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LISTING OF SPEAKERS AT OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS:Meetings occur at 7:00 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of every month. Please call 719-594-4506 for more information.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008:
Eyes Wide Open For February 2008, the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs welcome participants and sponsors of Pine Creek High School's "Eyes Wide Open" program, which helps students learn about the challenges and realities of the wider world in which we live. One student in the program created a film about life on America's Native American Reservations, and Eyes Wide Open events at Pine Creek resulted in students collecting and donating $2000.00 to the Souther Colorado AIDS Project.
Please join us (even if you are not a member!).
7:00-9:00 PM
The Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 East Costilla in Colorado Springs.
The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 E. Costilla at 7:00 PM.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008:
Please join us for a screening of Michael Moore's "SiCKO" from 7:00-9:00 PM at The Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 East Costilla in Colorado Springs.
The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 E. Costilla at 7:00 PM.
Saturday, December 22, 2007: HumanLight 2007 was a great success with about 100 people attending. Last minute information: *Please do not miss the "Important note" and special support request at the end of the HumanLight Celebration agenda below. Thank you.
HumanLight 2007
A winter solstice celebration of the Humanist vision of reason, sustainability, equality, peace, justice, freedom and shared responsibility to humanity and our planet
The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs invite you to our fourth annual HumanLight Celebration for potluck, music and a "white elephant" gift exchange. Please join us...
December 22 , 2007 6:00 PM to Midnight
The Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 East Costilla in Colorado Springs.
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HumanLight Celebration Agenda Saturday, December 22, 2007 6:00 PM until Midnight
6:00: HumanLight Social Hour - West Hall Freewill menu and drinks
7:00: HumanLight Candle Lighting - West Hall Welcome Ode to HumanLight Short readings on Freethought and Humanism
7:30: Inspector Magic - East Hall "Magical" entertainment and exploration
8:30: White Elephant Gift Exchange - East Hall Children's Exchange Adult's Exchange Revelers choosing to participate need to bring one or more inexpensive and or recycled/reusable etc. gifts wrapped in traditional holiday fashion.
~9:30: Sing a Long - West Hall A secular Sing a Long employing the several suitable songs devoid of religious figures, miraculous beings, magical interpretations or other content unsuitable for the obsessively rational. This year’s presentation also includes group performance of rationalized lyrics for traditional melodies authored by freethought activist Michael Newdow.
11:30 - 12:00 Cleanup and restore the halls. Words of appreciation offered to our Host, the Gill Foundation, will be welcome.
We welcome your participation! Thank you.
*Important note: The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs will be accepting donations at the HumanLight Celebration in suppport of the following goals: 1. to defray the expense of this and future HumanLight Celebrations, 2. to fund a local appearance of Michael Newdow, either as a speaker at one of our meetings or, preferably, as a participant in a Freethinkers of Colorado Springs sponsored debate, 3. to support the general fund of The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs.
**Please do not forget to support our Gill Foundation volunteer (sitting at the front desk and staying late to allow our event to happen) with tips, gifts and invitations to participate in the potluck and other celebrations at will!
The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 E. Costilla at 7:00 PM.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007: As usual, there will be no December Freethinkers of Colorado Springs membership meeting. Please attend our HumanLight Celebration on December 22, 2007.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007: Lief Carter Ph.D.
What is Justice?
The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs welcome perennial favorite, Colorado College's Professor Lief Carter as our November 2007 speaker. After earning his college and law degrees at Harvard University, Dr. Carter was a member of the faculty at the University of Georgia from 1975 through 1995 and served as Colorado College's McHugh Distinguished Professor of American Institutions and Leadership from 1995 to 2004. Dr. Carter is the author of Contemporary Constitutional Lawmaking: The Supreme Court and the Art of Politics (1985), An Introduction to Constitutional Interpretation: Cases in Law and Religion (1991) and Reason in Law (7th edition, 2005). In addition Dr. Carter served in the Peace Corps in Bolivia and teaches courses focusing upon leadership, the Constitution and politics at Colorado College.
Please join us...
November 28th, 2007 7:00-9:00 PM
The Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 East Costilla in Colorado Springs.
The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 E. Costilla at 7:00 PM.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007:
Philip A. Stahl
Philip Stahl is the author of The Atheist's Handbook to Modern Materialism (2000) and Atheism: a Beginner's Handbook: All you wanted to know about atheism and why (2007), "a brief for the defense of atheists" that dispels myths about atheists and exposes the logical double standard applied to religion. A solar physics astronomer for 25 years, Philip A. Stahl is an expert in forecasting solar flares, sunspot morphology and electromagnetic field signatures. He is a meticulous and comprehensive reviewer of books on Amazon.com, and maintains and avid current interest in keeping "intelligent design" out of science education.
Please join us (even if you are not a member!).
7:00-9:00 PM
The Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 East Costilla in Colorado Springs.
