Special Events Volume 1, Issue 1 Inaugural Issue January 2013 See Group websites for regular meetings, page 7 HumanLight Parties Fun for All  Wed Jan 2 New Mem- ber Meetup for SacFAN How do secular folks celebrate holidays? Very well, thank you!  Fri Jan 4 Stockton Meetup discussion All holidays were originally  Sat Jan 5 TV Show Seg- “made up” somewhere by ment Pitch Mtg someone. Since 2001 many  Sun Jan 6 Reason Cen- have celebrated “HumanLight” to remember the ideals of ter Committee Mtg goodness without the superstitions brought by religion.  Sat Jan 12 Ask an Athe- ist at Crocker Art Here around Sacramento many of us gathered to cele-  Sat Jan 12 Stockton brate HumanLight with song, food, donations for food Brunch & closets and pet supplies, and of course more food! Our  Wed Jan 16 good neighbor, Andi Griffith hosted a HumanLight party at her home, as well as another Dinner Social HumanLight celebration a few days later at the Sierra Community  Fri Jan 18 Drinking Skep- tically Center.  Sat Jan 19 Potluck Game Night Here you can see a Mayan cake and snowmen rice krispy treats.

 Sun Jan 20 Blasphemy HumanLight is always December 23. Breakfast - Roseville The music is secular. The sharing is  Sun Jan 20 Blasphemy Brunch - Howe Ave. secular. The decorations are secular.  Sun Jan 20 Blasphemy The fun is non-stop. Brunch - El Dorado Hills  Sun Jan 20 Ancient Candles are traditionally lit for Reason, Compassion, and Christian Study Group Hope, followed by the HumanLight candle, a symbol of the  Sun Jan 20 HAGSA Hu- day for Humanists especially. manist discussion  Mon Jan 21 Book Club As we freethinkers enter our new year, 2013, may we carry  Fri Jan 25 Sac Skeptics in forward our reason, compassion and hope in all we do. the Pub  Fri Jan 25 Stockton Godless Game Night Plenty to Eat and Drink with Like-Minded Friends  Sun Jan 27 Stockton Freethought Movie Night Do you like to eat and drink? So do we! Come join us for all sorts of food and  Mon Jan 28 Davis Free- thinkers Coffee and drink events where you can mix and mingle with like-minded friends. We have food Crepes and pub events in Sacramento, Roseville, Davis, Stockton, and often in even more  Tue Jan 29 Feed the cities nearby. Keep an eye on the calendar! Here are just some of our regular Hungry - Davis monthly food and drink events:  Fri Feb 1 Stockton Meetup discussion New Member Coffee and Sandwich Meetup  Feb 17 Darwin Day Freethought Dinner (see page 3)

Drinking Skeptically

Sac Coalition of Reason Blasphemy Breakfast and Brunch Calendar: sacramen- Skeptics in the Pub to.unitedcor.org/ sacramento/page/events Potluck Game Night Davis Freethinkers Coffee and Crepes Subscribe College freethinking groups also meet at mealtime! Facebook.com ….. search for ‘Sacramento Area Coalition of Reason’. ‘Like’ the Sac CoR Facebook page, where you will find a daily variety of news, humor, insights and tools for every person of reason. Our readers represent 20 countries. 40% live in the Sacto area. Sign up to keep informed! (Click Here) or go to http:// www.facebook.com/pages/Sacramento-Area-Coalition-of-Reason/376151155788191

Page 2 Sacramento Reason Coming Out as Humanist to a Religious Sibling Exodus 33:23 God told Moses, “And I Hello Kid, will take away mine I know you are concerned about me and my eternal soul, and that many pray for hand, and thou shalt my soul often. As for my religious views at this time, I am more in line with the see my back parts: Humanist perspective. This is the belief that we are all a part of one humanity and but my face shall not community of human beings. We are interdependent upon one another for sur- be seen.” I’m not vival. Humanists believe that, given the lack of indisputable, scientific proof that sure, but I think God does indeed exist, we live our lives helping others, saving all living creatures someone just got from extinction, abuse, etc. and helping sustain our environment and our planet mooned by God! to promote our survival. We each have a responsibility to help one another and Well, that’s a visual I protect this planet that we all share and live in together. didn’t need over I believe that we, as human beings, are intrinsically good and that it is a natural morning coffee. part of our evolution as human beings. I don’t believe that our willingness and de- sire to help others comes from God or some divine entity. Book Club I am also a firm believer in the Separation of Church and State. Our country was forged to be free of religious persecution and the right for all Americans to “The Greatest choose their own faith. If you look at other secular nations of the world where Show on Earth” by religion does not influence their government, their citizens are happier, more Richard Dawkins. content, there is more personal freedom, total equality, less violence, hate and Come enjoy a lively their countries are much more progressive as cohesive nations. group discussing Religion was never a fundamental part of who I was as a child. I rather went along the evidence for with Catholicism because of you, and it seemed to fit for awhile. But, I need to evolution, plus spin say this, the Catholic religion and doctrine is about as far removed from who I am -off topics that are as a human being today than probably any other organized Christian religion, in- always just as fun! cluding the Southern Baptists, but they are a close second. I am beginning to take Our 2013 book list an introspective view of Catholicism and its rituals that you and the other parish- is here. Open to ioners adopt without questioning it’s genuine intent. I paid very close attention on everyone, Coffee my last visit when Mom died. Carol, I’m sorry to say, but today’s Catholicism has Garden, 2904 all the appearances of a cult. Franklin Blvd, Jan. Anyway, I will always support you and your faith without fail. But, I will continue 21 at 6:30. to lobby our government from a Humanist perspective and petition for Separa- tion of Church and State whenever religion begins to rear its presence in our Scholarship government. There is a lot to undo. Also, I don’t believe that those who don’t

