Pennsylvania Nonbelievers » Atheist http://www.panonbelievers.org Atheists, agnostics, nontheists, humanists and freethinkers Sat, 24 Jul 2010 12:57:48 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 The Free Thought Forum (June 22, 2010) http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/07/06/the-free-thought-forum-june-22-2010/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-free-thought-forum-june-22-2010 http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/07/06/the-free-thought-forum-june-22-2010/#comments Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:39:08 +0000 Brian http://www.panonbelievers.org/?p=1879 FTF_20100622

Pennsylvania Nonbelievers presents the June 22, 2010 episode of “The Free Thought Forum”, our monthly cable-access TV show. Featuring Steve Neubauer and Liz Burcin.


]]> http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/07/06/the-free-thought-forum-june-22-2010/feed/ 0 June/July PANViews is now in the Library http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/06/11/junejuly-panviews-is-now-in-the-library/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=junejuly-panviews-is-now-in-the-library http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/06/11/junejuly-panviews-is-now-in-the-library/#comments Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:09:35 +0000 Brian http://www.panonbelievers.org/?p=1806 Priscilla Oppenheimer reports on her own history in Why was God So Silent, So Absent?, Clifford Crain, Jr., reviews Decoding the Language of God: Can a Scientist Really Be a Believer?. We reprint letters to the editor from Steve Neubauer and Carl Silverman. Also: PAN Summer Solstice Party: June 26 – Contact us for more information!

You can download and read more here.

]]> http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/06/11/junejuly-panviews-is-now-in-the-library/feed/ 0 The Free Thought Forum (May 25, 2010) http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/06/03/the-free-thought-forum-may-25-2010/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-free-thought-forum-may-25-2010 http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/06/03/the-free-thought-forum-may-25-2010/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 19:28:05 +0000 Brian http://www.panonbelievers.org/?p=1784 FTF_20100525

Pennsylvania Nonbelievers presents the May 25, 2010 episode of “The Free Thought Forum”, our monthly cable-access TV show. Featuring Doug Diggens and Liz Burcin.


]]> http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/06/03/the-free-thought-forum-may-25-2010/feed/ 0 The Free Thought Forum (April 27, 2010) http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/05/08/the-free-thought-forum-april-27-2010/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-free-thought-forum-april-27-2010 http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/05/08/the-free-thought-forum-april-27-2010/#comments Sun, 09 May 2010 03:19:12 +0000 Brian http://www.panonbelievers.org/?p=1694 FTF_20100427

Pennsylvania Nonbelievers presents the April 27, 2010 episode of “The Free Thought Forum”, our monthly cable-access TV show. Featuring Steve Neubauer and Pam Zerba.


]]> http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/05/08/the-free-thought-forum-april-27-2010/feed/ 0 May PANViews is now in the Library http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/04/29/may-panviews-is-now-in-the-library/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=may-panviews-is-now-in-the-library http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/04/29/may-panviews-is-now-in-the-library/#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:54:16 +0000 Brian http://www.panonbelievers.org/?p=1652 Gloria Heard shares a letter To My Family… Sincerely, with emotions and thoughts of love.. We cover some of our plans for the early summer, lots of parades, fairs and other events coming up! Clifford Crain Jr. reviews The Prince of War: Billy Graham’s Crusade for a Wholly Christian Empire, by Cecil Bothwell. We also share Matt Juba’s Letter to the Editor in the York Daily Record from April 15, 2010.

You can download and read more here.

]]> http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/04/29/may-panviews-is-now-in-the-library/feed/ 1 April PANViews is now in the Library http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/04/05/april-panviews-is-now-in-the-library/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=april-panviews-is-now-in-the-library http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/04/05/april-panviews-is-now-in-the-library/#comments Mon, 05 Apr 2010 13:08:26 +0000 Brian http://www.panonbelievers.org/?p=1615 Our President talks about our participation in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Harrisburg. Doug Schiffer reviews The Book of Eli. William Walker reviews God: The Failed Hypothesis, by Victor Stenger. We continue our religious background profile series with Matt Juba’s story.

You can download and read more here.

]]> http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/04/05/april-panviews-is-now-in-the-library/feed/ 0 The Free Thought Forum (March 23, 2010) http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/04/05/the-free-thought-forum-march-23-2010/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-free-thought-forum-march-23-2010 http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/04/05/the-free-thought-forum-march-23-2010/#comments Mon, 05 Apr 2010 12:00:41 +0000 Brian http://www.panonbelievers.org/?p=1610 FTF_20100323

Pennsylvania Nonbelievers presents the March 23, 2010 episode of “The Free Thought Forum”, our monthly cable-access TV show. Featuring Doug Diggens and Pam Zerba.


