Seattle Atheists

Seattle Atheists, a non-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting understanding and respect toward freethinkers, is excited to announce its first t-shirt design contest! Residents of Washington and Oregon are welcome to participate. The winning design will be announced on January 17, 2011.

GENERAL DESIGN GUIDELINES

We are looking for designs that capture our theme for 2011: “Atheists coming out.” We know this is challenging, so here are some things to consider:

Our mission is to make atheism a viable alternative in the Puget Sound. So, you could reflect on the positive aspects of atheism, and focus on ideas if inclusion, community, freedom, knowledge, evolution, science, etc.

You could also focus on specific aspects of atheism in the Puget Sound (but remember, the Space Needle is a trademarked building, so must be used in the context of a cityscape, and not alone).

Our vision is:

• A Puget Sound that accepts atheism as a viable alternative in all areas of public and private life.

Our mission is to:

• Grow, support, and provide community for atheists in the Puget Sound.
• Educate the public about atheism and present it as positive and legitimate.
• Provide information and encourage education in science and critical thought.
• Encourage the public to look for credible evidence rather than superstition, dogma, and the supernatural.
• Support the Constitution of the United States, defend the wall of separation between church and state, and inform the public about policy that infringes on that separation.

We strongly encourage you to use all the humor and creativity you can muster. Rock our world. Be funny. Be clever. Be creative. Most of all, have fun!

DEADLINE: Designs must be submitted by 12:00 AM PST, October 15, 2010

Some of the previous designs:

Read more…

Amanda Blog, Events, Priority, Upcoming events Upcoming events

A heads up to all our members:

Due to budget cuts at libraries, we’ve had to make changes to the format and location of our bi-monthly membership meetings.

First, we will no longer meet at the Greenlake Library, which is now closed on Sundays. We’ll be holding out meetings in a variety of places, throughout the greater Seattle area. This allows our members who have limited transportation options to get the chance to attend occasionally.

Since we’ve grown so much in the past two years, membership meetings are typically packed. We’re looking for larger venues.

Finally, we’ll be serving snacks and light refreshments after the speakers, so that you will have an opportunity to network with other atheists and agnostics.

We hope you will like the changes, and ask that you bear with us as we try to communicate those changes with you. We will post the most current meeting information here on this website, so stay tuned.

Thanks for your continued support as we try to better serve you!

Amanda Blog, News Membership Meeting, News, Speakers, Upcoming events

Every third Thursday of the month, a group of atheists, agnostics, and questioners meet at Blue Star Cafe & Pub, 4512 Stone Way North, Seattle, WA 98103 for socializing and tasty grub. Join us! Please check out our meetup.com site to make sure the event is “on” and the location hasn’t been changed.

Secretary Blog, Events, News, Upcoming events Upcoming events

We recently received a comment from Elaine B., which may be interesting to some Seattle Atheists members.

You do not, under any kind of decent moral standing have the right to target children with your ads. The idea of using a child fantasy such as Santa Claus to attract their attention is just as moral as Camel cigarettes using Joe the Camel to sell their garbage.

I am all for your free rights of speech. You have a right to push your ideas. Just as I have a right to push what I believe in. But, SHOVING your NON beliefs down the throats of children that have other cultures is unacceptable.

I just read your news release. Using the founding fathers as you are, if you have legitimate proof of their religious standings is one thing. But having a giant Santa Claus to get little childrens attention is very immoral. What were you thinking?

Then again, religion is often the foundation of teaching morals, so maybe that is what has happened with your decision making ability?

How would you like me to stand somewhere your child/grand childre, or someone in your organizations young people, and tell them you are a liar? Just as your ad says to our children? Would you like your child to pass such contradiction of what you teach? Maybe I should put some ads out there with, I don’t know, a super hero,with a big ad as ignorant as yours, stating, “I got all my powers from God”

Everyone in this world has a right to believe what they do, and to raise their families the way they find to be the truest in their hearts.
What this ad is trying to accomplish is the very thing you are supposedly fighting!

You attempt to brainwash people! Leave MY children alone.

Any serious problems with the content of the comment will be left as an exercise for the reader. However, I would like to point out a couple of things which might be important to people:

1. The Santa Claus bus signs on the outside were contracted by the Freedom from Religion Foundation, and are completely independent of our signs on the inside of the bus.
2. That whole part about “How would you like me to stand somewhere your child/grand childre, or someone in your organizations young people, and tell them you are a liar”? That happens. A lot.
3. Atheism is apparently as bad as smoking.
4. I’m also pretty sure that the whole super hero thing she’s talking about already exists. Just sayin’.

sam Blog Atheism in the news, Bus signs