Humanism on the Move

STAFF REPORT

Oklahoma City Coalition of Reason Unveils New Billboard

The Oklahoma City Coalition of Reason has unveiled a new billboard. The billboard, located on I-44, reads, “Don’t believe in God?  Join the club.” The new billboard also marks the debut of the Oklahoma City Coalition of Reason, an organization composed of smaller free-thought groups within the area. 

“The point of our nationwide awareness campaign is to reach out to the millions of atheists, agnostics, skeptics and humanists living in the United States,” said Fred Edwords, national director of the United Coalition of Reason. “Nonreligious people sometimes don’t realize there’s a community for them because they’re flooded with religious messages at every turn. So we hope this will serve as a beacon and let them know they aren’t alone.”

Freedom From Religion Billboard Vandalized

A billboard erected in Watertown, Wisconsin by the Freedom From Religion Foundation has been vandalized. The billboard, which read, “Enjoy life now. There is no afterlife” was splattered with paint. The revitalized billboard is planned to be reintroduced within the week. The FFRF is offering a reward for information regarding the vandals.

Appignani Bioethics Center and the Institute for Science and Human Values Present Cruise Conference

The Appignani Bioethics Center and the Institute for Science and Human Values will host a cruise conference—to the Bahamas—leaving from and returning to Manhattan, N.Y. Each day’s conference session will feature a speaker renowned in their field, as well as film screenings and discussions of future medicine topics. The conference will be moderated by Dr. Ana Lita, director of the Appignani Bioethics Center.

Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard Debuts Humanist Center

The Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard has announced the debut of their new Humanist Student and Community Center, the “the first of its kind on any campus in the US.” Open houses will be held the first Tuesday evening of every month.

“We hope you will follow our efforts this fall and tell us how you think we are doing,” read their statement. “There will be much to work on together, as we create this positive response to the recent resurgence in Washington D.C. and elsewhere of the idea that you must turn to God in order to be a good American. Let us make this center an example of what it can mean to be good without God.”

Freedom From Religion Foundation Releases Billboard Honoring Atheist Senator

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has released a billboard honoring Oklahoma’s Thomas Gore, the first known atheist U.S. senator. The billboard, located on Oklahoma’s Broken Arrow Expressway, reads, “Atheism is OK in Oklahoma. Saluting Gore – First Atheist Senator.” FFRF hopes to spread the message that non-believers are “everywhere,” including within our government.

“If 15% of the U.S. adult population is nonreligious,” said Foundation Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor, “that works out to least 80 members of Congress.”