Practicing Atheism in Everyday Life

Greta Christina

September 24, 2017

So you’re an atheist. Now what? The way we deal with life — with love and sex, pleasure and death, reality and making stuff up —can change dramatically when we stop believing in gods, souls, and afterlives. When we leave religion — or if we never had it in the first place—where do we go? With her unique blend of compassion and humor, thoughtfulness and snark, Greta Christina most emphatically does not propose a single path to a good atheist life.

Greta Christian will be speaking about her latest book, The Way of the Heathen: Practicing Atheism in Everyday Life, in which she offers questions to think about, ideas that may be useful, and encouragement to choose your own way. She addresses complex issues in an accessible, down-to-earth style, including: Why we’re here, Sexual transcendence, How humanism helps with depression — except when it doesn’t, Stealing stuff from religion, and much more. Aimed at new and not-so-new atheists, questioning and curious believers, Christina shines a warm, fresh light on the only life we have.

Greta Christina is also the author of Comforting Thoughts About Death That Have Nothing to Do with God, of Coming Out Atheist: How to Do It, How to Help Each Other, and Why, of Why Are You Atheists So Angry? 99 Things That Piss Off the Godless, and of Bending: Dirty Kinky Stories About Pain, Power, Religion, Unicorns, & More.

She is on the board of directors of Foundation Beyond Belief, and is co-founder and co-organizer of Godless Perverts, a San Francisco organization promoting a positive view of sexuality without religion.

She blogs at Greta Christina’s Blog, at The Orbit, the atheist social justice media collective, and she is editor of Paying For It: A Guide by Sex Workers for Their Clients.

You can follow her on Facebook, and on Twitter at @GretaChristina.

Humanist Community Forum (2017-09-24): Practicing Atheism in Everyday Life (Greta Christina) from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.


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Nature Speaks: Art and Poetry for the Earth

Deborah Kennedy

September 17, 2017

Deborah Kennedy is an eco-artist, educator, lecturer, and the author of Nature Speaks: Art and Poetry for the Earth, a recently published book which has been the recipient of two book awards. This book is a profound collection of original artwork and poetry by Deborah Kennedy.

Within the pages of Nature Speaks you will find richly detailed earth-toned drawings that will immediately pull the reader into the subject of the paired poem. Included with each poem and drawing is a short essay, which provides brief but important context to the ecological themes discussed in the poetry. These themes show the deep connection humans have to nature and our environment; Kennedy talks about lost ice packs, declining bird populations, and issues of fertility. In the last section of her book, Kennedy presents “Revealing Relationships” where she gives the reader pathways to reconnecting and finding a restorative relationship with the larger natural world.

Her presentation will include projected or displayed images, poetry reading and discussions of environmental issues. Please see www.deborahkennedyart.com and http://www.whitecloudpress.com/features/deborah-kennedys-interview-with-svtags/ for more information.

Humanist Community Forum (2017-09-17): Nature Speaks: Art and Poetry for the Earth (Deborah Kennedy) from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.


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Final Exit Network

Jacie Rowe

September 10, 2017

Final Exit Network (www.finalexitnetwork.org) is a volunteer organization serving members in all 50 states who are suffering from intolerable medical circumstances, are mentally competent, want to end their lives, and meet our official, written criteria. Those conditions include cancer, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, emphysema, congestive heart failure, stroke, AIDS, and many other lesser-known but serious, frequently lengthy ailments. Final Exit Network offers the most current information known for self-deliverance when the member is ready to choose. Safeguards are in place to ensure that the person’s decision is voluntary and repeatedly stated.

Jacie Rowe IV has been a political organizer and advocate for 7 years, including 3 years in the End of Life movement, formally with Compassion & Choices, where he worked to pass California’s End of Life Option Act (EOLOA). Once that law was passed, he moved on to work with Final Exit Network to ensure that everyone has access to options, whether they qualify for the EOLOA or not.

Humanist Community Forum (2017-09-10): Final Exit Network (Jacie Rowe) from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.


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Getting past Capitalism: History, Vision, Hope

Cynthia Kaufman

September 3, 2017

Cynthia Kaufman is the director of the Vasconcellos Institute for Democracy in Action at De Anza College, and is the on the board of Human Agenda. She is the author of two books: Getting Past Capitalism, History, Vision, Hope and Ideas for Action: Relevant Theory for Radical Change. She will be speaking on practical steps we can take to move beyond the devastation caused by capitalism.

Humanist Community Forum (2017-09-03): Getting past Capitalism: History, Vision, Hope (Cynthia Kaufman) from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.


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Building Resistance/Alternat­ives to the Administration’s Plan for America

Richard Hobbs

August 27, 2017

This operational blueprint for a radical new economy and society will be anchored not only in participatory democracy but in participatory human need fulfilling activity, from self and family care to necessary labor with reduced working hours to the time and space for self-realization. Don’t miss this holistic systemic transformational approach to reshaping the future of the United States.

Richard Hobbs is the Executive Director of Human Agenda, a national board member of Take Back Your Time, an immigration attorney and member of the legal collective CLARO (Colectivo Legal Accesible Razonable y Organizado), and member of the newly forming South Bay Progressive Alliance.

Humanist Community Forum (2017-08-27): Building Resistance/Alternat­ives to the Administration’s Plan for America(Richard Hobbs) from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.


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