American Atheists --
Founded by Madalyn Murray O'Hair in 1963, this organization is primarily
concerned with the civil liberties of altheists, non-believers, and other
"unchurched" Americans. Sprinkle some humanism, politics, and raw atheism
together with a dash of science and slick marketing and you
get the American Atheists.
Atheists and Other
Freethinkers (AOF) -- based in Sacramento, CA this is an example of a
solid, local, bread-and-butter, home-grown Atheist network. They sponsor
lots of infrastructure building activities such as food drives for
the needy, informative colloquia, and monthly meetings.
Teaching About Religion
(also try .com rather than .org; also see Different
Drummers:
Nonconforming Thinkers in History) -- Drs. Mynga
Futrell and Paul Geisert have
developed a wonderful supplementary history curriculum. Their goal is to
introduce junior high school
students to the impact of freethinkers on history and what a difference
non-conformity and
independence of thought has made in the world. The program is the perfect
mix of fact-finding and self
discovery without being preachy or intrusive. It artfully and evenhandedly
presents the views of skeptics
and freethinkers without a hard-sell. This fully developed program has
been approved for use in
California schools -- indeed, this is a great contribution to the
freethought movement! Check it out and
order your own copy of some of their inspiring material. The authors also
give a great team presentation.
The American Humanist
Association (AHA) -- Science may provide us with a map of the
consistancies and patterns of the natural world, but it tends to fall
short when giving us a sense of well-being when struggling with issues
of the human condition. The complexity and richness
contained in our humanness is certainly a subset of the natural laws
as described by science. But the human condition, because of this
richness and our personal vested interest in it, demands
individual attention aside from being described only in the context of
natural laws. Enter Humanist viewpoint. Axiom: I value the human
condition -- no justification necessary (i.e. no theological baggage).
The AHA represents a solid MOR humanist organization.
*Alternative* Resources -- I've compiled a meager list of links to sites representing various ideologies from the Moonies to the Church of Satan. Mostly fringe stuff, but some classic entrenched views too...
General discussion
of cults -- lots of anit-/counter-cult resources and includes other
pro/con links to various ideologies.
Christian Research Ministry
-- Christians vs. Christians bickering over dogma. An honest attempt to
sort out an inconsistent philosophy.
Mormon Recovory -- the tales of
ex-Mormons.
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