The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 E. Costilla at 7:00 PM.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007: The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs Board of Directors present The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs Yearly Business Meeting
Please join the Board of Directors of the Freethinker of Colorado Springs for an informational meeting discussing the events of the past year, requesting member input regarding planning for 2008 and providing opportunities for "testimonials" from the membership.
Please join us (even if you are not a member!) on September 26, 2007 at 7:00 PM.
Penrose Public Library's Carnegie Reading Room at 20 North Cascade Avenue in Colorado Springs.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007: Rick Baker The Gathering Storm of Dominion Christianity Rick Baker is a long time member of the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs and a frequent call in guest on local talk radio shows. Mr. Baker is working to encourage more action in the Freethought community.
The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 E. Costilla at 7:00 PM.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007: Dr. David Eller Speaking Christian David Eller is an internationally known author, skeptic and lecturer whose most recent book, Natural Atheism discusses how humans are born without belief systems and learn them from parents and peers. His address to the July 25, 2007 Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meeting will explore how common and well worn language patterns many use unconsciously relate to religious traditions. David Eller holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Cultural Anthropology and is the author of numerous books on atheism, culture, violence and ethnicity. The first chapter of Dr. Eller's book, Natural Atheism, presents "12 steps to Atheism." Subsequent chapters introduce the basics of reason, present the "good news" of Atheism, discuss fundamentalism and life in a "disenchanted world." He teaches Cultural Anthropology at the University of Colorado, Denver.
The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 E. Costilla at 7:00 PM.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007: Dr. Vic Stenger Vic Stenger is an internationally known physicist, skeptic and author whose most recent book, God: The Failed Hypothesis is a New York Times best seller. In addition to teaching appointments at the University of Hawaii and the University of Colorado, Dr. Stenger is a Research Fellow for the Center of Inquiry - Transnational and a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Please join us on June 27 at 7:00 PM in the Penrose Public Library's Carnegie Reading Room at 20 North Cascade Avenue in Colorado Springs.
The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 7:00 PM.
Wednesday, May 23, 2006: Molly Maxfield Molly Maxfield is a fifth year doctoral student in clinical geropsychology at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Ms. Maxfield's research seeks to understand the developmental process leading to successful aging and why some people relish the "golden years" with continued personal growth while others find themselves more focused on the losses associated with aging. Information gained from her research may be useful in teaching coping mechanisms to those who struggle with the aging process..
The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 E. Costilla at 7:00 PM.
Wednesday, April 25, 2006: Dr. Robert Melamede Robert Melamede is an Associate Professor and Chairman of the Biology Department at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He holds a bachelor's in anatomy and physiology and master's in biochemistry from Herbert R. Lehman College and a doctoral degree in biochemistry from the City University of New York. Dr. Melamede is an internationally recognized expert in human endocannabinoid receptors and a medical marijuana activist. Dr. Melamede's presentation," Endocannabinoids:Multi-scaled, Global Homeostatic Regulators of Cells and Society" will review recent research suggesting that marijuana might be useful in the prevention and or treatment of Alzheimer's disease and will focus on a possible role of the genetic variability of the endocannabinoid system and governmental policies such as the drug and Iraqi wars.
Wednesday, March 28, 2006: Marvin Straus Eighteen thousand two hundred DVDs - from idea to national distribution. With anecdotal support by the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs, Marvin Straus and the Colorado Coalition of Reason distributed sixteen thousand "The Last Presentation" DVDs among every high school in the United States, with another two thousand two hundred DVDs distributed to American academic and public libraries. Through conception, screen writing, casting, direction, production and national distribution of "The Last Presentation" (his second DVD exploring atheist and non-believer themes), Marvin Straus has earned membership among the highest strata of America's entrepreneurial independent filmmakers. The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs proudly welcomes Mr. Straus and his presentation recounting the life cycle of "The Last Presentation."
The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 E. Costilla at 7:00 PM.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007: POSTPONED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER Marvin Straus Eighteen thousand two hundred DVDs - from idea to national distribution. With anecdotal support by the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs, Marvin Straus and the Colorado Coalition of Reason distributed sixteen thousand "The Last Presentation" DVDs among every high school in the United States, with another two thousand two hundred DVDs distributed to American academic and public libraries. Through conception, screen writing, casting, direction, production and national distribution of "The Last Presentation" (his second DVD exploring atheist and non-believer themes), Marvin Straus has earned membership among the highest strata of America's entrepreneurial independent filmmakers. The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs proudly welcomes Mr. Straus and his presentation recounting the life cycle of "The Last Presentation." The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 E. Costilla at 7:00 PM.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007: David Esker David Esker holds two masters' degrees and will discuss his studies of scaling laws with respect to the size of biological organisms such as dinosaurs.
The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Gay and Lesbian Fund Office of the Gill Foundation at 315 E. Costilla at 7:00 PM.
