2009 SOFREE Winter Solstice Party
SATURDAY DECEMBER 19
6:30 pm
Marcelo's Restaurant
2435 Eagle Street North
Cambridge, Ontario
(east of Hespeler Rd; beside auto glass shop)
Join us for our fabulous annual winter solstice get-together! This year we offer an authentic Italian feast at Marcelo’s Restaurant – truly a hidden gem in Cambridge. Every meal is freshly prepared by a master chef and we get a private room for our party.
PAID RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE BY DECEMBER 16.
SOFREE members $25. Non members $35.
Remembrance Day Lecture & Discussion
Canada's Citizen Soldiers 1603-2009:
the people we honour on Remembrance Day
Main Branch Auditorium
Kitchener Public Library
85 Queen Street North, Kitchener
Wed November 11, 2009
7:00 - 8:00 pm
Guest Speaker: Doug Thomas
Teacher, author, publisher
Free admission
29th Annual World Religions Conference
Saturday October 24, 2009
Humanities Theatre, Hagey Hall, University of Waterloo
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
How do different faiths and philosophies explain the relevance of god in today’s world of science, economic uncertainty and cultural diversity? Join the Society of Ontario Freethinkers for a day filled with interesting speakers, booth displays and complimentary lunch and refreshments. The objective of this year's conference is to bring scholars from different faith groups and philosophical traditions together to present and discuss the relevance of god in today’s world. The speakers are expected to describe relevant teachings and traditions as well as to elaborate on the underpinnings of such works.
SOFREE is pleased to participate in this annual event, the largest multi-philosophy event in Canada, as it gives atheists and agnostics the opportunity to share our secular views with hundreds of people, diminishes prejudice and encourages open dialogue and cooperation on important issues. We are delighted to welcome back renowned speaker/activist/songwriter DAN BARKER as our guest speaker. Dan is a longtime SOFREE supporter and his profile is listed below.
If you can help us out at this event, please complete the reservation form: http://www.sofree.ca/event-reservation-form/
For more information about the conference, go to: www.WorldReligionsConference.org
Dan Barker
Dan received a degree in Religion from Azusa Pacific University and was ordained to the ministry by the Standard Community Church, California, in 1975. During 19 years of preaching, he slowly drifted away from the ministry and finally came out publicly to his family and friends as an atheist in 1984. A successful musician, Dan has composed and published over 200 songs. He is currently co-president with his wife, Annie Laurie Gaylor, of the Freedom From Religion Foundation , a U.S. Freethought organization that promotes the separation of church and state. A published author, Dan’s first book was called Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist , and his second book is called Godless . He has appeared on dozens of national radio and television programs including Phil Donahue , Oprah Winfrey , and Good Morning America and is the co-host of Freethought Radio , a Wisconsin-based radio program for atheists, agnostics, and humanists that has included interviews with Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Steven Pinker, and Julia Sweeney. On October 6, 2007, Freethought Radio ’s weekly broadcast was picked up nationally by Air America. This became the first ever national atheist radio broadcast: Freethought Radio, on Air America. Dan is a member of the Lenni Lenape (Delaware Indian) Tribe of Native Americans, and in 1991 edited and published Paradise Remembered, a collection of his grandfather's stories as a Lenape boy in Indian Territory. Dan's father, Norman Barker, was also a musician. He performed a musical duet with Judy Garland in the 1948 film Easter Parade.
The Word On The Street (WOTS) is a national celebration of literacy and the written word. On one extraordinary Sunday each September, the public is invited to participate in author events, presentations and workshops, and to browse a marketplace that boasts a great selection of Canadian books and magazines. The Society of Ontario Freethinkers (SOFREE) is an annual presenter at the WOTS. We will have diverse books, magazines, cards and other goodies available for sale at our booth. Looking forward to seeing on on September 27!
