Seattle Atheists

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

We need volunteers to man the booths and participate in parades this summer. If you’ve ever been to the Fremont Fair and Solstice Parade, the UW Street Fair, or the Pride Parade and PrideFest, you know how important it is to be available for questions from the public. You can be part of the highly successful and always entertaining “Ask an Atheist ¢25″ booth, or simply be available to answer questions about the organization and what we do.

Send an e-mail to seattleatheists@seattleatheists.org to sign up for a shift! Also, check out our volunteer page for other opportunities!

Thanks to the following Seattle Atheists who helped at The University District Street Fair in May: Jami, Randy, Bob S., Mike G., Michael S., Jerry, Tony, Constance, Clint, April, Tom, Becky, Sam, Chad, & Case!

The Fremont Fair, Saturday June 19 (10 a.m. – 8 p.m.):

• Set-up, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Amanda, Ranjan, Jerry S.)
• 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Amanda, Ranjan, Michael S., Bob S.)
• 4 to 8 p.m. and packing up (Mike G., Randy R., Jerry S.)

The Fremont Solstice Parade, Saturday June 19 (Noon):

• FSM set-up and take-down, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Case is lead, Operators: Becky F., Michele G., Tyson, Cassandra G.,)
• Pirate escorts in full pirate regalia to escort the FSM — as many as we can muster!  Kids are welcome!  (Tony F., Casey G., Beth L., Shabnam B., Andy P., Ed C., Libbie M., Dawn B., Deanna L., Rich L., Diana M., Valerie D. and Auggie the Parrot, J.C., Taylor H., Chad C., etc.)
  

The Fremont Fair, Sunday June 20 (11 a.m. – 6 p.m.):

• Set-up, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (DebbieAnn A. & Ed. C., )
• 2 to 6 p.m. and packing up (Tom M. and Becky F)

The Pride Parade, Sunday June 27 (4th Ave., downtown, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.):

• FSM set-up and take-down, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Becky is lead, Amanda, Ranjan, Tyson, Matt B., Michele G.)
• Pirate escorts in full pirate regalia to escort the FSM — as many as we can muster!  Kids are welcome! (Michael L., Jordan W., Casey G., Beth L., DebbieAnn A., etc.)

PrideFest, Sunday June 27 (Seattle Center, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.):

• Set-up, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Jerry S. and 1 more volunteer)
• 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Michael S. and 1 more volunteer)
• 4 to 8 p.m. and packing up (Hannah P., Britain, Becky F.)

Amanda Events, News, Upcoming events Community, Fairs, Festivals, Flying Spaghetti Monster, Parades, PrideFest, solstice, Upcoming events, Volunteer

Saturday, April 17, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Paul Case
President of Seattle Atheists
P.O. Box 283, Seattle, WA 98111-0283
(206) 826-0770
president@seattleatheists.org
www.seattleatheists.org

SEATTLE ATHEISTS WINS 2010 AMERICAN ATHEISTS AFFILIATE OF THE YEAR AWARD

Seattle — Seattle Atheists is deeply honored to be the recipient of the 2010 American Atheists Affiliate of the Year Award.

Blair Scott, the National Affiliate Director of American Atheists said, “Over the past year Seattle Atheists have shown outstanding dedication to activism, community support, and the advancement of a positive view of atheism.

“The personal drive of the leadership and members of Seattle Atheists, their dedication to activism, community support, and a positive view of atheism, their unselfish application of time and talent, are a great credit to themselves, atheist groups across the United States, and atheists everywhere.

“Each year, American Atheists gives away the Affiliate of the Year award at the American Atheists Convention. Affiliate of the Year is not a random award: it actually means something. It means the Affiliate earned the award through hard work and dedication. The criteria looked at for consideration of Affiliate of the Year is:

• Activism for the separation of church and state and civil rights of non-theists (protests, demonstrations, letter-writing, action alerts, etc.).
• Events, activism, or programs that promote a positive image of atheists and atheism (public events, parades, editorials, etc.)
• Events, activism, or programs that advance science and reason (Darwin Day, etc.).
• Provides a social outlet for local atheists (in addition to regular monthly meetings – unless they are exclusively social).
• Charitable works, community outreach, or some other social programs or events (such as blood drives, feeding the homeless, donations, etc.). Please note that as a policy, American Atheists does not participate in charitable works or social programs. While American Atheists certainly does not discourage affiliates group from participating in charitable works and engaging in social programs, such activities are by no means required or expected of Affiliates.

“It is our hope that their activism and community outreach promotes the same in Affiliates across the nation and American Atheists encourage all Affiliates to increase activism and outreach!”

Seattle Atheists extends its congratulations and thanks to our volunteers, members, and board, whose tireless work in the community, and unflagging enthusiasm for charity, education, and outreach have made this award possible.

Seattle Atheists is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to serving the atheist community in the Seattle area. We strive to promote understanding and respect toward all freethinkers by providing information, creating a sense of fellowship, actively opposing discrimination, and above all, emphasizing reason, critical thinking over supernaturalism, and for the separation of church and state.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Paul Case, President of Seattle Atheists, (206) 826-0770, president@seattleatheists.org

Amanda News Media, Press releases, Science and Religion, State/Church Separation

Saturday, April 17, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Paul Case
President of Seattle Atheists
P.O. Box 283, Seattle, WA 98111-0283
(206) 826-0770
president@seattleatheists.org
www.seattleatheists.org

PRESIDENT IS NOT OUR PASTOR-IN-CHIEF — SEATTLE ATHEISTS LAUDS FEDERAL COURT DECISION

SEATTLE — Seattle Atheists would like state our support for the ruling made by U.S. District judge Barbara Crabb’s ruling that the National Day of Prayer violated the Establishment clause of the First Amendment and was therefore unconstitutional.

The National Day of Prayer was first introduced in 1952 at the height of the Cold War, and officially set as the first Thursday in May by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. It is a day when the President of the United States calls upon the nation’s citizens to pray, which Judge Barbara Crabb ruled, “is an inherently religious exercise that serves no secular function.”

“I have heard the argument that the National Day of Prayer doesn’t promote a particular religion,” says Paul Case, president of Seattle Atheists, “but go to the official website and click on the ‘Why Pray’ link, and it is immediately obvious that this is promoting a wholly Christian endeavor. And that should be offensive to people, and not just atheists — but to all of us. How can that be seen as anything but respecting an establishment of religion?”

The law reads, “The President shall issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a National Day of Prayer on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals.” This clearly demonstrates the sectarian and exclusionary nature of the law.

“Our President is the leader of a nation with a secular constitution,” says Case. “He isn’t our pastor, minister or priest. It isn’t just that he shouldn’t compel us to pray, it’s that he’s constitutionally barred from using his public office as a church pulpit.”

Seattle Atheists would like to express its appreciation to the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (ffrf.org), who initiated the lawsuit, and give our moral support for the inevitable appeals still to come. We stand firm in the assertion that people of all religious denominations, or none, are best served by the secular government laid out by the Founding Fathers — a government that neither encourages nor discourages religious belief or practice. We feel that President Thomas Jefferson summed it up best when he said, “The President of the United States has no authority to direct the religious exercises of his constituents.

Seattle Atheists is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to serving the atheist community in the Seattle area. We strive to promote understanding and respect toward all freethinkers by providing information, creating a sense of fellowship, actively opposing discrimination, and above all, emphasizing reason, critical thinking over supernaturalism, and for the separation of church and state.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Paul Case, President of Seattle Atheists, (206) 826-0770, president@seattleatheists.org

Amanda News political action, Press releases, Religion, State/Church Separation