Saturday, January 20, 2007 (new date - postponed from December 30, 2006): The Freethinkers of Colorado Springs will hold a HumanLight Celebration on January 20, 2007 at at 6:00 PM at the clubhouse of the Cottonwood Creek Townhouse Association at 2525 La Madrina Lane in Colorado Springs.
HumanLight 2006 Directions: The entrance to the townhouses (La Madrina Lane) is on the south side of Woodman Road, 0.8 mile from Academy Boulevard and 0.3 mile from Union Boulevard. After you turn into the townhouses, the clubhouse just ahead, at the corner of Whitcomb Court and La Madrina Lane, and displays the number 2525. Park in the dedicated parking lot to the left of the clubhouse, or on adjoining streets. Call 963-8082 for assistance or directions. |
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Meeting on Wednesday, December 22, 2004: Our next meeting is a HumanLight celebration at the Cottonwood Creek Townhouse Association Clubhouse from 7:00 PM to 10:00PM. The townhouses are on Woodmen Road and the clubhouse is located in the Southwest quadrant of Woodmen and Union. The entrance (Madrina Lane) is on Woodmen between Academy Blvd. and Union Blvd., approximately 8/10 of a mile from Academy and 3/10 of a mile from Union. When you enter the complex on Madrina Lane, follow the Helium balloons to the clubhouse at the corner of Madrina Lane and Whitcomb Court. The number on the building is 2525. There is a small parking area to the left of the clubhouse and additional parking along the adjoining streets. The HumanLight celebration is a secular event held in December based on the Humanist vision of a good future. There will be a small "white elephant" gift exchange and a reality based magician for the kids. Children are most welcome to attend the HumanLight Family Festival, and the little ones will find the evening loaded with fun. An outline of the evening's events follows. We hope to see you there!
Agenda for the HumanLight Family Festival 7:00 PM HumanLight Social Hour Freewill dessert, light foods and hard drinks are welcome; soft drinks will be provided by the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs. 7:30 PM HumanLight Candle Lighting Ode to HumanLight, plus invited extemporaneous odes from brave revelers. 8:00 Concurrent Sessions Short readings on humanism, the meaning of being human, the essence of HumanLight, etc., by volunteer FTCS readers. The children's hour, featuring Professor Higgins' Magic Mysteries, will mesmerize and educate observers. 8:30 PM "White Elephant" Gift Exchange Those wishing to participate in the gift exchange need an inexpensive, wrapped freewill gift. EvolveFish.com will have gifts available for purchase anisette, with the proceeds from the gift sales being donated to the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs. Gifts will be placed in a cocoon container and participants will receive a free ticket that will govern the distribution of the gifts under the supervision of the Gift Exchange Committee. Following the drawing, gifts may be exchanged at will. 9:30 PM Music (live and DJ) The Groff Ensemble will lead the singing of the HumanLight song and other secular seasonal selections. A volunteer DJ will offer jazz, ballroom, pop and polka music. 10:00 PM HumanLight Candle Extinguished
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Meeting on Wednesday, November 24, 2004: Our speaker for November 24 is Rich Baker, who will discuss the influence of the religious right on the recent election.
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Meeting on Wednesday, October 27, 2004: Yearly
Business Meeting |
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Meeting on Wednesday, September 22, 2004: "OutFoxed" |
 Meeting on Wednesday, August 25, 2004: Alma Cremonesi (Lavender Film Festival) The speaker at the August meeting (Wednesday, the 25th, at 7:00 PM) will be Alma Cremonesi, the founder and organizer of the Pikes Peak Lavender Film Festival (which will be held at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center from 17th to 19th September). Her presentation will be entitled 'The Power of Film Festivals' and will include a short film by Academy Award-winning director Debra Chasnoff ('One Wedding and a Revolution') about the first gay marriage in San Francisco. Time permitting, she may also show a portion of a new documentary, 'Outfoxed', about how Rupert Murdock and Fox News have become, essentially, an arm of the Republican party. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, July 28, 2004: Greg Borom (Citizens Project) Greg Borom is the Executive Director of Citizens Project, an outreach organization that advocates diversity, tolerance, and understanding within our community. Greg will be discussing the latest turn to the right (religious right?) of the District 11 Board of Education. The public is invited to attend and present their questions/concerns. You can visit the Citizens Project webpage by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, June 23, 2004 -- Georgia Moen June’s meeting will be on the 23 rd and the guest speaker will be a member of FTCS, Georgia Moen. She traveled to Washington DC to participate in the March for Women’s Lives. About 1,150,000 women marched on Washington to voice opposition to government attacks on women’s reproductive rights and health. Georgia will share her experiences at the march and will also show pictures of the event. (In view of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in the Pledge of Allegiance case there will be some discussion of that as well.) Once again, the meeting is Wednesday, June 23rd, at 7:00 PM and admission is free. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, May 26, 2004 -- Susan Sackett Susan Sackett will be presenting a lecture on "Humanism in Star Trek," followed by a screening of "Who Watches the Watchers?" All beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26, 2004 in the El Paso County Health Department Auditorium, 305 S. Union Blvd. This presentation is free and open to the public! Susan was the personal assistant to Gene Roddenberry (creator of "Star Trek") for over 17 years. She also was a creative consultant on the show and wrote two of the most critically acclaimed episodes for "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Susan will share her thoughts on the show's influence on our modern day culture and where our society is headed from here. Susan is the driving force behind 'Humanicon 2004' which will be held in Scottsdale, AZ this fall. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 -- Discussion April’s meeting will be on the 28th and will be a review of the Atheists Alliance International annual conference, which was held here in Colorado Springs. We’ll view pictures of the event and discuss the press coverage received and the ‘Other Family-ness’ of the three-day event. We’ll also discuss the conduct of the Mayor and the Governor, as well as the courtesy and graciousness of the Vice Mayor. Once again, that’s Wednesday, April 28th at 7 PM. Everyone is cordially invited and admission is free. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 -- A Freethought Film The Freethinkers’ monthly meeting takes place on the fourth Wednesday of each month. This month’s meeting is on March 24th and will feature, instead of a guest speaker, a screening of a fascinating short film, ‘Journey of Life.’ The film is a production of the Colorado Coalition of Reason (COCORE) and examines the expedition on which each of us goes — through life, from birth to death — from the non-believer’s point of view. The film will be followed by an open discussion. All are welcome to this interesting presentation. Once again, the meeting is Wednesday, March 24th, at 7:00 PM in the Health Department Auditorium, 301 S Union Blvd (just east of Memorial Park) and admission is free. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 -- Dr. Carlos Bertha You would think that people who grew up in similar situations, such as the same household, would have a similar set of basic beliefs. You’d think that if I turned out to be an atheist because my family atmosphere (as far as religious matters were concerned) was relaxed, that my siblings would be similarly inclined. Well in my case, nothing could be farther from the truth.’ These are the words of Carlos Bertha, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy, who is the guest speaker at the Freethinkers’ monthly meeting on Wednesday, February 25th. Dr. Bertha will propose that it is important to have arguments about religion with friends, students, and even family members, but he’ll also address the futility of such conversations. How can a discussion be both necessary and futile?’ Don’t miss Dr. Carlos Bertha’s presentation at the Freethinkers’ meeting at 7 PM on Wednesday, February 25th, in the Health Department Auditorium, 301 S Union Blvd, just east of Memorial Park. Admission is free. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 -- Rep. Michael Merrifield UPDATE: Mr. Merrifield will be unable to make the meeting on January 28. In his place, John Morris Ph.D. in History... he is Mike Merrifield's Chief of Staff and runs House District 18's field office. John is a retired history instructor, a Colorado College graduate, a sometimes guitarist and dabbler in art. A broad range of interests! John will focus on Church State Separation from a historical perspective. Our January meeting will feature an evening with State Representative Michael Merrifield. Mr. Merrifield will update us on the recent happenings in the State Legislature, give his thoughts on Church/State separation, and answer as many questions as possible. |
| NO meeting at the El Paso County Auditorium on December 24, 2003 For anyone interested, there will be a "share meeting" the home of Becky Hale on Wednesday, December 24, 2002. Becky's home is located at 6158 Briarcliff Rd in Colorado Springs. From Academy Blvd heading north, turn west onto Dublin and just past the Alberstons' turn left onto Lemonwood Dr. Turn left onto Fairoak Drive - Becky's place is on the corner of Briarcliff and Fairoak. Call 548-0882 for more information. Our regular meetings will start up again on Wednesday, January 28th, 2004 at the El Paso County Health Department Auditorium. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, November 26, 2003: -- John Patrick Michael Murphy Our November meeting will feature an evening with local resident, freethinker, attorney, and community activist, John Patrick Murphy. John will discuss topics near and dear to most freethinkers' hearts and the Q & A is sure to be enlightening! |
| Meeting on Wednesday, July 23, 2003: Professor Barry Fagin "What's so darn important about skeptical thinking?" Dr. Fagin has maintained a lifelong interest in connecting the world of ideas to the world of politics. He is the founder of Families Against Internet Censorship,a successful plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that secured First Amendment protections for the Internet. He has appeared on The Montel Williams Show, Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, MS/NBC, and is a regular guest on the Colorado PBS show “Independent Thinking”. His columns have appeared in many national papers, including the Christian Science Monitor and Newsday, as well as every major newspaper in his home state of Colorado, where he has testified before the General Assembly. He has also written for many magazines, including Reason, World and I, Skeptical Inquirer, and the Brown Alumni Monthly. He is a frequent commentator on talk radio, and has been quoted in the New York Times, the Village Voice, and Salon. Dr. Fagin is also a committed scientist and critical thinker, serving as a contributing writer for the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, and a member of the Rocky Mountain Skeptics, Sigma Xi, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is a National Civil Liberties Award recipient, a Senior Fellow in Technology Policy at the Independence Institute in Golden, CO, and lay Torah reader at Temple Shalom in Colorado Springs, where he lives with his wife and two children. A Fulbright Scholar and a fluent Russian speaker, Dr. Fagin was recently elected to Who's Who in America. You can read more about Dr. Fagin by clicking clicking here. If you're interested, we're going to have dinner with Dr. Fagin at The China Village Restaurant (Bijou/Union) before the meeting at 5:30. Just send an email to freethinker@freethinkerscs.com if you wish to join us! |
