Pro-Life

**Join us for Soul Coffee, an informal gathering where we can connect a bit deeper, check in on each other, and share some real soul conversation together - as always, across beliefs and traditions.** Soul Coffee is a gathering by BreadBreakers, a community for people of all stripes to build meaningful relationships and have curious conversations. **Our mission in BreadBreakers is to be a place of compassion and belonging in a time of division and isolation; to rebuild the town square, one table at a time.** Usually we do this by breaking bread and having facilitated conversations over dinner, but sometimes it's good to just meet over coffee and spend some unstructured time talking about the deep stuff. At each Soul Coffee, we'll keep it simple and talk about three questions: - How's your soul doing? - How have you experienced wonder lately? - What do you need right now? No matter your religion, or if you even are religious; no matter where you are spiritually; no matter if you even think souls exist - come to be seen and known, to just be humans together in a crazy world, to talk about those things of the spirit that are so central to the human experience but rarely get discussed. **Join us, invite a friend, and be a part of the movement to mend our fractured society and normalize a better way of being in community with one another.** BreadBreakers, an initiative by[ Restoration United Methodist Churc](https://restorationreston.org/breadbreakers)h in Reston, VA, is a religiously inclusive community, a collaboration between the church and those of all different beliefs. All faiths and all stripes are welcomed. Our leadership, volunteer team, and community include people who attend Restoration and people who don't.

**Looking to** \- Help out neighbors in the DC area? \- Support a secular charity? \- Connect with other atheists and humanists? Join Atheists Helping the Homeless DC at our monthly distribution event! Atheists Helping the Homeless is a 501(c)(3) charity that distributes items like backpacks, socks, gloves, and toiletries to people in need throughout the Washington, DC region. We meet up on the second Saturday of every month outside of a homeless shelter in Silver Spring, MD, called Progress Place, and pass out whatever items we have to whoever is there. Each month we serve between 60 - 100 people. Afterwards, we usually go out for breakfast. Our goal is to provide a way for people to help each other without affiliating with a religion. Our method is to go straight to those in need, and create a welcoming and fun atmosphere to effectively create an environment where secular community can grow and thrive. If this sounds fun, see you there!

Join us this Saturday, May 9th at 2:00 PM at the WISE Accelerator, next to Wust building for a special community gathering hosted by WUST Foundation. This event is designed to bring together women from all walks of life — whether you are an entrepreneur, a mother, a student, someone with a business idea, or simply passionate about startups and personal growth. It’s more than just networking — it’s an opportunity to connect, learn about our programs, and become part of a supportive and empowering community. You’ll also have the chance to move your body, engage in a light physical activity, and reconnect with yourself in a meaningful way. If you’re looking to grow, build connections, and take a step toward your goals while nurturing your well-being, this is the place for you. We look forward to welcoming you!

**Is Humanity Reaching a Spiritual Tipping Point? (Free Event)** Can you turn on the tv or check your news feed anymore without being bombarded with images and headlines of chaos and struggle? Could it be that humanity is facing not just material challenges, but that we are experiencing the growing pains of living through a *spiritual* age of transition, a crucial step in humanity’s pathway towards progress? Everywhere we look we seem to be faced with the growing fractures in our society, but lacking in a true understanding of why or a clear vision to see us through. That the presence of chaos in the world around us is growing seems inevitable. And yet the existing systems meant to mitigate that chaos no longer seem able to heal the growing divisions that are threatening the status quo. But is that a bad thing? Or could this chaos actually be shedding light on the need for a new way forward? Come join a different kind of conversation – one that welcomes every perspective in a search for the truths that unite us all – as we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’í Teachings on the greater forces that emerge out of this chaos. Join us for a lively discussion as we explore the realities of our rapidly changing society, the spiritual tipping point we are now entering, and what we can do to help us all emerge as a stronger and more unified human race. *“The Earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.”* – Bahá’í Teachings \*\*\* This event is free and open to all regardless of background or belief. Donations will not be accepted.

Speaker: Natalie Fulton, YouTuber, Content Creator, and Social Media Professional for Pro-Animal Future. Natalie will share effective ways to use social media to bring attention to animal issues, build more activists for the animal rights movement, and change the narrative around animal protection. Join your fellow animal lovers and DC Animal Protection to discuss what’s happening in the animal advocacy scene in DC! This series is a weekly meetup, with guest speakers from all of the major animals rights orgs. We’ll host non-profits such as Pro-Animal Future, International Council for Animal Welfare, DC Voters for Animals, The Humane League, Mercy for Animals and Direct Action Everywhere as well as local grassroots groups like the DC Coalition Against Foie Gras and sanctuaries. We’ll also have special sessions related to health, nutrition and mindfulness! We encourage anyone who is interested in helping animals to attend- no need to be vegan! Come learn about our rich variety of local activism. With protests, outreach, wheat-pasting, signature collecting, leafletting, lobbying, tabling etc. there’s something to match everyone’s comfort level and skill set. Coffee, bagels and community will be provided! Feel free to bring any extra treats to share (no animal products please.) Hope to see you soon! :) Note: Unfortunately, animals are not allowed at our venue. Please leave your furry friends at home.

