Thursday, December 6, 2012

Eighth Weekly Update: Hemant Mehta and Finals Week Study Break

Tenth week is here! Who's excited?

No Meeting Wednesday. Instead, Hemant Mehta! 6:15 pm, Wednesday December 5, Stuart 105.

It's going to be really really awesome. Hemant's really nice, and this talk, on math and how we (don't) teach critical thinking, is a very good one. I hope you'll all come out, eat pizza, and have a good time. Facebook event here. Website event here.

Upcoming Things
Links (War on Christmas Edition)

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Finals Week Study Break

Date: Wednesday, December 12
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Harper 103
RSVP: To come

Details: Done with finals or need a break? Come relax with ice cream, cookies, and a screening of one of the incredible talks from Skepticon 4 (2011) or 5 (2012). Skepticon is the largest meeting of nonreligious people and freethinkers in the country, and the talks are always excellent, so come watch something awesome while getting away from finals.

Third Movie Night: The Wizard of Oz (with dinner!)

Date: Thursday, November 29th
Time: 6:00pm
Location: Cox Lounge, Stuart Hall (map here)
RSVP: Facebook Event

Details: The Secular Alliance is screening that old classic, the Wizard of Oz, a fantasy tale about adventure, defeat of evil, becoming a better person and monetary policy. What does that have to with secularism? Come, and maybe you'll find out! Come hang out, eat the free pizza dinner and enjoy.





As an aside, the wikipedia article for the movie is fascinating. 

Ask an Atheist, Ask a Christian

Date: Monday, November 26
Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Stuart 102. Map of Stuart.
RSVP: Facebook

Details: Atheists and Christians meet to answer tough questions from each other and from the audience. Want to hear an answer to the problem of evil? Wondering how atheists have morals? Come with those burning questions you've always wanted to hear a response to, or your best challenging inquiries to see what the brilliant participants will come up with. Snacks and drinks provided.

Cosponsored by the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.

Weekly Update 6: No meeting this week and Happy Thanksgiving!


I hope you've all had a lovely week since last we spoke, and if not, it's soon to get a lot better. Turkey and mashed potatoes are nigh, parental care is soon to be plentiful and sleep will abound. Since people tend to leave on Wednesday to rush and wait in long lines at airports, your friendly and thoughtful exec has cancelled this week's meeting so you don't have to be wracked with guilt that you're missing it while you argue with airline agent after airline agent. So go enjoy Thanksgiving, and don't forget to register for classes!

No Meeting Wednesday! But we will have a meeting next week, November 28th.
This gives you lots of time to start thinking about all the events we have left in the quarter! Namely:
  • Ask an Atheist, Ask a Christian is Monday of ninth week, November 26th. Two of our own wonderful members, Brian Green and Lauren Daurizio,are going to be pairing up with two Christians from IVCF (Intervarsity Christian Fellowship) to ask each other questions and to take (almost) any question from the audience. Let's support our members and ask some good and interesting questions! (Time and place TBA).
  • Our third and last Movie Night of the quarter will be Thursday, November 29th. More information to come!
  • Wednesday of tenth week, December 5th, Hemant Mehta, the Friendly Atheist, is coming to talk about critical thinking, education and mathematics at 6:30, in Stuart 105! (This is instead of our meeting) We'll have pizza and hang out with him starting at 6:15 or so, and the talk will start at 6:30. It's going to be amazing.
  • Finals Week Event: If you're done with finals by Wednesday, or need a night off, come to Harper 103 at 6:00 pm to have ice cream and cookies and watch one of the amazing talks from either Skepticon IV or V.
Links
Have a wonderful break!

Weekly Update 5 11/13/12


It's seventh week. Midterms are all over now, right? Right? Ha! Well, in the midst of all that stress it must be nice to come to an SA meeting!

Meeting ReminderIt's going to be a knock-down, drag out, fight to death debate tomorrow, November 14th, at 6pm in the Spirit Cafe, in the basement of Rockefeller Chapel. The topic? "Should girls ask boys out?" This is a very controversial topic, so I expect people to be bringing their A-game.

