st St. Coquille, OR Organizer: Greg Collver Pizza and skeptical discussion at Denny's! Thursday, Jan. 3, 6pm Salem Humanists Secular News Discuss. The Ike Box 299 Cottage St. NE, Salem, OR Come prepared to discuss local news items involving topics like science, education and separation of church and state. For topic ideas, peruse newspapers like Statesman Journal, Salem Weekly, The Oregonian, etc. Or you can bring news in from websites like the Eugene-based Secular News Daily. We encourage and support each other to be more active in the local discourse so our secular voices are heard. Sunday, Jan. 5 & 20, 12:30pm Rogue Valley Freethinkers (Grants Pass) Union Drop-In Center 225 NW Hillcrest Dr, Grants Pass, OR We will meet at 12:30 PM to discuss a topic of interest to freethinkers and humanists, presented by one of our members. Note that we had to change the time due to a conflict for this meeting. There will also be ample time for sharing related personal anecdotes. Bag lunches are encouraged. Saturday, Jan. 5, 2pm Skeptics in the Pub Round Table 5016 NE Thurston Way, Vancouver, WA Socializing with like-minded folks is fun. Plus, who knows what future projects may spin off from such meetings? Sunday, Jan. 6 & 20, 3:00pm Rogue Valley Humanists (Ashland) Rogue Valley U U Center 87 4th Street, Ashland, OR The Humanism Group studies current topics of interest to Humanists, often from a recent book or article. We meet every first and third Sunday under the balcony of the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Center Ashland from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. Monday, Jan. 7, 6:30pm Save Our Selves (SOS) Secular Support Group in Rogue Valley 1505 NW Washington Blvd. Grants Pass, OR Our SOS Group offers secular alternative support to individuals struggling to overcome a personal addiction, such as alcoholism. This approach differs from typical 12-step programs. Wednesday, Jan. 9, 7:00pm Beaverton Book Group TV F&R Station SW Farmington Rd. Beaverton (Community Room) We will be reading "How to Become a Really Good Pain in the Ass: A Critical Thinker's Guide to Asking the Right Questions", by Christopher Dicarlo. We will read the first half, pages It is a pretty fast read, so we should be easily able to cover these pages in a month. Note that we will stop half way through chapter 6, and cover the remaining fallacies in February. Saturday, Jan. 10, 17, 24 & 31, 6pm Salem Humanists Meet A Skeptic The Ike Box 299 Cottage St. NE Salem, OR Join us for coffee and conversation and meet a skeptic. Dedicated to the pursuit of Reason, Peace, Justice, and Democracy.

7 Thursday, Jan. 10, 6:30pm SHEP Movie Night: "Agora" 1629 NE 146th Ave, Portland, OR Snacks & discussion before the film at 7pm Alexandria, 391 AD: Hypatia teaches astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy. Her student Orestes is in love with her, as is Davus, her personal slave. As the city's Christians, led by Ammonius and Cyril, gain political power, the great institutions of learning and governance may not survive. Jump ahead 20 years: Orestes, the city's prefect, has an uneasy peace with Christians, led by Cyril. The Christians enforce public morality; first they see the Jews as their obstacle, then nonbelievers. Hypatia has no interest in faith; she's concerned about the movement of celestial bodies and the brotherhood of all. What place is there for her? Sunday, Jan. 13, 11am Eastside Sunday Brunch Old Wives Tales 1300 E Burnside St., Portland, OR Please RSVP on the CFI Portland Meetup calendar so we can reserve the correct number of seats. A chance to meet and get to know others in the community over good food in a relaxed atmosphere! The restaurant has a children's menu and a separate play room for the little ones. Vegetarian dishes available. Thursday, Jan. 17, 7pm Eugene Book Discussion: "Born To Be Good" Private Residence, Eugene, OR (Directions sent upon RSVP on the CFI Skeptics of Eugene Meetup calendar.) Born To Be Good, by Dacher Keltner CFI January Events CONT'D More details and RSVP: Saturday, Jan. 19, 9:30am Salem Humanists Monthly Brunch McGrath's Fish House 350 Chemeketa St. NE, Salem Please RSVP via the CFI Salem Humanists Meetup site. Rides available if requested. Dedicated to the pursuit of Reason, Peace, Justice, and Democracy. Saturday Jan. 19, 6:30pm Atheist/Agnostic Pub "Convention" Lucky Lab Pub 1945 NW Quimby, Portland, OR (Not an official CFI event). The three groups, Atheists Etc., Skeptics 2030, and Flying Spaghetti Monster Lands for a Pint, will all be meeting at the