REDLANDS >> Freethinkers Around Redlands was officially founded by 12 committee members on Oct. 10. Co-founders Jill Braun and Jeff Poggi said they started FAR because they wanted to feel connected to the secular community in the same way the religious community feels connected to one another when they gather. Poggi said freethinkers need a place to call home, a place where they can relax and enjoy the company of like-minded people.
“The problem has always been, because non-theists don’t have a designated place to meet such as a church each Sunday, it’s much harder to find each other,” said Braun.
Poggi and Braun began a page on meetup.com where they have organized gatherings and a community service outing.
Braun, who has lived in Redlands for a year, described herself as a wife, mother and drama teacher that was raised Catholic and has been practicing atheism for 20 years. She said the online meeting organizer website seemed like the simplest, most efficient and effective method of forming FAR.
“I’m relatively new to Redlands, and so don’t know a lot of people; but also it’s likely that even if I had lived here for many years, I still wouldn’t know many non-believers because we tend to keep silent,” said Braun. “In fact, if it weren’t for the Inland Empire Atheists and Agnostics (IEAA) meetup group that I joined a little over a year ago, I still wouldn’t know any fellow non-believers. While I’ll always be a part of IEAA, I’m extremely partial to doing things right in my own back yard. Redlands needs this group. I know there are plenty of Redlander non-believers out there, we just need a way to find each other and connect.”
The meetup.com page describes FAR as “a group dedicated to creating an environment wherein atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, skeptics, secularists, and humanists of all types will meet freely to share and enrich each others lives and communities. We believe firmly in the separation of church and state. We believe that humans are ultimately responsible for their world. We believe in service to the community and in the dignity of all people. We will meet regularly to enjoy our lives while promoting these values.”
Poggi said the reason he co-founded FAR is to have a place for non-believers to feel free to be themselves.
Braun said FAR’s purpose is more about acceptance than talking about being non-believers.
“There’s far more interesting things to talk about like politics, social issues, art and entertainment,” she said. “So it goes without saying that while we talk very little about our atheism, agnosticism and skepticism, there’s also no room for self-righteousness. Judging others is of no interest to us. Whining, because sometimes we’re grossly misunderstood is also not why we gather together. It’s a positive group of people with positive attitudes.”
Braun acknowledged the fear many atheists have in “coming out.” She said there can be discrimination but she hopes for a day when she is as comfortable talking about her atheism as religious people are talking about their God.
“We are hurting ourselves by being so secretive about it,” said Braun. “The fact is, all religious people know a non-believer. They just don’t know they know. So If we’re willing to expose ourselves, it would be beneficial to everyone.”
There are currently 35 members signed up on the meetup.com page.
Listed meetups include a Vietnamese dinner outing at A Dong Restaurant in Loma Linda on Wednesday at 6 p.m., a group outing to the free chorale concert at the University of Redlands Memorial Chapel on Nov. 6 from 8 to 10 p.m. and a volunteer gardening event at Helping Hands Pantry on Nov. 19 from 9 to 11 a.m. Poggi said other community service projects are in the works. To learn more or sign up for FAR events go to meetup.com/Freethinkers-Around-Redlands