**Real connection with fellow Catholics who are eager to grow in Faith and friendship!** This 3 year--- 45min deep dive into the Catholic faith is a great way to spend your Sunday rest day. When you are ready to dig deeper and live the faith more fully this is an optimal opportunity. Talk yourself into this! You may start whenever and can come as often or as little as you desire. Coffee is served w/ small donation. It is taught by the priest and/or OCIA director at St Louis Parish who are ALL fabulous- faithful educators filled with theologically inspired knowledge. You can ask questions at the end, which I love. It is just a wonderful experience to grow. Afterwards if you wish, you can also find your way over to the Little Way Cafe Coffee shop across the parking lot to stay for more community time or read some of the excellent books that line the shelves throughout. If you are new to the community of Alexandria and want to meet like minded folks or a veteran of it, this is a special and unique opportunity and did I mention it is free? :) Hard to believe! Please join me every Sunday at 945 am.

\*NOTE: This meeting is solely for individuals who identify as women, female, non-binary, trans women, AFAB, and gender-fluid. ***Please check the main RfR support group calendar for the link, which displays automatically in your computer's local time***. The calendar is displayed here: [https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/sg-calendar](https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/sg-calendar) The Recovering from Religion WOMEN'S VIRTUAL support group will meet the 2nd Sunday of each month @ 10am (Australian Eastern Time - Melbourne), unless the date falls on a holiday. A note for people in the US: this will usually fall on the second Saturday, but sometimes with calendar mechanics this may result in the meeting falling in the US on the first Saturday of the month. What Recovering from Religion is About: The primary focus of a Recovering From Religion support group is to provide ongoing and personal support to individuals as they let go of their religious beliefs. This transitional period is an ongoing process that can result in a range of emotions, as well as a ripple effect of consequences throughout an individual’s life. As such, the support meetings are safe and anonymous places to express these doubts, fears, and experiences without biased feedback or proselytizing. We are here to help each other through this journey. There is no cost to attend this support group but, if you feel so inclined, donations can be made at www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate If you find you need to talk with someone before the next support meeting, RfR has a hotline and online chat for that express purpose. Go to www.recoveringfromreligion.org and click on the green chat bubble in the lower left corner of the site to chat online. If you are in need of professional help, we can offer the Secular Therapy Project to provide options to connect with a professional therapist. All therapists have been thoroughly vetted by our organization and offer only evidence-based and non-religious treatment. Connect with them at www.seculartherapy.org. Like what RfR does? Why not volunteer! There are quite a few options. Head over to www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer for more info.

Every Sunday afternoon before church, one of the Covenant Life Church prophetess' hosts a prophetic training class that activates participants in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. During this class, participants will be provided opportunity to be taught how to use the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and will have opportunity to ask questions and talk with someone who has been used in the Gifts during ministry. Teaching is provided on the gifts with emphasis on the Gift of the Prophecy. A combination of lecture and experiential learning is employed to teach, guide and instruct the participants. Everyone is welcome, all classes are free. Childcare is not provided.

PLEASE CHECK THE ONLINE MEDITATION CALENDAR FOR DETAILS OF THESE MORE THAN 50 SERVICES A WEEK- https://onlinemeditation.yogananda.org/calendar/

No one truly understands AI, not even experts, says Helen Toner, an AI policy researcher and former board member of OpenAI. But that doesn't mean we can't govern it. She shows how we can make smart policies to regulate this technology even as we struggle to predict where it's headed — and why the right actions, right now, can shape the future we want. ​​​​Here is how it works: * ​​​​​​​Prior to the event: **Please watch this YouTube video:** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUn8IjZKBPg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUn8IjZKBPg) * ​During the event: We will discuss the following questions: 1. Because AI is changing so fast, it is hard to predict what new things it will be able to do next month. What steps can we take to stay open-minded and adaptable as these tools change how we learn and create? 2. There is a big debate about whether using AI helps us learn faster or makes us skip the hard work of thinking. How can we find a healthy balance between using these new tools and keeping our own minds sharp and active? 3. History shows that the people who use a technology should have a say in how it is shaped for the future. How can we ensure that our local communities have a voice in how AI is developed and used? \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- To provide an enjoyable experience for fellow participants, here are three ground rules during discussion events: 1. Step up and step back. (If you feel that you’ve been talking too much, step back to listen more. If you feel that you’ve been relatively quiet, step up to share your perspective or ask a question) 2. Listen to understand, not to respond. 3. Be open-minded and value differences.

