Nowhere in the entire world has there been a Friday the Thirteenth online anti-superstition bash until now! Please join the Freethought Society and the Center for Inquiry (CFI) as we cure people of their superstitions during the virtual opening of the famous Friggatriskaidekaphobia Treatment Center on Friday, August 13, 2021 at 3:45 PM PDT/6:45 PM EDT. During the Pre-Event Social, singer Rich DeSimone will perform a mini-concert of Frank Sinatra songs, including “Luck be a Lady” and “Witchcraft.”
Friggatriskaidekaphobia doctors and nurses will provide long-distance treatments that will involve humorous and fun-loving interaction as superstitions are dispelled and cured. A “Clean Bill of Mental Health” will be awarded to participants who participate and follow the “doctor’s orders.” Don’t miss your chance to take an anti-horoscope consulting pledge and participate in trashing your Zodiac sign. Join us by sitting under a ladder or umbrella. Prizes for the best Zoom box will be awarded.
The 2021 Friggatriskaidekaphobia Treatment Center will be offering a continuing education session with famous Skeptic and “Anti-Superstition Professor of Rational Thinking” Benjamin Radford. His presentation is entitled “The Curse of Magical Thinking.”
Though magical thinking can seem wonderful, imbuing the world with meaning and magic, there is a darker side to it. From lucky rabbit’s feet (not so lucky for the rabbit!) to gambler’s fallacies, Radford will examine psychological, cultural, and folkloric aspects of superstition, curses, luck, and much more. Though some magical beliefs are harmless, others can have unexpectedly harmful and even deadly consequences. Learn about the history of these beliefs as well as how to replace magical beliefs with science and reason.
Radford has degrees in psychology and education, and is a Research Fellow with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He is the author of a dozen books on critical thinking, science education, and media literacy. Radford is Deputy Editor of Skeptical Inquirer science magazine and co-host of the podcast “Squaring the Strange.”
To poke fun at fortunetelling, Christina Magallanes-Jones will be attending as the Friggatriskaidekaphobia Treatment Center’s Miss Fortune Teller. She will be using her special deck of “Tarot-Bull” cards to predict your future.
We will also have a mirror breaking ceremony so have goggles, a hammer, a mirror and a trash can close by.
Please join the Freethought Society (FS), the Thomas Paine National Historical Association (TPNHA), the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), the Center for Inquiry (CFI), and the American Humanist Association (AHA) as we celebrate the 2021 Thomas Paine Day via Zoom on Tuesday, June 8, 2021.
The program begins at 3:45 PM PST/6:45 PM EST with a 15-minute Thomas Paine-themed concert by songwriter and recording artist James Klueh. BYOB to participate in toasts throughout the event. Melissa Myers (representing CFI) and Margaret Downey (representing FS) are the event co-hosts.
After an introductory statement from Congressman Jamie Raskin, co-sponsor organizations will welcome everyone to the event (Annie Laurie Gaylor, Robyn Blumner, Mandisa Thomas, Gary Berton and Margaret Downey). A summary of the life and work of Thomas Paine will be presented in sections by co-sponsor representatives:
Mandisa Thomas (AHA) Tom Flynn (CFI) Andrew Seidel (FFRF) Margaret Downey (FS) Gary Berton (TPNHA)
Sculptor Zenos Frudakis will show the progress of the Thomas Paine statue project and Dan Barker, co-president of FFRF, will perform his original song The World is My Country. After a short break a question-and-answer portion of the event will begin. Toasts and favorite Paine quotations are welcome
The Freethought Society is pleased to host standup comedian and author Leighann Lord on Saturday, March 13, 2021. The Zoom event starts with a pre-event chat session at 11:45 AM PST/2:45 PM EST. The formal presentation begins at Noon PST/3:00 PM EST.
The title of Lord’s presentation is “I’m not funny. What I am is Brave!” In an interview-style format, she will be talking about her career as a professional standup comedian who happens to be a secularist and a skeptic. After the interview session, Lord will be taking questions. After a break, plan to stay for a post-event happy hour/social.
Lord was the 2013 New York City face of the African Americans for Humanism outreach campaign sponsored by the Center for Inquiry (CFI) and its “Millions Living Happily Without Religion” campaign. Lord is a former co-host of the Emmy-nominated “StarTalk” with Neil de Grasse Tyson and has been the emcee for several Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CFI’s skeptic arm) conferences. She is the author of “Dict Jokes” and “Real Women Do It Standing Up.”
Freethought Society (FS) is pleased to host filmmaker Jeremiah Camara on Saturday, February 27, 2021.
The Zoom event starts with a pre-event chat session at 11:45 AM PST/2:45 PM EST. The formal presentation begins at Noon PST/3:00 PM EST.
Camara’s speech title is “What Does He Do?” His presentation will be discussing the uselessness of religious belief in modern times and how gods perform in times of crisis.
Camara is the director and producer of the documentary film Contradiction: A Question of Faith, which examines the saturation of churches in African American communities coexisting with poverty and powerlessness. After a break, plan to stay for a post-event happy hour/social.
RSVP at the below Meetup link to participate in this event:
“What Does He Do?” A presentation by Jeremiah Camara
Saturday, Feb 27, 2021, 2:45 PM
Online event ,
20 Freethinkers Attending
The Freethought Society is pleased to host filmmaker Jeremiah Camara on Saturday, February 27, 2021. The Zoom event starts with a pre-event chat session at 11:45 AM PST/2:45 PM EST. The formal presentation begins at Noon PST/3:00 PM EST. Camara’s speech title is “What Does He Do?” His presentation will be discussing the uselessness of religious bel…
FS is pleased to host author and attorney Andrew L. Seidel on Saturday, October 10, 2020 at 3:00 PM (EDT)/Noon (PDT) for an online Zoom meeting. Seidel’s presentation, “The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is Un-American,” is based on his book by the same name.
Please note the information under the headline of this page to learn how you can obtain the Zoom link by registering as a member of the FS Meetup.
Seidel is the Director of Strategic Response at the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). When not fighting for the First Amendment with FFRF, Andrew writes for Slate, ThinkProgress, Religion News Service, Rewire News and many other publications.
Renowned constitutional scholar Erwin Chemerinsky described The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is Un-American as “a beautifully written book” that “explodes a frequently expressed myth: that the United States was created as a Christian nation.”
Seidel’s book illustrates that not only is the United States not a Christian nation, but Judeo-Christian principles are fundamentally opposed to the values on which America was founded. Religion, law, and history will collide in this presentation. Seidel will discuss his book and field questions.
