Agnostic.com

11 14

HaPpY New YeaR My Dear Friends and Colleagues!
What does the upcoming 365 days hold for you; for us?
What sorts of things do you hope to accomplish? I hope you will identify them and commit to making all that will help you grow and bring you joy into fruition.

Atheism is something we have in common and I hope we can work together with greater purpose to have it seen as a reputable progressive path towards building a wholesome society. Religion has had centuries to get it right but has failed bitterly. In essence it's nothing more than 'legalized magic' masquerading as authority creating as much conflict as ever. Being in the company of like minded is important. In that regard, have you ever considered attending an atheist/free thinkers convention? Have any of you in our group ever attended? If any of you have we welcome hearing from you.
Here is some information:
[ffrf.org]
[en.wikipedia.org]

Free Thought Note of the Day sends out daily notes highlighting birthdates, quotes and other historic tidbits.

Here is their January 1st note of the day:

'Wall of Separation'
On this date in 1802, President Thomas Jefferson coined the famous phrase 'Wall of Separation' describing the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment as erecting "a wall of separation between church and state." He used the phrase in his famous letter to the Baptists of Danbury, Connecticut, who had asked him to explain the meaning of the First Amendment's phrase "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion."

“I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibit the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between church and state.”

—Jefferson's letter to the Baptists of Danbury (Jan. 1, 1802)

Earthling50 6 Jan 1
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11 comments

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0

January 5th entry: January 5, 2022

Catholic church would not budge an inch on any ideas that might threaten their tax base. Case in point:

On this date in 1527, Swiss heretic Felix Manz, born c. 1498, was drowned under sentence of the Zurich city council. As an Anabaptist, Manz was killed for opposing infant baptism in favor of baptism for adults, which the council made punishable by death.
source: Freedom From Religion Foundation

The Catholic church opposed adult baptisms for one reason - money. Baptizing an infant guaranteed tax dollars would fill their coffers with a steady flow of funds.
[christianitytoday.com]

0

Not much of a fan of New Years resolutions. I like to make goals throughout the year, but I’m glad you have a list. There are a lot of folks that can’t even do that.

My goals are less about atheism and more about self improvement and world improvement. I think yours are just fine too.

1

Many years ago I made a New Year's resolution and being true to my word I have kept it. I resolved never to make another New Year's resolution. 🙂

2

“My own mind is my own church. All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.”

“The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.”

Thomas Paine

0

Here is part of the January 2nd posting:
[ffrf.org]

"If, as the true believers claim, the word 'gospel' means good news, then the good news for me is that there is no gospel, other than what I can define for myself, by observation and conscience. As a freethinking human being, I have come not to favor or fear religion, but to face and fight it as an impediment to civilized advancement.”

—Benson, "From Latter-Day Saint to Latter Day Ain't" (Freethought Today, December 1999)

1

I lived in Madison, Wisconsin, home of FFRF, for a number of years, and attended the student-run Freethought Festival (held usually in March). They had a very interesting lineup of speakers. It was a good place to meet like-minded people (in pre-pandemic times). The main University of Wisconsin campus is there. The university had an annual Darwin Day event, also with interesting speakers.

[evolution.wisc.edu]

I wish I had access to those kinds of activities where I live now, which is a smaller city with the main University of Illinois campus. There have been a couple local atheist organizations here in the past, I discovered, but they seem to have fizzled out. Maybe it's time to revive a group.

3

Fairly good, but perhaps a very USA centric list. In Europe where religion is more marginal, and there are stronger and more involved secular institutions generally. I would go for: -

Do more work for your community and secular charities.

3

Done most of this already but I do need to find a convention or something to go to. I normally make no resolutions for the New Year. I save money when others I know cannot and I do it with income below the poverty line. Haven't smoked now in over 20 years. My Monte Carlo is a 2004. I keep it up well and will drive it til it drops. Once the repair options become greater than another auto I get another one. Not into anything new, not bored, and I do not have a bucket list.

3

No 1. Done, long time ago.
No2. I had hoped once that this would be that group. Hasn't quite worked out.
No 3. Would if I could. Even harder in virus times.
No 4. John Lennon beat me to it. How could I compete with that?
No 5. Plenty of people do that now on YouTube now, but I must confess it is possible to put a video on Openly Secular. Org, but I don't think anyone would find me interesting. Now, actor John De Lancie's video there.. that's great.
No 6. You kind of need a public profile to do that.

Agreed. But I do find you interesting.

@Fernapple likewise.

3

I love it. As soon as pandemic is over, I’m in.

3

How 'bout I just quit smoking? 🙂

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