But really we're going to have a fun debate in which I assign sides and everyone comes up with the silliest/funniest/most compelling arguments on both sides. And it all involves warm drinks and cookies!

Upcoming Events
  • NT Wright is an evangelical intellectual from St. Mary's college, talking tonight at 7pm about the ethos of Christianity and how that relates to the ethos of a university. Like most evangelicals, he thinks homosexuality and abortion are sins and said at the Veritas Forum at Northwestern yesterday that "secularism leads to gas chambers." It's up to you all if you want to go or lead a righteous protest. Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/408066335909881/
  • Much more excitingly, Hemant Mehta is coming to talk about critical thinking, education and mathematics on December 5th, at 6:30, in Stuart 105! We'll have pizza and hang out with him starting at 6:15 or so, and the talk starts at 6:30. It's going to be amazing.
  • Look out in these emails for our finals week event!
Links
See you all tomorrow!!

Weekly Update 4: Hang outs, relief from the outside world, and Darwin! 11/5/12


It's sixth week! The election's tomorrow! Ahhhhhhh! Everybody go vote, for real, or the god Athe will be very disappointed in you. Here's a relevant xkcd

Meeting ReminderIn the midst of all the madness, we the exec thought it would be nice to have a low-key, hangout meeting. No meaty topics, no discussions of the distant future, no ethics. Unless that's what you all want, of course. But on Wednesday, November 7th, at 6pm in the Spirit Cafe, in the basement of Rockefeller Chapel it's going to be your chance to have warm drinks and cookies, distract yourselves from papers and midterms, and have some relaxed conversations. Let's all get to know each other!

Upcoming Events
  • Movie night this Thursday! 6:30 pm. Cobb 402. It's about evolution and Darwin and science! Also there's a free pizza dinner. Join us and invite your friends! Facebook event here:https://www.facebook.com/events/446441725404040/
  • Hemant Mehta is coming to talk about critical thinking, education and mathematics onDecember 5th! Time and location currently TBD
Links
Hope you all have a wonderful week and that we see you on Wednesday!

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Hemant Mehta Talk: Teaching Critical Thinking in Public Schools

Date: December 5th, 2012
Time: Hanging out starts at 6:15, Talk at 6:30
Location: Stuart 105 (map here)
RSVP: Facebook

Details: 
Hemant Mehta, the one and only Friendly Atheist, is coming to the University of Chicago to talk about math, public schools and teaching critical thinking. This event will be free and open to the public. 



About Hemant:
Hemant Mehta graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with degrees in Mathematics and Biology. While there, he also helped establish their first secular student group, Students WithOut Religious Dogma (SWORD). He earned his Masters in Math Education at DePaul University and currently teaches high school math in the suburbs of Chicago. 

He has worked with the Center for Inquiry and the Secular Coalition for America, received scholarships from American Atheists and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and now serves on the board of directors for Foundation Beyond Belief (a charity organization targeting non-theistic donors) and is the former chair of the board of the Secular Student Alliance (which creates and supports college atheist groups nationwide). 

Hemant appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal and his book, I Sold My Soul on eBay (WaterBrook Press), was released in 2007. His blog, the winner of the 2011 Bloggie award for Best Weblog About Religion, can be read at FriendlyAtheist.com. Hemant's book, I Sold My Soul on eBay (WaterBrook Press), was released in 2007. He has appeared on CNN and FOX News Channel.

Hemant Mehta currently runs the blog the Friendly Atheist


Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Carl Sagan Day!

Date: Thursday, November 1st
Time: 7 pm
Location: DePaul Schmitt Academic Center, 2320 N. Kenmore Avenue
RSVP: Facebook
Details: You're invited to Chicago’s Carl Sagan Day 2012!

Chicago's secular community is gathering once again to celebrate the life and legacy of the great science popularizer, the beauty of discovery, and the fun of exploration.

