Gwinnett Support Group for Non-Theists (GUST - Gwinnett: Understanding Secular Truths)

This may be the group for you: if your world view is naturalistic, if you favor reason, logic, and science over ancient knowledge, mystical experiences, and revelation, if you prefer to explore meaning and purpose in direct and clear language rather than through myth and metaphor, and if you are highly skeptical of efforts to beam healing energy, communicate with the non-corporal, implement the law of attraction, or otherwise use magic to work outside of known physical processes. We will explore the challenge of community building for individuals that can't even agree on a group name*. If that proves too challenging, at least we will share laughter, perspectives, knowledge, and some of our values.

Where

Plans are to meet at UUCG on 12 Bethesda Church Road in Lawrenceville.We are trying to provide a local meeting place for those who are too far from other area groups.

Meeting Plans

This is an experiment in community building.

We expect to learn as we go, so we do expect our plans to change. We plan to meet monthly on a week night between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM. We will start out with 15 minutes or so of an informal get together. We will then spend approximately a half hour on a prepared program. This will consist of things such as; inspirational quotes, news items, music , something humorous, something to ponder, heroes and role models, etc. The reminder of the time will be for open discussion and socialization.

Expect to enjoy a woo-free evening.

Why

Why try to bring such a group together? Can't naturalistic truths be taught through books, the internet and other media? Haven't some argued that it is only the "deluded" that need to prop up their faith through intentional communities? Maybe, but maybe not. As human animals our needs are not necessarily all rational and maybe we can be nurtured by local support and celebration of our values. In any case it should be worthwhile spending some time and sharing perspectives with a group of like people who also:

• feel far outnumbered in their local communities
• value and believe in truth
• occasionally like to vent a little against the supernatural and woo communities
• recognize the wonderful gift that life is in the here and now
• don't own or acknowledge a presumed collective guilt
• want to use the best available knowledge and methods to address life's problems and to make life full of meaning

Who

We expect participants to be those who reject supernatural explanations. Perhaps self- identified as Secularists, Humanists, Brights, Skeptics, Naturalists, Non-believers, Rationalists, Infidels, Non-theists, Freethinkers, Atheists, Agnostics, Normals, or similar.

Everyone is welcome. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Gwinnett (UUCG) is providing the meeting space. While some participants may be affiliated with UUCG such affiliation is not required nor is there any direct connection between the groups.

Some links of People we like:

• http://www.centerforinquiry.net/
• http://www.the-brights.net/
• http://www.secularhumanism.org/
• http://www.naturalism.org/
• http://richarddawkins.net/
• http://skepdic.com/
• http://ffrf.org/
• http://www.rationalresponders.com/
• http://www.friendlyatheist.com/
• http://www.atheists.org/
• http://whydoesgodhateamputees.com/

Mailing list

If you.d like to me on the mailing list for future announcements please send an email to UUCGGUST@gmail.com. We won.t share it outside this group and mass mailings will be done through "bcc" lists to keep your address confidential.

If You Are Nervous about Coming

• We Promise:
• There will be no collection
• There will be no prostylitizing
• We.re not seeking volunteers for anything
• Ask you to
• We are only seeking your company for the meeting and only want attendance estimates so we can get the right sized room
• But We May at Some Time:
• Light a candle
• Sing a song (but not more than one)
• We Hope we won.t get sidetracked by:
• quantum flapdoodle,
• pseudo science,
• and other magical thinking topics