Welcome to the Society of Edmonton Atheists’ blog. If this is your first time visiting, click “Continue Reading” to get a quick summary of what’s here.
The Society of Edmonton Atheists are proud to be founding sponsors of the AB Secular Conference. The conference location varies each year as it travels the province. You can follow them on facebook or check out their website for the latest news.
The Society of Edmonton Atheists has submitted a letter of support to review and amend the current Bill C-14 legislation on your behalf. We would urge anyone that feels strongly that advanced directives, severe mental illness, or mature minors who would fulfill the requirements for MAID if they were older, should be included under this legislation, to also submit personal stories of support.
From the Dying With Dignity website:
Dying With Dignity Canada has called for the CCA to consult Canadians directly about how the current assisted dying framework affects their right to choice. Unfortunately, the CCA has opted only to consult “groups and organizations affected by, or involved in MAID.” Submissions may only be 1,000 words long, which is not enough space to detail how the federal assisted dying rules unfairly discriminate against particular groups of suffering Canadians.
However, there is no limit on the amount of “evidence” (such as academic research, historical documents, traditional knowledge and court decisions) that can be included as attachments. This got us thinking: Don’t the personal stories of our supporters count as evidence? Of course they do. In fact, the experiences of individuals who have cared for someone who was denied choice, or who fear they may be denied their right to choice themselves, should be at the heart of any major policy discussion about the future of assisted dying in Canada.
It’s back to school time and we cleared out all my kids closets to find a few bags worth of clothes they have outgrown. I’m offering to collect that old shirt that you have meaning to donate or that pair of jeans that don’t fit anymore and you want to give away on Sunday night at our Coffee Night event. Coffee Night is usually the 2nd Sunday of the month, at the Second Cup at Oliver Square from 7pm – 9pmish (sometimes 10pm). Come when you can, you don’t have to be there right at 7pm.
Where will you be donating the clothing?
I’ll be taking our donations to Big Sisters and Big Brothers of Edmonton
So, why Big Sisters/Big Brothers?
This non-profit has always been a favourite of mine, their mentoring program really can change the lives of the youth involved. At 16 years old I called to volunteer, to be told I had to wait until I was older. Literally, on my 18th birthday, I called back and went through all their mentor training, and was matched up with a lovely young girl who shared interests in singing and acting with me. We were matched up for 7 years until she finally became too old to be a ”little” anymore. To this day we are still friends and in 2010 I attended her wedding!
Does it have to be kids clothes?
Nope, I believe they use what they require for lower-income families in their own organization, but the rest is sold to thrift stores at a set price per weight, so all sizes of clothing are fine. You can even donate items in good condition like shoes, drapes, linen, toys, books and games!
Hey gang!
Tonight we have our regular round table event, and the room has just been confirmed as room 1-125.
We’ll be taking a special donation towards the kickstarter for Not My Father’s Child, which only has a few days left of fundraising. If you can’t make it to our event, feel free to click the link and donate.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1317569247/not-my-fathers-child
See you tonight (Tuesday) at 7pm!
Don’t forget about this great event happening tomorrow evening at the University! Meet and Greet afterwards for current members of the SEA (if you didn’t get an email with the location please let us know)
Unfortunately, life has kept me ridiculously busy for the past month (kids home from school, family moving, renovations etc) and preparations for tonight’s counter-apolgetics aren’t up to scratch. I’ve been trying to catch up today but time has run away with me and I don’t feel it would be worth anyone’s time to come for the small amount I’ve managed to get prepared.
Tonight’s meeting is going to be postponed until after the summer, apologies to those of you who have to change plans.
I know that the Greater Edmonton Skeptics Society have a pub night this evening, perhaps drop by to say hello to them. You have to be part of their facebook group to see the event. https://www.facebook.com/events/132242654031660/
Sadly, a founding member of the SEA (member 001!), our friend, Michael Vester passed away on Sunday, June 18th. Michael was instrumental in starting the group, getting it incorporated as a non-profit, was the very first SEA President, and was the driving force behind our first few years marching and having a booth at the Edmonton Pride Parade. In 2010 he was voted in as the first lifetime member due to this involvement in creating the group and he was always a strong supporter of the group both financially and with his time.
If you were new to the group, when you met Michael you were sure to hear the story of how he was raised an atheist but was taken to Sunday School as a child (the nuns ensured he was thoroughly turned away from religion) and that he was a ”third generation atheist”.
Ibrahim is an atheist blogger and activist in Bangladesh who has received repeated death threats because wrote about atheism, LGBTQ freedoms & Islamization. He not only expressed his beliefs, but stands up courageously to uphold the principle of basic human rights. The penalty for doing so is death, often carried out by vigilante groups; the violence generally condoned by local governments.
Talking and writing about a humanist way of living is not tolerated in many parts of the world. Many of Ibrahim’s friends have been murdered by AL-Queda in Bangladesh, others have fled to escape brutal murder; he is one of those seeking safety for his family.
Last night we had the pleasure of hearing Gail Miller, one of the directors of the Critical Thinking Project, speak to us about the project and what it’s goals are.
The focus is on developing nations, education quality and giving tools to deal with dogma, witchcraft and violence. The underlying foundation is one of fairness and tolerance, using critical thinking skills to become less discriminatory. Dr. Christopher DiCarlo started this as a sample program for high school students in Ontario and is now taking the project to developing nations.
Continue reading »
This event was a few weeks ago now, however I wanted to wait for the video to be uploaded in case anyone wanted to watch it. This was an event sponsored by the Institute for Christian Studies and Society at the University of Concordia. Rabbi Daniel Friedman (Beth Israel Synagogue), Reverend Jim Gimbel (President, Concordia Lutheran Seminary), and Dr. Doris Kieser (St. Joseph’s College) were the guest speakers and the event was public and announced via facebook.
A friend invited me, so I decided to go.
Before the presentation even started a lady sitting in front of us was handing out some pamphlets from the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. The pamphlet, Caring Not Killing, can be viewed on their website. With close to 60 people in attendance, I suddenly was very aware my friend and I would be alone in our views that PAD was a human right, should remain legal and was the compassionate way to allow people to end their lives if they so chose to.