Category: Our Community

Atheists Who Help – Episode 62

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All hail the Volunteer Queen!

Doesn’t it seem like it can be really hard to help sometimes?  Many of us have the impulse and desire to help but don’t know how to make a meaningful difference.  It’s common enough to look for a group, an organization already established to make it easier.

Monique is our guest this episode and we discuss how a group makes those volunteer opportunities available in the first place.  Monique is a long-term volunteer and Hub member, currently holding three volunteer positions including:

Check out Heart 9/11.  This organization is designed to help first responders, and it is the organization our Chili Cook Off will be benefitting.

GUEST:  Monique

HOST, EDITOR:  Jesse Gilbertson

Logo Design: Terry Kirkham

The views and opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Secular Hub.
***
The Secular HubCast: The Voice of Denver’s Secular Hub.
Become a member of the Secular Hub today!
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Music: A Himitsu – Adventures (unedited, used under Creative Commons License)

Episode 55 – Increase Your Liberty

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REX

Liberty is a tricky subject to talk about.  It’s complex and personal and in some ways lends itself to magical thinking.  It’s as if it somehow pervades the universe or we’re endowed by some creator.

But really it’s just a concept.  Can we think about it scientifically?  Can we analyse a sample in a petri dish and watch it grow?  In this episode we consider how you can increase your liberty

HOST, EDITOR:  Jesse Gilbertson

Notes:

We started with the Bill of Rights

I referred to incarceration in US as being over 2 million souls.  The jibes with Wikipedia

The Bureau of Justice Statistics measures it a little different, and came up with a different result

Here’s what John Oliver said about net neutrality.  I love him.  It’s too late, but still funny as hell

Logo Design: Terry Kirkham

The views and opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Secular Hub.
***
The Secular HubCast: The Voice of Denver’s Secular Hub.
Become a member of the Secular Hub today!
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Music: A Himitsu – Adventures (unedited, used under Creative Commons License)

Episode 51 – Becoming Atheist

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Some say we are born atheist and religion is placed on us only after we are old enough to absorb it.  That may be true, yet why do so many atheists need to leave a faith community?  It what ways can it be simple or difficult?

Describing one’s deconversion story can be a powerful way for atheists to meet and share ideas.  Learning why someone left a community to face the real world on their own can give one great insight into who they really are.

Join Chauncey and Jesse as they describe their journey’s from faith to atheism.

You should totally come to Apogaea next year!  It was awesome!

If that’s not your thing check out Mike the Headless Chicken Day instead!

Hosts:  Jesse Gilbertson, Chauncey

Editor: Jesse Gilbertson

Logo Design: Terry Kirkham

The views and opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Secular Hub.
***
The Secular HubCast: The Voice of Denver’s Secular Hub.
Become a member of the Secular Hub today!
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
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Music: A Himitsu – Adventures (unedited, used under Creative Commons License)

National Day of Reason


WHEREAS, the application of reason, more than any other means, has proven to offer hope for human survival upon Earth, improving conditions within the universe, and cultivating intelligent, moral and ethical interactions among people and their environments, and

WHEREAS, those who wrote the Constitution of the United States of America, the basic document for governing the affairs of humankind within the United States, based it upon principles delineated within the philosophies distinguishing the historical Age of Reason, and

WHEREAS, most citizens of the United States purport to value reason and its application, and

WHEREAS, it is the duty and responsibility of every citizen to promote the development and application of reason

NOW, THEREFORE, I Dirk Huizenga, Director of the Secular Hub, hereby proclaim Thursday, the 2nd day of May, 2019 a

NATIONAL DAY OF REASON

and I encourage all citizens, residents and visitors to join in observing this day and focusing upon the employment of reason, critical thought, the scientific method, and free inquiry to the resolution of human problems and for the welfare of humankind.

I just wish my President, Governor, Mayor had done this instead of me!  To be fair, Gov. John Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock did it in 2016.  I guess we have to remind them every year.

Episode 42 – Colorado Secular Conference ’19

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Conference Season is almost upon us!  Are you going to any this year?  Hopefully you will after you hear this episode.  One of the Hub’s original founders is the force behind this years Colorado Secular Conference.

