For the next meeting, we’re going to talk about the different approaches to atheism/agnosticism/unbelief. Everybody has a unique story about how they arrived at their beliefs and it’s interesting to see the diversity of opinions that are under the big tent of non-belief. We’d love for you to bring your personal stories and share with the group.

On Saturday, Novermber 1st, in the afternoon, there will be an Atheists/Agnostics Political Town Hall at the Capitol Hill branch of the Seattle Public Library. See the Meetup.com event page (no login required) for more information.

SSU is excellent in every way, and is becoming more excellent every week, but just in case it doesn’t satisfy all your skeptical and secularist needs, or if, like me, you are looking with both anticipation and trepidation toward graduation, there is, in fact, a proverbial reality-based community outside of UW. Here are some links to get you started. (As an aside, while we college students nowadays organize via Facebook, those not in college tend to favor Meetup.com, so several of these are Meetup groups rather than actual organizations.)

Seattle Atheists is an actual (incorporated) non-profit in Seattle dedicated to defending the rights and interests of atheists and agnostics in Seattle and to performing secularly motivated community service. It also organizes charitable and educational events.

Seattle Atheists/Agnostics Meetup Group meets regularly on the third Thursday of every month  (e.g. tonight) to eat, drink, be merry, and talk about whatever it is atheists, agnostics, and people of other creeds who hang out with atheists and agnostics talk about. The group also has irregular events, like an upcoming Halloween party. There is a suggested donation of $0.50 to help pay for the Meetup.com group.
Drinking Skeptically meets on the third Tuesday of every month at a restaurant to either hear a presentation on a skepticism-related topic or hear skeptics’ usual targets (”prey”?) make their case. The presentation is followed by a discussion and/or a debate. Past presenters include Discovery Institute, SkepDoc, and 9/11 Truthers. The upcoming meeting (a “Halloween special”, if you will) will have paranormal investigators. There is no suggested donation (that I’ve noticed), but it is recommended that you get something to eat and/or drink at the hosting restaurant. The linked Meetup group also lists other events of interest to self-identified skeptics.
Seattle Society for Sensible Explanations is an older group, gathering approximately once per month for a presentation by a speaker from the skeptic and/or secularist community. Past speakers have included Michael Shermer, PZ Myers, and Ray Hyman. Most of the meetings take place at a restaurant, and require an RSVP and the purchase of a dinner, usually around $30, also covering the venue and the speaker’s honorarium. Of particular interest to those interested in secularism is the upcoming speaker, Josh Rosenau from NCSE.

There are others, such as Seattle Humanists, and several on the East side of Lake Washington or farther North (e.g. Lynnwod), but I haven’t had a chance to go see what they are about. If you’ve been to any of those, post a reply with your impressions, and I’ll add them to this entry.

• 6:30-8:00pm 
• HUB 200C

Salutations, my good people.  We’re going to be meeting on Tuesday evenings this quarter.  Our first meeting will be from 6:30-8:30 in HUB 200c (2nd floor, far north end, if I recall correctly).  Come meet new people and have some fun! 

Subsequent meetings will be 5-7 on the 2nd floor of the HUB (we’re bouncing around a little, so check back here for specific rooms each week).

Our first meeting will be mostly a meet and greet, and a discussion of the direction the SSU will be headed in. We’ll also have some brainy games afterward (trivial pursuit, chess, scrabble, etc) to break the ice. Hope to see you all there!

Available times are:

11:30-12:00

12:30-1:00

1:00-1:30

1:30-2:00

2:00-2:30

Set-up and take-down are accounted for; all you have to do is sit at the table and smile.  (Answering questions as well would be excellent…).  Please, please help out.  Or else I will be sad and cry…or something. :’(

This coming school year is going to be one to remember. Want to help?

We’ll be going over a number of things, including:

- Officers, roles, and other positions
- The group constitution
- Planning events
- Coordinating and deciding how normal weekly meetings will occur
- Darwin Day ‘08
- etc

If you’d like to be involved in the SSU, you will not want to miss this.

Please RSVP Here!

Link

Thursday • June 12 • 7:30pm
Salman Rushdie
The Enchantress of Florence (RANDOM HOUSE)
Reading & Book Signing
Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Avenue
“Salman Rushdie’s sumptuous mixture of history and fable in The Enchantress of Florence is magnificent,” says Ursula K. LeGuin. In telling the story of a woman attempting to command her own destiny in a man’s world, Rushdie plumbs themes of East and West, love and betrayal, religion and unbelief, and sex. Rushdie’s previous award-winning novels include Midnight’s Children, Satanic Verses, and Shalimar the Clown. Tickets are free with the purchase of The Enchantress of Florence from University Book Store; otherwise tickets are $5 at the door. Books and tickets available May 27.

Signing Guidelines

• A signing line will form following the event.
• Salman will personalize pre-signed copies of The Enchantress of Florence.
• Salman will sign backlist titles.
• No memorabilia will be signed.
• Photos are permitted during the signing only.
• Signing guidelines are subject to change.

Location: Chapel on the Ave, 4130 University Way NE

Topic:  End of year BBQ

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=14552499819

Come celebrate the final meeting of the year with some free food and refreshments, courtesy of the SSU. Relax, hang out and get away from the finals cramming for a while.

Also, we will be electing the new board members for next year. Find out what we have planned for the SSU going forward and how you can be a part of it.

Location: Chapel on the Ave, 4130 University Way NE

Topic: Film Screening: Jesus Camp

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=14107269206

We will be screening the 2006 documentary Jesus Camp followed by a discussion period.

‘Jesus Camp’ follows Levi, Rachael, and Tory to Pastor Becky Fischer’s “Kids on Fire” summer camp in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, where kids as young as 6 years-old are taught to become dedicated Christian soldiers in “God’s army.” The film follows these children at camp as they hone their “prophetic gifts” and are schooled in how to “take back America for Christ.” The film is a first-ever look into an intense training ground that recruits born-again Christian children to become an active part of America’s political future.

Location: Chapel on the Ave, 4130 University Way NE

Topic: Do atheists have an agenda? Should we?

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=13520649699

The “atheist agenda” is regularly referred to in ominous tones by the religious right but do atheists actually have an agenda? Are atheists, either individually or collectively working towards some kind of end goal or do we simply want to be left alone?

Should atheists have an agenda? What are some things which, in your opinion, atheists should be working towards?