The Freethought Society will once again cosponsor an international Secular Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos Secular Zoom event on Thursday, November 2, 2023. The bilingual event will start at 4:00 PM (PDT)/7:00 PM (EDT). Other sponsors are Hispanic American Freethinkers, Black Nonbelievers, Center For Inquiry, Freedom From Religion Foundation, and the Secular Coalition for America.
If you would like to see a pre-event video addressing the “appropriations” question, please log into to the event 15-minutes early. We will be showing the 2022 educational and entertaining video created by Secular Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos Secular board member Memo Benumea. The video can also be seen any time at the below link:
A Secular Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos Secular event is a celebration of life. Nontheist Hispanics view this day as a perfect way to remember the legacies of dead loved ones in a way that does not require prayer, church, or religious dogma. To nontheists our legacies are our afterlife. More and more people are abandoning their religious upbringing but still want to celebrate the beauty of their culture. This is why a Secular Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos Secular event was created.
The 2023 event will include many secularly designed Hispanic traditions and rituals that celebrate life legacies, cultural heritage, and our one and only life. All are welcome.
We are pleased to host author Hector A. Garcia as the 2023 keynote speaker. Garcia is the author of Alpha God: The Psychology of Religious Violence and Oppression and Sex, Power, And Partisanship.
Actor Jon Huertas will open the program with a special message. He has starred in the television series This is Us, Castle, and many others. He is also a Hollywood director and producer.
The 2023 Secular Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos Secular program will include musical performances and unique presentations by Rolando Ávila, Martin Bonfil, Abraham Lopez LeFuente, Daniel Zepeda, and Salvador Leon Beltrán.
Attendees are encouraged to participate in the honoring ceremony. Three-to-five-minute videos can be sent to the following event organizer: margaret@FtSociety.org. Videos must be received by October 8, 2023. If honoring the life of a loved one on the evening of the event, please keep memorial remarks under five minutes.
Prizes will be awarded for the best Zoom box decor, face painting, honoring table, and hair/hat adornment.
Below is the international event registration link as well as the Freethought Society Meetup page link:
The 2022 Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular Online Event
Photos From the 2022 Día de los Muertos Secular Event
HumanLight 2022
Yes, I am Islamophobic* by Glen Loev
Everyone is a Blasphemer by Herb Silverman
House Bill 6720 Signed Into Law by President Biden
My Secular Student Stance is Unwavering by Octavius Tan
The 2022 Tree of Knowledge Decorating Event
The Murambi Youth Humanist Organization’s Beekeeping Project by Mumbere Rafert
Freethought Society Five-Month Calendar
Donation and Information Page
We hope that you will remain or become an active supporter of the great work FS is doing. Please donate to the general fund or select a project you want to help sponsor. All donations to FS are tax-deductible (EIN: 23-2738574).
If the Ezine inspires you to become more actively involved with FS, please provide us with your contact information, including your phone number and mailing address.
Special events are being planned in your area so don’t miss an opportunity to participate further. All personal information is confidential and will not be shared with other organizations.
The Freethought Society will once again cosponsor a Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Zoom event on Wednesday, November 2, 2022. The bilingual event will start at 3:45 PM (PST)/6:45 PM (EST). Other sponsors are Center For Inquiry, Hispanic American Freethinkers, American Ethical Union, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
A Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular event is a celebration of life. Nontheist Hispanics view the Secular Day of the Dead as a perfect way to remember the legacies of dead loved ones in a way that does not require prayer, church, or religious dogma. To nontheists, our legacies are our afterlife. More and more people are abandoning their religious upbringing but still want to celebrate the beauty of their culture. This is why a Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular event was created.
The 2022 event will include many secularly designed Hispanic traditions and rituals that celebrate our one and only life, legacies, and cultural heritage. All are welcome.
We are pleased to host author Fernando Alcantar as the 2022 speaker. Actor Jon Huertas will open the program with a special message.
The Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular program will include performances by Luis Alberto Torres Castro, Kaneko Leyva, Juan Antonio Garcia Hernandez, Daniel Zepeda, and Salvador Leon.
Attendees are encouraged to participate in the honoring ceremony. Prizes will be awarded to the best Zoom box decor, face painting, honoring table, and hair/hat adornment. Below is the event agenda, but details will be updated every week.
Agenda
3:45 PM (PST)/6:45 PM (EST) Pre-Event Social
Comedian Luis Alberto Torres Castro will present a hilarious bilingual skit during this 15-minute time slot.
4:00 PM (PST)/7:00 PM (EST) Welcome
Bilingual welcome messages from Huertas, organizers and cosponsors Guillermo Alejandro Benumea, Bart Worden, Crescencio Sanchez, Robyn Blumner, Dan Barker, Annie Laurie Gaylor, Victoria de la Torre, Margaret Downey, and David Tamayo.