| Meeting on Wednesday, June 25, 2003: Rich Tosches Rich Tosches is a weekly columnist for the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph and the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs have awarded Rich the "Voice of Reason" award for 2003. In his columns, Rich has been an outspoken proponent of rational thinking, reason, and fairness and has been unafraid to challenge the claims of those who adhere to dogmatic logic when coming to terms with our human condition. Rich will give a 20 minute acceptance speech and then he'll be happy to take your questions. Please make every effort to attend -- it's sure to be an interesting evening! You can read some of Rich's work by clicking clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, May 28, 2003: Colonel G.B. Singh Colonel G. B. Singh, a career military officer, is a professional student of Indian politics, Hinduism, and the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. G. B. Singh charges that the popular image of Gandhi is highly misleading. Despite his famous philosophy of nonviolent resistance (satyagraha), Singh’s analysis of the evidence leads him to conclude that Gandhi’s ideology was in fact rooted in racial animosity, first against blacks in South Africa and later against whites in India. The author also finds evidence of multiple cover-ups designed to hide Gandhi’s real history, including even collusion to cover up the murder of an American. This provocative thesis is sure to be controversial. You can order Colonel Singh's book, "Gandhi: Behind the Mask of Divinity", by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, April 23, 2003: Dr. Victoria N. Alexander Our guest speaker for April will be Dr. Victoria Alexander, novelist and director of The Dactyl Foundation, a think-tank for philosophy and the humanities. Dr. Alexander has recently published "Naked Singularity", a novel that tackles the issue of morality, death, and making sense of the world without resorting to a deity for guidance. Victoria N. Alexander, Ph.D. (Graduate Center, CUNY), co-founder, director of Programs for Thought, and a novelist (Smoking Hopes and Naked Singularity). Alexander has written a number of articles on philosophy of science and narrative poetics. Her various awards include: Rockefeller Foundation Residency in Bellagio, Jewish Foundation for the Education of Women Fellowship, and the Washington Prize for Fiction. She also garnered quite a bit of notoriety when she was "outed" as a stripper while earning her post-graduate degree. You can visit Dr. Alexander's webpage by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, March 26, 2003: Dr. Mark Spencer Our guest speaker for March will be Dr. Mark Spencer, Physical Anthropologist at the University of Colorado, Denver. Dr. Spencer will we speaking about recent additions to the human fossil record and some of the surprising relationships that are being discovered. Your questions are, of course, welcomed! Mark Spencer earned his Ph.D. in Anthropology in 1995 from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. After working as a Research Assistant Professor at Duke University for several years, he moved to the University of Colorado at Denver in 1999. As a biological anthropologist, Dr. Spencer's research focuses on diet and skull form during human and non-human primate evolution. He has published widely on topics related to this focus, including the evolution of diet in Neanderthals, skull mechanics and cranial diversity in primates, and early human feeding. He is currently involved in several research projects, including an analysis of skull growth in Nubian mummies, a study of chewing forces in humans, and a collaborative effort to understand the mechanics of the primate skull using computer modeling approaches. He is Vice President of Colorado Citizens for Science, a nonprofit organization working to promote quality science education in Colorado. You can visit Dr. Spencer's webpage by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, February 26, 2003: Jim Underdown Jim Underdown is the Executive Director for The Center for Inquiry-West in Hollywood, California. Jim will be speaking on how to "Become an Investigator!" He'll talk about everything from psychics to faith healers so that any inquiring human can find answers for himself or herself about such claims. Jim has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Roseanne Show, History's Mysteries on the History Channel, Hannity and Colmes on the Fox News Channel, and dozens of news and radio shows including KLOS's Conway and Steckler Show. He currently lectures all over the U.S. on behalf of the Center for Inquiry-West about paranormal claims, secular humanism, and church/state separation issues. He has lead investigations about TV mediums, ghost sightings, dowsing, telekinesis, faith healing, aura reading, and psychic animals, and others. Please plan to attend! This is going to be an extremely informative presentation. You can visit The Center for Inquiry-West by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2003: Professor James Null Professor and Councilperson James Null will be our guest speaker in January! Dr. Null is a member of the Colorado Springs City Council and is a serious contender for the Mayoral race this Spring. Dr. Null will be speaking about the local political landscape in Colorado Springs and will be happy to answer your questions concerning the future of our fair community. |