The event will be held in Schmitt Academic Center Room 161, on DePaul's Lincoln Park Campus. The building is handicapable accessible, and accommodation can be provided upon request.

A group is going up from UChicago from 55th and University, leaving at 6pm.

Apple pie (made from scratch, of course) and cosmos will be served.

Talks:
"Carl Sagan's Life and Legacy"
Dr. Peter Vandervoort, Professor Emeritus, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and a former colleague of Carl Sagan

"Cosmic Mysteries: the Dark Universe and the Most Energetic Particles"
Dr. Angela Olinto, Chair of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Department at the University of Chicago

"Citizen Science"
Dr. Bernhard Beck-Winchantz, Associate Professor of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Studies Department at DePaul University

Emcee:
Matt Lowry
High School Physics Teacher, writer at The Skeptical Teacher.

Full Schedule at http://saganchicago.weebly.com/schedule.html

Organizers:
Kate Donovan
Andrew Tripp
Chana Messinger

Second Movie Night: What Darwin Never Knew

Date: Thursday, November 8th
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: Cobb 402
RSVP: Facebook

Details: One hundred and fifty years after Darwin, scientists decode nature's greatest mysteries. The University of Chicago Secular Alliance will be screening this excellent NOVA Special on all the amazing things we've found out about evolution since Darwin. This will be accompanied by a free pizza dinner!

Secularization of Religious Holidays - Fourth Weekly Meeting

Date: Wednesday, October 31th
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Spirit Cafe, basement of Rockefeller Chapel

Details: It's Halloween, a holiday that used to be pretty religious and is no longer, so we're going to talk about how and why that happens to holidays and whether it's a good thing. Costumes welcome but not mandatory.

Ethical Obligations of Politicians - Third Weekly Meeting

Date: Wednesday, October 24th
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Spirit Cafe, basement of Rockefeller Chapel

Details: We'll be talking about the ethical obligations of politicians. Is it ok to lie for the greater good of getting a better candidate (yourself, presumably) elected? How much should faith or nonfaith come in to the way politicians present themselves? Is it right to hold politicians to a higher level of morality, like not cheating on spouses or taxes or breaking minor laws? All this and more! Having watched the debates is totally optional.

Weekly Update 3: Carl Sagan Day and Halloween! 10/29/12


Meeting Reminder: Our next meeting will be Wednesday, October 31, at 6:00 pm in the Spirit Cafe in the basement of Rockefeller chapel. It's Halloween, a holiday that used to be pretty religious and is no longer, so we're going to talk about how and why that happens to holidays and whether it's a good thing. Costumes welcome but not mandatory. There will be warm drinks and I'm baking Halloween cookies!

Upcoming Events
  • Oh my math and science, you guys, Carl Sagan Day is this Thursday, November 1st. We have three speakers talking about Carl Sagan, Dark Matter and Space and Popular Science, respectively. We have fresh apple pie that exists only because of the initial boundary conditions of the universe. We have a raffle (first ticket free for everyone!) for tickets to the Adler Planetarium. It's going to be amazing. Doors open for reception at 7:00 pm and talks start at 8:00 pm.Information, full schedule and Safe Space Policy on website here: saganchicago.weebly.com. RSVP at Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/292567684190986/?fref=ts
  • Our thrice-quarterly Movie Night is coming up again, next week, on Thursday! More details to come soon.
Links
You guys are awesome! See you Wednesday!

Weekly Update 2! Ethical politicians (or the lack thereof), whether atheists can be president, and some street preaching: 10/23/12


Weekly email week 4! We're almost halfway through the quarter already!

Meeting ReminderOur next meeting will be Wednesday, October 24, at 6:00 pm in the Spirit Cafe in the basement of Rockefeller chapel. We'll be talking about the ethical obligations of politicians. Is it ok to lie for the greater good of getting a better candidate (yourself, presumably) elected? How much should faith or nonfaith come in to the way politicians present themselves? Is it right to hold politicians to a higher level of morality, like not cheating on spouses or taxes or breaking minor laws? All this and more! Having watched the debates is totally optional. As always, we'll have warm drinks and possibly snacks.