Could you use a few necessarily believe in a divine spirit are evil, as preachers would have you believe. more dollars for col- I have come to know a lot of atheists. They are some of the most compassionate, lege? Visit http:// reasonable, caring, intelligent and embracing individuals I have met and they are www.atheists.org/20 doing some of the best humanitarian services on planet Earth. Take care dear Sis, I think it is important that we both speak honestly and from 13scholarship Deadline: February the heart. I have never been especially good at this, but it is a work in progress. Love and hugs, Kath Actual letter sent November 17, 2012, printed with permission 1, 2013 Freethought Dinner—January 16, 6:15 pm

A fun dinner social for friends and members of the local community of reason. Feed your mind and feed your body, join your freethinking pals at the Abyssinia Ethiopi- an Restaurant for fine food, good drink and sparkling conversation about all things freethoughty! For menu, map and details: click here.

Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 3 Reason Center

Sacramento will soon Help Feed our Homeless in Davis have a Community Center we can use Tuesday, January 29 2013, 4:30pm - 7:00pm for hospitality and resources for local Compassionate Davis citizens have developed a secular solution to the problem freethinking groups, of hunger -- and they need our help! Join us in an ongoing effort to feed the also open for public poor, the hungry, the outcast. Your reward will events. Not a small be the opportunity to meet new minds and hob- endeavor, we will nob with your freethinker friends, a likely free need everyone’s help, meal, and the warm heart’s glow of benevolence. beginning here: The Davis Community Meals Project core staff Need: will perform all food prep and kitchen work. Our Commercial job: simply to set up the chairs & tables, serve, Realtor, and put things away at the end, and clean a bit. successful grant writer. Extra points if you can arrive for setup, but if you

Email here if you can't, that is OK, any help is good help! For details, see Davis Community Meals. can help: admin@ For a map to the site, see: Martin's Episcopal Church. sacramentorea- son.org

Watch for further Loomis Success Story developments as we move forward with In a nearby small town without any atheist organizations, a lone atheist and Plan- our firm vision to ning Commissioner, Janet Thew, saw posters around town for the town’s tree bring all our regional lighting event. It included a live manger scene and a puppet show put on by an groups of reason to- evangelical church called “A Star to Follow”. Janet contacted the mayor and the gether for visibility, town attorney. At the next council meeting the town attorney refused to ad- acceptance, re- dress it, saying, “I’d rather you didn’t ask because I’d prefer not to answer”. sources, and a perma- When finally pressed hard enough he admitted the religious aspects would not nent meeting place be a good idea. everyone can use. Eventually, with more work from Janet, they dropped the manger scene. On Totally upscale, totally appealing, be ready to the day of the event a new program was put up, now also without the puppet help as you can. show. Although we almost had a lawsuit crisis for infringement of church into state, all was well in the end, thanks to Janet. Janet had contacted the Sac FAN atheist group in nearby Sacramento, and had 4 atheists present at the event with Fundraiser Win! video cameras ready to (politely) observe and record any infringement. So, alt-

SacCoR was the 2nd hough it did cost Janet her goodwill with town officials, including the mayor, Ja- largest lymphoma net saved her town a lot of money in court costs, and kept church out of state, fundraiser, thanks to at least this time. Janet said at the event, “You have to start in these little cit- ies.” And, you have to start, period. If not you, maybe no one. Thanks, Janet. all of you! Good job. (If you are interested in monitoring your local officials, see page 6.) Page 4 Sacramento Reason

Our Favorite 5 Billboards of 2012

These billboards went up in 2012.

