Andrew Clapper on Atheism

A couple of weeks ago, I began to use my blog to publish my ideas about the organization I plan to officially form in the fall of 2009.  The organization is called the International Society of Atheists (ISA).  I am still researching and thinking about the regional, national, and international positions in the organization.  However, I think that I have a reasonably clear idea of what the chapter positions will be.  They could change between now and next fall, but I think they are specific enough now that I can describe them.  Here they are. 

Facilitator

• anyone in the chapter that is an ISA member can register to be one
• someone can be a facilitator and hold another office in the chapter at the same time
• coordinates a social activity - announces it, makes appropriate arrangements, is present
• very little work or experience needed for a RAG (Random Atheist Gathering), more needed for special occasions, celebrations
• Random Atheist Gathering: an unstructured social event (for example, meeting at a coffee shop, game night, pot luck dinner, etc…) held for atheists… each chapter should have one at least weekly if possible
• example: Andrew posts an anouncement/reminder for a RAG on his chapter’s email listserv (and maybe in the newspaper or other venues if he has the time and/or money).  He tells everyone that the meeting will be at 7pm at the local Starbucks on Wednesday March 19, 2008.  He offers words of encouragement and notes that there will be a copy of The God Delusion on the table for newcomers to recognize the group.  Andrew shows up a few minutes before 7 that night and stays for at least an hour or two, and he chats with anyone that shows up.  After a few months, a group of regulars are likely to come to the RAGs… Andrew still tries to find ways to reach more atheists and encourage newcomers to attend.

Outreach Leader:

• elected every two years by chapter members
• meet with religious leaders and leaders of previously hostile private organizations (for example Boy Scouts of America)
•  - ask them to stop (or refrain from) denigrating atheists and atheism
•  - establish positive relationships
•  - jointly organize public dialogue events
•  - propose joint social activities
•  - propose joint service activities
• meet with holders of public office
•  - discuss separation of church and state concerns
•  - discuss civil rights concerns
•  - follow up with calls and letters
•  - if holders of public office are deliberately and persistently hostile, organize mass mailings, petitions, peaceful protests, other activist activities
• establish relationships with members of the media
•  - newspaper reporters and editors, local news reportes and producers, radio station producers
• reach out to local chapters/groups of atheists and other non-theists
•  - attend their local meetings, praise them for their strengths
•  - calls, emails, letters
•  - promote their activities to ISA members
•  - establish relationships

Service Leader

• elected every two years by chapter members
• plans, promotes, organizes the service activies of the chapter
• service projects in general community
•  - work with organizations such as the United Way to improve quality of life for local people
• services to individual atheists in the chapter
•  - legal advice/counsel when possible
•  - housing for abused, ostracized atheists
•  - provide mentors/mentorship to atheists that need advice

Community Leader

• elected every two years by chapter members
• provide support and leadership to facilitators
• ensures that regular social gatherings take place for the chapter
• encourages chapter members to acknowledge special occasions together, possibly facilitates them (for example: weddings, memorials, coming out parties, solstice/equiniox celebrations, Darwin Day, graduations, academic acheivements)
• assists neighboring towns/cities in forming new chapters and assists their facilitators
• evaluates, improves, and maintains the morale of the chapter

Chapter Leader

• elected every two years by chapter members
• communicates the needs of the chapter to regional leaders
• acts as facilitator, outreach leader, community leader, service leader in a smaller/newer chapter
• ensures that the chapter has at least one monthly structured meeting where business is discussed
• promotes the goals of the ISA - in ways the chapter sees fit, but within the working framework of the organization
• ensures that the chapter sets specific goals, assists chapter leaders and members to accomplish those goals

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You might notice that the positions of Facilitator and Outreach Leader seem to be a bit more developed.  The reason is because I have written about those two positions in the past already, so I’ve already spent a good bit of time thinking about them.  What do you think about the outline in general?  Hopefully it will give you a sense of what the organization is all about, at least on the local level.