Atheist and Other Freethinkers

International Skeptics Day
2027-10-13
International Skeptics Day is like a party for your brain, where doubt is the guest of honor! This special day lands on October 13th each year, inviting everyone to question the usual and embrace some healthy skepticism. But there’s a twist. This day also gets celebrated on January 13th and sometimes even on the first Friday-the-13th of the year, making it a triple treat for those who love to question everything. The day’s roots stretch way back, touching on historical figures like Pyrrho of Elis and William of Ockham, who taught us the importance of questioning our beliefs and the knowledge we take for granted. The essence of International Skeptics Day is not just about doubting for the sake of it but encouraging a spirit of inquiry and critical thinking. Imagine a world where everyone accepted things at face value. There’s not much room for progress, right? That’s where this day steps in, urging us to question the established, seek evidence, and maybe even play devil’s advocate at the next group hangout. Remember that the essence of skepticism is not about being negative, but about keeping an open mind, and not just accepting things on someone’s word. It’s about looking for evidence, asking questions, and not taking “because I said so” for an answer.

Carl Sagan Day
2027-11-09
Carl Sagan Day (http://www.carlsaganday.com/) marks the birthday of the great Carl Sagan, and is a celebration to honor his memory. Carl Sagan was Professor of Astronomy and Space Science and Director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies at Cornell University, an outspoken skeptic, humanist and freethinker, and a Pulitzer Prize winning science author. But for the most part the public remembers him as the creator of the Cosmos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmos:_A_Personal_Voyage) television series. This Emmy and Peabody award-winning PBS series transformed educational television when it first aired in 1980. Thirty years later it still seems fresh, and has gone on to affect the hearts and minds of over a billion people in sixty countries. His magnum opus was his final book, The Demon-Haunted World (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Demon-Haunted_World), published in 1995, the year before his untimely death. Few other science writers (perhaps only Isaac Asimov) were able to reach and teach so many nonscientists in such a meaningful way. So in 2009, the Center for Inquiry (http://www.centerforinquiry.net/carlsaganday) inaugurated Carl Sagan Day as a secular holiday. Each year we will continue to celebrate Dr. Sagan, remember him and his work, and revel in the wondrous cosmos he helped us understand.

Church/State Separation Week
2027-11-24 - 2027-11-28
Many freethinkers have adopted the week of Thanksgiving (~November 24) as Church/State Separation Week, to offer concerned and active citizens an opportunity to educate others about the importance of a clear division between Church and State. The hope is that this secular holiday will rally us and provide a platform to celebrate one of this nation’s finest contributions to civilization. Secularist societies such asAmericans United for the Separation of Church and State (http://www.au.org/), the Institute for First Amendment Studies (http://www.ifas.org/), the Freedom From Religion Foundation (http://www.ffrf.org/), the American Atheists (http://www.atheists.org/) and the Institute for the Secularization of Islamic Society (http://www.secularislam.org/), as well as others united for a secular government, have supported this celebration. In humanist circles, some also celebrate November 24 as Evolution Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_Day), marking as it does the anniversary of the first publication of The Origin of Species (Nov 24, 1859). For the most, however, the focus is on church/state separation this week. Carles Darwin has his own secular holiday (see: February 12).

International Human Rights Day
2027-12-10
“IHUD (https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day)” is a way to promote, defend, and remember the basic human rights every person in every country has as a result of being born into this world. The basic document that outlines these rights is known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as adopted by the United Nations in 1948. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights came about as a result of the atrocities of World War II. As the United Nations came into being its charter gave human rights a new international legal status, and the need to codify human rights as a means to prevent similar atrocities took shape. It created a Commission on Human Rights, which spent three years drafting the declaration with the help of such members as Eleanor Roosevelt, John P. Humphrey, Charles Malik and Rene Cassin. The declaration was adopted without dissent on December 10, 1948, and has grown in stature and respect over the years since its adoption as it continues to assert the human dignity and worth of every human being on the planet. Since its adoption countries around the world have celebrated the anniversary, but it has only been since the 50th anniversary celebrations in 1998 that the holiday has gained in popularity. Eleanor Roosevelt once said that the fate of human rights lies in the hands of everyone in every community. Freethinkers know the importance of this statement. It can often be a challenge for many of them to be given the same rights and opportunities as others in their own communities, much less in the world. They, of all people, understand the importance of keeping human rights the center of focus and attention in the world at large. Celebrating International Human Rights Day is a way to show how everyone, religious or not, is connected in ways that run deeper than the nature of belief. International Human Rights Day Press Kit & Resources (https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day/resources).

