A Chapter of the American Humanist Association

HALVASON, the Humanist Association of Las Vegas and Southern Nevada, is a nonprofit, educational organization whose main purpose is to promote humanism as a viable alternative to supernatural and theistic belief systems. We serve as a forum for humanists, atheists, agnostics, freethinkers and other like-minded individuals in the Las Vegas area. We promote the Jeffersonian principle of separation of religion and government, the rights of nonreligious people in our society, free inquiry and thought, a naturalistic view of the universe and a reason-based, secular ethical system. Our membership is open to all like-minded people without regard to race, age, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, or political or other affiliations.

Regular HALVASON Meetings and Events
(All HALVASON events are open to the public)

HALVASON Membership Meetings feature a speaker or moderator addressing a topic of interest to Humanists. These are held the third Sunday of each month at 2:00 p.m. in the Las Vegas Library Program Room at 833 N. Las Vegas Blvd., between Washington and Bonanza opposite Cashman Field. For a map, click here. Many members make this their primary humanist-related event.

HALVASON Forums will be held the second Sunday of each month, currently at 2:00 in the Las Vegas Library East Meeting Room at 833 N. Las Vegas Blvd. The forum will be an informal gathering to exchange thoughts about different aspects of humanism and our relationships to our communities. There is some sentiment that this be a more social affair that encourages more identity and participation.

Other Regular Events of Interest

HUUMANIST Forums are held the first Sunday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Unitarian-Universalist Congregation of Las Vegas (UUCLV) facilities at 3616 E. Lake Mead Blvd., a block east of Pecos.

The Las Vegas Atheists Meetup is held the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at Jason’s Deli, 3910 S. Maryland Parkway, just north of Flamingo. Although not sponsored by HALVASON, the Atheist Meetups are fun, social events.

Scheduled events of interest to members

HUUMANIST Forum

When – Sunday, February 7, at 12:00 noon

Where - UUCLV Hall - 3616 East Lake Mead Blvd, Las Vegas, NV

What – Dr. Kurt Regner, member of the Biology Faculty at UNLV, will facilitate an overview of the numerous issues in the domain of bio-ethics that currently face our nation. We invited Dr. Regner to speak to the general topic of bio-ethics so as to establish a critical list of topics to be explored in detail at later forums. The public will be invited to give input and make suggestions for future bio-ethics topics. The many topics include the various choice issues, research based on new lines of stem cells, organ donation and others. Any questions, please contact Paul LaCombe at 437-9862 or uuclvhumanists@gmail.com.

HALVASON Forum

When – Sunday, February 14 at 2:00 pm (Please note the new time.)

Where - 833 N. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV in the Library East Meeting Room

What – This is a chance to come and meet members informally and have freewheeling discussions on Humanist topics. See you there!

HALVASON Membership Meeting

When – Sunday, February 21, at 2:00 pm

Where - 833 N. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV in the Library Program Room (Across from Cashman Field)

What – Speaker: Mr. Gary DeVaney. Title of Talk: "Is Jesus Christ a Composite?" Gary is a member of our HALVASON group. He is a former actor, a former ordained minister, a former therapist, and is a retired reserve captain in the US Army. He is the author of two books: Thoughts of a Social Layman and Emotional Surgery. He moved to Las Vegas in 1988. He is currently a skeptical freethinker and is deeply involved in biblical criticism. He has spent over 10,000 hours studying the bible. The results of his study can be viewed on his website: www.thegodmurders.com. We hope you will be able to join us for Gary's presentation.

Please visit the events archives to see previously scheduled events

What’s Happening in Humanism

Press Releases

Humanists Praise President Obama for His Remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast

For Immediate Release

(Washington, DC, February 4, 2010) The American Humanist Association today praised President Obama’s comments at the National Prayer Breakfast, expressing gratitude that in his remarks the President included and commended nontheists among those who are leading relief efforts in Haiti. “The compassion and decency of the American people is expressed… by Americans of every faith, and no faith, uniting around a common purpose, a higher purpose,” Obama stated at the event this morning.

“By including us in his acknowledgement of the overwhelming and amazing response to the Haitian catastrophe, President Obama echoed what we have claimed all along, that one can be good without God,” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. “For humanists and others who don't believe in an afterlife, we recognize that this is the only life we have and we have a responsibility to make it the best it can be. That means helping others in need, such as providing relief in times of disaster—which is exactly what our aid organization Humanist Charities is doing right now in Haiti. Humanist Charities was the first on the ground in Jacmel, a region in Haiti that was devastated by the earthquake but had not received much attention from the media. We have made a big difference for the people there,” said Speckhardt.

Humanist Charities is an explicitly secular relief organization administered by the American Humanist Association. It donated over $50,000 to Haitian relief efforts immediately following the earthquake that devastated Haiti in January.

In addition to including nontheists in his remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, Humanists were pleased that President Obama used the forum as an opportunity to condemn Uganda’s anti-homosexuality bill. The bill, introduced by Ugandan MP David Bahati, would make homosexuality a capital offence in Uganda. Bahati is connected with the fundamentalist religious network, the Fellowship Foundation, which has numerous connections in Washington and, with congressional sponsorship, organizes the National Prayer Breakfast. In condemning the Ugandan bill, Obama said, “We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are [with] odious laws that are being proposed most recently in Uganda.”

“President Obama used this opportunity to not only reiterate his concerns with the Ugandan bill, but to do so in front of an audience that has direct influence on the bill’s sponsor,” noted Speckhardt. “In doing so, he showed great leadership. We hope it will help stop Bahati’s efforts.”

Speckhardt expressed some overall concerns with the nature of the National Prayer Breakfast itself, however, noting that it is essentially a religious event: “Despite being pleased with Obama’s remarks this morning, it is still troubling that President Obama and other elected officials continue to implicitly sanction this event," he said. Speckhardt also questioned the connection of the Fellowhip to the National Prayer Breakfast, saying its involvement makes the event even more controversial and divisive.

The National Prayer Breakfast is an annual event held since 1953 in early February that brings together the president and other politicians with Evangelical leaders.

The American Humanist Association (www.americanhumanist.org) advocates for the rights and viewpoints of humanists. Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., its work is extended through more than 100 local chapters and affiliates across America.

Humanism is the idea that you can be good without a belief in God.

For more AHA news click here:

Join HALVASON

To become a member of HALVASON please come to one of our meetings for information and a membership form. This will also give you membership in the national organization, AHA.

Your webmaster invites you to share any thoughts you have about Yahoo! Groups by emailing bob@halvason.org.

Other

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Humanist weddings and other ceremonies may be performed by Paul LaCombe, Humanist Minister, licensed in the state of Nevada. Call 437-9862 or email paul@halvason.org.

Contact Information
* HALVASON, P.O. Box 363897, N. Las Vegas, NV 89030-9998
* Email webmaster@halvason.org to report any problems with this website.

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