Volume 19 Number 7 July / August 2009 Minnesota Atheists at Twin Cities’ GLBT Pride Festival On Sunday, June 28th, Minne- Left, above, photo credit: August Berkshire. sota Atheists marched in the pa- Below, photo credit: Tom Riddering. rade during the Twin Cities’ GLBT Pride Festival. We also hosted a booth during the festi- val, where we passed out flyers, buttons, and showed freethinkers of all sexual orientations that they are not alone. See the President’s Column (page 3) for an answer to why we feel it’s important to partici- pate in this event. See page 12 for more photos of the event. PAGE 2 THE MINNESOTA ATHEIST VOLUME 19 NUMBER 7 In This Issue… Minnesota Atheists Board of Directors [email protected] President's Column 3 Published by Minnesota Atheists, President: Bjorn Watland P.O. Box 6261, Minneapolis, MN 55406 [email protected], 612-708-5029 612-588-7031, [email protected] AHA Conference 3 Associate President: www.MinnesotaAtheists.org Jeannette Watland apres@mnatheists. Drag Me to Hell 4 Editorial Board, [email protected] org, 612-709-6719 Highway Clean-up 5 Chair of Board: Grant Steves James Zimmerman, Editor, 763-258-6000, [email protected], 651-774-1992 [email protected] Atheist Top 30 6 Associate Chair: Jack Caravela Chief Photographer: Richard Trombley [email protected], 612-788-9665 Membership/change of address: 10 Commandments 7 Treasurer: Andy Flamm Shirley Moll, [email protected], [email protected], 612-251-3904 651-484-9277 The Tiller Murder 8 Secretary: George Kane Public Relations: George Kane [email protected], 651-488-8225 [email protected], 651-488-8225 Hostility to Reason 9 Director-at-Large: Cathy Prody [email protected], Atheists Weekly E-mail (AWE): Crystal Dervetski, astrocomfy@hotmail. MA Pub Night 9 Director-at-Large: Crystal Dervetski com [email protected] Beware Little People 10 Cable: Steve Petersen, [email protected], 651-484-9277 Financial Report 10 Webmaster: Bjorn Watland, Building Fund: [email protected], 612-708-5029 Picnic/Fundraiser 11 $116,927.60 Podcasts: Grant Hermanson, [email protected], Library Relocating 13 Honorary Copyright 2009 Minnesota Atheists. Fossil Hunting 14 Minnesota Atheists is an affiliate of Atheist Members Alliance International, American Atheists, Cable Report 16 Dan Barker American Humanist Association, Council Gerald Erickson, PhD for Secular Humanism, and International Humanist and Ethical Union. Film Review 17 Annie Laurie Gaylor Dick Hewetson Submit material for the newsletter to edi- The Sunny Skeptic 18 [email protected]. Submissions may be Robert M. Price, PhD edited. Publication is not guaranteed. Things To Do 19 MNA Meetup members: 521 Life memberships: 31 Minnesota Atheists practices positive, inclusive, active, friendly neighborhood atheism in order to: Minnesota Atheists Mission Statement Providea community for Minnesota Atheists is dedicated to building a positive atheists; atheist community that actively promotes secular val- Educate the public about atheism; and ues through educational programs, social activities, Promote separation of and participation in public affairs. state and church. VOLUME 19 NUMBER 7 THE MINNESOTA ATHEIST PAGE 3 President’s Column by Bjorn Watland Why Pride? The end of June tradition, largely due to the efforts of agree with our identies. We seek marks the start of founding member August social justice and advocate for the our attendance at Berkshire. We continue this tradition rights of a minority. Members of the GLBT Pride for several reasons. GLBT community are also strong Festivals around First, GLBT Pride events have supporters of the separation of the state. First, we attend the Twin been very welcoming. If people, no church and state and we can use all Cities Pride Festival and Parade, matter their sexual orientation, are of the allies we can in that fight. then Rochester, LaCrosse, Duluth, gathered together to support an Lastly, GLBT Festivals are and Mankato. Some atheists are oppressed minority, I think that inexpensive to attend and a great puzzled. Of all the summer festivals, people are more aware of how to way to put our money where our why do we go to so many GBLT treat everyone fairly. There are also mouth is with regard to supporting Pride Festivals? Our attendance at plenty of GLBT atheists out there equality for all citizens, regardless of GLBT Fesivals has become a who are so exicted to see our sexual orientation. organization supporting their rights, I thank you for supporting both as an atheist and as a GLBT Minnesota Atheists and our effort to person. educate the public about atheism. Second, I think that the GLBT community and the atheist community have similarities. We are both hated by different religious groups. We both seek respect and understanding. We both can have difficulty with family who don't American Humanist Association