June 16th/2017

CFI Canada’s mission is to provide education and training to the public in the application of skeptical, secular, rational and humanistic inquiry through conferences, symposia, lectures, published works and the maintenance of a library.

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At long last, Canada’s blasphemy law is dead

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–Religion increasingly seen as doing more harm than good in Canada; Just over half of Canadian respondents say they believe religion does more harm than good in the world, according to a new survey.

–Ruling allows students to opt out of religious classes at Catholic school; Students at an Ontario Catholic school board will soon have more flexibility to opt out of religious courses and programs thanks to a human rights settlement that could have implications across the province.

“We’re hopeful that it will send a message to all Catholic school boards across the province that pressure to attend religious courses or activities is discrimination in publicly funded schools”

–Answering Vaccine Skeptics; Vaccine skeptics want what we all want: to keep our children safe. We mustn’t blame them or insult them for their concerns about vaccines. But we can give them accurate information to counteract the myths.

–Parents convicted in son’s death linked to alternative diet; They were attempting to raise their son on an alternative diet that included quinoa milk. …  the court heard that his mother and father failed to seek medical attention despite the baby gasping for air in the days before his death. An autopsy showed he was dehydrated and his stomach was completely empty.

–In parts of Africa, people with albinism are hunted for their body parts. The latest victim: a 9-year-old boy. 

Slayings of people with albinism are common in Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique, where body parts are used in witchcraft rituals because of superstitions that they can bring riches, success, power or sexual conquest. Children are especially vulnerable.

Upcoming Events

Every Saturday, the Humanist Association of Toronto (HAT) meets to discuss a topic decided upon the previous week. These are topics of Humanist interest, from a Humanist perspective. Meet our diverse group, trade perspectives in a free and open forum and learn from others as they learn from you! Feel free to join the discussion late and come to lunch if that suits your availability better Time slot: 11 am – 1 pm every Saturday Address: 519 Church St. Community Center

• June 20th, Toronto: Rob Stewart’s film “Revolution”­. In this highly anticipated follow up to the hit Sharkwater, film-maker Rob Stewart brings us on an adventure 3.5 billion years in the making – from the evolution of life to the revolution underway to save us. Filmed over four years in 15 countries, Revolution captures some of the most remarkable wildlife spectacles ever recorded, and gives audiences a firsthand look into the biggest battle ever fought.
• June 20th, Toronto: Atheist Community of Toronto Monthly Meetup. This meetup is intended as a social gathering to build a community of non-believers. Feel free to invite friends.
• June 25th, Toronto: Ancestor’s Trail Hike 2017. This year, our hike is going to take place on Sunday, June 25th, starting from Erindale Park at 8:00am as usual and ending at PineCliff Park around 1:00pm with a free barbeque. You can register for it through a link to Eventbrite at http://ancestorstrail.ca . Please take a moment to look over the site as well for additional information regarding the hike if this is your first visit.
• June 25th, Toronto: PRIDE PARADE
• June 28th Toronto: CFIC T.O. – Living Without Religion. Every 2 weeks on Wednesday, a place for people to share their desire to throw away the burden of religious indoctrination and antiquated dogma.
• July 2nd, Toronto: CFIC T.O. Atheists & Friends Sunday Meetup. CFIC Toronto Atheists & Friends Sunday Meetup is a fun discussion group focusing on a range of topics within the realm of atheism. They’re open to the public and everyone is welcome to join in!
• July 14th, Toronto: CFIC T.O.’s Nyrd Nite. This is a relaxed discussion group where a nerdy topic may be set or we will just talk about what ever is on our minds like the latest scientific discovery, that real cool documentary you just watched, or the finer points of how history is repeating itself.

 

• CFI Ottawa Living without Religion; This support group meets on the 3rd Sunday of each month, 12:30 pm, at the Fox and Feather Pub
• CFI Ottawa UnSermon; Sunday afternoons (12:30 pm), meet and share your ideas with Atheists, Freethinkers, and Humanists from the Ottawa area.
• CFI Calgary Skeptics in The Pub: This group meets on the first Tuesday of every month. Join us for drinks, discussion, and debate about all science and skeptical topics
• Okanagan – Secular Social. Now every second and fourth Monday of the month! Come to the pub and hang out with other skeptics and freethinkers. Mission Tap House and Grill, 3110 Lakeshore Rd., Kelowna. If you don’t recognize anyone, look for the table with the CFI sign.

Did you know the best place to find out about CFI Calgary events is on Meetup.com? It’s free to join and you will never miss hearing about a local Calgary event. Join over 1000 Calgarians who use Meetup to hear about, RSVP and comment on our events.

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          Let us know if you have an activity you’d like to share!

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Nobody joins a cult. You join a self-help group, a religious movement, a political organization. They change so gradually, by the time you realize you’re entrapped – and almost everybody does – you can’t figure a safe way back out.
– Deborah Layton, survivor of Jim Jones’ Peoples Temple cult

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Calendar of upcoming scientific conferences

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CALLING ALL NON-BELIEVERS . . . COME OUT OF THE CLOSET!

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A history of global living conditions in 5 charts

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Online Tools for Skeptical Fact Checking

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Critical Links is published every Tuesday And Friday

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