The Alabama Freethought Association is a chapter of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Monthly AFA meetings are held at Freethought Hall, in rural Munford, Ala., on the third Sunday of each month, starting with Social hour at 11 AM, Covered Dish Lunch at noon and Speaker at 1 PM. Afterwards, folks continue to socialize, take walks, fish or paddle boat around the 12 acre lake. You are welcome as a guest with no prerequisite to become a member. For more information, click on "Contact Us."

Upcoming Alabama Chapter Meetings

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April 15, 2012 - Lecia Brooks

*** PLEASE NOTE CHANGE TO USUAL TIME SCHEDULE FOR THIS MEETING ***

Ms. Lecia Brooks is the Director of Outreach for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). She is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University and worked twelve years in a number of capacities for Los Angeles office of the National Conference for Community and Justice. Ms Brooks is also director of the Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery, Alabama.

Ms. Brooks will speak on recent activities of the SPLC, including, but not limited to challenges to HB 56, Alabama's harsh anti-immigration law.

Schedule:
11 am social hour
11:30 am potluck lunch
12:15 pm program

*** PLEASE NOTE CHANGE TO USUAL TIME SCHEDULE FOR THIS MEETING ***

February 19, 2012 - Eve Siebert

Dr. Eve Siebert's talk is titled "Lost in Mistranslation: Creationist Interpretations of Beowulf"

Did Beowulf slay dinosaurs? Was he a real person? Is the poem that bears his name an historic document? To many Young Earth Creationists, the answer to those questions is, “Yes, Beowulf was a real man who wandered around northern Europe wiping out dinosaurs, and the poem accurately records his exploits.” How do creationists make Beowulf fit their agenda? Through an exciting combination of pseudo-history and creative translation.

Dr. Seibert holds a Ph.D. in English literature from Saint Louis University. Her research interests focus primarily on Ole and Middle English literature, and secondarily Old Norse and Shakespeare. Her dissertation examines a set of Old and Middle English didactic poems in which a damned soul berates its body for its bad behavior in life and gloats over its putrefaction in death.

So, crawl up into your attic and dust off your Cliff Notes on Beowulf ... this is going to be a great one!

Schedule:
11 am social hour
12 noon potluck lunch
1 pm program

January 15, 2012 - Christopher D. Lynn

Dr. Christopher D. Lynn is a biological anthropologist in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Alabama. His dissertation work at SUNY-Albany focused on the relationship between glossolalia and biological stress among New York Apostolic Pentecostals. Currently Dr. Lynn teaches courses including "Introduction to Physical Anthropology," "Anthropology of Sex," "Non-Human Primates," "Evolution for Everyone," and "Human Adaptability." He is director of the Human Behavioral Ecology Research Group (HBERG). HBERG leverages undergraduate, graduate, and faculty resources on psychobiocultural research projects. Dr. Lynn is co-director of the Evolutionary Studies (EvoS) Program which offers an interdisciplinary minor in Evolutionary Studies. EvoS is part of a worldwide consortium of colleges and universities dedicated to facilitating the development of EvoS programs.

Dr. Lynn's talk is titled "Transcendental Medication: Consilience through the Neuroanthropology of Speaking in Tongues and Internet Gaming"

The term consilience was revived by biologist E. O. Wilson in his 1998 book Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge as the melding of knowledge from different fields of study. Particularly, Wilson emphasizes the notion that knowledge from the sciences and humanities can be examined together in an interdisciplinary fashion. This allows so-called cultural phenomena like speaking in tongues and internet gaming to be studied through the scientific method. Wilson's view of consilience is also the basis for the interdisciplinary Evolutionary Studies program and the University of Alabama and other participating institutions.

Dr. Lynn's talk will focus on the work that he and his colleagues have done in this area. Dr. Lynn notes that this material, though academic in nature, can easily be made accessible to listeners of nearly any educational level.

Schedule
11 am social hour
12 noon potluck lunch
1 pm program

December 18, 2010 - Winter Solstice Celebration

Join us again this year for the Winter Solstice Celebration starting at 11 am, with the usual pot luck meal at noon. "Dirty Santa" will be in attendance again this year, so bring a wrapped gift with a value of $10 - $15 for the exchange. We hope to see you there for the last meeting of 2011, and we look forward to another freethinking year in 2012.

November 20, 2011 - Robert J. Blaskiewicz

Dr. Robert J. Blaskiewicz is a Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow in the Writing and Communication Program at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His specialty is twentieth century American literature and culture. His dissertation at St. Louis University was on the fiction and memoirs of American combat veterans of WW II. Recently he has taught Science and Pseudoscience, American Conspiracy Theories, and Writing about World War II in Film and Literature. He is currently Chair of the Steering Committee for the Atlanta Chapter of the Independent Investigations Group, a research group and public resource for information about the paranormal and extraordinary. With two other scholars he co-edits SkepticalHumanities.com where he and his colleagues turn their skeptical eyes to art, philosophy, history, literature, rhetoric, aesthetics, literary criticism, pop culture studies, folklore, and cultural studies.

Dr. Blaskiewicz's talk is titled "Conspiracy Theories, or Why Does the Antichrist Want to Vaccinate You with Nanothermitic Aspartame?"

Schedule
11 am social hour
12 noon potluck lunch
1 pm program

October 16, 2011 John C. Snider

John C. Snider is co-host of the popular American Freethought podcast, with over 130 episodes. John and his co-host, David Driscoll, have interviewed many personalities (some well-known, others not-so-well-known) of interest to the freethought community: Jeff Sharlet, Robert M. Price, Matthew Chapman, Bart Ehrman, Massimo Pigliucci, Margaret Downey, Bruce M. Hood, and James Morrow, to name but a few.

Mr. Snider's talk is titled "20th Century Twain: Mark Twain's Final Years and Freethought Legacy".

Schedule:

11 am social hour
12 noon pot luck lunch
1 pm program

December 19, 2010 - Winter Solstice Celebration

Join us for the annual Winter Solstice Celebration! Bring a tray/dish of your favorite goodies. The celebration begins at 11 am and the meal at noon. We will play a game called "Dirty Santa" (just bring a gift over $8 and under $15). From AFA Director Patricia Cleveland: "I hope you are enjoying the beautiful fall. Have a happy Winter Solstice and happy new year. I have enjoyed being with all of you and look forward to seeing you at Lake Hypatia Freethought Hall!"

November 21, 2010 - Regular Meeting, Social Hour, Pot Luck Meal

Speaker Bob Truett. Topic: Jesus Did Not Eat Guinea Pig.

June 20, 2010 The Declaration of Independence

Group discussion: The Declaration of Independence

Dig deeply into one of humanity's most profound documents, written by one of history's most famous Freethinkers!

Learn specific reasons why "The Creator" in this document cannot possibly be Jehovah-Jesus.

April 18, 2010 - Separation of Temple and India’s State

The Beginners Guide to Hinduism and the Separation of Temple and State in India. This presentation will be given by Amit Olkar, a former Hindu who grew up in India.

May 16, 2010 - Movie: The God Who Wasn’t There

This award winning video explodes the myths and hypocrisy of the Christian faith machine. Lively discussion will surely follow.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

11:00 am Social hour

Noon Potluck

1-2 pm 1 hour program followed by Q&A or discussion ending by 2:30

Although we can handle quick business-related discussions/decisions at the beginning of the 1 - 2:30 program, if we have lengthy things to discuss, I feel strongly that it would be better to do so at a different time. For example, we could have a business meeting at 2:30 while our "regulars" are still here.