Conference by Nick Wallin upcoming new book Good Without Minnesota native PZ Myers gave a God, set to release in October; and speech of his acceptance of the During the first weekend in June, the lectures ranging from "Atheist Ethics" Humanist of the Year award. new directors of the University of to "Hope in Humanism". There was (Unfortunately, CASH was not able Minnesota student group CASH also a very interesting presentation on to afford the cost of the banquet to see (Campus Atheists, Skeptics, and Freethinkers in the Civil Rights Myers, our group's faculty advisor, Humanists) attended the annual Movement by Michael Estes. accept this prestigious award.) conference of the American Humanist There were also a few great The conference was an Association in Tempe, Arizona. speeches by famous freethinkers. Neil overwhelmingly positive experience. The weekend was divided into deGrasse Tyson, the famous The board learned a great deal about multiple breakout sessions during astrophysicist and TV personality, what Humanists stand for, and how which participants could choose one gave an excellent speech on science we freethinkers can and must stand up of three presentations to watch. education and raising inquisitive to change this country and this planet Sessions included: a talk by William children. Donald Johanson, the paleo- for the better. One message that stuck Lobdell, author of Losing My anthropologist who discovered with me was from Greg Epstein: Religion, describing his de- "Lucy" (Australopithecus afarensis) When we talk about being "good conversion from Born-Again enlightened the audience with a talk without God", our focus shouldn't be Christian to atheist; a preview of about Darwin and human origins. on the "without God"; it should be on Humanist chaplain Greg Epstein's Biologist, prolific blogger, and the "good". VOLUME 19 NUMBERPAGE 4 7 THE THEMINNESOTA MINNESOTA ATHEIS ATHEIST T VOLUME 19 NUMBERPAGE 74 Film Review Love Thy Neighbor Drag Me to Hell: by Matthew Richardson A Minnesota Atheist Reel and Meal Experience You may will send a demon to drag our pro- some idea of what our poor heroine Jack Caravela be won- tagonist down to the depths of hell in faces during the course of the story. d e r i n g three days' time. To make the moral In true old-fashioned horror style, why a group of atheists would and ethical issues more interesting, there are multiple false endings (I choose to see a film titled Drag Me Christine is being considered for a won't say how many), and a final to Hell. The short answer is that the promotion at work, and her male twist that caught most of us at least movie's co-writer and director, Sam boss has told her that he needs to see partly by surprise. At no point does Raimi, treats the concept of eternal evidence that she can make "the Drag Me to Hell turn into a slasher damnation about as seriously as we tough decisions" in order to consider film (it's rated PG-13); Raimi invests do. Mr. Raimi, recently at the helm her. Meanwhile, her competition for his characters with enough humanity of the three blockbuster Spider-Man the Assistant Manager job is whee- to make us care about them, and he films, decided to return to his roots doesn't dispose of them lightly. with his latest offering. Fans of the For a movie that those with Evil Dead series which launched Drag Me to Hell, 99 minutes, more refined tastes might dis- the filmmaker's career will wel- miss out of hand (although such come this throwback horror flick, released May 29, 2009 diverse reviewers as the Onion whose first wink to the genre comes Directed by Sam Raimi and the Wall Street Journal before the movie even begins, with were extremely complimentary), the retro Universal Pictures tag dling his way past the more experi- Drag Me to Hell provided some in- (Raimi opted for the rotating Earth enced Brown with underhanded tac- teresting conversation topics after- logo last seen in the early sixties tics. On top of that, the elderly wards. My favorite discussion was rather than the modern version). woman Christine turns down is any- about the relative merits of the char- Our group of about fifteen Min- thing but endearing, as we learn she acters, and whether they deserved nesota Atheists knew what to expect: has had two extensions already, has their fates. This just goes to show lots of hidden perils jumping onto no concept of personal hygiene, and that when a bunch of atheists gather the screen, quite a few disgusting is prone to violent outbursts against for pizza after a movie, stimulating scenes of projectile vomiting of eve- anyone who crosses her. conversation is bound to happen. rything from worms to embalming The story proceeds in neat It would be a mistake to claim fluid, and plenty of tongue-in-cheek chronological order, as the demonic intellectual aspirations for a movie humor.