| NO meeting at the El Paso County Auditorium on December 25, 2002 For anyone interested, there will be a "share meeting" the home of Becky Hale on Wednesday, December 25, 2002. Becky's home is located at 6158 Briarcliff Rd in Colorado Springs. From Academy Blvd heading north, turn west onto Dublin and just past the Alberstons' turn left onto Lemonwood Dr. Turn left onto Fairoak Drive - Becky's place is on the corner of Briarcliff and Fairoak. Call 548-0882 for more information. Our regular meetings will start up again on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2003 at the El Paso County Health Department Auditorium. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, November 27th, 2002: Dr. Charlie Webb November's meeting will feature Dr. Charlie Webb, Biologist and Emergency Room Physician. Dr. Webb will be speaking about the current debate involving Intelligent Design and Evolution. Is ID science? Should it be taught in our public school science classes? Does ID better account for the data concerning human origins than evolution? Dr. Webb will be happy to answer your question as well. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, October 23rd, 2002: Dr. Robert Melamede October's meeting will feature Dr. Robert Melamede, Chair of the Biology Department, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Dr. Melamede's talk is titled, "What is Life? A View From an Unconventional Biologist." Dr. Melamede joined the CU-Colorado Springs faculty as professor of biology and chair of the biology department in 2001. He previously served on the faculty at New York Medical College and the University of Vermont. He holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from City University of New York. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, September 25th, 2002: Various Political Candidates September's meeting will be a get together with as many of the candidates for public office that accept our invitation! Expected to attend: Biff Baker (Libertarian), P.M. Wynn (Democrat), Tony Marino (Democrat), and many others. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, August 28, 2002: Dr. Laura Smith Laura Smith, Ph.D., is a licensed marriage and family therapist who has been in private practice in Colorado Springs since 1983. Laura specializes in psychological trauma, grief, couples counseling, and energy psychology. After September 11, she was moved by stories of RAWA, the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan. RAWA is the first women's organization whose members have been willing to risk their lives explicitly for the issues of women' s rights, and Laura decided to do what she could to help them. Founded in 1977, RAWA is an Afghan women's organization in Afghanistan which works to empower women and to peacefully resist fundamentalist domination. RAWA participated in the anti-Soviet resistance movement and then redoubled their activities after 1992, in response to the increasing domination of fundamentalists. RAWA's founding leader, Meena, was assassinated on February 4, 1987, in hopes that without her, RAWA would cease to exist. Instead, Meena became even more important to the cause and she is honored every year on the anniversary of her death. RAWA's goals are secular democracy, full participation in public life for women and girls, and respect for all human rights. They work underground in Afghanistan and from refugee camps in Pakistan and provide schools, literacy classes, medical care, political organizing, and, most importantly, they provide hope. You can visit the RAWA webpage by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, July 24, 2002: Chris Knight (a.k.a. CK from KVOR and KKMG) CK is the popular radio personality from KKMG and KVOR where he is the host of The Magic Morning Show (98.9 FM) and CK in the Morning (740 AM). CK has been described as a progressive and is often on the cutting edge with the topics he discusses on air as well as his (sometimes) biting humor. He will speak about the so called liberal bias in the media and the issues he's had with the moralists in our community. The public is invited to attend and present their questions/comments. You can visit the KVOR radio station webpage by clicking here. You can visit the KKMG radio station webpage by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, June 26, 2002: Greg Borom (Citizens Project) Greg Borom is the Executive Director of Citizens Project, an outreach organization that advocates diversity, tolerance, and understanding within our community. Greg will be discussing the legislative agenda of our Colorado representatives and how this will affect our individual freedoms in the coming years. The public is invited to attend and present their questions/concerns. You can visit the Citizens Project webpage by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, May 22, 2002: Professor Dean Tollefson Dean Tollefson is a longtime Colorado Springs resident and an activist for justice in our community. Dean is on the board of the Colorado Springs Chapter of the ACLU as well as a retired professor of philosophy. He'll be discussing the ideological basis of terrorism and conflict in our world today. You can visit the local ACLU webpage by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, April 24th, 2002: Dr. Faye Girsh Whether you think death is the beginning or the end, it's something we will all face. So "Death With Dignity" seems like a reasonable idea that even diverse belief systems could agree upon. Not always. There is, of course, superstition, misunderstanding, ignorance, and even politics that enter into the mix. Dr. Faye Girsh of the Hemlock Society will do her best to dispel the nonsense surrounding all of this at our next Freethinkers of Colorado Springs meeting. Dr. Faye Girsh is President of the Hemlock Society USA and the Hemlock Foundation based in Denver, Colorado. Before coming to Denver in 1996, Dr. Girsh was a clinical and forensic psychologist practicing in San Diego. She was the President and founder of the Hemlock Society of San Diego. Having