It’s been several years since there has been a freethought summit of this sort.  We discuss agendas, guests, entertainment and all the many other aspects of organizing and hosting something of this sort.

secularaccess.org.  It’s the website you need, with all the information we couldn’t fit into the podcast.  Most importantly, it’s where you obtain tickets to attend

WHEN:  Friday 26 July, 2019 and Saturday 27 July, 2019
WHERE:  Summit Event Center
411 Sable Blvd, Aurora, CO, 80011

Check out the music of Pale Blue.   Message them and Like the Page!

Here are our top guests, in no particular order.  Annie Laurie Gaylor, Seth Andrews, Shelley Segal, The Humanist Legal Society .  Email them and let them know you look forward to seeing them in July.

RIP Bill Acker.  We hardly knew ye

Guest:  Dave Fangrow

Host:  Jesse Gilbertson

Editor: Jesse Gilbertson

Logo Design: Terry Kirkham

The views and opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Secular Hub.
***
The Secular HubCast: The Voice of Denver’s Secular Hub.
Become a member of the Secular Hub today!
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Follow the Secular Hub on Facebook
Follow the Secular Hub on Twitter: @SecularHub
Music: A Himitsu – Adventures (unedited, used under Creative Commons License)

Episode 37 – Coming Out Atheist

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Coming Out Atheist:  Why Does it Matter?

Chauncey, Paul, and Jesse discuss their past experiences coming out as atheist, how they did it and why.  It’s a personal choice for each individual as to when they come out and in what manner.  If we’re able, most of us come out to different people at different times, in a way that seems best or safest.  At a certain point we move from a point of fear to one of pride in our authentic identity and volunteer time to spread it to others.

  1. It allows us to interact with believers in a respectful way
  2. It dispels common misconceptions about atheism and what it means to be secular
  3. Helps those who have never experienced it understand secular life
  4. Atheism isn’t a belief system!
  5. Promotes the benefits of secular thinking and morality
  6. Allows us to find other secular folks who don’t know there are others like them out there
  7. Accomplishes outreach to people who believe differently and establishes who we are
  8. Changes the narrative so folks hear the truth about who we are rather than someone else’s talking points
  9. We take pride in who we are and want others to know it
  10. It’s fun to go out and meet people and discuss/share ideas
  11. Be an example to others that it’s ok to be an out atheist

Visit the Secular Student Alliance.  Send them an email and tell them you heard about them on the podcast, even if you already knew about them

Hosts:  Jesse Gilbertson, Paul Schilling, Chauncey Williams

Editor: Jesse Gilbertson

Logo Design: Terry Kirkham

The views and opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Secular Hub.
***
The Secular HubCast: The Voice of Denver’s Secular Hub.
Become a member of the Secular Hub today!
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Follow the Secular Hub on Facebook
Follow the Secular Hub on Twitter: @SecularHub
Music: A Himitsu – Adventures (unedited, used under Creative Commons License)

Episode 34, Meow Wolf and Secular Hub, The Discussion

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This is what secular community is all about;  making special moments happen and being part of it when it does.  It was great fun to be able to help arrange an event where we show a fun documentary with fun people in it and then…one of the stars of the doc walks into the room.

Huge thanks to Matt King and to the Meow Wolf for coming down to the Secular Hub and spending time talking with and answering questions for the community.

Listen to hear many in-depth answers to well-thought-out questions about one of the most interesting art collectives in our time.

Host/Moderator:  Jesse Gilbertson

Guest:  Matt King

Editor: Jesse Gilbertson

Logo Design: Terry Kirkham

Music: Adventures – A Himitsu

The views and opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Secular Hub.
***
The Secular HubCast: The Voice of Denver’s Secular Hub.
Become a member of the Secular Hub today!
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Follow the Secular Hub on Facebook
Follow the Secular Hub on Twitter: @SecularHub
Music: A Himitsu – Adventures (unedited, used under Creative Commons License)

Episode 33 – Meow Wolf and Secular Hub, The Interview

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Matt King and Caity Kennedy in their Garage

No one knows exactly where Meow Wolf lives or where it comes from, but it has entered our universe and it’s not leaving.  There’s a great deal of interest and excitement around Meow Wolf’s permanent Santa Fe location, ‘The House of Eternal Return’ and an unholy amount of anticipation around Meow Wolf’s future permanent locations in Las Vegas and Denver.