Lucky Lab. People of all ages are welcome. OPTIONAL homework: Bring new knowledge to the table, new knowledge about religion, or a specific religious practice that freethinkers may not know yet. Saturday, Jan. 19, 6:30pm SHEP Movie Night "Judgement Day: Intelligent Design on Trial" 2911 NE 164th Ave., Portland, OR In this two-hour special, NOVA captures the turmoil that tore apart the community of Dover, Pennsylvania in one of the latest battles over teaching evolution in public schools. It features trial reenactments based on court transcripts and interviews with key participants, including expert scientists and Dover parents, teachers, and town officials. Monday, Jan. 21, 6:30pm Nuts & Bolts & Beer Rogue Hall 1717 SW Park Ave., Portland, OR This is a program series specifically for those who want to get some insight into the decision-making and organizing processes of our branch, give input, and maybe find an entry point to volunteering. We re doing this monthly so people can find their way into participating at their own pace. We ll have at least a couple of board members there who can answer questions and update members on new developments, projects, and things under consideration. Join us to get a better look at the workings of our branch and consider getting involved in organizing CFI Portland. Tuesday, Jan. 22, 6:30pm Rogue Valley Freethinkers' Social (Grants Pass) Wild River Brewing & Pizza Co, 595 Northeast E Street Grants Pass, OR Open agenda socializing and fun with freethinking friends.

8 CFI January Events CONT'D Thursday, Jan. 24, 6:30pm SHEP Potluck & Games 3666 SE Grogan Ave., Milwaukie, OR Come join us as we celebrate good food and enjoy visiting with SHEP members and visitors. Bring your favorite dish and join with friends, or meet new ones. Invite someone who may not know about our group. Bring some of your favorite games. If you don't cook, come anyway; there's always food for all. Friday, Jan. 25, 3:00pm Parent and Baby/ Toddler Meetup Location and other details available upon RSVP at the CFI- Secular Family Network Meetup calendar Friday, Jan. 25, 7pm Skeptics of Eugene Monthly Meetup Emerald People's Utility District Seavey Loop Rd. Eugene, OR IS THIS YOUR BRAIN ON GOD? Go to php?storyid= (or go to www. npr.org and type in "is this your brain on god" in the search area) to find information on the relationship between brain chemistry/physiology and spiritual experiences. Part 1: The God Chemical, Part 2: The God Spot, Part 3: Spiritual Virtuosos, Part 4: The Biology of Belief, and Part 5: Near-Death Experiences. We can see how far we can get with these and possibly continue at another Open Topic Meetup. Sunday, Jan. 13 & 27, 10:30am Secular Sunday School (grades K-3) Location and other details available upon RSVP at the CFI Secular Family Network Meetup calendar Secular Sunday School is a program geared toward kids who are between 6 and 9 years old. Children have time to play and make friends, as well as participate in fun, engaging lessons focused on three areas: science/ critical thinking, comparative religion/ culture, and humanism/ethics. Wednesday, Jan. 30, 7pm Beaverton Atheists Meetup Moonstruck Chocolate Cafe - Beaverton Town Sq SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy., Beaverton Organizer: Alan Litchfield Engaging, relaxing and interesting conversation at our monthly meeting. Support CFI-Portland, keep informed about our activities, participate in our programs, and become a member! Basic member benefits include: CFI Membership card, good at any CFI worldwide Free entry into all CFI- Portland regular events Preferred seating at major CFI-Portland events Two Guest Passes CFI Window Decal Membership Information Discounts on conferences and other special events Reduced tuition for CFI Institute online courses 15% off Prometheus Books purchased through the CFI-Portland More benefits are available with other options. See CFI membership levels and benefits here. ONE-TIME DONATION: Click the blue button to join or renew your membership with a single donation to CFI. Regular membership is $60. Reduced rates for students and unemployed. MONTHLY DONATION: Click the green button to make an automatically renewing monthly donation. Sustain your membership while sustaining CFI! We'll keep your CFI membership active as long as your regular donations continue, but if your budget changes, you may change or suspend your payment at any time. Starting at $5 per month. For more information, click on the above buttons, call CFI-Portland at or portland@centerforinquiry,.net