Pittsburgh Freethought Community (PFC)

Welcome to the Pittsburgh Freethought Community (PFC)!

Promoting science, reason, and humanist values in the greater Pittsburgh area

If you are looking to join community of fascinating people who share a secular and critical-thinking worldview; if you want to meet some like-minded friends--people who think outside the box when it comes to life--we are your group.

Our MISSION is threefold:
• To be a welcoming and caring community for all those who share a humanist worldview and an evidence-based perspective;
• To provide a strong and respected public voice for the secular humanist community in shaping public debate and formulating public policy;
• To promote science, reason, critical thinking, and humanist values in the greater Pittsburgh area.

Our COMMUNITY is broad:
PFC brings together local freethinkers who formerly gathered in groups such as CFI-Pittsburgh, Steel City Skeptics, Pittsburgh Secular Freethinkers, and the Humanist Community of Pittsburgh, as well as local members of national freethought groups including;

• Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF)
• American Humanist Association (AHA)
• Center for Inquiry (CFI)
• American Atheists (AA)
• Secular Coalition for America (SCA)
• Sunday Assembly (SA)
• Secular Student Alliance (SSA)
• Pittsburgh Coalition of Reason

As an incorporated, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and not merely a Meetup group, PFC is able to formally affiliate with the national organizations listed above as well as provide supporters and donors the opportunity to make tax-deductible contributions in support of our shared values and goals.

Our PROGRAMS AND EVENTS include:

• Monthly PFC lecture series featuring locally- and nationally-recognized speakers;
• Weekly topic-focused discussion groups;
• Science & Skepticism Book Club;
• Social nights at restaurants around town;
• Opportunities for virtual and in-person activism and lobbying at the local, state, and federal levels  (within scope of our tax exempt status);
• Skeptics at the Pub and Brunching Skeptically social events;
• Participation in large public events such as Pittsburgh Pride, International Day of Peace, Pittsburgh Summit Against Racism, Women's March, and government meetings; and
• Picnics, annual shrimp boil & canoe trip, Festivus, and other holiday celebrations.
• And many more - which events will YOU add or support?

Join our large and growing community dedicated to weaning society away from reliance on dogma, magical thinking, pseudoscience, and social intolerance of all types.

Support Pittsburgh Freethought Community!
Promoting science, reason, and humanist values in the greater Pittsburgh area

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BACKGROUND of Freethought in the US
Up to 30% of American adults--and a majority of Americans under 30--declare no religious affiliation. Secularism is growing, but freethinkers are still a minority, and it can be sobering to pursue a well-informed worldview.  PFC is a place for freethinkers of all kinds to discuss our viewpoints and connect with like-minded people.  Join us for open discussions about our place in the Universe and how we might create positive change on our planet.

GLOSSARY
Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that opinions should be formed on the basis of science, logic, and reason, and should not be influenced by authority, tradition, or dogma.
Secularism is the idea that people, governments, and other entities should have the right to be free from religious rule and teachings or to be neutral regarding matters of religious belief.
Atheism ("a" + "theism") means a rejection of belief in the existence of a god or gods.  It can also refer to the belief that there are no deities.  Simply, atheism is the absence of belief that deities of any kind exist. Some atheists refer to themselves as nontheists or antitheists.
Agnostics separate belief from knowledge.  They think it is impossible or not currently possible to prove the existence or non-existence of any deity, creative force, or other religious belief.  Agnosticism may also refer to having a skeptical approach to such questions.
Deists believe that observation and reason suggest the existence of a higher power, but stop short of proclaiming that we know who or what is responsible for the wonders of the Universe. We don't yet know, and may never know.
Humanists believe all humans have the ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives and aspire to the greater good of all humanity. They are committed to equality, a free and secular society, and to protecting the integrity and sustainability of our planet's resources.
Naturalism is the viewpoint that the laws of Nature, as opposed to supernatural laws, are all that operate in the Universe.  Steve Irwin, Rachel Carson, Stephen Hawking, Charles Darwin, and Beatrix Potter were all naturalists.