8.0.11.2.1 Possible Formats for Meetings

Version 1.2 December 2016                               (Previous Version)

There may be beneficial to arrange for monthly meetings to cover a specific topic rather than simply be an open ended discussion.  The topic of the month would hopefully be related to the "real world" - the community we live in.  We can construct patterns of ongoing, broad themes:

·       Each theme may be considered in a specific month each year.  

·       Each theme can be broken down into many aspects, to get an inexhaustible supply of "topics".

·       Each theme should be linked to our community and personal life as well as to our intellectual knowledge and potential "political" action.

One strategy is to focus on the values we choose if we follow this Reasonable Global Way.

·       We can discuss how we justify our values and how we can assertively promote these. 

·       Many believers in the supernatural can't imagine that a godless Atheist could have a moral compass.  We need to find ways to communicate that we can.

·       Many Atheists are themselves dubious about how we can hold and openly share declared values that go beyond evolutionary instincts and enlightened self interest.

Focusing regularly on values is an educational exercise for believers, non-believers and waverers.

Within each theme, we can focus on specific issues.  We can discuss and analyse what this month's positive value means and whether it matters.  Each theme can be discussed at various levels:

      Philosophical: For those who want to explore the depths of their beliefs

      Scientific:       To learn what we can from science (and history) on the topic;

      Religious:       To examine religion, refute its errors, and learn from its success;

      Cultural:         To look at how various cultures have naturally explored related themes;

      Personal:         How the topic might be explored in our personal behaviour;

      Political:         What action we can take in the wider community.

If discussion groups became weekly then we can split these over different weeks.  For example, if the theme for the month is Truth, we can discuss

·       At a philosophical level: whether the truth is actually knowable.

• In a social context: anti-science, scientific method, creationism, reason and faith.
• Within a religious context: god’s supposed omniscience, or how god's incomprehensibility could possibly help us know how to behave.
• Challenges to our own personal understandings of the issues.
• Those interested in taking action may wish to participate in campaigns such as promoting teaching philosophy or the science of evolution in primary schools.  (We must still welcome those who join the discussion but for whatever reason decline to participate in such action.)

Meetings in support of this reasonable way should, overall, be positive.

·       We should regularly focus on beliefs and values that we share, rather than focusing on negative issues and criticism of traditional supernatural religion and other unrealistic beliefs. 

·       We need to offer positive guidance to those who are uncertain or escaping religious oppression.

·       We do need to criticise misinformation taxpayer subsidies of supernatural beliefs, threats to secularism, and so on.  But this should flow out of a positive analysis of what this Way offers.

Possible topics for weekly and monthly meetings are in following sections.  These don't satisfy all the above requirements but are drafts for discussion.  Anyone interested can provide feedback.