Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Separation Of Church And State topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Missoula Area Secular Society outlines humanist purpose, outreach and church–state concerns on MCAT
Summary
On MCAT's Your Missoula, Dan Jensen of the Missoula Area Secular Society described the group's humanist identity, its origins in 2008, a core of 25–30 regular participants and a roughly 600-person mailing list. Jensen and host Joel Beard discussed screenings of the film Bad Faith and raised concerns about a recent federal memorandum and IRS policy,
On an episode of Your Missoula, Joel Beard, general manager of Missoula Community Access Television, interviewed Dan Jensen, a member of the Missoula Area Secular Society, about the organization's history, activities and views on the separation of church and state.
The Missoula Area Secular Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in 2008 that Jensen described as "a group of, non believers, for the most part." Jensen said the group maintains a mailing list of about 600 people and a core of "25 to 30 people" who participate regularly, and that meetings range from social gatherings to philosophical discussions about current events.
Jensen and Beard discussed recent local showings of the documentary Bad Faith, which Jensen said some members attended. Jensen said the screenings were sponsored in part by Americans United for Separation of Church and State and that a local Presbyterian church also hosted a showing. "It's interesting to me that it's not just nonbelievers who are scared about the current situation," Jensen said, referring to concerns about religious influence in government.
The interview turned to federal guidance and potential effects on nonprofits. Jensen referenced "national security presidential memorandum number 7," saying the document described anti‑Christian conduct alongside other threads and that the language was "not a good sign." He also raised worries about enforcement of rules that limit partisan political activity by tax‑exempt organizations, saying, "They're not gonna enforce any rule against it. The IRS is not gonna say you're losing your nonprofit status."
Beard and Jensen emphasized that the society aims to provide community and a forum for discussion. Jensen said some members meet weekly in Stevensville and that there are regional contingents in the Bitterroot and Hamilton. He described the group's discussions as open to a range of nonbelief positions, including humanists, deists and agnostics, and stressed the group does not expel participants for holding different views.
The conversation also explored philosophical themes, with speakers referencing writers such as Christopher Hitchens and entertainers Penn & Teller to illustrate arguments that ethical systems can be created and upheld without religious doctrine.
For those interested in connecting with the group, Beard and Jensen directed viewers to the society's website, secularmissoula.org. Beard closed the segment with MCAT contact information: mcat@mcat.org and (406) 542-6228.
