Manitoba Humanist. Published by and for the Humanists, Atheists, and Agnostics of Manitoba DO YOU HAVE YOUR TICKET YET?

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1 Manitoba Humanist Published by and for the Humanists, Atheists, and Agnostics of Manitoba Sherry Marginet and Pat Morrow at our outreach in Morden Stories on page 3. Arthur Schafer Hector Avalos Tracie Harris Greta Christina Stephanie Zvan Lloyd Robertson Canad Inn Polo Park DO YOU HAVE YOUR TICKET YET? Don t miss this amazing weekend of friendship, community, sharing, and learning. Go to and register NOW! You can find out more about all of our dynamic speakers on page 2. We re thrilled to announce we ve added a Saturday Night VIP Dinner to River City Reasonfest. Conference registrants are invited to join us and all of our speakers for dinner on Saturday evening, at Winnipeg s finest German restaurant, Gasthaus Gutenberger (2583 Portage Avenue). The cost to attend is $20 per person, plus the price of your meal. This opportunity is only open to the first 25 people who sign up (attendees only). Details are still being worked out. If you have registered for Reasonfest, you will be notified when tickets go on sale for the VIP dinner. Page 1 September 2015 P Z Myers Scott Carnegie Volume 11, Issue 09 Eric Adriaans (see page 2) mbhumanistsatheists.ca

COMING UP! If you re new to HAAM, welcome! Our regular monthly meetings are always open to the public, but our other events are intended for paid members only.

2 COMING UP! If you re new to HAAM, welcome! Our regular monthly meetings are always open to the public, but our other events are intended for paid members only. If you would like to check us out, you are welcome to attend one or two events before becoming a member. After that, if you wish to continue to participate, we ask that you support the group by joining. Annual fees are affordable and assist with community outreach as well as our own activities. Memberships are available at the door. Contact and membership info is on page 6. All events are subject to change, and some details may be TBA. Past newsletters are archived on the HAAM website. Watch future newsletters, our website, Facebook page, or join us on Meetup for more information. September 19 th (Saturday) and 20 th (Sunday), River City Reasonfest, Canad Inn Polo Park, 1405 St. Matthews Ave. Note: There will NOT be a regular monthly meeting in September because of the conference. See you all at Reasonfest! Save the Dates! Upcoming meetings and events: Saturday October 17 th, monthly meeting, topic TBA Saturday November 14 th, monthly meeting, topic TBA Saturday December 12 th, Solstice party (Note change of date) More events and details will be announced in the fall. We are very busy right now with Reasonfest! OUR REASONFEST SPEAKERS We have a stellar line-up, covering a wide range of topics, including ethics, community, deconversion, freedom of speech, religion-inspired violence, ceremony, grief, family values, and more! Here they are: Greta Christina - In addition to her book about why atheists are angry, Greta has written about coming out as a non-believer, grieving without religion, and a collection of erotic fiction. Her insights will resonate with our members - For example We need to base our decisions on principles of consent, honesty, fairness, and harm, not on the principle of what we find disgusting. ; If people believe in infinite bliss in the afterlife, they ll be more willing to accept an appalling degree of oppression and injustice in this life. ; and Religious ideas about death can be profoundly upsetting to people who don t believe them. Greta will be talking about her new book Comforting Thoughts About Death that Have Nothing to Do with God. Eric Adriaans has worked with non-profit organizations for over 20 years. At the Centre for Inquiry, he educates the public by fostering rational and humanistic decisionmaking. Eric serves on Canada s Office of Religious Freedom Advisory Committee; promotes science-based medicine and opposes the inclusion of pseudo-sciences in health care; advocates for human rights, freedom of expression, and freedom from religion; supports new immigrants and vulnerable persons who require asylum or refugee status; and opposes faith-based bigotry and violence. He will be speaking about blasphemy laws and human rights. Tracie Harris has been a regular co-host of the Texasbased award-winning call-in TV show Atheist Experience since 2006, where she is probably bestknown for telling a viewer If I could stop a child from being raped, I would. That s the difference between me and your god. She will be talking about Religious Family Values. Watch her in action (listen for above quote at 13 minutes in), and you won t want to miss hearing her in person! Hector Avalos is a highly-rated (according to Rate My Professor.com) professor of religious studies at Iowa State University. In 2005, Avalos co-authored a statement opposing the teaching of Intelligent Design at the university, which was signed by over 120 faculty members, and resulted in denial of tenure to a pro-id prof. This resulted in the following headline on the ID website Evolution News - Iowa State Promotes Atheist Professor Who Equates Bible with Mein Kampf While Denying Tenure to ID Astronomer. No stranger to controversy, his presentation will tackle the subject of Religion and Violence. Scott Carnegie If all you know about the Book of Mormon is the musical of that name, you ll want to hear Scott relate his stories about life inside a cult and the costs of leaving it. A personal story that will both entertain and provide insight into the deconversion experience. Stephanie Zvan is a skeptic, feminist activist, radio host, and author who is known for her work in helping the internet and skeptic/atheist communities to provide a more inviting social space for women and other minorities. Her advocacy has been instrumental in the development of codes of conduct for conferences like this one. She will be speaking about Communities Without Churches: What Fandom Can Teach Organized Atheism. When atheists leave church, they often leave behind a large part of their community. Secular groups are working hard to build communities that don't center Page 2

