Salon: Past Events

Is higher education in trouble? What are the functions and values of traditional higher education – colleges and universities -- in an era with so many alternatives? How much should colleges cater to job requirements, the pursuit of bigger salaries, and garnering credentials? Should higher education aim to lead students toward the best in human achievement and creativity? Is it all wasted on the young, or is the cost simply too high?
The Jefferson Center invites members and guests to a discussion of these and other issues that will be facilitated by Joseph Graf, Jefferson Center Board member and former Dean of Sciences at Southern Oregon University. Serving as resources to aid our discussion of these broad topics will be Charles Lane and Steve Thorpe, former faculty members and administrators at a number of private and public institutions in Oregon, Texas, Hawaii and California.

It has been said that an atheist can never be President of the United States—because anti-atheism is so pervasive and strong. One prejudicial assertion is that atheists must be immoral because one cannot have morality without god. Do anti-atheist assumptions, prejudices, and discrimination exist in the Rogue Valley (and in the U.S.), and are people harmed? Do atheists have no morals? Are they incapable of experiencing awe and reverence? What do non-religious (or anti-religious) people think about faith, belief, and the source of goodness? Should non-religious people keep quiet about their ideas to avoid being stigmatized?
The Jefferson Center invites members and guests to discuss ideas on the subject from 4 to 6 pm on Sunday, September 10, in The Jefferson Center in the Old Ashland Armory, in a roundtable discussion format. Very brief opening remarks and facilitation will be provided by the Center’s Program Committee.
This event is a continuation of our discussion in May about what it means to have “no religion.” The event drew a large turnout. Participants had a chance to share personal experiences, but time ran out before we could explore issues in depth. So please join us to continue the discussion, or to add your own perspective if you missed the May salon.

More than ever, Americans describe themselves as atheists, agnostics, or “nothing in particular” when surveyed about their religious identity (about three in ten, according to the Pew Research Center). But what do these terms mean? The Jefferson Center invites members and guests to discuss their ideas on the subject at our May salon. Having “no religion” might just mean it is not present in one’s life. But claiming atheism or agnosticism suggests that one has pondered the concepts and practices and made a decision not to be religious. At the same time, stereotypes and discrimination against non-religious people, especially atheists, remains strong in our society. Atheists, for example, may be assumed to have no morals because they have no god, or to be incapable of deep feelings such as awe and reverence. (Atheists themselves disagree.) What do non-religious (or anti-religious) people think about faith, belief, and the source of goodness? Should non-religious people keep quiet about their ideas in order to avoid offending the religious? Or to avoid being stigmatized by some religious?
For its next salon, The Jefferson Center will host a “Roundtable” discussion in which participants sit in a circle and everyone has a chance to share thoughts about the topic. Very brief opening remarks and facilitation will be provided by the Program Committee.

The program will be held in the Jefferson Center space, suite 101, in the Old Armory Building, 208 Oak St., in Ashland. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public.

Do big religions have “Alpha Male” gods because men want multiple sexual partners and women are sexually attracted to dominant males? If so, where did this come from? And who can we blame? Our own evolutionary psychology, says Hector Garcia. But we can behave differently. Garcia is author of the book “Alpha God: The Psychology of Religious Violence and Oppression,” and explored these topics in a talk presented last year at the national convention of the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). Does our biology account for our notions of a God who inspires not only male power and dominance but also female sexual desire?
After viewing the video of Garcia's FFRF talk, discussion will be led by Sandra Coyner, Ph.D., longtime Jefferson Center member and emerita professor who taught history, women’s studies, and critical thinking, at several universities including Southern Oregon University. We will consider both the validity of Garcia’s claims and his use of evidence from the controversial field of evolutionary psychology.