Bill of Rights Day
2027-12-15
Bill of Rights Day (https://constitutioncenter.org/learn/civic-calendar/bill-of-rights-day) (by Presidential Proclamation): Now, Therefore, I, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate December 15, 1941, as Bill of Rights Day. And I call upon the officials of the Government, and upon the people of the United States, to observe the day by displaying the flag of the United States on public buildings and by meeting together for such prayers and such ceremonies as may seem to them appropriate. To view the official proclamation, see: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/proclamation-2524-bill-rights-day (https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/proclamation-2524-bill-rights-day) The first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. Passed by Congress on September 25, 1789, these rights place limits on government power. Did you know …? – The bill was introduced by James Madison. He later became the 4th President of the United States. – The Bill of Rights initially had 12 proposed amendments. One concerned the number of constituents for each Representative. The other addressed compensation of Congressman. Neither were ratified. – In 1992, compensation of Congressman was ratified 203 years later and is now the 27th amendment. – The Bill of Rights is displayed in The Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. – There were 14 copies of the Bill of Rights, one for each of the 13 states to sign and one for the federal archives. Only 12 copies survive today.HOW TO OBSERVE: Display the flag of the United States at home and on public buildings. Read the Bill of Rights. See if you can pass a quiz (https://ncc.polldaddy.com/s/can-you-pass-a-basic-10-question-quiz-on-bill-of-rights) about the Bill of Rights. Use #BillOfRightsDay to post on social media.

Solstice (December)
2027-12-20 - 2027-12-23
December Solstice is the real Reason for the Season. Called Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere, Summer Solstice in the southern, people have marked this astronomical event for thousands of years. Many religions have seasonal holy days or celebrations linked to the December Solstice. It is the day the Northern Hemisphere has less daylight than at any other time of the year (we call it the shortest day), and the Southern Hemisphere has more daylight occurs than any other time (the longest day). The precise date of the December Solstice varies from year to year, but it will occur between the 20th and 23rd of December. “Solstice” derives from two Latin words: sol (meaning sun) and sistere (to cause to stand still). At noon in either hemisphere the sun will be low in the sky during the winter season, high in the sky during summer. The day with the least daylight is the Winter Solstice, where sun has the lowest elevation. So in the Northern Hemisphere, the December Solstice is officially the first day of winter, sometimes called Midwinter. To the ancients, this day marked a key point in the cycle of life. For modern astronomy enthusiasts, it offers an opportunity to celebrate what we have learned about the cosmos, and allows us to revel in the excitement of space exploration and the complexity of the universe.

HumanLight
2027-12-23
HumanLight (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HumanLight) is a holiday to celebrate the humanist values of tolerance, compassion, empathy, honesty, free inquiry, reason and rationality, and more. The event began in New Jersey in 2001, established by by Joe Fox and Gary Brill of the New Jersey Humanist Network (http://www.njhn.org/). The event provides an excellent alternative to Christmas celebrations. Joe & Gary described it as follows: “The very first HumanLight celebration was held in New Jersey on December 23, 2001 at a gala event attended by close to 100 people. HumanLight is December 23rd, and should always be celebrated on or around this date. This date was chosen for several reasons. A critical objective was to be part of the peak celebration time of the holiday season, yet to have a distinct date of our own that did not coincide exactly (and thus interfere) with other holidays such as the Winter Solstice, Christmas, or Kwanzaa. We liked December 23rd because it was close to the shortest day of the year, a natural event of note, as well as very close to vacation days that typically lead to family gatherings. We wanted Humanists at family gatherings and other holiday social events to be able to say “Happy Holidays” and mean it; to have a positive, constructive way to start a conversation in which they could explain to loved ones what Humanism is about. ” (http://humanlight.org/)