around faith. Science fiction and fantasy fandom has been building these communities--often largely atheist-- for decades. What can we learn from their accomplishments and their mistakes?

3 around faith. Science fiction and fantasy fandom has been building these communities--often largely atheist-- for decades. What can we learn from their accomplishments and their mistakes? Arthur Schafer is an award-winning professor and ethicist specializing in medical ethics and social and political philosophy. During his career he has tackled such diverse and contentious societal issues as stem cell research, whistle-blowing, cloning, on-line adoption, euthanasia, clinical drug trials, animal and human experimentation, patient rights, panhandling, and more. Schafer recently argued that making decisions and creating laws regarding issues like these based on a faith position is unethical, and therefore, faith itself is unethical. His presentation will defend and expand upon that claim. Don t miss it! PZ Myers teaches developmental biology and evolution in Minnesota. He is an outspoken critic of intelligent design (ID) and the creationist movement, and is active in the creation evolution controversy. A self-avowed "godless liberal" and outspoken atheist, he is a vocal critic of all forms of religion, superstition, supernaturalism, spirituality and pseudoscience. He is a strong advocate for keeping religion out of both science and government, and his outspokenness has frequently provoked controversy and criticism. Don t miss this chance to meet and hear him in person! Lloyd Hawkeye Robertson is a psychologist in a private practice that includes relationship, family and group counselling, anxiety and trauma work, and addictions. For his doctorate in counselling psychology, Robertson studied Residential School Syndrome. That paper is up on his website, and it is both horrific and fascinating. He is also interested in cross-cultural counselling and the evolution of religion, and is a humanist officiant and marriage commissioner. He will be speaking about Humanists and the Need For Ceremony. ON THE BOOKSHELF Reasonfest is almost upon us! Last chance to borrow a book from HAAM s library written by one of our speakers, and read it prior to meeting them in person. We don t have an entire book by Hector Avalos, but we do have The End of Christianity, edited by John Loftus. It s a collection of essays by a group of scholars critiquing Christianity. The various chapters in this book consider the wildly improbable nature of basic Christian tenets and lack of agreement among Christian sects regarding the essential Christian message; the role of ancient Near Eastern myth in the creation of the Bible; the Christian doctrines of the atonement, hell, and the resurrection; the incompatibility of religion and science; and claims for intelligent design and life after death. Contributors include Victor Stenger, Robert Price, Hector Avalos, Richard Carrier, Keith Parsons, David Eller, and Taner Edis. The chapter written by Avalos is titled The End of Biblical Studies. It summarizes the main points of his longer book by the same name, which urges the end of biblical studies as an academic field. He argues that academic biblical scholarship has clearly succeeded in showing that the ancient civilization that produced the Bible held beliefs about the origin, nature, and purpose of the world and humanity that are fundamentally opposed to the views of modern society, making it largely irrelevant to the needs and concerns of contemporary human beings. Second, he accuses bible scholars of trying to maintain the illusion that the Bible is still relevant in today s world, and of being more concerned about preserving their profession than giving an honest account of their own findings to the public. Avalos asserts that our world is best served by leaving the Bible as a relic of an ancient civilization, and asks his colleagues to concentrate on educating society about the irrelevance and even violent effects of the Bible in modern life. Contact HAAM if you would like to borrow this book. Note that borrowing privileges are now restricted to paid HAAM members only. STORIES FROM THE FRONTLINES Another HAAM outreach is over. The Morden Corn and Apple Festival is our largest, and for some, our hardest outreach. It takes place in the heart of the Manitoba bible belt. We had a great group of exec and volunteers who came together, put up with the rain and wind, and made it work. Thanks to Rob Athe at the Society of Edmonton Atheists for the banner and August Berkshire of Minnesota Atheists for the pamphlets and bible cheat sheets, which were very helpful - especially for Christians who didn't know their own scripture. Thanks to everyone who came out to support us; we made some new friends. Special recognition is owed to the closeted non-believers who came out. The ones who endure forced prayer at work. Who would face loss Page 3

