No October Meeting, Freethinker Field trip instead

[Dardedar]

Big news freethinkers. For the first time ever we are going to skip a regularly scheduled freethinker meeting and go to the movies instead. I know what you are thinking, "it must be a doosey." We hoped and we prayed that the timing would work out and apparently either the hoping or the praying worked.

Bill Maher's hot new movie, Religulous, will be coming to our local theater and as far as we know it is the only theater in Arkansas showing it.

Doug recently mentioned that we have been doing some heavy lifting with our movie viewing lately. First it was discrimination and violence against the gay community with "The Bible Tells Me So." Then we sat and watched in horror as religious nut Jim Jones inspired 900 people to drink the kool-aid. At the last meeting it was Constantine's bloody Christian sword as it cleared the way for... the Holocaust. We've seen the horror show side of religion, it's time to loosen it up a bit and have a good goddamn laugh!

Arthur Schopenhauer once observed:

“There is no absurdity so palpable but that it may be firmly planted in the human head if only you begin to inculcate it before the age of five, by constantly repeating it with an air of great solemnity.”

Over a hundred years ago Robert Ingersoll made this point:

"Laughing has always been considered by theologians as a crime. Ministers have always said you will have no respect for our ideas unless you are solemn. Solemnity is a condition precedent to believing anything without evidence. And if you can only get a man solemn enough, awed enough, he will believe anything."

And this still goes on today. Religion belongs in a special category and is too sacred to be questioned or criticized. Bill Maher says this is the one whale he has "always wanted to harpoon" and with this movie he finally got to do it. We have high hopes for it. Reports are that it is packing the house where it plays and is receiving standing ovations. Rottontomatoes.com gives it combined critical review score of 70% fresh and it is the 16th highest grossing movie in the nation while only playing on 540 screens (the 15 movies with higher gross earnings are playing on an average of 2,248 screens).

So here is the plan. This Saturday, instead of a formal meeting at the library we will go to the movies and watch Religulous. Showtime is 1:35pm. Let's meet out front on the sidewalk at 1:00 pm.

And it gets better. If you are student or a senior we've got you covered. A donor is donating the first 20 tickets. Once all the students and seniors are accounted for, if you show up early enough you might get in free too. If not, tickets are only $4.

Freethinker Movie Details:

When: Saturday, October 25, 2008

Where: AMC Fiesta Square 16
3033 N. College, Fayetteville, AR, 72703
(479) 575-0393

Here is a map: http://tinyurl.com/5nu2d4

Time: The movie starts at 1:35 pm. We'll be gathering at 1:00 on the front sidewalk to have an informal discussion and cover some meeting business before we go for the popcorn.

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Addendum. We have just been tipped off about this two day lecture at the North West Arkansas Community College this Friday and Saturday:

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YOU ARE INVITED TO:

“A Journey of Inquiry!”

{At North West Arkansas Community College’s front entrance, (BURNS HALL/White Auditorium), in Bentonville Arkansas, (just look for the signs once you get to the NWACC Campus).

October 24th at 7pm – Science proves there is a Designer/a.k.a. “God”

October 25th at 2pm – Dr. Pandit will use his experience to dissect each of the various religions, to see how each stand-up to critical analysis.

*Please note that this is not a religious seminar, it is a seminar of “Inquiry” that has Theistic ties. – Please come with any/all questions surrounding Science, Philosophy, History, Religion, Logic, etc., for Dr. Pandit.}

http://www.intelligentwonders.com/
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This certainly sounds like an event that needs some Fayetteville Freethinkers in attendance. The more the better. Darrel and Doug are both going.

[tmiller51]

Great movie, it was fun. Thanks for the free ticket!

Tim

[Betsy]

I wanted to come to the movie but had other obligations that got in the way. Was wondering what you all thought of the movie...any compliments, critiques, comments, etc.?

[Dardedar]

DAR
Betsy it was awesome. I had high hopes and it exceeded them. He knocked it out of the park. Go and see it immediately, it might not be here for long.

D.

[Dardedar]

DAR
Religulous is still playing locally, four times a day, and is in 21st place nationally. This while playing on only 250 screens.