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Who are these people?. We’re Humanists!. Humanism = Good without God. +. =. Humanist Community of Central Ohio. Local community for humanists & nontheists Atheists, agnostics, humanists, freethinkers, skeptics, etc. Promotes ethical and reasonable secular worldviews
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Humanist Community of Central Ohio • Local community for humanists & nontheists • Atheists, agnostics, humanists, freethinkers, skeptics, etc. • Promotes ethical and reasonable secular worldviews • Social events, service projects, education, outreach and activism • www.hcco.org
The Numbers • 15% of Americans have no religion • Among 18-29 year-olds, 22% have no religion • Numbers are rising: up from 8.2% in 1990 • Third Largest population in the world: 16% (after Christianity, 33%, and Islam, 21%) WHY?
Why Not? • There are many reasons; everyone is different • Combination of intellectual and emotional factors • Lack of evidence for supernatural • Inconsistencies within religions and between them • Religion is emotionally unfulfilling or unnecessary • Difficult experiences in life • Religious people do bad stuff, too. • And A Bunch of Other Stuff • Sometimes these reasons lead people to be more religious. Sometimes they lead people away from religion. • And that’s ok. We Don’t Believe in God.
…in a Largely Religious Society? What’s it Like to be a Nonbeliever? • Mostly, it’s still pretty normal. • Feel ignored or invisible • Very common questions and accusations • Subject to misconceptions and snap judgments • (like everyone else) • Potential alienation from friends/family
Common Misconceptions • That we don’t have morals, or can’t be good people • That we just haven’t heard about [religion of choice] • That we hate religion or religious people • That we are unhappy without religion or god • And a lot of ridiculous things • We worship Satan/the Devil • We eat babies • We just want to sin • We’re angry at god • We’re close-minded • We think we’re god (that’s news to me)
What Do We Do? • Community Service • Educate ourselves and others • Political Activism • Build Community
Humanist Community of Central Ohio (HCCO)www.hcco.org • Central Ohioans for Rational Inquiry (CORI) www.ohioskeptic.com • Humanistic Jewish Chavurah of Columbus (HJCC)www.hjcc.us • Students for Freethought at Ohio State (SFF@OSU)www.sffosu.org • Omnipresent Atheistswww.meetup.com/omnipresentatheists Local Organizations for Nonbelievers