of employment or being passed up for promotion if they were to make their atheism public. Especially one young person who stopped by - new immigrant, gay, atheist, and living in Winkler.

4 of employment or being passed up for promotion if they were to make their atheism public. Especially one young person who stopped by - new immigrant, gay, atheist, and living in Winkler... (and they call us brave). Hopefully people like that will find some life-long friends in the newly formed secular group in the Winkler / Morden area. A group that we are proud to say HAAM had a small part in forming. And of course to the many believers who stopped by - those of us working the booth had the chance to see some of the best and worst Christianity has to offer. For those who felt it necessary to belittle, berate and insult us... All that hate is just going to chew you up. For those who looked skyward, hands in the air to pray over us...umm...thanks...i guess. I hope it made you feel better. Finally, to all the Christians, religious, and spiritual people we had great conversations with, a big thankyou for taking the time to see who we are. I know we were able to dispel myths and misconceptions about the humanist worldview. I especially enjoyed the very last four visitors to our booth - Christian students who helped us haul our equipment back to our cars in pouring rain. Genuinely nice, helpful people who feel that other genuinely nice, helpful people will burn for eternity just because we don't believe what they do. Religion... It really plays havoc with some people's reasoning ability. Hope everyone had fun. I sure did! HAAM is looking forward to doing more outreach in communities like Steinbach, or in schools and standalone events. But we need you, our members, to volunteer to help out and make these events a success. - Pat Morrow Pat deserves the credit for organizing this whole outreach. It s a mammoth effort every year but SO worth it for the people who find out that they are not alone simply because we were there. I wish I had kept track of the number of visitors who asserted that the reason I don t believe in their god is that I haven t read the bible. Many were visibly taken aback when I told them I had read it in its entirety. I was quizzed about Genesis, Daniel, Revelation, the Gospel of John, and the letters of Paul, and asked to explain why I didn t accept the bible as true. But the majority of Christians who approached our booth had no arguments for their faith beyond the bible says so and I believe it. Perhaps some of them will now think just a little beyond that. - Dorothy Stephens It was a pleasure to visit with fellow humanists once again. This was my second year dropping into the booth. It was a welcoming place to all and the conversations were handled sensitively; very interesting and thought provoking. The booth volunteers are to be congratulated for their knowledge and positive communication with the public. Here in the heart of the bible belt, that is no small feat. The very fact that the booth was there let other humanists know that they are not alone and that there is a venue where they can safely express and explore an alternative view. In my time at the booth (mostly people watching), it was interesting to note the number of humanists who dropped by for a quick visit and scurried away. To "come out" as a humanist for many of them would be potentially very damaging to interpersonal, neighbourhood, family, and employment relationships (Terminally Unfriended). The majority of the theist passersby hurried on when they saw the booth. I noted their expressions of revulsion that we were even allowed to be there, with a few of the more adventurous evangelical theists stopping to debate, talk or offer a prayer/ benediction for the salvation of our volunteers. Thank you for coming to the Morden Corn and Apple Festival and showing the "Positive Face of Humanism" once again. Being there among fellow humanists is one of the few times when I am not the skunk at the picnic! - Derrick Wainio I had more than one person come up to me and whisper Boy, are you brave for being out here. Not sure what that says about Christian love and tolerance. It s always nice to find unlikely allies. The young worker at the French fry truck behind us came over early in the day, and told me that she was glad to see us there. I gave her a flyer for Reasonfest, and she gave me a fist bump and a thumbs up. - Donna Harris One sad theme that has emerged in all 4 years of our outreach in Morden is that for some people, the Golden Rule only applies to people already in the Christian club. I've heard countless stories of non-believers who attend church because they're business owners and the socalled "good Christians" of the Morden area would put them out of business if their non-belief became known. Page 4