]]> http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/04/05/the-free-thought-forum-march-23-2010/feed/ 0 More Photos of PAN at the Harrisburg Parade http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/03/21/more-photos-of-pan-at-the-harrisburg-parade/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=more-photos-of-pan-at-the-harrisburg-parade http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/03/21/more-photos-of-pan-at-the-harrisburg-parade/#comments Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:10:59 +0000 Brian http://www.panonbelievers.org/?p=1471 Here’s the second batch of photos from Dennis, captioned by Carl Silverman!

Veronica Taylor's outfit was too lovely to cover up with our event t-shirt. Matt Juba's Jack Russell terrier, Jasper, rests up in preparation for the parade. Even he was Irish for a day. We allowed Jasper in our group despite the fact that the Jack Russell breed is named after a Reverend. Jasper goes for Ian Fields' jugular vein. The hood is mandatory in this traditional Atheist form of execution. Jasper checks for any signs of life. Shannon Fields enjoys a Philadelphia-style soft pretzel. She and Veronica Taylor (right) carried the PA Nonbelievers organization banner. Dennis Stanley, one of our two event photographers, substitutes for Veronica momentarily. The green pole is actually bamboo freshly cut from the property of PAN president Steve Neubauer. Veronica snapped Dennis's mug shot while we wait to get into parade formation. This is the east side of the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Known as a "Palace of Art" for its beautiful murals and sculpture, it's also known---since Lincoln's time and to present day---as a scandal ridden Capitol of Corruption. Awwwww! Shannon Fields is wearing the full costume for the event: a felt hat with the scarlet "A", and a kelly green t-shirt with a map of Ireland, captioned "Atheist Ireland - Fighting for Free Speech". Shannon's dad is PAN webmaster Brian Fields, a former evangelical Christian. Shannon attended Camp Quest - Smokey Mountains in Tennessee in 2009. In the rear, Matt Juba (left) and Carl Huber. We had 17 members (including 2 kids and 1 dog) in the PA Nonbelievers' contingent in Harrisburg's 2010 St. Patrick's Day Parade, held on Saturday, March 17. (L-R) Julianne Burke, Ian Fields with Jasper, Doug Diggens, Mikki Weidman (kneeling), Pam Zerba, Matt Juba, Veronica Taylor, Carl Huber, Shannon Fields, George Zerba, Yolanda Forry, Gail Crow, Jane Kelly, Not shown: Dennis Stanley, Brian Fields, Steve Neubauer, Carl Silverman. "St. Patrick" orders Jasper to attack PAN vice president George Zerba. Dastardly Doug Diggens, a PAN board member, displays his custom t-shirt. "General" Jane Kelly chats with Mikki Weidman on a beautiful and unusually warm March day. The parade was actually held the Saturday after the "real" St. Patrick's Day so that it would not conflict with the parade of nearby York, Pennsylvania, scheduled for the Saturday prior to March 17th. Unfortunately the York parade was cancelled due to extreme rain and winds, but the Harrisburg weather more than compensated for that. Jasper knows a real Irishwoman when he(?) sees one, PAN member Julianne Burke. Philadelphia-based freelance journalist Dan Denvir (right rear) interviews Carl Huber. Dan, who has written for Huffington Post and The Nation, is working on an article about small-town grassroots atheism and humanism. The article will be published in a smaller San Francisco-based magazine, The Believer (no, it's not a religious publication). Approaching the starting point of the parade in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Central Pennsylvania is the most conservative of the three major regions of Pennsylvania. Political commentator James Carville once said that Pennsylvania is "Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, with Alabama in between." During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama, in referring to small-town Pennsylvanians, said, "...it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations." Awwwww! "General" Jane Kelly, sporting her ex-Mennonite crafted "Atheist Ireland" sweater, consults with Commander-in-Chief Steve Neubauer. Ian Fields (left) and Matt Juba with his baby, as we pass an Irish pub. The rugby team, ahead of us, tossed candy to the crowd. Shannon and Ian did their civic duty by cleaning the streets of unclaimed candy.

]]> http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/03/21/more-photos-of-pan-at-the-harrisburg-parade/feed/ 0 First round of photos of PAN at the Harrisburg Parade http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/03/21/first-round-of-photos-from-the-pan-harrisburg-parade/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=first-round-of-photos-from-the-pan-harrisburg-parade http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/03/21/first-round-of-photos-from-the-pan-harrisburg-parade/#comments Sun, 21 Mar 2010 04:11:39 +0000 Brian http://www.panonbelievers.org/?p=1442 Here’s the first batch of photos, with captions from Carl Silverman. I’ll be going through the second round and get them captioned and posted tomorrow.

