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.


Upcoming Things
  • Today at 7, in Stuart 105, our own Josh Oxley is going to be part of a debate about the existence of God. Facebook page here.
  • Unfortunately, Ted Cox will not be coming this week. We will try to get Hemant Mehta to come soon.
  • April 5, Elements[Chicago] is featuring four guests to talk about faith and belief, including Chicago's own Hemant Mehta. Information here and here.
  • Ask an Atheist: April 19, we're going to be wearing stickers and definitely tabling from 10:00am to 2:30 pm so that people can find out what we're all about! More info here. Please sign up for half-hour tabling slots here.
  • We will also have a baking party for this sometime in the week before. Keep your eyes peeled.
  • African Americans for Humanism is having their National Conference here at the University of Chicago the weekend of April 27. This is still being planned, but should be amazing, and probably free for students.
  • Sex, God and Science: A conference taking place April 29 in downtown Chicago. We're not sponsoring it, but it looks really cool. Information here.
  • The same weekend, a free conference is taking place in Wisconsin called the Freethought Festival.

Links to Follow


This week's quote is from Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first president of Turkey, articulating his vision for his country.
“My people are going to learn the principles of democracy the dictates of truth and the teachings of science. Superstition must go. Let them worship as they will, every man can follow his own conscience provided it does not interfere with sane reason or bid him act against the liberty of his fellow men.”
Hope to see you tomorrow!

~The UChicago Secular Student Alliance~
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