Come bring your pirate hat, or arrive as ye be!  Minnesota Atheists will be honoring that great noodly deity, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, by dining on noodles prepared in His image.  There will be salad, bread, noodles and sauces galore, including vegetarian and vegan options.  We will also have dessert and drinks.  If you are interested in helping out by bringing a sauce to share, or some other booty, we'll take yer treasures if you comment below.

We'll be crewing up in the Party Room at the Larpenteur Estates on March 29 at 4 p.m. until 7 p.m.  Sail in when you can, deport when you must.  Bus route 61 will get you there.  Just park behind the complex, and follow the signs to the Party Room to take part in the spoils.  Bring a donation of at least $6.66, and you can eat all you please.

March 29 4 to 7 p.m.

Larpenteur Estates
1276 Larpenteur Ave. W.
Saint Paul, MN 55113

By Steve Petersen and James Zimmerman

In January James Zimmerman led a panel discussion with members Jack Caravela and Ryan Sutter on the Christianity of America. In Part One, they discussed America's formative years.  The program began by discussing the freedom of religion many European settlers desired.  Next, they discussed the beliefs and religious affiliations of the Founding Fathers.  They also discussed arguments put forth by those who assert America is a Christian nation.

In Part Two, they compared the Christianity of contemporary America with several time periods in the past.  They discussed the religion climate during the first decades after independence, as well as the temperance movements, abolitionists, and progressives that proliferated during the Gilded Age. They lastly address the religiosity of America during the era between the two World Wars and during the post-war years.  The show concluded with Jack suggesting books to read for more information.. If you would like to help on the cable program or sponsor the program on your cable access station or have ideas for future programs please contact me at chair@mnatheists.org.

 

 

By Mike Haubrich

Atheists Talk continues to be a solid outreach program for the Minnesota Atheists, and I am pleased to report that plans are in the works to branch into two separate projects related to the show.

August Berkshire is going to pilot a hybrid version of the show on KTNF radio, using his skills at outreach and dialog with the religious. There is the possibility that the new show, a shared program with a theistic co-host, may be picked up by KTNF as one of their own shows! Please show support for this project by listening and encouraging your friends to listen.

By George Kane

The first vote of the 111^th Congress with significance to the separation of church and state was a success, but not everyone on the religious right realized that they had suffered a defeat. One of the provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was originally to be $10 billion for repairs and facility construction at eligible colleges. Funds were not to be available for theological seminaries, or at secular colleges for buildings used for religious instruction. Republican Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina offered an amendment "to allow the free exercise of religion at institutions of higher education that receive (repair and reconstruction) funding." In other words, the amendment would have opened up the government funding to religious education.

By Jeannette Watland

As an atheist, I am often secluded and out of place in society. I can only imagine how different a child feels when they realize they are the only non-believer in their classroom. When I found out about Camp Quest a year ago I was filled with hope and excitement. Here is a place where adults and children alike can be themselves in a comfortable and welcoming environment. I had to check it out and doing so was one of the best choices I have ever made. The adult volunteers are wonderful people and I really feel like I can relate to them. The children and young adults I have encountered are absolutely amazing. All the kids I have had the pleasure to mentor at Camp Quest are funny, smart, and intuitive. I couldn't think of a better place for growing freethinkers.