The voting is over.

And the 5 winners are... TV Show Segment Pitch Session—January 5 Let’s get together to come up with some segment ideas for the first episode of our locally produced YouTube show, which may go to Cable. We have the equipment, you have the passion for a 5 minute segment—let’s put it together!

Ancient Christian Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 5 Study Group Butte County Billboards Honor New Local Chapter Join our small band To celebrate Butte County forming a local chapter of the Unit- of prophets-in- ed Coalition of Reason, the national mother-organization put reverse. They look up 12 billboards in Chico last month. Three of us, who had back at history, and discussed the new billboards at the Roseville Blasphemy Break- they’re so accurate! fast that morning, decided to travel Often following a together up to Chico to visit the bill- book such as Nailed, boards, in a show of support. Here Jesus Interrupted, we are (seen below) with a couple of them, but as you can When Jesus Became see, the one billboard located at ground level (picture at right) God, The Origin of has been vandalized—totally ripped down, in fact.

Satan, Jesus Wars, or This reminds me of the recent destruction of an atheist bill- The Christians as the board in New Jersey, where the Mayor of West Milford said publicly that if the atheist Romans Saw Them, billboard should somehow be vandalized or taken away mysteriously, he guaranteed to our local scholars avert his gaze, leaving the door open for consequence-free destruction of the ground- walk us through fas- level sign. Just days later it was totally destroyed, and the police have absolutely no clue cinating perspective who might have done such a thing.

and facts. No prior Fred Edwords or UnitedCoR says of knowledge is need- the 58 campaigns in 33 states only 5 ed, just join in and areas have had trouble—California learn with the rest of seeing 3 of the 5 vandalisms. Lesson us! January 20, noon, One: Don’t put them at ground level. at Shine Café, 1400 E (Thanks Rachael and Jerry for the heads up) Street, Sacramento.

Make your own billboard—From FFRF.org/out/ Skeptic’s Corner “Declare and share your nonbelief! Although the nonreligious — including one in

Do you still call it six U.S. citizens — are a significant segment of the world population, many Ameri- ARCO Arena? Were cans have never knowingly met a nonbeliever. You can help dispel myths, educate you embarrassed when and promote reason by adding your voice, face and message to FFRF's friendly that scam power brace- neighborhood freethinker campaign. FFRF's "Out of the Closet" billboards and bus let company bought signs are going up around the country. Although we can't put everyone on a real naming rights? Well, billboard, every nonbeliever can participate in this unique "cyberboard" campaign. rest assured as Sleep This is your chance to proclaim you're a freethinker and why. It's time for atheists Train now assumes and agnostics to come out of our closet.” naming rights to what we may always call Click here to generate your own! Arco Arena. A scam is a scam, even if many buy in. OK, it’s finally time to change the freeway off ramp signs. Can you watchdog your local officials? We’re looking for a small group of people dedicated to separa- tion of church and state to monitor, usually online, your local City Council and School Board. [email protected] for information. Minimal time required. You report, we follow up. Page 6 Sacramento Reason

Out Atheist - Regular Feature

Local atheist makes good! “We were tired of being looked down upon as atheists. But what about reason- ists? Who can object to logic, reason, and critical think- ing? So, just like that, the reasonist idea was born. The progress of humanity is being stymied at the hands of dangerous faith-based thinkers. Also, is under attack in this country. The initial reasonist group felt like it was our moral obligation to stand up for truth.

“Two years later, we continue to receive unyielding support. Our original plan was to help the fastest growing minority continue its The Young Atheist’s ascent up the mountain. We figured that if atheist apparel received Survival Guide, more exposure nationwide, that it would be easier for fringe atheists by Hemant Mehta to feel empowered. Much to our surprise, many people write us

Many young Atheists simply to say ‘thank you’. We have begun receiving emails (and get- have faced prejudice in ting handshakes from strangers) thanking us for battling the big, bad their high schools and celestial dictator. Fellow reasonists now sound off on our Facebook communities for stand- page, beginning to feel more ing up for their constitu- comfortable being part of a cul- tional right of freedom turally-shamed minority. It is from religion. You'll touching to hear that inviting people into our net- hear some of their sto- work has actually made them feel good. These unex- ries in this book. Inspi- pected intrinsic rewards are part of what keep us motivated. It is why we do what we do.“ ration for parents, teachers, especially our See Andy’s powerful apparel at school age “nones”. http://www.reasonistproducts.com/ Available on Kindle or in paperback. Camp Quest Register Now! Camp Quest is designed for children from non-religious families. We blend world-class science and games with the traditional all-American outdoor camp experi- ence. This the glories of evolution paired with Ask an Atheist at campfires and canoeing! Along the way, we Crocker Art build community, letting kids know that the Show the public that skeptical community has something special to offer the world and role models to atheists can love emulate. Northern California camp is July 7—13. Southern California camp is July Normal Rockwell, 21—27. You can reserve a spot with $100 now. Some financial aid is available, and too. Join us, buy a $10 shirt, as we appreciate healthy donations from our flesh-and-blood angels among us are so appreciated! good art January 12. You never know how your help may influence our next generations. Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 7 Local Groups to Visit or Join