Upcoming Events
  • We had such a great time at Light the Night! Thanks to everyone who came out!
  • This Wednesday, and every Wednesday, there's Spirit Cafe in the Spirit Cafe right before our meeting, from 4:30 to 5:30. This week, they'll be talking about culture. Facebook page here
  • Fishbowl Conversation: Invoking God at election time (or, could we elect a non-believer to high office?) -Rockefeller Event, Thursday, October 25, 8pm, McCormick Tribune Lounge. This looks really interesting!
  • Yesterday (sorry, it's too late for this week) and every Monday, Josh Oxley, Humanist Advisor to Rockefeller Chapel emeritus, runs a discussion involving analyzing scriptural texts from a variety of faith traditions and seeing what all these traditions say about various topics like human rights and personal identity. Noon every Monday in Hutchinson Commons.
  • Carl Sagan Day is coming up! It's on Thursday, November 1, starting at 7pm. RSVP at the facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/292567684190986/?fref=ts
General Announcements
  • Remember to let us know if you'd like to blog for us, or if you already blog about issues related to secularism! 
  • We're going to have another movie night in 6th week, and another 9th week. Are there any movies you'd particularly like to see? Let Emma know!
Links

Monday, October 15, 2012

Movie Night, Transhumanism, and Ducks: 10/14/12

Hello! This is the first of what will be a wonderful year full of weekly updates from me. This is where you find out when and where the next meeting is, what the upcoming events are, and also get a ton of cool links I hope you'll like. Feel free to read just the first part, or click through it all. Without further ado:

Meeting Reminder 
Our next meeting will be Wednesday, October 17, at 6:00 pm in the Spirit Cafe in the basement of Rockefeller chapel. We'll be talking about transhumanism, where humanity is going, whether we should modify ourselves and whether death is bad. Feel free to start reading about it on Wikipedia.

OFF CAMPUS: Hemant Mehta Talk

Date: Tuesday, October 16th
Time: 7 pm
Location: Room 325, Lincoln Park Student Center, DePaul
RSVP: Facebook


Details:
Join DAFT as they host Hemant Mehta for a talk on how to improve our public schools! This talk will be held from 7 PM in room 325 of the Lincoln Park Student Center. This event is free and open to the public. The Student Center is completely handicapable accessible, and accommodation can be provided upon request.

About Hemant:
Hemant Mehta graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with degrees in Mathematics and Biology. While there, he also helped establish their first secular student group, Students WithOut Religious Dogma (SWORD). He earned his Masters in Math Education at DePaul University and currently teaches high school math in the suburbs of Chicago. He has worked with the Center for Inquiry and the Secular Coalition for America, received scholarships from American Atheists and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and now serves on the board of directors for Foundation Beyond Belief (a charity organization targeting non-theistic donors) and is the former chair of the board of the Secular Student Alliance (which creates and supports college atheist groups nationwide). Hemant appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal and his book, I Sold My Soul on eBay (WaterBrook Press), was released in 2007. His blog, the winner of the 2011 Bloggie award for Best Weblog About Religion, can be read at FriendlyAtheist.com. Hemant's book, I Sold My Soul on eBay (WaterBrook Press), was released in 2007. He has appeared on CNN and FOX News Channel.

Transhumanism - Second Weekly Meeting

Date: Wednesday, October 17th
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Spirit Cafe, basement of Rockefeller Chapel
RSVP: none

Details: We'll be talking about transhumanism, where humanity is going, whether we should modify ourselves and whether death is bad. Feel free to start reading about it on Wikipedia.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Spaghetti Dinner/Movie Night Fundraiser

Date: Thursday, October 18th
Time: 6:30 pm dinner, 7 pm movie
Location: Burton-Judson Theatre, Burton-Judson Residence Hall
RSVP: Facebook

