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Two important announcements this month along with lots of news. Read on!

First, our next CFFC Event at the University Club--the one with Gina Duncan from Equality Florida-- starts at 3 PM on August 21 instead of the usual time. There is a separate event being held in the larger room next door so we have chosen to change the time to avoid the other attendees as we enter and use the space.

Second, the CFFC is having a Pool Party & Pot Luck and you are invited. RSVP on Meetup to get the details. You don't want to miss all the good food and great conversation. It starts at 3:30 and goes to 7 PM on Saturday, September 3. To protect the privacy of the host, the address will be sent the day before the event to those who have RSVPd on Meetup. For planning purposes, it is in the Geneva area of Seminole County. 

Thanks for being a subscriber and we hope to see you at an event soon!
Upcoming CFFC Events
Mark your calendar and set a reminder!

Sun, Aug 7 at 9 AM - Meet Larry Decker & Rachael Berman

In town for just the weekend (all the way from Washington, DC), we have two representatives from national organizations, the Secular Coalition for America and the American Humanist Association. Come out and have a cup of coffee with us and chat about politics, religion, or anything else you like.


Tue, Aug 9 at 9:15 AM - Seminole Secular Invocation and Coffee

CFFC returns to Seminole County for a secular invocation. If you can, join us at 8 AM at the Colonial Room restaurant for breakfast or a cup of coffee beforehand. Otherwise, we'll see you at the meeting.


Sun, Aug 21 at 3 PM - Gina Duncan: "Transgender Dynamics in Society"

Gina is Equality Florida's Director of Transgender Inclusion. She is a national and international spokesperson and educator on transgender rights, public policy, and civic engagement. She was recently featured in Florida Trend, the state's most widely-read business magazine.


Sat, Sep 3 at 3:30 - CFFC Pool Party & Potluck
Private residence near Geneva - RSVP on Meetup

Get together with friends, enjoy delicious food, swim, or just sit poolside with some great conversation. Bring food to share and your own beverage! 

Don't forget the kids, the sunscreen, and your beach chair.  The grill will be fired up and ready to use. No pets please.  A Meetup message with the exact address will be sent the day before the event so be sure to RSVP on Meetup.

Find CFFC events on  Facebook  and  Meetup.
Orlando Coalition of Reason Events
Check out all the local freethought community calendars in one place:
 
News You Can Use
Local or regional news that matters to you!

CFFC Donates $4,000 to Local LGBT Advocacy Groups

As we mentioned last month, the CFFC responded swiftly to the shooting at Pulse night club. One of the actions we took was to raise funds to pay for secular memorial services and celebrations of life. $4,000 was raised as we did our best to get the word out, but we received no requests from families. 

Our promise to donors was that any money not used would be donated to Equality Florida and The GLBT Center.  So that's just what we did.  See the press release on  Facebook  and be sure to like our page while you are there.


God's Courtroom? Hardly!

When you have to go to court, you hope to be treated fairly regardless of who you are. We know that is how it is supposed to work.  This means there should not be anything there which would make people feel unwelcome. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Recently someone reported a Christian flag on a staff in the corner of a Georgia courtroom to the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). No one seems to know when it was added or who placed it there. 

Fortunately, all it took was a complaint letter from FFRF attorney, Liz Cavell, to get it taken down. Read the press release at the  FFRF Website.

Locally, we've had two recurring complaints related to the courts. Click on the text for FFRF's opinions in each situation.
Remember that you are never required to participate in the Pledge nor take a religious oath, but you may be required to make an affirmation. We understand this option is not given automatically so it may need to be requested each time.

The effect of these practices is apparent. They serve as an unofficial test. Not a religious test, but one of obedience. We know people participate who don't want to and anyone can lie (ironic in this case) or acquiesce, but when we refuse to comply we identify ourselves to our peers as potential outsiders. We may even be seen by the judge, the court employees, the attorneys, plaintiffs, and defendants as someone not be trusted.

