07.04.09
Posted in College Atheists, General at 9:00 pm by Hemant Mehta
Every year, the Secular Student Alliance gives out awards to the best campus atheist groups in the country in a variety of areas.
Each group receives a plaque and a cash reward.
Here are this year’s winners:
Best Service Project: Students for Freethought at The Ohio State University.
… They took the idea to their own group and immediately started planning a similar, week-long trip to help rebuilding efforts in New Orleans. But they weren’t content to stop there! They organized their trip to line up with the [University of Illinois'] trip in the spring of 2009, and the groups met up in New Orleans!
Inspired by the success of their spring break trip, SFF leaders then organized a second service project: a three-day camping trip to help improve and maintain the Pine Mountain Trail: putting up trail markers, installing bear poles (to keep bears from eating campers’ food!), and generally cleaning and maintaining the trail through the Appalachians.
Best Website: Students for A Nonreligious Ethos (SANE) at Berkeley University.
… The overall design is simple and uncluttered, making it easy to zero in on the information you need and navigate the site at a glance. The blog-style main feed features upcoming events and reviews of recent activities, updated almost once a week. From the front page, it’s easy to find upcoming events, get information about meeting times and locations, and quickly navigate to other areas of the site. Contacting the group is handled by a spam-filtering webform, and there’s an easy link to subscribe to their mailing list. The FAQ handles common questions in a light-hearted, fun manner. The site features pictures of the group’s recent activities and links to other organizations, information about the group and more — all while maintaining organization and ease of use.
Best Media Coverage/Letter to the Editor: Pastafarians at the University of South Carolina.
The Pastafarians @ USC have received a wide range of media attention this year. They began with their school newspaper, which covered president Andrew Cederdahl’s Founder’s Scholarship from American Atheists, covered and praised the group’s Darwin Day debate (Dan Barker v. Kyle Butt), and included several opinion pieces regarding the group, its message and tactics, both supportive and critical. Their media attention spread beyond campus when local news station WISTV featured the group’s sold-out Darwin Day debate. Another local channel featured the group while discussing the recent ARIS survey results. ABC Columbia focused on the group in a series called "Hidden Columbia," and group leader Andrew Cederdahl was interviewed on Freethought Radio. Last — but certainly not least — the group was featured in a front page story in the New York Times, “More Atheists Shout It From the Rooftops“…
Best New Affiliate: American University Rationalists & Atheists:
The American Univereity Rationalists & Atheists (AURA) kicked off its first year with a call-out meeting with over 30 students in attendance. They’ve taken a field trip to see Bill Maher’s Religulous, hosted a well-attended dialogue with a christian student organization, welcomed speakers Dan Barker and Ellery Schempp, fed students at a Flying Spaghetti Monster Dinner and hosted a free comedy show on their campus. They were featured in their school’s student newspaper when they challenged their university’s commencement invocation. These activities, combined with student-led presentations and discussion meetings, are the components of a great year for AURA!…
Best Overall Affiliate: Secular Alliance of Indiana University:
The Secular Alliance at Indiana University started just over a year ago, but you’d never guess it from their numbers. They started their semester with a visit from atheist author John Loftus. They then organized a group field trip to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY, and collaborated to make a video of their trip, which you can see on Vimeo. This semester they met with other freethought groups in Indiana and have spearheaded the Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign, which already has “You can be good without God” ads on buses in several cities across the state. They have garnered 200 members in just one school year, have built an effective and eye-catching website, and have applied for office space for their group in the fall!
It’s not too late to support the SSA; your donations will be matched by the Vital Spark Foundation!
Permalink ~
07.03.09
Posted in College Atheists, Dating, General at 2:00 pm by Hemant Mehta
At the SSA conference in August, I plan to give a talk on Atheism and Dating.
Specifically, I’d like to discuss whether an atheist and theist couple can make things work. Should they consider dating at all? Or should we try to avoid that at all costs?
If you’ve made a theist/atheist relationship work, how did you do it? What advice do you have for others?
If you only date other atheists, why?
You’re welcome to post your thoughts in the comments or send them to me personally.