Religious Freedom Day
2028-01-16
National Religious Freedom Day (http://religiousfreedomday.com/) is in the truest sense both a religious and a secular holiday. It marks the anniversary of the passage of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Statute_for_Religious_Freedom), the 1786 colonial statute that disestablished the Anglican Church in Virginia and set the foundation for Separation of Church and State. Thomas Jefferson marked this statute as one of his greatest achievements. Among other things it declared the following: – “that to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves is sinful and tyrannical, – “that our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions any more than our opinions in physics or geometry, – “that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of Religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge or affect their civil capacities.”Congress first marked Religious Freedom Day in 1993. It is a day to reflect on the hard-won separation of civic and religious life, and to refresh our resolve to inform fellow citizen about liberty of conscience in matters of faith, a liberty which must include both freedom of and from religion. Because otherwise, it is no freedom at all.

Thomas Paine Day
2028-01-29
Thomas Paine Day, also called Freethinkers Day, promotes appreciation of freethought through the life and works of American patriot Thomas Paine. Paine (1737-1809) was a courageous freethinker whose life and work inspired great social and political advancement across world. Raised in England, Paine played a vital role in the American and French Revolutions. His books and pamphlets, including The Age of Reason, The Rights of Man, and Common Sense, gained a mass audience for the liberating philosophy of the Enlightenment. Paine arrived in America in 1774 at Benjamin Franklin’s request. On January 10, 1776, he published Common Sense (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0452009219/darwindayprogram), a remarkable and powerful republican pamphlet which had an immediate success. He served in the Revolutionary War under General Greene and later in official positions appointed by congress and in the Pennsylvania legislature. In his later publication, Age of Reason (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1883011035/darwindayprogram), Paine expressed that “all religions are in their nature mild and benign” when not associated with political systems. Paine was the quintessential Deist of the 18th century. Between March 1791 and February 1792 he published numerous editions of his Rights of Man (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0451528891/darwindayprogram), in which he defended the French Revolution. The words of Thomas Paine inspired many to strive for political, economic and social advancement. He was among the first to call for an end to slavery and the establishment of human rights around the world. In the 1990s, the Truth Seeker magazine began celebrating Freethinkers Day on Thomas Paine’s birthday in order to educate the public on the importance of Thomas Paine in the history of freedom. Its poetic description of the day, on this webpage (http://ts.eworldinc.com/), is worthy to repeat: This day honors Thomas Paine and is on his birthday, January 29. This is a global holiday and is simply celebrated by giving and displaying a White Rose with Thorns. The simple beauty and purity, the fragility and yet not without the danger of drawing blood by a thorn prick, makes this an excellent icon for those Freethinkers who want to reflect on Freedom and promote the ideas of personal liberty as expressed by Paine in The Declaration of Independence, This is a holiday that celebrates the concept of Freedom by honoring the man who declared our Independence by giving us Common Sense and The Declaration. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Thomas Paine. So you are welcome to celebrate with us. Just remember a White Rose with Thorns. Also in the 1990s, the Thomas Paine Foundation began celebrating the birthday of Thomas Paine on January 29th, a Thomas Paine Day proclamation on June 8 and other Paine theme events during the year.