At this point, we don't have an easy answer for you and these issues do not appear to be a priority to correct via litigation by national organizations. Courts and judges are notoriously obstinate (in this writer's opinion) since they are at the top of the heap in the separation of ultimate power in their jurisdiction. They answer only to their peers in the executive and legislative branches and they are loathe to get involved and nearly powerless to resolve such complaints. The majority of voters (for elected judges) don't really see these practices as a concern.

Our advice? Stand your ground on the oath and sit down during the pledge. These are your rights. The more you assert them, the more times someone slows down the process, the more people who explain to everyone present that the practice is discriminatory, the more positive changes we will see.


After  School Satan

Looking for an after school club that will help your kids learn "how" to think instead of tell them "what" to think? The Satanic Temple has just what you need--the After School Satan Club. The clubs were just announced this weekend in an exclusive article by friend of the CFFC, Katherine Stewart, author of The Good News Club. In fact, After School Satan is a direct response to Good News Clubs and other religious organizations who rent space after school in every Central Florida county and across the U.S. 

Read all about it in Katherine's article . No matter what you do today, don't miss the launch video.  Click here to watch or find it linked in the article.  Stay tuned for the fallout from this campaign. This could get big.


On Any Given Sunday (Usually the 3rd Sunday)

CFFC monthly events are taking off. At our July event last month, there were 110 people and it was standing room only!   The Orlando Sentinel was there to cover it in their Any Given Sunday  column. 

Seminole State College Planetarium Director Derek Demeter and CFFC Founding Director Jocelyn Williamson were interviewed. Be sure to watch the video here .


Brevard County School Board Reluctantly Gets it Right

After rejecting a similar proposal in February, the Brevard County School Board voted to approve a proposed non-discrimination policy on July 19th. It prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of gender identify or sexual orientation-two phrases which were absent in previous policies.
 
Progress can be made at all levels, but the local level is where our voices are loudest and where we have the most potential to impact policy. 

Special thanks to Keith Becher and the Humanists of the Space Coast as well as Space Coast Pride  and all the other organizations who showed up and spoke up for equality.


If you aren't watching our  Facebook and Twitter pages, you're missing most of the news that we make happen. Be sure to find us there!
Activist Assignment
Simple ways you can help with our shared goals

Please share this email with a friend or colleague.

Do you like being a part of the CFFC? Do you know others who should be paying attention or, better still, participating in our events? 

Let them know about us by forwarding this email and point out the "Join Email List" link at the bottom. Or, you could invite them to an upcoming event.  If you love what we're doing, then they will too!
Florida's Dirty Dozen
  • Schools cannot deny an atheist or non-believer club the same rights as other noncurricular student clubs. 
  • Schools may not privilege religious clubs over other clubs.
  • If an advisor is not available, the school must appoint one.

Watch your local public schools for this and the rest of  Florida's Dirty Dozen .
Friends of Ours. Friends of Yours.
Allied organizations which deserve your attention

The Humanist Society prepares Humanist Celebrants to lead ceremonial observances, providing millions a meaningful alternative to traditional religious weddings, memorial services, and other life cycle events. 

To facilitate this process, the Humanist Society offers different endorsement options, including a path for those considering a one-time experience, those wishing to be regular celebrants as well as associate celebrants, lay leaders, chaplains, and secular invocators.

A Useful Resource
Something you should know about

Freedom For All Americans is an organization on the lookout for religious "freedom" bills and other discriminatory policy proposals affecting LGBTQ equality. There is no doubt that this is an important state/church separation issue and these same organizations would just as surely limit the rights of minority faiths and the non-religious.

The way the organizations and people on this chart are connecting is both intriguing and disturbing. Click here to go to the web page with the interactive chart.
CENTRAL FLORIDA FREETHOUGHT COMMUNITY 
PO Box 621123, Oviedo, FL 32762
A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on the separation of state and church

and  building a thriving secular community in the Greater Orlando area,

  • A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.