Archive for category News
Welcome New Executive Members!
The MFA is very happy to announce two new members that will be serving on our executive committee for the 2009/10 term, Jai Sangha and Isra Khalil!
Jai is a second year student studying Economics and Mathematics, and will be the MFA Treasurer. Isra is a first year student who will be taking over as Secretary.
We look forward to the fresh perspective that Jai and Isra are going to bring to our club.
Please take a few minutes and visit our “Executives” Section and check our the updated bios section to read about all of the dedicated members.
We are back in business!
A big hello to all of our dearest supporters!
After a long summer hiatus, the Mississauga Freethought Association is back up and running in full swing for this academic year. We have a number of interesting events planned for the upcoming year, including lectures, documentary screenings, and of course, our third annual Darwin Day Event in February.
We will be releasing details shortly as to what to expect for this year. Come back and visit our website, or perhaps send us an email at free...@gmail.com and ask to be put on our periodical e-mail list.
As always, suggestions for events are always welcome!
Tom Ulanowski,
President
Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Religulous Movie Screening! Thurs, April 2, 5:00 pm
It’s that time of the year when exams are approaching, and we are all wrapping up another school year.
As most of the on-campus clubs, we want to take this time and prepare for the upcoming 2009/10 school term. However, we would also like to put on a final event that will be thought provoking and encourage discussion. So, we have decided to hold our AGM and Movie Screening event on the same day. Here are the details of what we have planned for Thursday, April 2, 2009:
1. Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Student Centre – Presentation Room, Lower Level
5:00 – 5:45 pm
The MFA is looking for enthusiastic and committed executives for the 2009/10 school term. If you are interested in being a part of the MFA Executive Committee, and have some exciting new event ideas or initiatives, then feel free to come out and get involved. The following positions are available:
President
Vice-President
Secretary
Treasurer
Media/Promotions
Community Relations
If you are interested, please send an email with a short blurb about yourself and the position that you are interested in undertaking to free...@gmail.com
We will also do a quick review of this years financial statements and success of our past events, as well as discuss some ideas for next year!
2. Movie Screening – Religulous (Bill Maher)
Student Centre – Presentation Room, Lower Level
5:45 – 7:00 pm (Followed by a discussion on topics relevant to the film).
“A range of views on the various world religions are explored as Bill Maher travels to numerous religious destinations, such as Jerusalem, the Vatican, and Salt Lake City, interviewing believers from a variety of backgrounds and groups, including a former member of Jews for Jesus, Christians, Muslims, former Mormons, and Hasidic Jews. He travels to Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park, London and satirically preaches Scientology beliefs.”
This movie is very funny, but does cover some topics that may be controversial to some. We only ask that you come with an open mind, watch the movie, and then discuss the arguments presented in a respectful manner.
Website: http://www.lionsgate.com/religulous/
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0815241/
UofT Study: Brain differences between believers and non-believers
Posted by admin in News, Religion, Science and Technology on March 5, 2009
A recent study led by UofT’s own Assistant Psychology Professor Michael Inzlicht has shown brain activity differences between believers and non-believers.
Results indicate that believers show markedly less activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a portion of the brain that helps modify behavior by signaling when attention and control are needed. For instance, a believer will show less stress and anxiety (and brain activity) when making a mistake or error, as compared to a non-believer. An increase in the belief of God was shown to correlate to decreased ACC activity.
Although this calming effect is considered to be beneficial to some, it is a “double edged sword” says Inzlicht. “Obviously, anxiety can be negative because if you have too much, you’re paralyzed with fear. However, it also serves a very useful function in that it alerts us when we’re making mistakes. If you don’t experience anxiety when you make an error, what impetus do you have to change or improve your behaviour so you don’t make the same mistakes again and again?”
Read the full article at Physorg.com.
The study will be published in Psychological Science.