We had 17 members (including 2 kids and 1 dog) in the PA Nonbelievers' contingent in Harrisburg's 2010 St. Patrick's Day Parade, held on Saturday, March 17. (L-R) Julianne Burke (partially out of frame), Ian Fields, Doug Diggens, Mikki Weidman (kneeling), Pam Zerba, Matt Juba, Veronica Taylor, Carl Huber, Shannon Fields, George Zerba, Yolanda Forry, Gail Crow, Jane Kelly, Dennis S. Not shown: Brian Fields, Steve Neubauer, Carl Silverman. Being a new group to the parade we were placed in the last of 4 sections of the parade. That gave us lots of time to kill until it was time to "move out" to the parade route. Notice "St. Patrick" immediately behind our event banner. The Green Pope looked sort of disenfranchised, so we told him not to fear us atheists. He said he didn't. PA Nonbelievers' Berks County Director Jane Kelly hand crocheted this sweater and beret. On the back of the sweater: "Atheist Ireland", crocheted with the scarlet A on "Atheist". Not long ago Jane was an Old Order Mennonite from rural Pennsylvania Dutch country. Now she is one of the most "militant" atheists in Pennsylvania---and here she looks the part! Veronica Taylor (left) and Shannon Fields carried our organization banner. Here, with the Pennsylvania State Capitol in the background, (L-R) Matt Juba, PAN president Steve Neubauer, PAN treasurer Yolanda Forry, former PAN secretary Carl Huber, and PAN vice president George Zerba, under the watchful eye of "St. Patrick" (in the rear [pun intended]). Longtime PAN member Gail Crow (right) is never hesitant to express her opinion. (L-R) PAN vice president George Zerba, PAN president Steve Neubauer, PAN treasurer Yolanda Forry, former PAN secretary Carl Huber. IMG_4773 IMG_4774 As we reached the starting point of the event, parade marshal Charles Shields (center) informed us that when we registered for the parade, some people weren't sure we should be allowed in the parade. But, Shields, an attorney, told them that we were the most important group in the entire parade, and that it's time for people to stand up for rational thinking. Shields told us he was the organizer of the parade for the first four years of its existence. It took about 1 1/4 hr. to reach the starting point and the first glimpse of the crowds. Our event banner emphasized the brotherhood that PA Nonbelievers (as well as other American atheist groups) have with our "kindred spirits" in Atheist Ireland. Note that the leafs of a three-leafed shamrock normally represents the Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We decided that the leaves really stand for more important and rational ideas. The three young people on the wall cheered loudly for us. We had many people cheering for us, or giving us the "thumbs up" along the route, and only a few hecklers yelling, "You suck." Here our group passes the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, site of the infamous Dover "intelligent design" trial of 2005. Waiting to turn onto Second St., the main section of the parade route. Numerous crowds in front of bars cheered us on--and probably a few sober people too. Finally on Second St. On the parade lineup we were sequenced between a rugby team and a fire department. Jane Kelly (wearing her crocheted Atheist Ireland sweater and beret) watches as our event banner catches up. IMG_4784 When we reached the reviewing stand, we turned to the judges for them to see our banners. The man in the black suit is Steve Reed, the past mayor of Harrisburg. Sitting to his left (obscured in this photo) is a bishop (we think) of a local church. The mayor and the bishop were stonefaced in our presence, unlike their smiling reactions to an Irish dance school and the rugby team immediately preceding us. Holding the organization banner are (L-R) Shannon Fields, and Veronica Taylor, accompanied by PAN board member Pam Zerba. Shannon's brother, Ian Fields, passes behind the banner. A cheering (and perhaps drunk?) crowd in front of the Firehouse Restaurant, near the end of the parade route.

]]> http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/03/21/first-round-of-photos-from-the-pan-harrisburg-parade/feed/ 0 PAN Marches in Harrisburg St. Patrick’s Day Parade http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/03/20/pan-marches-in-harrisburg-st-patricks-day-parade/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pan-marches-in-harrisburg-st-patricks-day-parade http://www.panonbelievers.org/2010/03/20/pan-marches-in-harrisburg-st-patricks-day-parade/#comments Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:01:26 +0000 Brian http://www.panonbelievers.org/?p=1436 On Saturday, March 20th, PA Nonbelievers marched in support of repealing the Irish Blasphemy Laws and to show our solidarity stance with Atheist Ireland (http://www.atheist.ie/).

Many of our heathens, heretics, nonbelievers, atheists and agnostics marched wearing the Irish Green and carrying our banners. We will have photos up here later on as we get them. Our purpose was to call attention to the recent strengthening of the Irish Blasphemy Laws (More Info: http://www.atheist.ie/campaigns/blasphemy-law/). We feel that the right of free speech is one that transcends national borders, and wanted to show our support of that campaign.

Here’s the statement from Atheist Ireland on the issue:

Atheist Ireland Blasphemy Campaign

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