I just received an email from our featured speaker, Dr. Monika Havelka, saying that her daughter has contracted H1N1 flu, and Monika thinks she is coming down with it too. So, … we will reschedule her visit to a later meeting. Tomorrow we will meet as planned, at 7pm the Barrie Native Friendship Centre (175 Bayfield). In lieu of Dr. Havelka, we will present:

Saturday Night Live comic actor Julia Sweeney’s video: Letting Go of God
When two young Mormon missionaries knock on her door one day, it touches off Julia’s “quest for something I could really believe in” — which turns out to be no God at all. In the process she explores love, cancer, family and faith.

For those inclined to break bread before the meeting, see you as usual at 5pm at the Swiss Chalet, 397 Bayfield.

Sorry about the late notice. And please, … stay healthy or stay home!

The Central Ontario Humanist Association’s Wednesday, October 28th, meeting will feature Dr. Monika Havelka giving her extraordinary presentation on the emerging biological specialty of “evo-devo” — the application of evolutionary theory to the development of all life forms, including us of course. We will see you at the Barrie Native Friendship Centre, 175 Bayfield St. Doors open at 6:30pm. Our usual pre-meeting dinner will be at the Swiss Chalet, 397 Bayfield, 5:00pm.

Hello Everyone,

A record 38 people attended our September meeting. And two first timers wanted to become members on the spot. Momentum is building!

Thanks to fellow member Klaus Kuch, we learned about behaviorism in everyday life.

This was our first experience in the Barrie Native Friendship Centre (175 Bayfield Street, south of #400). We were supposed to meet in their Board Room, but a very heavy roll of carpet took up so much room that at the last minute we decided to cram into a smaller room. And it was crammed. As October’s meeting could enjoy an even larger turnout, I’ve asked the Centre to move or dispose of the carpet.

Why a larger turnout? Last January a snow storm caused most of us to miss Dr. Monika Havelka’s extraordinary slide presentation. Since 2009 is Darwin’s 200th birthday, it is entirely appropriate for us to invite TVO’s twice nominated best lecturer back to tell those who missed her the first time about the exciting discoveries coming from the emerging biological specialty of “evo-devo” — the application of evolutionary theory to the development of all life forms, including us of course. Sooo, by popular demand,… I am pleased to announce she will be treating us to a repeat performance at our October 28 meeting (this time the weather gods will cooperate). There will be ample time for questions, and I intend to ask her about the even newer field of epigenetics.

I expect many non-members, as Barrieites, scientists and non-scientists alike, should have another chance to enjoy it. To this end, I’ve attached a publicity poster of this event. Please post a copy on your favorite grocery store’s bulletin board or other places.

In other news, COHA is now officially a non-profit corporation. This should enable us to meet at the Barrie Public Library during 2010.

More potentially good news: In a recent revision of their affiliation rules, it appears that the Humanist Association of Canada will now permit us to issue tax receipts. We are in the process of confirming this revision.

Warm regards,
Paul
President, Central Ontario Humanists Association

Hello fellow Humanists and Humanist-friendly people,

I have 4 interesting things to tell you.

1. Vote for November’s video presentation
2. Last months presentation available online
3. Discussion group
4. Richard Dawkins’ new book available at next meeting
5. Humanist social / meet-up

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1. Vote for November’s video presentation

The November presentation and AGM is coming up it less than two months. We will be having a video presentation and want you to vote on which short video we will use to start a discussion on November 25th (that’s next month). Please respond to this email with your selection of one of the following three videos:

a) *Jonathan Haidt* on secular morality

Associate Professor of Psychology Jonathan Haidt, author of /The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion/ discusses where innate morality comes from in a secular, naturalistic world view. Also, how morality intersects with politics on the left and the right as well as with religion.

b) *Dan Dennett* on dangerous memes

Starting with the simple tale of an ant, philosopher Dan Dennett unleashes a devastating salvo of ideas, making a powerful case for the existence of memes — concepts that are literally alive.

c) *Julia Sweeney* on letting go of God

This video features Julia Sweeney (of Saturday Night Live fame) giving a sample of her one-woman show ‘Letting Go of God’. This delightful and thought provoking video intertwines a young ladies coming of age story and humour and Julia Sweeney discussions he deconversion from the Catholic faith.

Please respond to this email before October 26th to make your vote count, only a few weeks away.

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2. Last months presentation available online

You can now download last months presentation of the psychology of bahaviourism from our website in MP3 form and the slides. Go to the following website:

http://www.cohumanists.ca/2009/behaviorism-and-daily-life/

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3. Discussion group

At the last meeting I told everyone that we had started an email discussion group. We now have 6 people signed up, and they are interesting people! We have been talking about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and what the proper etiquette for people who don’t believe in gods actually is. Is it more respectful to sit in silence while others pray out loud? Is it mocking their beliefs to pretend to pray or accept communion? Is it disrespectful to not sit down until the hand-holding grace-saying pre-meal festivities are over? What if you are the host and religious people are coming to your house?

Sign up and take part in future conversations. We are inviting all atheist, agnostics, skeptics, freethinkers and otherwise Humanist-friendly people in the area and beyond to join the discussion. You don’t need to be a member.

Email shawn @ cohumanists.ca to be added to this email distribution list so you can participate or just listen.

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4. Richard Dawkins’ new book available at next meeting

We are pleased to announce that at this months presentation we will have copies of Richard Dawkins’ new book ‘The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution’. This book is a return to Richard Dawkins’ first interest, evolution. Rather than a critical look on religion this is a biology book. A minimum donation of $20 to COHA is required for you to pick up this book at our next meeting.

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5. Humanist social / meet-up

A bunch of us are getting together at William’s Coffee Pub on Bryne Dr. on Wednesday, October 20th, 2009 at 7:30 PM. If you would like good company come on down and hang out with us. Everyone is welcome to join. This is behind the south-end Wal~Mart.

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Have a good October!