Religious exemptions: An excess of privilege, by Ken Burrows: Freethought Views, November 2021

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Religious exemptions: An excess of privilege

By Ken Burrows

More than a century ago, in Jacobson v. Massachusetts, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) upheld a state’s mandatory smallpox vaccination law over the objection of a pastor who claimed the law violated his religious freedom. The Court stated: “Upon the principle of self-defense, of paramount necessity, a community has the right to protect itself against an epidemic of disease which threatens the safety of its members.”

Freethinkers Women's group meeting

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It is great to see the enthusiasm! At our FIRST TWO meetings we have seen dozens of new members step forward to get active with this group.   Today there are some concerns about the COVID rise in our area and others who are finding it challenging to get out in the evening, so we are going to try a hybrid model for this month's meeting.
Those who want to meet in person, show up as usual. Those who would rather not meet in person, please join us Join Zoom Meeting :

Thwarted Freedoms, by Groff Schroeder: Freethought Views, September October 2021

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Thwarted Freedoms

By Groff Schroeder

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends that adolescent girls visit a gynecologist by age thirteen. In Texas today, this medically important and once deeply private coming of age event for adolescent girls and their families presents significant financial and personal risk. In apparent violation of their oaths of office under the United States Constitution, on September 1, 2021, conservative fundamentalist Texas politicians advanced Law SB 8 into force. On the same day, also in apparent violation of their oaths of office, five justices of the United States Supreme Court allowed SB 8 to become law, ignoring the fact that SB 8 uses circuitous means to thwart many civil rights and human freedoms enumerated in the Bill of Rights. Specifically, SB 8 makes most abortions illegal, enlists “any person” to enforce Texas law (aka vigilantes) through civil suit, pays court fees and at least $10,000 if they prevail, eliminates double jeopardy protection and most legal defenses for the accused, and establishes state law enforced, defacto reproductive enslavement of women and girls to rapists. SB 8 grants sweeping new powers over the lives, bodies, and reproductive processes of women and girls to state government, vigilantes, rapists, and basically anyone and everyone - except women and girls.

 

Freethinkers Shared Dinner, Drinks and Chat

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The Freethinkers' Monthly social for October on Saturday the 9 th. will be at the Becky and Gary's house. Start time is 5 pm and things should be winding down around 8. The house is off Academy Blvd near Woodman Road. There is good street parking, a nice patio for outside sitting, and a great dining area a living room areas for good separation, so do bring your Freethinking friends. We are seeking volunteers for the Covid Vaccination record review. Please bring yours..!!

Another Religion, by Groff Schroeder: Freethought Views, October 2020

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Another Religion

by Groff Schroeder

 

Since the dawn of time, spontaneous abortion (“miscarriage”), defects, illness, inadequate finances or support etc. have created life and death medical necessities related to problem and unintended pregnancies. Today, numerous effective forms of birth control help to reduce both pregnancy and abortion. Planned Parenthood and other medical care providers provide not only various forms of low cost preventative health care, but also free and reduced cost birth control, and between 2009 and 2017, participation in Colorado's pioneering LARC (long acting reversible contraception) experiment yielded a 35% decrease in birth rate and a 41% decrease in abortion for women ages 20 and 24 years, and a 50% decrease in birth rate and a 60% decrease in abortion for women between 16 and 19.

 

The limits to religious freedom, by Ken Burrows: Freethought Views, September 2020

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The limits to religious freedom

By Ken Burrows

 

The novel coronavirus pandemic has told us a lot about the origins of disease agents, infection risks, society’s response to an outbreak, and more. Less prominent in the headlines has been a separate but pivotal COVID-19 risk issue: the danger of allowing “religious freedom” claims to pose virus-related harm to others.

Goodbye Jan Brazill

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Goodbye Jan Brazill

Jan Brazill, a lifelong voice for women’s rights and for separation of church and state passed away on May 15th 2020 at the age of 93. Jan was a long-time member and enthusiastic supporter of the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs.

TAKING ACTION by Jim "Hawk" Hawkins

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TAKING ACTION

by Jim "Hawk" Hawkins

 

We are aware of the urgencies facing our nation and the world. The American Humanist Association publishes resolutions on key issuesi which address the critical issues of climate change, affirming human rights, fighting for voting rights and the equal rights amendment for women’s equality, and protecting ourselves (especially our children) from gun violence. Such urgencies cause a variety of responses from each of us, from indifference to protest to outright civic disobedience, and the activity of the people will range from apathy to activism.

Freethinkers Sunday Morning Dialogue call

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This is a Zoom version of our long running Sunday morning discussion session. Everyone is welcome. We use a normal conversational style. Speakers are expected to limit their remarks and yield the floor when others want to speak.We occasionally invite guest speakers and let them have 20 or 30 minute to deliver their message then more on to dialogue.

Religion’s limits, by Ken Burrows: Freethought Views, November 2020

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Religion’s limits

By Ken Burrows

 

While the Constitution guarantees rights such as free speech, gun ownership, peaceable assembly, and free exercise of religion, these and most other rights have limits. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes notably said in 1919 that it is not permissible to yell “fire!” in a crowded theater and cause a panic—a now popularly quoted limit on free speech. When the Supreme Court in 2008 broadened the individual’s right to bear arms, Justice Antonin Scalia noted: “Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited. [It is] not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever.” Courts have ruled that the right to peaceably assemble can be limited if it can be demonstrated that a gathering raises a clear and present danger of violence or similar threat to public safety.

 

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Join the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs, support the publication of the Freethought Views column in the Colorado Springs Independent, participate in Freethinkers of Colorado Springs events (most are free anyway), and receive a monthly newsletter.

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Propaganda Techniques

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Propaganda Techniques

Organized techniques of propaganda (a.k.a. weaponized deception) have been successfully applied in politics and war since at least World War One - and probably since the dawn of war.  Although few people understand propaganda today, books on propaganda and were best sellers in the 1920's.  Propaganda is so powerful it was used to trick the educated and egalitarian people of Germany into a disastrous Second World War some 20 years later after their disastrous participation in the First World War. 

God's Words?

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God’s Words?

by David Eckert

     Many religious belief systems represent their gods as benevolent, omniscient, and omnipotent, and their religion's holy texts as "the word of God."

Goodbye Jan Brazill

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Goodbye Jan Brazill

Jan Brazill, a lifelong voice for women’s rights and for separation of church and state passed away on May 15th 2020 at the age of 93. Jan was a long-time member and enthusiastic supporter of the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs.

Respect for Whose Life? by Jan Brazill

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Respect for Whose Life?

by Jan Brazill

March 1, 2017

 

Our newly elected president has just rushed to reinstate the “Mexico City policy,” otherwise known as the “global gag rule.” This prevents non-governmental organizations working abroad from receiving federal funding for family planning if they perform abortions or even talk to their clients about abortion. (The rule applies even though clinics are prohibited from using US funds for abortions anyway.)

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