Minnesota Atheists Meetup Group

4.8•6012 ratings

Minneapolis, MN, US

4,567 members · Public group

What we’re about

Minnesota Atheists is Minnesota's oldest and largest atheist organization. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit, educational organization that seeks to promote the positive contributions of atheism to society, provides a community for nonbelievers, educates the public about atheism, and promotes separation of state and church. We help make atheism part of mainstream society. We look forward to meeting you!

We are a member-supported organization. Everyone who works for Minnesota Atheists is a volunteer, but getting our word out does cost money. This site, our website, mailing newsletters, filming a cable TV show and participating in public events like festivals and parades all add up. We can do all of this thanks to you!

To make a tax deductible donation, go here:

http://mnatheists.org/join-and-donate/gener...

To offically join the state's largest and most active atheist organization, click here:

http://mnatheists.org/join-and-donate/becom...

Featured event

Thomas Paine's Reasonable Nature Hike

Sun, Jan 25 · 9:57 AM CST

Hyland Park Preserve, 8737 East Bush Lake Road, Bloomington, MN, US

"As I walked out one morning, to breathe the air around Tom Paine's..."
- Bob Dylan, "As I Walked Out One Morning" from John Wesley Harding

Hyland Park Reserve has no entry fee. It may be cold, but this will be a nice 'twixt Holiday hike, close to the Cities. Following the hike we can take advantage of the good food at QCumbers in Edina (owned by fellow atheist Mickey McCabe.)

Some people like to sleep in on Sundays, but I never really do. I like to get outside, stretch, and breathe the air. I want to commune with Nature, the cathedral that evolved on this 3rd rock. Minnesota and Wisconsin have so much natural beauty, that sticking to the cities is as bad as sticking to a single congregation. So, let's get out, and walk and look around!

I joined a hiking Meetup group when I returned from Arizona to Minnesota and there are several weekly hikes available; but I found that hikers in those groups tend to Power Hike. That's fun for many people who see hiking as their main aerobic exercise. But it does seem to me to be ableist. Many people with joint pains, or who rely on canes, or just need to be able take a more relaxed pace, are left out. In order to accommodate both the slow stroll, as well as the fast hikers among us, I like the idea of setting a hike by time rather than distance and we will meet back at the cars at a specific time.

I also like to explore different places so the idea is to choose hikes within a two hour driving distance but at varying locations. So, while we may go to Nerstrand/Big Woods one month, the next will be in another location such as the Kinnickinnic State Park trails in Wisconsin. There are paved trails in Minnesota, and I would love to hike those along with members who rely on wheelchairs or otherwise might avoid trails. As the hike grows, we can find more locations.

Some warnings and caveats:

Bring water, comfortable shoes, a rain poncho or some other thing that will protect you in case of downpour, insect repellent and a band-aid or two will be a good in case you get a scrape. There are no medical professionals in the woods waiting to stitch you up. Don't forget sunscreen, something to snack on if you need it. I have a hiking stick that looks like a wizard's staff in case anyone tries to tell me I shall not pass and on some trails I have found that a staff is useful for maintaining balance. If you wear hiking boots, I recommend a pair of sandals or sneakers; something to change into after the hike.

If there is interest, I think that a lunch following the hike is a great way to get to know people, too. For the first hike, I will probably leave my dog at home, and then we can talk about whether to make it a pet-friendly hike.

Since some of the hikes will be in State Parks with fees, car-pooling is a great option to save money and also a chance to chat on the way.

2 attendees

Upcoming events

190

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Freethinking Females ONLINE
Mon, Jan 12 · 7:00 PM CST
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Online
Online
Let's keep the Freethinking Females social going by taking it online!

We will continue to shatter the myth that atheist groups are male dominated with this women and women identified only event. Join us to discuss issues related to feminism, atheism, how we are dealing with the current state of things, or whatever else comes up!

Use the meeting url to access the meeting, this will allow you to join via your computer or smartphone zoom app and will use your devices built in speakers/microphone/video. Message Heather or comment below if you need the call-in alternative.
2 attendees
Godless Gamers w/the Satanic Congregation
Thu, Jan 15 · 5:30 PM CST
Gamez, 1975 County Rd B2,, Roseville, MN, US
Game time with fellow non-believers! Board, card, dice, all games are welcome here!
3 attendees
Theatre In The Round Players: "How to Catch Creation" ($5)
Thu, Jan 15 · 7:30 PM CST
Theatre in the Round Players Inc, 245 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, MN, US
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 7:30 pm.

