Announcement List for the Virginia Atheists & Agnostics

[John Kubinski <>]

Small change to the location of this week's meeting: We will be in Chemistry 305 on Tuesday.

Additional news notes:

(1) A debate over the existence of god is occurring this Thursday at Liberty University, featuring a member of the Freethinkers at Virginia Tech. Frank is driving down with some VAAers. Email him at to join in!
Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events/135072193338635

(2) I will be leading a discussion this Friday at the Christian Study Center (I know, right), on the question of whether evolutionary psychology can explain why belief in the soul and other forms of dualism are very intuitive, but false viewpoints (spoilers: yes.) Email me for details.

(3) This Friday, local radio WTJU will be featuring a small story about our Send an Atheist to Church fundraiser. Tune in between 9:00 and 10:00 A.M.

On Mon, Mar 25, 2013 at 3:39 AM, John Kubinski <> wrote:

Hello VAA,

Our social meeting on Tuesday night will consist of traditional community dancing (e.g. this) and be led by our vice president, Elizabeth. Theoretical motivation for this activity: Synchronized dance is a powerful part of human nature, employed by evolution to promote social bonding amongst our ancestors. Elizabeth will be exploiting that legacy in this community enhancing endeavor. The meeting will be held at: Chemistry 260, Tues 3/26, 7:00 P.M.

This week, in addition to our weekly meeting, we will be tabling for Send An Atheist to Church. This event essentially consists of enticing religious people to donate to charities by promising that some nonbelievers from our club will attend their particular church in exchange for their donation. There is a competitive aspect though, in which the atheists that we send to church will go to particular churches/sects in proportion to how much that church/sect donated relative to other churches. We raise money for a local secular charity (The Haven), and religious passer-bys get a chance at saving our souls.

It is not easy to organize a philanthropy event of this nature, and we need your help for it to be successful! Specifically: we need VAAers who will be willing to take some shifts tabling for us this week AND also atheists who can commit in advance to attending a church (with at least one atheist buddy.) No seriously, sign up to do these things. "But John, how can I effectively and clearly express my commitment, as is responsible to do as a member of this club, for this super awesome event that plays on religious sectarianism to the advantage of secular philanthropy and atheism's public image?" Well, we have doodle polls below where you can fulfill your atheist duties.

To sign up for hour long tabling shifts during Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of this week: http://www.doodle.com/anuzxy3qxfcdskna

To sign up to be an atheist-who-will-go-to-church: http://doodle.com/k8pxsy9nqkyyyzp2

Tabling will consist of collecting donations and explaining to people what we are doing. At the table, we will have different jars for different religious denominations to put money into. Any time you can offer to help with tabling is appreciated. With that said, you should make sure you understand what to do when you are there. Sending a clear and simple message is of utmost importance. You should be announcing, "Send An Atheist to Church!," possibly adding, "for charity." When someone asks you what you are up to, you should say: "Send an Atheist to Church is a charity fundraiser for The Haven, a local organization that helps Charlottesville's poor and homeless. In exchange for a donation, you can help send an atheist to a religious house of worship of your choosing. *point to collection jars labeled with different denominations* Find your church here, or write yours down. The more money donated in a church's name, the more atheists we will send there."

If they inquire further, explain that we will be sending atheists to church based on the percentage of total donations we receive in the name of any given church; to safely earn one atheist attendant, a church should try to reach at least 10% of the donation total. 

Additionally, a material concern: if you have a smart phone, try to bring it; we are to have the credit-card swipe peripheral available for people to make donations with.

Finally, this Sunday we will be having Easter dinner as a club; more details in the near future.

Godlessly,

John Kubinski

VAA President