Details: The University of Chicago Secular Alliance will be screening Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life". Accompanying this FREE screening will be a FREE spaghetti dinner, complements of our master-chef members. Donations are encouraged (yet optional) to help us raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as part of a national mobilization of the secular community to fight cancer. For more information regarding this charity and how to get involved visit:
http://www.lightthenight.org/
http://www.secularstudents.org/lightthenight

First Weekly Meeting

Date: Wednesday, October 10th
Time: 6-7 pm
Location: Spirit Cafe, in the basement of Rockefeller Chapel
RSVP: Facebook

Details: Come one, come all! Meet secularists, atheists, deists, agnostics and intrigued religious people! We'll get introduced and eat candy as we figure out where we stand on the all important issues of god, religion, harry potter and soft drink preferences.

RSO Fair

Date: Friday, October 5th
Time: 3-5:30 pm
Location: Main Quad

Details: Representatives from several hundred student organizations, numerous offices, and community partners welcome students back to campus each year at the SARF - and help new students begin to make the most of their UChicago experience. If you're interested in the Secular Alliance, and want to find out what we're all about, come visit our table!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Meet, Greet, and Eat

Date: Thursday, September 27th
Time: 3-5 pm
Location: Bartlett Quad
RSVP: Facebook event (optional)

Details: This is a chance for you to come by and meet the Secular Alliance at our welcome picnic/open house. Many of our exec will be there, so come, eat snacks and cookies with us, ask us questions, toss around a frisbee, and have a good time!

We'll be on a sheet with a big sign that says Secular Student Alliance.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Current Secular Alliance Nominations

President: Chana Messinger, Brian Green
Vice President: Liam Heins, Alicia Beirstedt, Brian Green
Secretary: Emma Goehler, Liam Heins, Alicia Bierstedt
Treasurer: Jay Feldman, Brian Green

PR:  Anastiasia Klimchynskaya, Liam Heins
Exec: Jay Feldman, Emma Goehler

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

SA Elections 2012


Democracy is yay!

1. We are adding two new positions to the exec board. The possible positions (with general and mutable job descriptions) are now:
 - President: Runs exec meetings, delegates, default for running meetings, is ultimately responsible for all administrative and budgetary functions (i.e. buck stops there), keeps in contact with national SSA and other SSA's around Chicago
 - Vice President: Takes over any presidential job if they cannot. Their role is mostly coordinated with the president, but they should be the point person on event coordination, especially regarding volunteer opportunities.
 - Secretary: Takes notes during exec meetings and possibly meetings, sends weekly emails, maintains our internet presence through facebook and twitter
 - Treasurer: Works with ORCSA, helps plan budget, in charge of reimbursements
 - PR director: Makes and distributes flyers, point person for talking to other groups, though this is negotiated with president and vice president
 - Exec at large (x2): In charge of recruitment (this means going to RSO fairs, talking about SA at house meetings, potentially going to similar groups to talk about SA), distribution of flyers, makes facebook events, gets to come up with a better name for their position than exec at large
 - All exec board members are responsible for helping suggest meeting and event ideas, keeping the facebook group and twitter account active, contributing to the blog, trying to grow SA, trying to understand what the groups want, and showing up to (almost) all exec and normal meetings.

2. Logistics:
 - By 7:30pm today, I will write an email to every person who has been nominated for a position (one email per position) that will ask if you want to accept the nomination. You will have by 10:30 tomorrow morning to respond. It's an opt-out system, so if you don't respond, I'll assume you accept. If you show up day of, you can also decline then.
 - Tomorrow, some point after 10:30am, I will make a google doc with all the nominations, which I will make public. Please keep all discussion about the nominees private.
 - You can then continue nominating people until Friday at 11:59pm. You can nominate people from now continuously until then. You can nominate someone today, before 7:30pm, so they get an email. You can nominate yourself or others for multiple positions, but take it seriously. 
 - Then nominations will be closed until the day of the elections, May 15th. If you arrive on time (6pm) and declare your nomination upon arrival, you can nominate yourself or someone else that day, as well.
 - To be eligible to vote, you must have come to at least one meeting before this election. To be eligible for office, you must have been to at least two.
 - To vote, you must be present at the meeting. 
 - To run, you must be present at the meeting. If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from being at the meeting, you must email me by midnight tomorrow (Thursday). If you wish to run for office, you can be on skype, or you can submit a short (<300 words) speech that will be read aloud on your behalf. 