Theatre in the Round Players (TRP)
245 Cedar Ave S
Minneapolis MN 55454

"How to Catch Creation"
Written by Christina Anderson

Join us for the final dress rehearsal of "How to Catch Creation". The cost is $5.00 at the door. Cash preferred. NO LATE SEATING.

Actors' Interviews About The Show (2 minutes)

Play Description:
Griffin, a Black writer who spent over a decade in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, yearns to build a future; Tami, a driven art professor, finds her passion floundering; Stokes, a young painter, searches for creative purpose; and Riley, his partner, is looking for where she belongs. As their stories unfold, these four artists find their lives unexpectedly intertwined — with each other’s and with the life of a black feminist writer from the 1960s. How to Catch Creation weaves past and present in a poetic and profound exploration of what it means to create: art, a life, a family, a world that reflects who we truly are.

There is also a Pay-What-You-Can performance on Monday, January 26, 2026, 7:30 pm

PARKING:
1. Parking is NOT free at parking meters in the evening.
2. There is a surface parking lot directly across the street from Theatre in the Round, behind The Corner Bar, where the cost is $5.00.
3. You can also park nearby in the ramp of the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, 1500 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55454. Remember your license plate and when you are leaving the theater there is a QR code you can scan with your smart phone and only pay $5.50. (Four hour limit at this discounted price.)

There is always a small chance that a performance might be cancelled at the last minute, so call TRP that afternoon to check 612-333-3010, and also check Meetup messages for this event.

Please help support Minnesota Atheists by becoming a member or by making a donation.
15 attendees
Protect Our Secular Democracy: A Forum on Religious Freedom
Sat, Jan 17 · 8:30 AM CST
First Unitarian Society, 900 Mount Curve Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, US
HumanistsMN invites us to their event!
Please register for this event here.
If you plan to attend the lunch, please register and pay here.

Join local and national advocates for secular government at a forum to discuss the true meaning of religious freedom. This half-day event — sponsored by HumanistsMN and culminating with lunch (see details below) — will commemorate National Religious Freedom Day by exploring how we can uphold the constitutional principle of separation of church and state as Christian nationalism becomes ever more pervasive in the halls of government.

Religious freedom protects the right of Americans of all faiths — or no faith — to practice their beliefs. How can we fight efforts to misuse this principle to justify authoritarian government and twist its meaning to legitimize discrimination against LGBTQ people, curtail reproductive rights, deny services, or impose religion in schools?

SPEAKERS
- Rev. Susan Hayward, a Minneapolis scholar and minister specializing in religion, peacebuilding, and human rights; co-host of "American Unexceptionalism," a podcast series about what Americans can learn from people around the world who have resisted religious nationalism.
- Mariko Hirose, chief program officer of Americans United for Separation of Church and State: "Year in Review and Looking Ahead: The Christian Nationalist Threat to Our Communities." She will cover Americans United's work promoting religious freedom in areas including public health and education.
- Fish Stark, executive director of the American Humanist Association, a national organization representing humanists that has taken a lead in fighting Christian nationalism.
- A panel of Minnesota legislators discussing what religious freedom means to them, with Sen. Jen McEwen and Rep. Athena Hollins, co-chairs of the Legislature's Secular Government Caucus; Rep. Brion Curran, chair of the Queer Legislators Caucus; and Rep. Andy Smith, an outspoken critic of Christian nationalism.
LUNCH
The event will also include a buffet lunch where Rep. Mike Freiberg, co-chair of the Secular Government Caucus, will receive HumanistsMN's Religious Freedom Champion award.

In addition to Rep. Freiberg, speakers will include:
- Beatrice Handlin, who as a student testified for legislation supported by Rep. Freiberg to end religious discrimination in the state-funded Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program.
- AHA executive director Fish Stark.
You are invited to join us for $15.

SCHEDULE
8:30 a.m. Registration
9:15 a.m. Program begins
12:15 p.m. Lunch
12:45 p.m. Luncheon speakers
2:00 p.m. Program ends

REGISTRATION
Please register for this event here.
If you plan to attend the lunch, please register and pay here.

BACKGROUND ON NATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM DAY (Jan. 16)
National Religious Freedom Day commemorates the Virginia General Assembly’s adoption of Thomas Jefferson’s landmark Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom on Jan. 16, 1786. The statute became the basis for the establishment clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing the separation of church and state. The U.S. President has proclaimed Religious Freedom Day annually since 1993.

THANKS TO OUR CO-SPONSORS
ACLU of Minnesota, American Humanist Association, Christians
Against Christian Nationalism Minnesota, First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, Freedom From Religion Foundation, Gender Justice, Health Care for All Minnesota, Minnesota Atheists, OutFront Minnesota, Secular Student Alliance, Vote Common Good. (More to be announced later.)
8 attendees