Thriving Without Religion: A Public Gathering. This month's topic: Humanism

Whether you’re just starting to question your faith or have been living as a secular humanist for years, the transition away from religious dogma can feel like both a relief and a challenge.
The Rocky Mountain Atheists are proud to present Thriving Without Religion, an in-person gathering designed to help you navigate life after faith and build a meaningful, joyful existence rooted in reason and community.
About the Event
This month's topic: Humanism. Join us as we dive into the topic of Humanism, what is it, how is it applied, and can it contribute to our understanding of the world around us? See below for resource list.
"Thriving Without Religion is a public, open event that focuses on the positive aspects of secular life, moving beyond what we don't believe and focusing on what we do value: human connection, scientific curiosity, and ethical living.
What to Expect:

• Purpose & Meaning: Explore how to create your own "why" in a universe without a predetermined script.
• Secular Ethics: Discuss how we build strong moral foundations based on empathy, compassion, and shared humanity rather than divine command.
• Community Building: Meet like-minded individuals in a safe, non-judgmental space. Religion often provides a ready-made social circle; we’ll talk about how to build a better one ourselves.
• Practical Tools: Short presentations or peer-led discussions on handling family dynamics, finding secular rituals, and embracing the "awe" of the natural world.

Who is this for?
This event is open to everyone—atheists, agnostics, skeptics, and the "spiritually curious." Whether you are looking for support during a "deconstruction" phase or simply want to celebrate a life of free thought with new friends, you are welcome here.
Note: We believe in challenging ideas, not people. This is an inclusive environment where respectful dialogue and diverse secular perspectives are celebrated.

Privacy & Participation Notice
Thriving Without Religion is intentionally different from our Life Without Religion meetings. This event is held in a public coffee shop and is not a confidential or anonymous gathering.

While we ask all participants to be respectful, attendees should assume that others may observe their presence and that there is no expectation of privacy or anonymity. If confidentiality is important to you at this stage of your journey, Life Without Religion may be a better fit.

Resources for Humanism Discussion (it it not necessary for you to review these before the meeting, we will be discussing them there):

• Amsterdam Declaration 2002: https://humanists.international/what-is-humanism/the-amsterdam-declaration/
• Humanist Manifesto III: https://americanhumanist.org/what-is-humanism/manifesto3/
• Humanist Canada: https://www.humanistcanada.ca/

Videos:

• What is Humanism?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID2nyp0oD_4
  What is Humanism?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl9AHJ1O8b4
• What is a Humanist?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwJ0NDDJlTU&list=RDSwJ0NDDJlTU&start_radio=1
• Humanists UK and Stephen Fry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_DNs86JIF4

Books:

• The Little Book of Humanism by Copson & Roberts
• The God Argument by A.C. Grayling
• Humanism: Canadian Perspectives by Humanist Canada

Get ready for WeCanReason 2026 — Western Canada’s premier conference for science, skepticism, and rational thought, happening in Calgary this May. We have three days of activities, an exciting lineup of speakers, and several ticket options and prices, including tickets for students and low-income residents. Go to our website at wecanreason.com to know more.
If you are not an RMA member, please consider becoming one (it's only $20/year) or donating to help cover costs (Meetup fees, website, Zoom, etc.). Every little bit helps! Click this link (membership) to join or this link (donate) to donate. Thanks for being part of this!