3. Everything else will be explained at the meeting. Feel free to email me with questions. I will not tell you early who is running for what. Everyone who is running for something should be prepared to give a short speech.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Weekly Update 4/23/12


I feel like I should stop calling these updates. That sounds so formal . These are nuggets of secular awesomeness that would be telepathically inserted into your brains if I could figure out how to update the MentaModem(tm). Alas, email will have to suffice.

Important Announcement: Elections are coming up. NOMINATIONS ARE DUE BY MIDNIGHT on FRIDAY, MAY 11. Please email ssauchicago@gmail.com with your nominations for President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and PR/Outreach Director. Put 'SA Elections' as the subject heading. You may nominate yourself or anyone from the group who has come to more than two meetings this year.

Meeting Reminder

We're going to have a meeting Tuesday, April 24th at 6:00 pm in the Uncommon Room of Rockefeller chapel. We're going to discuss humanism and art with the meeting led by Josh Oxley. So all you humanities people, don't say we don't love you!

Questions and Thoughts: 
  • What role does art play in human life? 
  • Can art be transcendent? How does that transcendence relate to religious transcendence?

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Awesome Things


Hey all!

So as I'm sure you know, Ask an Atheist Day is this Thursday (info here). I'll be passing out some stickers at the meeting on Tuesday (Uncommon Room, Rockefeller Chapel, 6pm), and if you want to table, sign up here. But we need baked goods to pass out to passersby so we can prove we're good people (as if that were ever in doubt). So we're having a baking party (science themed cookies, anyone?) at 5:30 pm tomorrow! RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/296121553799718/. It's going to be really fun, relaxed and full of butter and sugar, as all good things are.

Also, if you care to wake up before noon tomorrow, our very own Josh Oxley is giving a sermon tomorrow at the Unitarian Church at 10:00 am called "Between Godly and Godless." If you want to just say hi but not go to the service, show up around 11:00 am for the coffee hour. If you have any questions about protocol or anything else, shoot him an email at joxley@uchicago.edu. Go out and support him!

And remember to send me election nominations. Nominate yourself! Take a leadership role! It's awesome. And you can talk to anyone on the board at any time about their experiences. Just shoot us an email at ssauchicago@gmail.com.

Weekly Update 4/13/12


I guess this is also the third week update. You get two third week updates this week!

Important Announcement: Elections will be coming up in a few weeks. Please email ssauchicago@gmail.com with your nominations for President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and PR/Outreach Director. Put 'SA Elections' as the subject heading. You may nominate yourself or anyone from the group who has come to more than two meetings this year.

Meeting Reminder

We're going to have a meeting Tuesday, April 17th at 6:00 pm in the Uncommon Room of Rockefeller chapel. We're going to have our rationality tested to the limits by Mike Mei in a Rationality Lab. It's going to be awesome. Probably rockets and explosions will be involved. I mean, if you can't build a spaceship with it, it doesn't really matter. Get your rationality hats on!

Questions and Thoughts:

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Weekly Update 4/8/12


It's third week already. Anyone else think that's crazy?

Important Announcement: Elections will be coming up in a few weeks. Please email ssauchicago@gmail.com with your nominations for President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and PR/Outreach Director. Put 'SA Elections' as the subject heading. You may nominate yourself or anyone from the group who has come to more than two meetings this year.

We're going to have a meeting Tuesday, April 10th at 6:00 pm in the Uncommon Room of Rockefeller chapel. We're going to talk about Sex Ed and what a humanist curriculum would look like.

