Atheists invited to Education Department ‘interfaith’ meeting

[cbayer]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/18/atheists-invited-education-department-interfaith-m/

By Jacqueline Klimas-The Washington Times Wednesday, September 18, 2013

The Education Department invited five atheist representatives from the Secular Student Alliance to attend an interfaith meeting the department is putting on Sept. 24.

“Atheists absolutely want to do their part to improve the world,” said alliance spokesperson Jesse Galef in a release. “We may not believe in religious services, but we sure believe in community service.”

Other groups invited to the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge, which looks at the best ways to include different worldviews in college service projects, include the Jewish group Hillel, the Hindu Seva Charities and Campus Compacts, which promotes community service at college campuses, a press release from the Secular Student Alliance said.

The Obama administration has made it a point to include secular students in interfaith discussions, including inviting atheists to the White House in 2010, drawing some criticism from faith leaders.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/18/atheists-invited-education-department-interfaith-m/#ixzz2fXcbPIpr

[LostOne4Ever]

1. Gotta say

I love how this administration tries to be inclusive of us. It beats the hell out of the previous administration did everything they could to marginalize us.

That said, before I get flamed, I am well aware that this administration is not perfect. But they are far far better than any of administration in my memory (I was born in 1982 so have memories going back as far as Bush I for reference).

[center] [/center]

[cbayer]

2. I like this kind of inclusiveness as well.

I would hope you would not get flamed for praising the current administration for the things that they do right.

I still see much more good than I do bad, and I've been around substantially longer than you.

[LostOne4Ever]

3. Im used to now

Being a Pro-Obama left winger as set me at odds with a good section of DU

When I disagree with the administration I try to do so in a respectful manner but still find myself at odds with many other pro-Obama posters, but when I defend the administration I find myself at odds with the part of DU who are as radical as I am.

Damned if I do, damned if I don't >.<

[cbayer]

4. Agree, it's a no-win situation on this site.

That's why I stay out of the debates about Obama and his administration and stay in the relatively calmer realm of religion, lol.

[pinto]

5. Good to see. CalPoly, historically pretty conservative, has a Secular Student Alliance group now.

Secular Student Alliance -

http://www.secularstudents.org/

CalPoly's chapter is Alliance of Happy Atheists. Their detailed membership policy seems fitting for a polytechnic university -

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, gender identity, language, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnicity, veteran status, religious belief, religious non-belief, political beliefs, prior history or anything(!) else. We believe in the fundamental equality and access to equal opportunity of all individuals. We welcome all atheists, agnostics, skeptics, deists, freethinkers, humanists, secularists, naturalists, brights and those friendly to non-theists to join us at one of our many events.

[cbayer]

6. I like that. If we modified it to "those friendly to non-theists and theists"

it would be a great membership criteria for this group.

[pinto]

7. Yeah. They practice that though, from what I've seen.

Every year all the CalPoly social / cultural / religious groups have a get-together in the park near my house. Booths, BBQ, entertainment, etc.

It's good to see how conversant and comfortable they all are with each other. I've seen them visit one group or another. Hang out a bit. Suspect they're talking about next week's physics exam or what's happening downtown - yet no conflicts among these kids that I could see.

10 -20 years ago it would be unthinkable. In this town and this university. Good to see.

[cbayer]

8. A trend I hope is growing.

There is so much power in forming coalitions that agree that religious beliefs or non-beleifs might be important to individuals, but don't need to be barriers to alliances.

Good for the kids.

[dimbear]

9. Atheists might feel more comfortable in a 'commonweal' or 'ecumenical' meeting.

Especially those who realize ecumenical derives from a word which had no religious meaning.

[cbayer]

10. I agree, dimbear. I would like to see a change in the nomenclature that would

more accurately reflect the group.

Perhaps the non-theists that attend this meeting will suggest exactly that.