Food for Freethought 2010
What is “Food for Freethought”?
Food for Freethought, inspired by the Center for Inquiry’s Campaign for Free Expression, is a food drive that also encourages freethought, freedom of expression, and free inquiry. We plan to accomplish this by giving “Banned” and Freethought books away in exchange for non-perishable food donations that will be going to Food Bank of the Rockies, during “Banned Books Week”, September 27 – October 2 (specific dates below). Our goal is to raise an enormous amount of food for those in need. Most food drives are done during the holidays and tons of food is raised and distributed. That is all well and good, but what about the majority of the time that it isn’t the holiday season? The hungry don’t stop being hungry after the holidays, they are hungry now too! Given the existing goals of Metro State Atheists, it is only natural that we would attempt to help the hungry by promoting freethought, freedom of expression, and free inquiry. With the proper support, we can have an immeasurable positive community impact!
The event will be taking place at the Auraria Campus (1201 5th St, Denver, CO 80204). September 28-30th, 9am-4pm (Times Subject to Change)
Metro State Atheists will have SIGNED COPIES available at Food For Freethought 2010 by the following authors:
Hemant Mehta , Daniel Dennett , James Randi, Michael Shermer, Dan Barker, and…RICHARD DAWKINS!. If you’d like to obtain any of these signed copies, donate food!
Largest donors receive signed books!
Metro State Atheists would like to formally thank the above and the following groups for their support:
The James Randi Educational Foundation
The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science
The Center for Inquiry
Secular Student Alliance
Skeptic Magazine
Freedom From Religion Foundation
How can I help?
AMAZON.COM Wishlist
Click here and check out the Food for Freethought 2009 wishlist. From there you can buy the books directly and they will be sent to us!
A special thanks to Tanya J. Higgins of Boulder, CO for setting this up.
Donate Books:
If you have any of the books on the banned book list (http://banned-books.com/bblist.html) and would like to donate it to the cause, please email Joel Guttormson at metroatheists@hotmail.com to set up pick up/delievery of your donation.
Joel on MetRadio June 8, 2009
President of Metro State Atheists, Joel Guttormson, will be on the MetRadio show, “Take Issue”, on June 8, 2009 from 2pm-3pm . Joel will be on for 45 mins, the first 15 mins are for news. You may listen to the show on the Auraria Campus on 91.7; best reception is in the Tivoli. Metro State Atheists is a Center for Inquiry affiliate. MetRadio is the radio station of Metropolitan State College of Denver.
If you are not on the Auraria Campus you must listen to the show online.
LISTEN TO THE SHOW: (You will need Real Player, get it here)
-SUBSCRIBE TO THE METRADIO PODCAST HERE
Metro State Atheists in The National
First, before I explain anything, here is the link to the story about Metro State Atheists published in The National Newspaper, an English language newspaper distributed in the United Arab Emirates. See also the general story about atheists in America. Our picture is on the latter story. My name is misspelled as Charmer Wren, rather than Chalmer Wren, in both articles.
I’m done explaining.
- Chalmer
Joel Guttormson on Bob Enyart Live 1/7/08
In case you missed the show, you can listen to it online here.
Soon, Chalmer and I (Joel) will have blogs up commenting on different aspects of the show. Watch this page tomorrow as we’ll be posting links to the blogs in this post, in case you don’t see them on the main page.
Joel’s Commentary
Chalmer’s Commentary
Thank you!
Joel
President
Metro State Atheists
Joel Guttormson debates radio show host Bob Enyart (AM 670)
From Theology Online:
“Atheist Billboard spokesman, Joel Guttormson, (“Don’t Believe in God, You’re Not Alone”) will debate Radio talk show host Bob Enyart this Wednesday on Bob’s radio and Internet show (AM 670, Internet www.KGOV.com) .
Both sides have been sent information on the other (Bob’s show with his interview of Dan Barker was sent to Joel, and Joel’s website http://metrostateatheists.wordpress.com/ was sent to Bob).”
The show will at 3pm MT, Wednesday January 7th.
Here is the link to Bob’s interview with our friend Dan Barker.
Commentary on the show can be viewed by using the links below:
Joel’s Commentary
Chalmer’s Commentary
Metro State Atheists
Freedom From Religion Foundation Challenges Cherry Creek School District
Tim Baily of Humanist of Colorado is circulating the following message regarding a lawsuit filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) against the Cherry Creek School district and their endorsement of the 40 Developmental Asests.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) has a very important challenge regarding the separation of church and state in the Cherry Creek School District in Denver. The lawsuit challenges the District adoption of the “40 Developmental Assets,” of which number 19 is a recommendation of a “religious community” for children. The school district is recommending that children spend at least an hour a week in a church or other religious setting.