4:30 PM (PST)/7:30 PM (EST) Guest Speaker
Fernando Alcántar, “Free to Love: Life Lessons from Our Dead”
5:00 PM (PST)/8:00 PM (EST) Honoring Ceremony
Reservations are being taken for speakers who want to celebrate the life of a dead loved one. Filmed or live presentations are welcomed. Send films and transcripts prior to October 10th to the following email address: Margaret@FtSociety.org
Reserve your 3-5 minute in-person time slot at the following email address: Victoria@FtSociety.org
The 2021 Secular Day of the Dead / Día de los Muertos Secular
A Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular event is a celebration of life. Nontheist Hispanic/Latin people and others view the Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular as a perfect way to remember the legacy of dead loved ones that does not require prayer, church, or religious dogma. To nontheists, our legacies are our afterlife.
The Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular event will include many redesigned and religion-free Hispanic/Latin traditions and rituals that celebrate our one and only life, legacies, and cultural heritage.
More and more people are abandoning their religious upbringing but still want to celebrate the beauty of the Hispanic/Latin culture. This is why a Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular was created. The 2021 Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular will be presented as a Zoom event on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 with special attention to Spanish speaking participants. The 2021 Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular is cosponsored by The Freethought Society, Hispanic American Freethinkers, American Atheists, Center for Inquiry, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Secular Student Alliance, Secular Coalition for America, and Atheists United.
Entertainment and chatting opportunities with like-minded individuals will take place during this 15-minute time slot, featuring a mini-concert by John Davidson – a Hollywood legend and musical stage star who lived in Mexico and speaks Spanish.
4:00 (PST)/7:00 PM (EST) Welcome
Bilingual welcome by organizers and cosponsors Robyn Blumner, Victoria de la Torre, Margaret Downey, Nick Fish, Annie Laurie Gaylor, Dan Barker, David Tamayo, Kevin Bolling-Hey, Debbie Allen, and Sergio Ortega-Rodriguez. Cosponsors and organizers will each light a candle to honor a “Secular Saint” of historic significance. A Spanish Speakers Zoom Room and an English Speakers Zoom Room will be offered to participants at this time. A musical interlude will be provided by cellist Rich Rodriquez as people divide into their preferred language Zoom Rooms.
4:30 PM (PST)/7:30 PM (EST) Guest Speakers
Julia Sweeney Interviews Jon Huertas
“From Heartsick and Holy to Happy Heathen”
5:00 PM (PST)/8:00 PM (EST) Honoring Ceremony
Reservations are being taken for speakers who want to celebrate the life of a dead loved one. Reserve a 3-5-minute time slot by emailing SecularDayoftheDead@FtSociety.org
The Honoring Ceremony will open with dedications from author Fernando Alcántar, Ethical Culture Leader Hugh Taft-Morales, activist and president of Atheists United Christina Magallanes-Jones, educator Consuelo Cortes-Fleming, and photographer John Jones-Cortes.
The musical interlude will feature Margarita Reyna and James Nunnelley performing a Cumbia dance.
After the reserved speaking spots conclude, the Zoom spotlighting function will be available for anyone who would like to participate. The screen share function will be enabled so that speakers can display photos of the person being honored. The honoring of a pet is also welcomed.
Prizes will be awarded and mailed to participants who the cosponsors determine to have the best Secular Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos Secular themed clothing, Zoom setting, face painting, face mask, and hair adornment.
The end time of this event is unknown. Anyone who would like to honor a dead loved one will have an opportunity to do so before we conclude with a mini-concert by Gary Stockdale and Abraham Steve Mackey.
To see what was done last year, see our YouTube recordings of the 2020 celebration!
Report on the First Online International Secular Day of the Dead / Día de los Muertos Secular
2020 International Secular Day of the Dead Event Photos
Hate Speech and the Religious Right to be a Bigot by Herb Silverman
Facts About the Amish by Margaret Downey
Honoring the Life and Work of James “The Amazing” Randi by Various Contributors
Freethought Society Four-Month Zoom Calendar
Donation and Information Page
James Randi
We hope that you will remain or become an active supporter of the great work FS is doing. Please donate to the general fund or select a project you want to help sponsor. All donations to FS are tax-deductible!
If the Ezine inspires you to become more actively involved with FS, please provide us with your contact information, including your phone number and mailing address.
Special events are being planned in your area so don’t miss an opportunity to participate further. All personal information is confidential and will not be shared with other organizations.
We want supporters to stay informed at all times. To keep updated about events, meetings and issues, please sign up to participate in the FS Discussion List.
