Greta Christina on Atheism and Sexuality
Where: WTHR 172
When: February 5th, 2009 5:30pm - 7:00pm

The sexual morality of traditional religion tends to be based, not on solid ethical principles, but on a set of taboos about what kinds of sex God does and doesn't want people to have. And while the sex-positive community offers a more thoughtful view of sexual morality, it still often frames sexuality as positive by seeing it as a spiritual experience. What are some atheist alternatives to these views? How can atheists view sexual ethics without a belief in God? And how can atheists view sexual transcendence without a belief in the supernatural?

The talk will be one hour, followed by a Q&A.

Greta Christina is one of the most widely- read and well- respected bloggers in the atheist blogosphere. She has been writing about atheism and skepticism for her own cleverly-named Greta Christina's Blog since 2005, and is currently the regular atheism correspondent for the online political magazine, AlterNet. She has been writing professionally since 1989, on topics including sexuality and sex-positivity, LGBT issues, politics, culture, and whatever crosses her mind. Her writing has appeared in numerous magazines, newspapers, and anthologies, including Ms., Skeptical Inquirer, the Chicago Sun-Times, three volumes of Best American Erotica, and the anthologies The Philosophy of Sex, PoMoSexuals, Looking Queer, Bisexual Politics, and Everything You Know About God Is Wrong. She is currently editor of the annual Best Erotic Comics series. She lives in San Francisco with her wife, Ingrid.

Parking is available at the Grant Street Parking Garage free after 5 pm.

Sponsored by the Society of Non-Theists and the Queer Student Union

Correction: On the previous site announcement for the Discussion Day on nontheist labels, the location was listed wrongly. The meeting will be in PHYS 203 as always. Don't forget to come to that, too!

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Posted by Lauren Stuart on 2010-01-19 21:42:00.

Our first "official" meeting of the semester!

Discussion Day: Pros and Cons of Nontheist Labels
Where: PHYS 203
When: January 27th, 2009 6:30pm - 7:30pm

Strong atheist, weak atheist, agnostic, non-theist, humanist, etc. We may label ourselves with more than one of these descriptors, or maybe avoid a label altogether. Why do you call yourself what you do? Do you think agnosticism is a better position than atheism, or vice versa? Do you use certain labels because of the actual philosophy behind them, or for social reasons?

Come ready to talk, listen, and ask questions! Sometimes we spend too much time harping on religion - time for some internal conflict! Stop by CL50 on Wednesday to check out what others have contributed and add your own!

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Posted by Lauren Stuart on 2010-01-13 16:50:19.

Firstly: We have one of our bi-weekly meetings tomorrow, November 4th, same time and place as always (6:30 - 7:30 in PHYS 203). We'll be watching the episode "Signs from Heaven" from Penn and Teller's Bullsh*t and having a discussion afterward.

Secondly: Throughout November we're participating in the Fall Harvest Food Drive -- bring canned or nonperishable food items to any of our events until November 21st. Last year we raised over 100 pounds of food -- this year we're shooting for more!

Finally:

A Few Things I've Learned from Creationists
PZ Myers presents a biting and entertaining survey of bad ideas from those who oppose evolution.
Where: Class of 1950 Rm 224
When: November 12th, 2009 6:00pm-7:45pm

PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris. He writes about science and atheism at an extremely popular blog, Pharyngula (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/). He's known for unabashedly dealing with religion and creationism, and has ruffled more than a few feathers by speaking out against the Creation Museum, mocking the movie Expelled, and desecrating a Eucharist (just to name a few things).

There's a Facebook page for this event. Invite everyone you know who might be interested!

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Posted by Lauren Stuart on 2009-11-03 19:58:57.

Atheist Students Across Indiana Volunteer in National Secular Service Day

Atheist, Humanist, and nonreligious groups and individuals across the nation will participated in community service as a part of the first ever National Secular Service Day (NSSD) on October 18.

This nationwide event, initiated by the Harvard Secular Society, encourages nonbelievers of all kinds – from student organizations to local social groups – to get involved and give back to society.

The Society of Non-Theists, a student organization for atheists and agnostics at Purdue University, picked up trash around Chauncey Hill in West Lafayette from 9 am to 12 pm. They hoped not only to beautify the area, but to illustrate that non-theists are charitable and ethical people, with or without religion.

Other student atheist groups in Indiana also participated. The Secular Alliance of Indiana University volunteered for the Midwest Pages for Prisoners, and Campus Atheists and Agnostics of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne picked up litter along Highway 3. Additionally, the Center for Inquiry Indiana joined in by creating care packages for a unit in Iraq.

Morality without religion is the central theme of this nationwide call to service.

“Humanists believe in life before death,” said Greg Epstein, the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard. “Because this world and this life are the only ones we’ll ever have, we have so much more responsibility to help each other and make the world a better place.”

For more information on National Secular Service Day, visit
www.secularserviceday.org

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Posted by Jennifer McCreight on 2009-10-18 13:38:42.

Blasphemy Day
Where: Outside CL50
When: September 30, 2009 9:00am-4:00pm

International Blasphemy Day is focused on the free discussion and criticism of religious beliefs on the same level as other topics. The Society of Non-Theists will have large posters where anyone can express their freedom of speech by writing or drawing whatever they want.

Stop by CL50 on Wednesday to check out what others have contributed and add your own!

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Posted by Lauren Stuart on 2009-09-27 19:41:22.

When Dinosaurs Walk With God
A godless biologist's trip to the Creation Museum
Where: LILY G126
When: September 21, 2009 (Monday) 6:30pm-8:00pm

Presentation by Jennifer McCreight, President of the Society of Non-Theists and Purdue senior majoring in Genetics and Evolution

This summer Jennifer visited the Creation Museum, a multi-million dollar enterprise by Answers in Genesis to spread the gospel of literal Biblical Creation. The museum teaches that the Earth is only 6,000 years old, evolution is a lie, and human reason and science are dangerous. Its child friendly environment complete with animatronic dinosaurs and a petting zoo is worrisome, to say the least.

She'll be presenting a virtual tour of the museum with some commentary and rebuttals of the scientific inaccuracies seen within (did you know that a T-Rex was a vegetarian until the fall of man?). There will be time for a Q&A session at the end.

Whether you're an atheist or devout believer, evolutionary biologist or layperson, this event should be eyeopening. This event is free and open to the public.

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Posted by Lauren Stuart on 2009-09-07 18:26:26.