Meow Wolf’s new locations are larger than the original (the Meow Wolf’s influence grows constantly!) and there are plans for many locations in many new cities.

Meow Wolf co-founder Matt King visited and joined into conversation with the Secular Hub at the Dinner and a Documentary event for January.  Engaging in a nearly hour long Q-and-A discussion with our community he then sat down before our microphones for a 1-0n-1 interview.

Events such as this are a remarkable example of just what a special place the Secular Hub is.  Hope to see you there soon.

Host:  Jesse Gilbertson

Guests:  Matt King

Editor: Jesse Gilbertson

Logo Design: Terry Kirkham

Music: Adventures – A Himitsu

The views and opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Secular Hub.
***
The Secular HubCast: The Voice of Denver’s Secular Hub.
Become a member of the Secular Hub today!
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Follow the Secular Hub on Facebook
Follow the Secular Hub on Twitter: @SecularHub
Music: A Himitsu – Adventures (unedited, used under Creative Commons License)

Episode 32 – Humans, Celebrating

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For those who live without religion significant and profound human moments can be difficult to really  commemorate.  It seems that important moments, be they:

  • Marriages
  • Funerals and memorials
  • Christenings
  • Retirements

or any other powerful life change requires special acknowledgement.  For instance, when one decides to change one’s gender ‘coming out’ as that new person when the process is done can be extremely helpful for the person and the community.  Similarly, holding a memorial after a loved one dies helps the community remember that person and properly begin to grieve so as to move on.

Tim and Jennifer are registered Life Cycle Celebrants who perform non-religious ceremonies.  Sometimes these are mixed religion ceremonies where the participants desire a non-religious ceremony (so no one feels excluded).  Other times ceremonies performed are for the secular and Humanist society (which is their specialty).

Visit celebratingtimes.com to see what Tim and Jennifer do or to write to them…or on Twitter…or on Facebook

Want to learn more about Celebrants or the process of becoming one?  Learn about the Celebrant Foundation & Institute

If you happen to be getting married and you’re already using theknot.com be certain to see how Jennifer and Tim are registered on that site.  Many interesting photos from previous ceremonies

Host:  Jesse Gilbertson

Guests:  Jennifer and Tim Bailey

Editor: Jesse Gilbertson

Logo Design: Terry Kirkham

The views and opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Secular Hub.
***
The Secular HubCast: The Voice of Denver’s Secular Hub.
Become a member of the Secular Hub today!
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Follow the Secular Hub on Facebook
Follow the Secular Hub on Twitter: @SecularHub
Music: A Himitsu – Adventures (unedited, used under Creative Commons License)

Episode 26 – Dinner and a Documentary

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For those with an inquisitive mind documentary films offer education and entertainment, a very satisfying combination.  At the Secular Hub a long-running series of events called Dinner and a Documentary has been providing this satisfaction to Hub members and guests in a group setting.  To make it even better Hub member and professional chef Andrew Curtis Forlines prepares a dinner to share with everybody.  Learn how watching documentaries together makes them better.

Donations to help support this and other events at the Secular Hub can be made directly to the Hub through the PayPal Giving Fund (fee free).

Want to tell Andrew what a great guy he is?   Email him at chef@andrewforlines.com if you want to let him know how great he really is

Learn about another cool Denver non-profit, Apogaea!  Colorado’s own Burning Man event!

Learn more about Alternative Radio founder and host (and friend of the Secular Hub) David Barsamian

You don’t know about Meow Wolf yet?!  You should do something about that.  Soon.

A couple of Andrew’s favorite podcasts (besides the Secular Hubcast, of course).  Revisionist History     Heavyweight

Host:  Jesse Gilbertson

Guest:  Andrew Curtis Forlines

The views and opinions expressed are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Secular Hub.
***
The Secular HubCast: The Voice of Denver’s Secular Hub.
Become a member of the Secular Hub today!
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Follow the Secular Hub on Facebook
Follow the Secular Hub on Twitter: @SecularHub
Music: A Himitsu – Adventures (unedited, used under Creative Commons License)
Logo Design: Terry Kirkham
Editor: Jesse Gilbertson