The sick practice of labelling babies and children as "sinners" gives some people an excuse to inflict corporal punishment on their kids, and more than one person has stated that "babies cry because

" We've heard terrible stories of doctors "treating" people by talking about Jesus, and about nonqualified "counselling" services that try to solve problems by telling clients to apply their faith

We're grateful to those kind-hearted Christians who truly live the Golden Rule and show it by saying hello, asking if we're being treated well, taking the time to hear what we have to say, and truly

- Cheri Frazer ON THE WEB New content is being added to our website, so if you haven t looked at it lately, check out the Resources tab: We now have a list of Charities that HAAM has supported and

When we resume our Charity of the Month program in October, this page will be updated monthly as new ones are added.

If you are aware of others that could be added, please let us know so that we can share the information.

5 The sick practice of labelling babies and children as "sinners" gives some people an excuse to inflict corporal punishment on their kids, and more than one person has stated that "babies cry because they're sinners." We've heard terrible stories of doctors "treating" people by talking about Jesus, and about nonqualified "counselling" services that try to solve problems by telling clients to apply their faith more fervently, or talk people out of their sexuality through sheer ignorance and religion-based bigotry. We're grateful to those kind-hearted Christians who truly live the Golden Rule and show it by saying hello, asking if we're being treated well, taking the time to hear what we have to say, and truly treating everyone with kindness and respect, regardless of their belief position. For the rest who think that it's ok to be cruel and intolerant, there's still a long way to go. - Cheri Frazer ON THE WEB New content is being added to our website, so if you haven t looked at it lately, check out the Resources tab: We now have a list of Charities that HAAM has supported and can recommend to members who are looking to donate to, or volunteer for, secular causes. When we resume our Charity of the Month program in October, this page will be updated monthly as new ones are added. If you are seeking Support and Counselling without a faith component, we have added a list of the services and organization we know of. If you are aware of others that could be added, please let us know so that we can share the information. If you are moving, traveling, or for some other reason wanting to Connect with other secular organizations, we have a list of several with which our executive has contacts or connections. Our Library pages are currently under construction. Books are gradually being added and the list should be completed soon. Browse through the Book Table and ask to borrow one of our almost 200 books or DVD s! (Paid members only.) If you read the story in the August newsletter about the apologist s response to Professor Arthur Schafer s claim that being religious is unethical there are more installments. After the first response and HAAM s rebuttal, there were 2 more letters. The entire thread, including the video of Schafer s original speech and all 4 letters, are now on our website (Home page). More to come in the fall so stay tuned. We start with the Acts of the Apostles, which tells of the founding of the Christian church and the spread of its message to the Roman Empire. Acts is the second of the two books written by Luke (whose identity remains a mystery) around CE. It begins with the ascension of