ANNUAL SUMMER PICNIC
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Join us in Waterloo Park for our annual summer fellowship party! Bring your favourite dish and enjoy good times with your fellow Humanists. BBQ chicken will be served. Location: Corner of Young St W & Albert St in Waterloo. Please RSVP by August 10 at sofree.secretary@yahoo.ca
WATERLOO PARK
(just north of Lions Lagoon and the parking lot and west of Victorian Gardens)
3:00 - 7:00 pm
Picnic Area #5
50 Young Street West (off Albert St near University Ave W)
Click HERE for park map
Global Warming: Facts and Fallacies
WEDNESDAY MAY 27, 2009
7:30 pm
Guest speaker: Dr. Jan Narveson
* Room 1044, Science Building (adjacent to Bricker Building) *
Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo
What are the economic costs of damages from climate change? Are warming trends really unprecedented or within normal climatic variations? How do we know we are getting the facts? Join the Society of Ontario Freethinkers for a lively and controversial discussion on this important issue that affects us all.
Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Waterloo, Dr Narveson has been teaching business ethics, social philosophy, and political theory for over 30 years. His research interests include: libertarianism, anarchism, environmental philosophy, morality and social contracts. He is a prolific author, having written books and hundreds of essays, reviews and articles for publication. Despite his respected academic background, Dr Narveson’s writing style is often informal and humorous, appealing greatly to the general public. His love of music led him to found the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society - a long-running venue for classical chamber music. In 2003, Dr Narveson was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in recognition of his distinguished scholarly work that has been the impetus for informed national and international debate on social issues.
SATURDAY APRIL 18, 2009
Don't miss the debate of the year!
EVOLUTION OF ETHICS DEBATE: Science vs. Faith
6:30 pm * Innis Town Hall * U of T Campus * 2 Sussex Avenue
Are ethics divinely-inspired or man-made? Are there absolute morals? Developments in genetic research have unleashed a firestorm of issues concerning human control of creation and its impact on our future. Given that society ideals change over time, how can we determine what is morally right or wrong?
Five renowned speakers, from both the Christian and Humanist communities, will debate some of the hottest issues today, including abortion, gender, homosexuality, and biotechnology. Speakers include: Christopher diCarlo, Michael Coren, George Dvorsky, Tony Costa, and Jean Saindon.
Tickets are $15 for Humanist Canada members; $25 general public; $10 students (with ID). Appetizers, desserts, and drinks included. Speaker profiles and full event details at: www.HumanistCanada.com. Register by April 15. Seating is limited.
| EVENT TICKETS |
SATURDAY APRIL 4
7:30 pm
Wilfrid Laurier University
Bricker Academic Building
Room 101
75 University Avenue West, Waterloo
Join us for an evening of film and discussion about one of the most controversial topics and documentaries today!
Free for SOFREE members. $5 general public. Snacks & drinks included
DARWIN DAY 2009: Bicentennial Birthday Bash!
SATURDAY MARCH 7
6:30 pm
Cambridge Hotel & Conference Centre - Norfolk Room
700 Hespeler Road, Cambridge, Ontario
Enjoy a splendid hotel buffet dinner, cash bar, and an exclusive presentation by Christopher diCarlo titled:
"Darwin's Radical Idea: What You May Not Know About Evolution"
Advance: $20 members / $30 non-members / $15 kids (6-12)
Tickets going fast. Limited seating. Reserve online by MARCH 5 by choosing ticket option and clicking on Darwin fish:
| Darwin Day Tickets |
Dr diCarlo is Assistant Professor of Philosophy of Science and Bioethics at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. In 2008, he was recognized as Lecturer of the Year by TV Ontario and was honoured as Humanist of the Year at Humanist Canada's 40th anniversary celebration convention last August. His lecture tour “We Are All African” has been presented across North America and has helped raise awareness of evolutionary theory and funding for the Masai for Africa, an HIV awareness program in Lesotho, Africa.
* Click on MEMBERSHIP to join SOFREE today and enjoy additional benefits!
Celebrating Science and Humanism in Niagara
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2009
6:00 pm
Real Canadian Superstore, Community Room
4th Street and Louth Avenue
St. Catharines, Ontario
Please RSVP by Tuesday February 10 at sofree.secretary@yahoo.ca
HUMANISM: One Life. One Legacy.
SATURDAY JANUARY 31, 2009
7:30 pm
Wilfrid Laurier University
Bricker Academic Building, Room 101
Guest speaker: Doug Thomas
Doug is a published author, Humanist Network News columnist, and Managing Editor of Canadian Freethinker magazine.
Please RSVP at: sofree.secretary@yahoo.ca by Friday January 30.