As we gear up for exams and the events of this semester wind down, we should take a look back at the previous semester and at what we’ve managed to accomplish so far this year:
UofT/York/Ryerson Barbecue
We started the year off with a welcome event hosted by the Centre for Inquiry (CFI) that brought together organizations like ours from UofT, York and Ryerson. We were able to discuss what we were planning for the year and get a feel for what type of organizations existed on other campuses.
Blasphemy Day
Bringing our message to the streets (or at least the patio of Sidney Smith), we hosted Blasphemy Day at the University of Toronto in conjunction with the CFI and the Freethought Association of Canada. Aside from a great turnout, we had a lot of fun encouraging people to speak their minds and celebrate our freedom of speech.
Michael Shermer: Why People Believe Weird Things
Along with the CFI, we hosted notable skeptic Michael Shermer, who gave his talk “Why People Believe Weird Things”. It was a huge success, with approximately 500 people in attendance at the talk, followed by a lively social at the CFI.
Dan Barker
Finally, we hosted a talk by Dan Barker from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. He talked about his personal journey of discovery from preacher to atheist, and shared with us his insight on the state of atheism and religion in today’s world.
So far, it’s been a great year — but we have more planned for next semester. Also, stay tuned for information about our Christmas party!