Personal stories would be ideal 
I’ll respect any requests for anonymity.
Thanks in advance!
Permalink ~
07.02.09
Posted in College Atheists, Coming Out, General at 10:00 am by Hemant Mehta
Godless Girl left Christianity to become an atheist. She sees her transition as analogous to that between the end of middle school and the beginning of high school:
For me, leaving Christianity was a lot like graduating from eighth grade to high school.
My Christian walk had passed puberty: I was experienced, educated, well-rounded, and thoughtful. I studied the Bible voraciously, enjoying theological discussions and asking digging questions…
And then I became an atheist… I was afraid of leaving my comfort zone and having to start all over again with nobody there to be my clique, my support structure, my guide. I didn’t think I possessed an identity without my faith…
It is very disorienting to leave something familiar for something unknown but inevitable. On the upside, the freedom you experience after the transition is incredible.
The excellent post can be found here.
Permalink ~
06.30.09
Posted in College Atheists, General, Science at 11:00 am by Hemant Mehta
My fellow Secular Student Alliance board member Phil Ferguson is an avid Pharyngula reader and knows PZ Myers has an opinion or two about the Creation Museum. Since PZ is speaking at our conference the first weekend in August, he had an idea: Why not invite PZ to join us a day early, have as many people as possible join us, and lead a tour through the Creation Museum?
PZ graciously agreed to do it and now we’re inviting anyone interested to join us: On Friday, August 7th, at 10:00 a.m., we’ll be meeting at the museum entrance.
Ken Ham, the museum’s founder, will be invited to join us.
To see a joint PZ/Ham tour would be well worth the price of admission… which is good because I’ve been there before and nothing else in the museum is worth it. A solo PZ tour wouldnt be so bad, either.
Having scientists visiting the museum — and then documenting the inanity inside for the general public — may be worth the few bucks you give up by going there.
While it’s not a requirement to join us for the Creation Museum trip, registration for the SSA Conference is still open! (And travel grants are available if you need help getting funding for a flight.) The festivities officially begin Friday night.
I have a grad school final Thursday evening in Chicago… but I’ll do everything I can to reschedule it so I can join in the “museum” tour. How often do you get a fun opportunity like that?
By the way, the other day, I mentioned a fundraiser that another board member, Ashley Paramore, was conducting on YouTube.
Check out how awesome you all are!
We haven’t reached the $5,000 goal yet, but this is pretty damn impressive. It’s not too late to give!
(via Pharyngula)
Permalink ~
06.24.09
Posted in Atheist Demographics, College Atheists, General at 12:00 pm by Hemant Mehta
I was impressed a couple years ago when I heard that 20% of Americans aged 18-25 had no religious affiliation or were atheist/agnostic.
Apparently, I should have been looking to Britain.
It turns out if you survey British children aged 13-18, the stats are even more favorable for non-theists.
According to a new study of 1000 teenagers (by Penguin books in the UK — I’m not sure the methodology or reliability), this is what was discovered:
- 60% of them go to church only for weddings/christenings
- 60% of them don’t think religious studies should be compulsory in schools
- 59% of them think that religion “has a negative influence on the world”
- 55% of them are not bothered about religion (Hemant adds: This means they’re essentially apathetic about religion. Thanks, commenters!)
- 50% of them have never prayed
- 41% believe nothing happens to your body when you die
- 30% of them (only 30%!) believe in an afterlife
- 16% have never been to church
- 10% of them (only 10%!) think they will be reincarnated as an animal/human
Is this just an isolated case of British awesomeness or a continuing trend toward non-religiosity?
I would love to know the results of a similar study with that age group had it been done in America. I suspect the numbers would not have been as favorable as the ones you see above, but they would’ve been close — a trend we saw occurring with Generation Next.
(Thanks to hoverFrog for the link!)
Permalink ~
06.16.09
Posted in College Atheists, General at 7:52 pm by Hemant Mehta
The Secular Student Alliance is hosting our annual conference on August 7th — 9th (Friday to Sunday) in Columbus, Ohio.
Not only is registration open for the conference, we are now offering travel grants for those who need it (in $100 and $200 amounts).
