Non-religious organization, started last semester, offers ‘dogma-free’ setting

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A new registered student organization is hoping to dispel some of the negative stereotypes associated with those who are not religious.

The Non-Religious, Atheist, Free Thinker, and Agnostic Alliance started at Central Michigan University last semester and Royal Oak senior Kirk Wilcox, a group member, hopes more people join.

“We want to establish a place for non-religious people to come and have a dogma-free setting,” he said. “We’re offering people a setting where they can feel comfortable without other people bringing God up.”

The group meets at 9 p.m. every Tuesday, although a fall semester location is not yet decided.

Once a location is determined, Clinton Township junior Jake Barnett, the group’s vice president, said he will post the location for group meetings on the group’s Facebook page.

At meetings, the group discusses various issues, such as religion and politics, and shows a movie about once a month, Wilcox said.

Last semester, the group showed a screening of Bill Maher’s “Religulous,” a comedic documentary that satirizes organized religion.

Wilcox said the group plans on doing community service to help disprove negative connotations regarding non-religious people.

“Atheists are the least trusted minority in terms of presidential elections,” Barnett said.

Wilcox said the group does not show discrimination towards any religious views, and the six to 10 people who usually attend group meetings have various beliefs regarding God.

He said religious people occasionally attend meetings.

While Wilcox is an atheist, Barnett remains agnostic. Wilcox, who occasionally attended church with his mom growing up, said he started questioning his religion around age 12.

Barnett, who started becoming skeptical of his Baptist beliefs around age 14, bases his agnosticism around scientific research and said the existence of God, or lack therefore of, cannot be proven with science.

Wilcox came up with the group idea last winter break with the help of friend Aaron Lesniak, a Farmington Hills alumnus.

He said the group’s discussions range from discrimination in the work place to whether or not “In God We Trust” should appear on U.S. currency.

The group can be contacted at nafaacmu@gmail.com.