New MFA Executives – 2008
Posted by admin in MFA Website, News on May 11, 2008
After a long and painful election process, new executives have been voted in for the MFA. Congratulations to the following members:
President – Tom Ulanowski
Vice President – Mitchell Kerr
Media/PR – Derek Przybycien
Treasurer/Secretary – Lipishree Nanda
Also, thank you to our founding member, and last year’s President Christopher Reume, who is leaving the exec staff. He has done a tremendous job at getting the MFA off the ground, from it’s intial club recognition two years ago. Chris has decided to focus on completing his Ph.D. at UTM, but will remain in the background as much as he can. Taufik Al-Sarraj (Treasurer) has also left the MFA committee, to pursue his Ph.D and career in computational chemistry. Thanks for a great few years guys!
Check back for upcoming events. The MFA is busy in planning some intersting and thought-provoking events for next year. Meanwhile, check out CFI Ontario for any local freethought events in the GTA, or download and listen to some podcasts.
-Tom Ulanowski, President
Upcoming Event: Panel Discussion on Religion and Personal Freedom
Posted by admin in MFA Website, News on September 11, 2007
The Panel on Religion and Personal Freedom hosted by the Mississauga Freethought Association will take place Tuesday, September 18th at 7pm in room CC1080 in the CCT Building of UTM.
The panel will address important issue surrounding the broad topic of religion and personal freedom. The speakers were chosen based on the fact that they have all had unique personal experiences relating to the confluence of religion and personal freedom. Thus, it is expected that each of these speakers will bring such experience to bear on the issue at hand. In this regard, the topic is likely to revolve around political issues of religion, personal freedom and secularism. However, we hope that the topic will evolve into more philosophical topics of humanism versus theology and the relative pros and cons of these worldviews in living one’s life. To meet all of these goals, we will follow a specific format. Each speaker will be allotted 15 to 20 minutes (maximum) for an opening statement. This way, each speaker can incorporate their own personal experience with the topic and set it in light of their own personal beliefs or worldview. Following this, the floor will be open to questions from the audience. Although audience members may ask questions about your personal experience, deeper issues are sure to surface that will address more philosophical issues. Further, and within reason, panelists will have the opportunity to redress other panelist’s opinions by way of a rejoinder. The question and answer period will continue for roughly 60 to 80 minutes.
France Goes Public With UFO Findings
Posted by admin in News, Paranormal, Science and Technology on March 23, 2007
France’s space agency is opening its “X-Files” to the public, putting years of UFO research and tens of thousands of documents on the Web. Eventually, about 100,000 documents — including police reports, sketches, photos, videos and maps — will go up on the site. The first batch went up Thursday, and the site got so much traffic that it has been difficult to access since, said the space agency, known by its French initials CNES
Read Article Here
Other Articles:
Britain: Schools Have Right to Ban Veils
LONDON — Schools have the right to ban students from wearing Muslim veils if teachers believe the garments affect safety or pupils’ learning, the British government said Tuesday.
But educators should speak with parents before introducing such a ban, the Education Ministry said in updated guidelines that also addressed keeping uniforms affordable and spelling out disciplinary measures.
Post your comments on this subject here.
Religious overload in Mississauga?
Editorial from The Mississauga News, February 14 edition. Brian Stavert – Mississauga
As a humanist I support the Ministry of Transportation’s decision not to allow the EH.MEN2U licence plate (The News, Feb. 14 edition).
We don’t need people’s religion pushed in our faces. I can hardly turn on my TV any time of day or any day of the week without finding religious programming or infomercials, programs that either solicit cash in exchange for salvation, or dispense fear, guilt, shame or in other ways that demean or belittle humanity or sell “miracle water” of dubious value.
Read the rest of the this editorial here
Catholic politicians must oppose gay marriage: Pope
Posted by admin in News, Politics, Religion, Uncategorized on March 17, 2007
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Church’s opposition to gay marriage is “non-negotiable” and Catholic politicians have a moral duty to oppose it, as well as laws on abortion and euthanasia, Pope Benedict said in a document issued on Tuesday.
Full article Here
Editors Note: This article is quite similar to the documentary of “With God on our Side” the MFA just screened on March 15. Check it out in the events and multimedia section. Separation of Church and State?