In a document specifically written for children, the endorsement reads: “I spend time with my religion.” A poster of a praying child next to this wording is displayed in various ways. The asset appears on a master calendar at the District website and various District documents.
FFRF has uncovered a religious agenda of the “40 Developmental Assets” program (in which the Lutheran Brotherhood, which developed it, cites bible verses which inspire each “asset,” even the secular-sounding assets).
Due to a child of a plaintiff graduating, FFRF is down to a single plaintiff. We are requesting anyone having a child in the school system who supports the separation of church and state to join the suit.
If you have a child in the Cherry Creek School system (or sympathetic friends or relatives with children in the District) and you might be interested in joining our action against this establishment of religion by the school district, then please let me know. Plaintiffs must have children who use the Cherry Creek public schools.
If we are to add additional plaintiffs, they need to be added before 2009. There is no cost involved and very little time required, and you would be helping to ensure we can challenge a violation that is occurring nationwide. The Court has a protective order which keeps parent (and child) names out of the court documents and newspapers. If interested contact me ASAP
Tim Bailey 303.921.0641
Tcsgrv@mindspring.com
Humanists of Colorado
For more detailed information, visit the Freedom From Religion Foundation
Metro State Atheists Presents Sam Singleton, The Atheist Evangelist
"Sam Singleton Atheist Evangelist, Patriarchs and Penises," is a one-man "comedy in two acts" in the form of Brother Sam first preaching a sermon, then leading the Bible Class. It runs for about 90 minutes plus one 15 minute intermission.
Address
9000 Auraria Parkway
Denver, CO, 80015
Doors open at 6:30pm. Tickets will be available for purchase at that time. Evolvefish merchandise should also be available.
ELEVEN SECULAR COLORADO BILLBOARDS IN NOVEMBER
ELEVEN SECULAR COLORADO BILLBOARDS IN NOVEMBER.
Press Release
For immediate release.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008.
Contact: Marvin Straus, 303-494-4926, cocore3@q.com.
The billboard shown above began appearing at different locations across the United States in 2008. With the exception of the contact information at the bottom, all billboards have been identical to the one shown above.
The first one, produced by FreeThoughtAction appeared January 14th alongside the New Jersey Turnpike.
The second billboard appeared in Philadelphia on May 1st, 2008, sponsored by a coalition of several organizations.
The third billboard, sponsored by Margaret Downey, past president of the Atheist Alliance International, appeared in Los Angeles alongside the Santa Anna Freeway.
The fourth billboard, sponsored by Kansas City FreeThinkers, appeared in Kansas City on September 3rd, 2008.
So far, the groups report that the response has been overwhelmingly positive. One comment: “Bravo, billboards like these help non-theists feel less alone and less alienated.”
And now, The Colorado Coalition of Reason (COCORE) will sponsor 11 billboards, one in Colorado Springs, and ten in the Denver metropolitan area. We had also planned to have two of the eleven in Fort Collins and Greeley, but that area’s major media company, Next Media, refused to carry the message.
Jan Meshon, president of FreeThoughtAction provided the artwork for COCORE’s billboard.
Brett Kelly of CBS Outdoor will announce the exact location of the Colorado billboards, which will run for 4 weeks, on November 17th.
COCORE is an umbrella group consisting of 11 secular groups in Colorado. The project was sponsored by The Boulder Atheists and spearheaded by board member, Marvin Straus.
Straus says, “Our primary goals are to let other freethinkers know they are not alone and to provide them with contact information for secular groups in their area. These billboards across the nation complement the recent best-selling atheist books, billboards by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the secular bus advertising in England, and the increasing percentage of non-religious citizens in our country. In a small way, they counter religious advertising that divides this nation between Christians and non-Christians. It is appropriate that COCORE’s billboards appear in November and December, when the wall that separates church and state is attacked in the name of Christmas.”
COCORE member groups:
Atheists and Freethinkers of Denver
Boulder Atheists
Boulder Heretics
Denver Atheists
Denver Atheists and Freethinkers
Freethinkers of Colorado Springs
Freethinkers of Northern Colorado
Humanist Action League
Humanists of Colorado
Metro State Atheists
Student Secular Alliance (of UC Boulder)
If your interested in making a contribution to the project you can visit the Boulder Atheists website.
