Monday, May 13, 2013, 7 pm
St. Cloud Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (map)

Long-time Minnesota activist and atheist Marie Alena Castle will be introducing her newly released book, "Culture Wars: The Threat to Your Family and Your Freedom", at a special program sponsored by the Central Minnesota Freethinkers on Monday, May 13th. The program will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall, 3226 Maine Prairie Rd., St. Cloud at 7:00 pm and is free and open to everyone who wishes to attend.

Her new book looks at the Constitutional ideal of the Separation of Church and State and the reality of the many laws in our Country that are based on clearly religious concepts. These include things like laws prohibiting both contraception and abortions, limits on reality-based sex education in schools and bans against stem-cell research. Suicides are prohibited no matter how horribly a person may be suffering. There are Bible readings and prayers sessions held in public schools and Creationism is taught in many places as a legitimate alternative to Evolution. There are laws against same-sex marriage and laws actually criminalizing homosexuality. Books are banned, religious organizations are given special tax preferences and in some places atheists are not allowed to run for political office. There are even still laws on the books prohibiting liquor sales on Sundays.

Read more: Guest Speaker: Marie Alena Castle, atheism activist

Central Minnesota Freethinkers hosted Grant Steves, who gave a talk entitled "How Religion Influences Worldviews". Grant is a former Board member of Minnesota Atheists and a past chairperson. He served as host for the Minnesota Atheists television show Atheists Talk and has been interviewed on the Minnesota Atheists radio show. He has contributed articles and reviewed books for the Minnesota Atheists newsletter.

In the past, he has lectured on cults and fundamentalism. Grant has also delivered speeches at the Day of Reason. Grant holds a Doctorate in Theology, is a retired public school educator, debate coach.

Beth Ann Erickson interviews Doug Petersen of the Central Minnesota Freethinkers for Incongruent Elements.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 26, 2012, St. Cloud, MN – Self-avowed "godless liberal" and noted atheist Paul Zachary "PZ" Myers will be speaking in St. Cloud on Monday, November 19th in the Mississippi Room at the St. Cloud Public Library. His talk is entitled "The Evolution of Creationism". This program, sponsored by the Central Minnesota Freethinkers, begins at 7:00 pm and is open and free to the public.

Dr. Myers is a professor of evolutionary development biology and the author of the award-winning Pharyngula science blog, hosted on both the Science Blogs and Freethought Blogs blog networks. He is currently an associate professor of biology at the University of Minnesota Morris (UMM).

Read more: Professor PZ Myers: The Evolution of Creationism, November 19, 2012

Remembering Paul Kurtz ( who died October 20 at his home in Amherst, N.Y.)
By Herb Silverman

Paul Kurtz was a founder and a leader, more so than anyone else I have ever known. Before there were the new atheists and their best-selling books, there was Paul Kurtz promoting humanism and skepticism through his many publications and institutions.

When I first met Paul Kurtz in the early 1990s at a meeting of the Council for Secular Humanism (CSH), I was enthralled by his presentation in support of living a good and reasoned life without religion. Paul presented thoughtful arguments that described why such a philosophy would benefit humankind. As a skeptic, I pride myself in finding reasons to disagree at least on minor points with any speaker, so I was a little scared that I found none. I had thought that only religious people accepted 100 percent of what they hear from a leader. As a consequence, I became a strong supporter of Kurtz—and a regional director of the Council for Secular Humanism.

Read more: Herb Silverman on Paul Kurtz

Central Minnesota Freethinkers will host our annual Summer Solstice Potluck Sunday, June 24 from 3 until 7 p.m. It will be held at St. Cloud Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall, outdoors if weather allows. Games and great coversation guaranteed!

Plates, cups, napkins and disposable flatware will be provided. Bring a dish to share and a something to drink. Please bring lawn chairs if the weather is nice.

Alcoholic beverages are permitted. Children and guests welcome. Please bring a nonperishable food or cash donation for Anna Marie's Shelter.

Please RSVP with the number of brats or vegetarian hot dogs you'd like to Bill at 320-492-9423 by Friday, June 22.

See you there!