earned her doctorate from Harvard University she taught at Morehouse College and at the University of Chicago. The California and U.S. Supreme Courts have cited her research. She has published extensively in legal and psychological journals including more than 30 articles on the right to die. In her role of working with litigants in civil and criminal cases, she became involved with the right-to-die movement in 1983 when evaluating a young quadriplegic woman who wished to die through refusal of food and hydration. That right was affirmed seven years later by the U.S. Supreme Court. You can visit the Hemlock Society website by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, March 27th, 2002: Dr. Victor Stenger Why is there something rather than nothing? Does infinity really go on forever? What exactly is "nothing"? Dr. Stenger will address these questions and a whole lot more! Our modern physics and astronomy are revealing fascinating facts about who we are, where we're going, and where we came from -- please plan to attend. Victor J. Stenger is Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Hawaii and Visiting Fellow in Philosophy at the University of Colorado. Dr. Stenger received his Ph.D. from UCLA and has been an active researcher in the field of astrophysics and elementary particle physics. He was Hawaii Humanist of the Year in 1992 and has authored numerous articles and four books - the most recent being "Timeless Reality: Symmetry, Simplicity, and Multiple Universes", published in 2000 by Prometheus Books. Professor Stenger's current interest is the interface between science and religion and in scientifically evaluating the various claims that science is providing evidence for intelligent design in the universe. You can visit Dr. Stenger's website by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, February 27th, 2002: DJ Grothe from The Council for Secular Humanism DJ is the field director for The Council for Secular Humanism headquartered in Amherst, New York. While DJ is in town he has graciously accepted our invitation to speak to the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs! He is a former evangelical Christian who was affiliated with the Worldwide Church of God. DJ has special expertise in the historical and psychological study of religious-political extremist movements, fringe religions, prophecy, cults and Mormonism. DJ's talk will address Secular Humanism and its critics (especially from Colorado Springs' own David Noebel of Summit Ministries), critical thinking and deception, gay rights and secular humanism, religious-political extremism and politics, and the psychology of religious belief. PLEASE plan to attend this meeting! (DJ is also an accomplished magician -- so we may get an extra treat!) You can visit the CSH's website by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2002: Pro Choice Coalition of Colorado January 22nd is the 29th anniversary of Roe V. Wade - this was a landmark event in the history of our individual freedoms! Is pro-choice the same as pro-abortion? Are planned parenthood and NARAL out there just trying to drum-up business for abortion providers? The facts are much more humane than many religionists would lead you to believe. Please attend our next meeting and ask your own questions! |
| Meeting on Wednesday, December 26, 2001: No Scheduled Speaker December's meeting will be an open forum. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, November 28, 2001: Attorney Phil DeCaro Phil is a representative of the local ACLU chapter and he will be discussing the state of our civil liberties in light of the recent terrorist actions in our country and our subsequent declaration of war on the threat. What can we expect from our courts in upholding individual rights? This is especially pertinent with the recent Supreme Count ruling to not hear a "moment of silence" case in Virginia. This will be a very informative evening! You can visit the local ACLU webpage by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, October 24, 2001: Brigadier General Charles Cabell Brigadier General Charles Cabell (Ret) will speak at our October meeting. General Cabell has written a book titled "Our Father: A Fresh Look at God" and will discuss his journey from Catholicism to the spiritual conviction that resulted from his own reasoning about "the god question." General Cabell has addressed the many questions and doubts that nearly everyone has experienced in his or her life! You can visit General Cabell's website by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, September 26, 2001: Ms. Judy Noyes Judy is a member of the Colorado Springs City Council and recently "challenged" the fairness of opening each council session with a Judeo-Christian benediction. Judy had a few suggestions for the council that were not received with universal acceptance - and she has graciously agreed to discuss those ideas with us! Judy is also the owner of the Chinook Bookshop located in downtown Colorado Springs. You can visit the Colorado Springs city government website by clicking here. You can visit the Chinook Bookshop website by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, August 22, 2001: Jerome Davis Jerome is the former morning host on KRCC (a public radio station). Jerome will discuss the current and future trends in public broadcasting. Should be an interesting evening! Heck, with Jermoe's voice, he could talk about cleaning toilets and make it sound good! |