Gorilla Suit Day!
2028-01-31
From the sublime to the ridiculous. Close on the heels of Thomas Paine day comes National Gorilla Suit Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla_suit#National_Gorilla_Suit_Day), a pseudo-holiday invented by famed Mad Magazine cartoonist Don Martin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Martin_(cartoonist)). The effluvium of controversy continues to surround this secular celebration: to some it is a blatant conspiracy of gorilla suit manufacturers to promote their wares, others see it as one of America’s more important and venerable holidays. It origins lie in a 1963 comic strip. Don Martin aficionados later evolved the tradition that “NGSD” falls on the last day of January each year. Whatever your opinion of NGSD, few deny the cartooning genius of Don Martin. Art historian Charles Taylor described Martin’s unique style of art and wit: His people are big-nosed schmoes with sleepy eyes, puffs of wiry hair, and what appear to be life preservers under the waistline of their clothes. Their hands make delicate little mincing gestures and their strangely thin, elongated feet take a 90-degree turn at the toes as they step forward. Whether they’re average Joes or headhunters, Martin’s people share the same physique: a tottering tower of obloids. Martin puts the bodies of these characters through every kind of permutation, treating them as much like gadgets as the squirting flowers and joy buzzers that populate his gags: glass eyes pop out from a pat on the back; heads are steamrollered into manhole-cover shapes. All of this accompanied by a Dadaist panoply of sound effects found nowhere else: shtoink! shklorp! fwoba-dap! It’s unlikely Samuel Beckett was aware of Don Martin, but had he been he might have recognized a kindred spirit. (https://www.lambiek.net/artists/m/martin_don.htm)

Darwin Day
2028-02-12
Darwin Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Day) celebrates the life and work of Charles Darwin, a secular holiday widely celebrated within the global community with participation from all sectors of society. Even mainline churches have participated, celebrating the day as Evolution Sunday or Evolution Weekend (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clergy_Letter_Project#Evolution_Weekend_and_related_activities) (see the Clergy Letter Project (https://www.theclergyletterproject.org/) for details). Under any of these names, this day celebrates the wonder and beauty of both science and humanity, and serve to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a man who cast a bright, explanatory light on reality, our self-knowledge, and on the world of which we are part. Charles Darwin contributed to our understanding at the deepest level, forever changed how we see ourselves within this vast, impersonal universe, and brought us a paradigm shift of seismic proportions. He symbolizes the brave, human enterprise of science in confronting the mystery of existence. His life and work exemplify the spirit of wonder, curiosity and adventure along with the excitement that the quest for knowledge and understanding can provide. The Darwin Day Program (http://www.darwinday.org/), an educational non-profit organization, encourages interested groups and individuals throughout the world to participate in the annual celebration of Darwin Day by coordinating events and activities in their area on or around February 12. The program also offers a year-round educational outreach project to help in reaching the goal of improving the public’s understanding of science and foster an appreciation for our shared humanity. Darwin Day, Evolution Sunday and Evolution Weekend encourage us to come together to champion science and humanity throughout our global community. They let us celebrate the astonishing engagement of our common intelligence with the wonder and excitement of life in the universe. If you agree, visit the National Darwin Day (http://www.darwinday.org/) site and sign the petition calling for national recognition of this day. Then, visit Epic of Evolution (http://epicofevolution.com/) for a great adventure.

International Women's Day
2028-03-08
International Women’s Day (http://www.internationalwomensday.com/) (IWD), an international celebration, honors the social, economical, and political achievements made by women everywhere. This secular holiday dates back to the early 1900’s, a time of turbulent growth in the industrialized world that saw growing demands for women to have the right to vote. Among other relevant historical events, it commemorates the “Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire”, on March 25, 1911 in New York City, where over 140 women lost their lives. Born from the socialist and labor movements, International Women’s Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. Promoted by the United Nations since 1975, International Women’s Day is, in the words of the UN, “a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women.” For decades, IWD has increased in strength annually. Women’s organizations and governments around the world have celebrated IWD annually on the 8th of March by holding large-scale events that honor women’s progress and highlight areas where women’s rights still need to be advanced. IWD is an occasion that can be celebrated by all community groups that believe women’s rights are human rights. Each year on March 8, hundreds of International Women’s Day events occur all around the world. IWD events range from small random informal gatherings to large-scale highly organized events. All celebrate women’s advancement and highlight the need for continued vigilance and action. The day is about honoring all women and their accomplishments, this can done by taking part in a large organized activity or by simply honoring the women in one’s life with flowers, a small gift, or even a thank you.