Christ, goes on to describe how Peter took the message to the Gentiles because the Jews rejected it, and concludes with the conversion of Paul and the story of his missionary trips. The remaining books of the NT, with the exception of Revelation (the finale) are all Epistles (formal, instructional letters written by and to members of the early church). The epistles were written BEFORE the gospels interesting indeed when we consider how little actual detail they contain about the life of Jesus. Where then did the gospel writers get their information? First up of the Epistles is Romans, written by Paul around CE. It is the longest of the Pauline epistles and is considered his most important theological legacy. Its purpose was to explain that salvation is offered through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Next are the two letters Paul wrote to the Corinthians; the First during his time in Ephesus (53-54 CE), and the Second, a year or two later from an unknown location. Paul s first letter was written to correct what he saw as erroneous views in the Corinthian church. The main point of the Second letter appears to be Paul s defense of his actions and apostleship after the people of Corinth challenged his authority. Readings for the week of: Aug 30: John 19-21; Acts 1-3; 4-6; 7-8; 9-10 Sept 6: Acts 11-13; 14-15; 16-17; 18-20; Sept 13: Acts 24-26; 27-28; Rom 1-3; 4-7; 8-10 Sept 20: Rom 11-13; 14-16; 1Cor 1-4; 5-8; 9-11 Sept 27: 1Cor 12-14; 15-16; 2Cor 1-4; 5-9; Please share your comments or questions on our Atheist Bible Study Facebook group page Page 5

com or Phone 204-612-0601 Humanists, Atheists, and Agnostics of Manitoba Humanists, Atheists, and Agnostics of Manitoba @MBHumanists Yes, I would like to BECOME A MEMBER of Humanists, Atheists &

6 HAAM s Executive: President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Members at Large: Donna Harris Pat Morrow Helen Friesen Cheri Frazer Todd De Ryck Norm Goertzen Tony Governo Dorothy Stephens Newsletter Contact us at: mbhumanistsatheists@gmail.com or Phone Humanists, Atheists, and Agnostics of Manitoba Humanists, Atheists, and Agnostics of Yes, I would like to BECOME A MEMBER of Humanists, Atheists & Agnostics of Manitoba New Member Renewal Name: Address: City: Province: Postal Code: Phone #: Cell #: *Household Memberships: Please give the names of all additional Humanists in your household 18 years or over: Registered Charity # RR0001 Membership Category: Individual Membership $30.00 Individual Limited Income $10.00 Household Membership* $50.00 Household Limited Income $15.00 Lifetime Membership $ or more * After July 1 st, pay just ½ the yearly fee for the rest of the year. After October 31 st, pay full fee and get the entire next year. DONATION (Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $10 or more) I would like to make a donation to HA 2 M of: $10 $20 $30 $50 $100 Other: Please DO NOT send cash in the mail. Make cheque payable to: Humanist Association of Manitoba and mail to: Humanist Association of Manitoba, Barkman Avenue, Steinbach, MB R5G 0Y5. Memberships are also available by credit card on our website, or by cash or cheque at any HA 2 M meeting or HA 2 M event. Page 6

Manitoba Humanist. An Evening with Niigaan Sinclair. Published by and for the Humanists, Atheists, and Agnostics of Manitoba.

Manitoba Humanist. An Evening with Niigaan Sinclair. Published by and for the Humanists, Atheists, and Agnostics of Manitoba. Manitoba Humanist Published by and for the Humanists, Atheists, and Agnostics of Manitoba HAAM presents: An Evening with Niigaan Sinclair www.mbhumanistsatheists.ca Saturday October 17 th Canad Inns Polo