Thoughts and questions:
  • What do kids need to know about sex? Whose responsibility is it to teach them? 
  • Should schools be worried about taking over parents' roles? 
  • What teaching techniques are best for this kind of thing? 
  • What are the potential negative consequences of bad sex ed? Of too much sex ed? 
  • Are there allowances made for religious students?
And much more. If you have any thoughts or relevant links before the meeting, please feel free to share them on our Facebook page.

A few to start with:

Monday, April 2, 2012

Weekly Update 4/2/12


Hey guys! Welcome to second week.

We're going to have a meeting tomorrow, April 3rd at 6:00 pm in the Uncommon Room of Rockefeller chapel. We're going to talk about religious liberty and what a secular America should look like.

Thoughts and questions:
  • What's something you would change about American politics or legal system (not social stigma) to make it more secular?
  • Can secularism go too far?
  • What's the line between freedom from religion and freedom of religion?
  • What can be claimed as a necessary exemption for religious liberty? (SAT's on Sundays for Orthodox Jews, Catholic hospitals not being required to perform abortions, etc.) Which are reasonable?
  • Is religious pluralism a value that a government should protect?
And many more. Discuss and put links up on the Facebook page.


Saturday, February 25, 2012

Weekly Update 2/25/12

Hello, Secular Students!

Here is your update for 8th week!

Meeting Reminder
Ever wonder why that atheist friend of yours is so ANGRY? Why does he/she go into fits of RAGE when he/she turns on the news? Why is he/she so damn CONFRONTATIONAL and CRITICAL of everything? Why does he/she HATE religion and everything it stands for? Why doesn't he/she just CHILL and let people live?

To get people excited about our big event on Thursday, we are going to watch a video of Greta Christina's epic presentation in 2011 when she tries to answer the question, "Why are Atheists so Angry?" And eat ice cream. So come join us on Tuesday, February 28th, in the Uncommon Room in the basement of Rockefeller Chapel. If you want, RSVP on Facebook.


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Weekly Update 2/21/12

Hello, Secular Students!

Here is your update for 7th week!

Meeting Reminder
Our next meeting will be today, February 21, at 6:00 pm in the Uncommon Room of Rockefeller chapel. We'll be investigating our ethical intuitions, whether they're consistent, and whether or not we can trust them. Yes, there might be some trolley problems.


Thursday, February 2, 2012

Weekly Update 2/3/12

Hello, Secular Students!

Here is your update for 5th week.

Meeting Reminder
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, February 7th, at 6:00 pm in the Uncommon Room of Rockefeller chapel. We know you're all stressed with midterms, so this will be a social meeting, with YouTube videos, candy, and Science Valentine making. It should be a good time, so we hope you'll join us.


Monday, January 30, 2012

Weekly Update 1/30/12


Hello, Secular Students!

Here's your weekly update from fourth week:

Next Meeting:
What makes something convincing?
Politicians, demagogues and activists all use language to get their points across. They try to deceive, move, inspire and persuade us through word choice, rhetorical devices, cadence, framing and much else. Come to The UnCommon Room at 6 pm Tuesday, January 31, to learn how to spot these techniques and use them yourself.


Thursday, January 19, 2012

Weekly Update 1/19/12

Hello, Secular Students!

We're back with the regular weekly updates! Are you ready for fourth week?

Next Meeting:
What is Oobleck?
Here's a hint: it's known as non-Newtonian fluid, an ooze, "quicksand," and goo. Sometimes it flows, others it's hard as a rock. You can run on it, but you won't be able to stand. Want to know more? Then come to our next meeting, on Tuesday, January 24th, at 6:00 pm in the Uncommon Room of Rockefeller Chapel, to find out.


Sunday, January 8, 2012

Weekly Update 1/8/12


Hey all!

Hope your first week of the quarter went well. Here's your update for the week:

Meeting Reminder
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, January 10, at 6 pm, in the Uncommon Room in the basement of Rockefeller Chapel. We're going to be talking about different arguments for god, which ones you find compelling, which ones you'd like to hear arguments against, which ones you've heard most often, etc. To review, here's a nice long list.