There are $4,000 in travel grants ready to be given away. These are given out on a rolling basis, so you need to apply as soon as possible!
I’ve posted this before, but it’s worth posting again.
Why should you come to this conference?
- It’s one of the largest gatherings of atheist students in the country all year
- Keynote speaker = PZ Myers
- If you’re a student member of the SSA, the registration cost is only $25!
- It’s a chance to receive activist training, meet several of the leaders in the atheist movement, and network with college atheists from around the country
- I’ll be there. Do you *need* any more reason?
I love these events because going to an SSA conference was my first foray into the world of organized atheism. I became more involved on a national level after attending. It was an amazing opportunity to meet other atheists and listen to great speakers.
This conference will be even better than the one I attended because there’s a Chipotle near campus.
If you have any questions, ask away!
Permalink ~
06.13.09
Posted in College Atheists, General at 8:00 pm by Hemant Mehta
Jen’s pics from Talk Like a Pirate Day 2008 remind me why it’s the greatest holiday of the year. It honors the Flying Spaghetti Monster (peace be upon Him).
Just click on the pic below to expand it and enjoy the wonderful posters:
Just under a hundred days before the next celebration… I’m sure the Society of Non-Theists at Purdue University will outdo themselves yet again.
(via Blag Hag)
Permalink ~
06.02.09
Posted in Atheist Generosity, College Atheists, General at 12:00 pm by Hemant Mehta
The United Coalition of Reason is sponsoring an essay contest that could earn you $1,000.
What do you have to do?
Please tell us your personal story, in 500 words or less: what does it mean for you to be Good Without God? How do you live out your positive values as a Humanist, atheist, agnostic, secularist, or freethinker? Please write in the first person.
We highly encourage you to share specific examples about your god-free involvement in service to country or community; how your non-religious approach to life helped you to get through a difficult time; or how it transformed your relationships with your family and the people you care about.
500 words? That’s nothing. That’s practically a sentence… In a Faulkner novel.
Not only is the $1,000 up for grabs, the first 25 people to submit an essay will receive a signed copy of Harvard Humanist Chaplain Greg Epstein’s forthcoming book, aptly titled Good Without God: What a Billion Non-Religious People Do Believe.
All the details about where to send your entry and what to include in it can be found here.
Good luck! If someone who visits this site wins the contest, I’ll give you a bonus prize!
(via Secular Student Alliance)
Permalink ~
06.01.09
Posted in College Atheists, General at 12:00 pm by Hemant Mehta
It’s ironic that during “Rationalist Week ‘09″ sponsored by the Leeds University Atheist Society (in the United Kingdom), a student in the group received a death threat.
It is said the student, who wished to remain anonymous, was threatened while patrolling outside the festival tent at night. The victim in question has decided not to go to the police, but police in Leeds are now investigating vandalism that also occurred during the event.
This is the second death threat received by the society, the last one being made by university’s Muslim society member’s state. They believe that this most recent threat may have also been made by the same people.
Even more ironic is that the threat (and an act of vandalism) occurred on the same day the Southampton University Atheist Society found out they were allowed to hold a debate on the “limits of free speech.”
What is the motive behind the threats? One theory is the atheists were trying to stir up religious hatred… I’ve never known a student group to do such a thing. Another theory is that the students wanted to “debate the validity of Islam.” Since when is that off-limits? That’s precisely the type of discussion you want to see happening at the university level. It’s outrageous the lengths some religious people will go to to protect their sacred cows.
Have you ever received a death threat that was related to your atheism?
How did you handle it?
It’s happened to me once (only once, I should say), via email. The sender was anonymous and the note was vague. I just deleted it.
I also once wrote a posting about a younger atheist — a commenter issued a threat against her. I sent that commenter’s name/email/IP address to the young atheist’s parents. They forwarded it to police and kept the girl home from school the following day. Nothing ever became of that threat as far as I know.
Still, nothing in person, and nothing I’ve deemed too serious.
I’m sure if I’m getting that few, some of you are getting far more…
(Thanks to Chloë for the link!)
Permalink ~
« Previous entries Next Page » Next Page »