CoR = member of the Sacramento Area Coalition of Reason. All groups open to everyone. See more details and calendar at SacramentoCoR.org

Tax Name Emphasis Website Ded Agnostic & Atheist Student UC Davis student group Y Y agasadavis.wordpress.com Association (AgASA) Meets Tuesdays, 6:10 great topics

Americans United for Sep of Church Promotes individual activism, N Y National au-sac.org and State (Sac Chapter) confronts violations only

Atheist Student Organization (ASO) CSUS student group Y Y csusaso.wordpress.com Meets Fridays at noon.

Brights Action Translate our naturalistic Y Y N the-brights.net worldviews into constructive actions for school/library/media

FACTS Church Church-like hymns, rituals, all the Y N factschurch.com trappings in secular form.

Humanist Association of the Greater Humanist events, speakers, focus is Y National hagsa.org Sac Area (HAGSA) on doing good. only

Sacramento Area Coalition of Directing the community to the Y N Y SacramentoCoR.org Reason various groups of reason.

Sac Area Skeptics (SAS) Promotion of skeptical thinking, Y Y sacskeptics.org awareness of reality, logical skills.

Sac Atheists and Other Freethinkers Events both social and presented, Y Y N aofonline.org (AOF) for growth and fun. Sac City Freethinkers Sac City College student group Y N saccityfreethinkers.wordpress.com Meets Thursdays at noon.

Sac Freethinkers, Atheists and Meetup for variety of fun, learning, Y N Y SacFAN.org Nonbelievers (SacFAN) singing, projects.

Sac Organization for Rational Discussions of rational thinking and Y N home.comcast.net/~kitray2/site/?/ Thinking (SORT) science over mysticism and home anti-rationalism.

Sac Think Atheist Events, podcast, and forum to fight N N thinkatheist.com/group/ anti-atheism and gain tools. sacramentocalifatheists

Secular Coalition for California Train to engage media and lobby N N Y Secular.org/states/chapters/ state politicians. Activist resource. california

Secular Student Alliance or Sierra College student group Y Y secularstudents.org/sierra Freethinkers of Sierra Meets Thursdays at 1:00.

Stockton Area Atheists and Meetup events, variety Y Y StocktonAAF.org Freethinkers (SAAF)

Sun City Roseville Humanists Humanist opportunities for our Sun N N scres.org/ City residents. Meets 1st Sundays sub_category_list.asp? from 1:00 to 3:00. category=98 Shine the Light of Reason! Page 8 About Sacramento Reason—How It All Started Years ago I saw a billboard (shown below) making the local news. New to my nonbelief in things supernatural, my jaw dropped seeing broad publicity by We firmly support the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, including someone, some- the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment where who of religion“ and Article Six “no religious thought as I did. I test shall ever be required as a qualifica- tion to any office or public trust under squinted my eyes the United States” to quickly read an- Save these 2013 dates: ything that might be written at the Feb 17 Darwin Day bottom, so I could May 4 Freethought run to my comput- Alliance Conf, Anaheim er to see who it May 30 AHA Conf in San Diego was. Sacramento- June 15 in CoR.org it said. Berkeley Who is that, I thought. The most

Can I make tax deducti- important thing ble donations? Yes! Sacramento Area Many freethinking Coalition of Rea- groups are 501c(3) son does is help people like me find other nonbelievers, people who are ques- groups, and would well tioning religion, others who want to help humanity without superstition— use your deductible basically help any person of reason find a local group to join. Not only have I offer. See table on found like-minded groups of wonderful, friendly people, but I have joined the previous page. Coalition's valuable cause by producing this newsletter, so others can also be with like-minded people of reason in the Sacramento area. Welcome to the first issue, published 1/1/2013. (editor) We’re on the Web! SacramentoCoR.org

SACRAMENTO AREA COALITION OF REASON

PO Box 15182 Sacramento, CA 95851-0182

E-mail: [email protected] Judy Saint, Editor Subscribe