Mother’s Day is a beautiful opportunity to reflect on the love and care that mothers give. Engage in a special meditation called “remembering the kindness of mothers,” in which we take time to recall the many ways our mother has nurtured and protected us from the very beginning of our life. This heartfelt reflection helps us strengthen our love and appreciation — qualities that bring deep peace and happiness to our own mind. Buddha also taught that we have lived countless lives, and in each of those lives we have had a mother who showed us great kindness. By expanding our gratitude outward, we begin to view everyone with the same warmth and affection we feel for our own mother. This opens the door to a universal love that is powerful, healing, and profoundly meaningful. **Cost** General: $12 Financial Hardship: $6 Members: Free, [learn more](https://meditation-dc.org/membership/) **Registration** You can register at the door or [pre-register online](https://meditation-dc.org/event/a-heart-full-of-gratitude-remembering-the-kindness-of-mothers/). **Event Schedule** Sunday May 10th: 10am - 11am

When judging morality, should we prioritize **intentions/duty** or **outcomes/results**? It introduces two influential philosophers as representatives of these approaches. * **Immanuel Kant (deontology):** An action is moral when it is done from **duty** and follows rational, universal principles (the **categorical imperative**). Certain acts—like lying—are wrong regardless of the consequences; you can’t do a wrong thing for a right reason. * **John Stuart Mill (utilitarian consequentialism):** The morality of an action is determined by its **effects**, specifically how much **happiness/well-being** it produces. Mill argues that some pleasures are “higher” than others, and that good intentions don’t redeem harmful outcomes. ## Discussion Questions 1. **The lying dilemma:** A murderer comes to your door and asks if your friend is hiding inside. Kant would say you must not lie. 2. **Can good intentions rescue a bad outcome?** 3. **The organ harvest problem:** A surgeon has five patients dying of organ failure and one healthy patient in for a checkup. Killing the one to harvest organs would save five lives, and the math works out for the utilitarian. Why does this feel so deeply wrong? Is that feeling a point in Kant's favor, or just a bias we should overcome? 4. **Do rules need exceptions?** Kant insists moral rules must be universal, with no exceptions. But most of us can imagine extreme scenarios where any rule seems like it should bend. Does the need for exceptions fatally undermine deontology, or is the strength of the system precisely that it refuses to bend? 5. **Who gets to calculate the consequences?** Utilitarianism asks us to maximize good outcomes, but we're notoriously bad at predicting consequences. If we can't reliably know the results of our actions, is it practical to base our entire moral system on outcomes? Does this uncertainty push us back toward rules and principles? 6. **Everyday morality:** Think about a real moral decision you've made recently, even a small one. Did you reason more like a Kantian (what's the right thing to do in principle?) or more like a utilitarian (what will produce the best result?)? Do most people naturally lean one way? 7. **Justice vs. the greater good:** A town can prevent a deadly plague by sacrificing one innocent person. The greater good is clearly served. But is it just? Can an action be morally right and deeply unjust at the same time? 8. **The big synthesis question:** Are these two systems actually opposed, or do they often arrive at the same answers by different paths? Is it possible that we need both: rules to guide us in the moment and consequences to evaluate systems and policies over time?

Come attend a free in-person seminar where you will find out why you: -Feel isolated -Can't express yourself openly -Get nervous or anxious in front of people -Run out of things to say or feel tongue-tied -Feel introverted -Don't feel comfortable in any social setting -Can't make more friends -Are shy and miss opportunities to connect in a meaningful way And we cover what you can do about any one, some or all of the above. This seminar is the weapon against loneliness, isolation and boredom, come join us! COME TO THIS SEMINAR AND LEARN THE SECRETS TODAY This seminar is brought to you by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center. 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215

Do you sometimes feel like you do well in life then something happens and you slide back, never quite getting ahead. At this Meetup you'll find out how to identify what actually causes the lows, the highs and everything in between. More importantly you’ll get the secret of how to gain control over your life so the highs are higher and the lows go away. Wouldn’t it be nice to stop the wild roller coaster ride for good? Or at least make it a fun roller coaster ride, with more ups and downs. There is a hidden factor that will be going over and you’re going to be quite surprised what it is and how much it affects your life. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to the event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is hosted at the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center.

Join us for a free in-person seminar where you will get knowledge and tools to build your confidence. Do you ever: -Feel isolated -Can't express yourself openly -Get nervous or anxious in front of people -Run out of things to say or feel tongue-tied -Feel introverted -Don't feel comfortable in any social setting -Can't make more friends -Are shy and miss opportunities to connect in a meaningful way At this workshop we will cover what you can do about any one, some or all of the above. This seminar is the weapon against loneliness, isolation and boredom, come join us! COME TO THIS SEMINAR AND LEARN THE SECRETS TODAY This seminar is brought to you by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center. 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215