| Meeting on Wednesday, July 25, 2001: No Scheduled Speaker Open session and therapy session [grin]! Also, we'll talk about the debate and work on planning, promotion, and get input from everyone on how to best get the word out. This meeting will be an open forum. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, June 27, 2001: Dr. David Eller Religion as a Cultural System - or Better Living Through Anthropology! Dr. Eller will discuss how anthropology can help us understand the religious impulse and how it has contributed to freethought and atheism by presenting the challenge of other ways of thinking and valuing. Dr. David Eller was born an atheist and never learned otherwise. His reading in high school interested him in a career in medicine and psychotherapy, but his college education at Hobart College led him to ask bigger questions about human nature and the role of culture. He traveled to Australia in 1982 to live among the Aboriginals, and again in 1987 as part of his doctoral work in anthropology at Boston University. Dr. Eller taught college courses in New York and Denver in anthropology, history, sociology, and religious studies and published a number of articles on contemporary cultural topics and a book on ethnic conflict ("From Culture to Ethnicity to Conflict: An Anthropological Perspective on International Ethnic Conflict," University of Michigan 1999). However, in 1998 he left academia for the Dark Side of computer technology. Still, his interest in philosophy, cosmology, and evolution pulled him back into reading and thinking about these serious intellectual issues, and that, together with the looming threat of the Right and the Bush administration, turned his passive atheism into active atheism. He is the coordinator of the Atheists and Freethinkers of Denver and the State Director for Colorado of American Atheists. Please visit the Atheists and Freethinkers of Denver website by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, May 23, 2001: Dr. Victor Stenger Has Science Found God? Dr. Victor Stenger will address the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23. Dr. Stenger's talk will focus on how science is misrepresented, misunderstood, and misconstrued by "intelligent design" theorists and creationists. Have your questions ready! You can also preview an "in progress" copy of Dr. Stenger's slides at by clicking here. Also, feel free to visit Dr. Stenger's homepage by clicking here. Victor J. Stenger is Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Hawaii and Visiting Fellow in Philosophy at the University of Colorado. Dr. Stenger received his Ph.D. from UCLA and has been an active researcher in the field of astrophysics and elementary particle physics. He was Hawaii Humanist of the Year in 1992 and has authored numerous articles and four books - the most recent being "Timeless Reality: Symmetry, Simplicity, and Multiple Universes", published in 2000 by Prometheus Books. Professor Stenger's current interest is the interface between science and religion and in scientifically evaluating the various claims that science is providing evidence for intelligent design in the universe. We will be giving away copies of Dr. Stenger's books that you can have personally autographed - of course, you can bring your own copies too! (Or you can find them at amazon.com and bn.com) |
| Meeting on Wednesday, April 25, 2001: Bruce Monson Bruce is a local Colorado Springs firefighter and paramedic who challenged the Fellowship of Christian Firefighters (FCF) with an extremely well written essay (click here to read it!) Needless to say, it caused quite a stir, and it was printed in the Freedom From Religion Foundation's monthly newsletter and caught the eye of Natalie Angier (Pulitzer Prize winning writer for the NY Times.) Well, the rest, as they say, is history. Bruce will have an informal presentation about the issues he's dealing with on the Fire Department - such as the FCF propaganda bulletin boards and CSFD "Fire Chaplains" and "Police Chaplains"; the former is a success story (Bruce is actually writing the new policy for the Fire Department now!) and the latter is a very serious issue that could eventually have far-reaching implications across the country. If time permits he will also share some of his other stories of run-ins with the "Good Christians" while performing his duties as a firefighter and paramedic here in "Fundyville." Have your questions ready for Bruce! To visit the Freethought Firefighters homepage, click here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, March 28, 2001: Dr. Malise Ruthven Dr. Malise Ruthven is a visiting professor of religion at Colorado College and has published many books, including "Islam in the World", "A Satanic Affair: Salman Rushdie and the Rage of Islam", and "The Divine Supermarket: Shopping for God in America". Professor Ruthven's talk will address the seemingly paradoxical situation of a non-believer teaching religion at prestigious colleges and universities in The United States and The United Kingdom! Dr. Ruthven is a noted expert on Islam and has a keen interest in the Mormon Church in America. There will be plenty of time for your questions after the talk! For an extra incentive - we will be giving away two copies of Dr. Ruthven's books after his presentation! |
| Meeting on Wednesday, November 22, 2000: John Weiss John is publisher of The Colorado Springs Independent and he will discuss the future of our weekly freethinker article. Remember, we pay the CS Indy to publish our column. Should be an informative evening. You can visit the homepage of the CS Indy by clicking here. |
| Meeting on Wednesday, October 19, 2000: Local candidates for various political offices The following local candidates will appear in front of the freethinkers to convince you that they deserve your vote! Daniel Tafoya (D): SD-10 Ed Raye (D): HD-17 Steve Bell (D): HD-15 Don Davidson (D): HD-19 Ariane Hildenbrant (I): HD-20 Laurie Picus (D): HD-21 Michael Merrifield (D): HD-22 Tom Huffman (R): CC, D-2 Ross Glidwell (L): CC, D-2 Fred Hardee (D): CC, D-3 Paul Gilbert (L): CC, D-3 Steve D'Ippolito (L): CC, D-4 |
| Meeting on Wednesday, September 27, 2000: Christy Pitts Christy is the director of The Pikes Peak Gay and Lesbian Community Center and she will speak on the "state of the city" and how the gay/lesbian community is being perceived. You can find a link to Christy's organization on our links page or you can just click here to visit the PPGLCC homepage. |
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