Humanist Association of Manitoba

Fargo trip - Donna, Sophie, Myrna and Grant

2009 September 24-25

The things Winnipegers will do for a bargain. Like drive to Fargo to see a free movie. We had also seen the news that PZ Myers would be in Fargo, as close to Winnipeg as he had ever been. So four of us jumped in the car Thursday morning and drove south.
(adapted from Mark Newman's election map)

If contradictions matter, here are some factoids:

• Fargo is the North Dakota's largest city.
• North Dakota is a "red state" (Republican/conservative).
• One of the event hosts is a former Fargo mayor and freethinker.
• The current mayor, Dennis R. Walaker, declared September 24 to be Freethought Day
• Several hundred people followed and enjoyed the events of the day in Fargo.

We arrived barely in time to get into the Fargo Theatre where they were about to show Julia Sweeney's "Letting Go of God". Almost late, we encountered a lineup and nearly did not get seats. They had reserved a larger space, but something went wrong and they ended up with the 120(?) seat theatre. So people lined the aisle way. More sat in the foyer and listened to both the movie and PZ Myers from there.

The movie is Julia's story of losing religion and god beliefs, done as a one woman monologue. Few could pull this off, but she is a professional actress (most famously as Pat on Saturday Night Live). It is done in several segments, each touching a time in her quest for reality and validation of her religious beliefs, yet often coming back to earlier events with a new perspective. It starts with her early childhood, as a good and dedicated Catholic - as much as one can be while young - with a wish to become a nun. As she starts to see conflicts in her religion's dogma versus other religions and her own observations, belief slowly unravels. Though often in steep steps as she trips up the learning curve to a rational worldview, spiced with a unique sarcastic humour.

It ends with her, her adopted daughter and a puppy sitting on a hillside while Julia speculates on her daughter's journey to come. It is a story that many people have experienced first hand, though each in their own way, and in their own discoveries. Yet though you might have your own, hers is compelling for being so well expressed.

An atheist coming from religion should find it fascinating, and perhaps find parallel experiences. An atheist who never had the religion memeplex might come to see the difficult battle those with it have to face. An agnostic or a believer might find that connection and commonality of experience that defines us as fellow creatures, not enemies or combatants in some battle for hearts, minds, or souls.

She also steps into other areas (which some of us refer to as woo-woo when in a kind mood), taking a few particularly insightful and richly deserved stabs at Deepak Chopra and the crystal / chakra / energy crowd. Nice.

After the movie, PZ Myers gave a short talk on telling our own stories to create that commonality with friends, family and others. The idea is not to prosletyze, attack or insult believers, but merely show them what we have in common and why our own disbelief works for us. This is part of what marketing expert Steve Cuno meant when he spoke at TAM7 and pointed out atheists have an image problem (more in our August 2009 newsletter). He then took some questions. Most were straight forward and uncontroversial. One asked if science would be proved wrong if something impossible turned up in the fossil record. Myers responded that science would not fail, but instead take that and all existing evidence and informaiton, and adjust according to what turned up. This is the strength of science - when new facts conflict with or invalidate a current theory, scientists adjust the theory (or work on a new one) to match the facts. Religions cannot adapt their canonical texts and the religious are forced more and more to resort to convoluted and often bizarre explanations, or just plain old "goddidit" and never mind the details. Science learns.

We met some of the Red River Freethinkers exec and members. They were thrilled we had come all the way from Winnipeg to meet them and see the show (and PZ). But then, we have much in common and a chance for a get together, good times and an exchange of ideas is not to be missed. To any RRFs reading - thank you for the opportunity.

We also got in some shopping (or more correctly, the three females got in a lot of shopping). Best deal of all: Gasoline at $2.38 per gallon, or roughly 60 cents a litre in C$ while it is about 99 cents a litre here.

On the way back, we saw the remains of two semis that had collided, one looking like a serious fire burnt up the cab. Not much farther, we saw two other semis had hit and rolled in the ditch. One had a load of young pigs. When we arrived, they were being freed and happily exploring the ditch. No apparent casualties, which was good.

Sorry, no pics of anything. Until I lay off the caffeine, all pics will be blurry.

– Grant