MNSU’s atheist club believes in the right to not believe – MSU Reporter

AnaRose Hart-ThomasStaff Writer

Each week, the Mavericks Atheist/Agnostic Secular Students gather in the basement of Armstrong Hall to discuss topics of interest presented by its club members.

Dalton Campbell, a third-year finance major, explained a typical meeting as, We have a rotation of officers who make their own PowerPoints about a particular subject. Last week we did one on where morality comes from.

Meetings are conducted in an open forum fashion where members can openly discuss their minds. The club participates in Ask an Atheist Day as well that happens twice a year. On those days, anyone can ask questions about atheism to atheists.

John Arsenault, a senior studying history, said, For me, it is a place of free thought. It is not so much about one thing like atheism, but a place to openly discuss religion and theology.

Frank Vondura, a sophomore transfer student studying music industry and theater design, added, It is a group of people to see each week that are different from the norm who have interesting mindsets and views on things.

MASS has existed in some way on campus for roughly 10 years, but was revamped two years ago to be the group it is today. When I came here, I was looking for an atheist club but there was nothing. There were 20-plus religious organizations, so the goal was to have something for secular people, so they didnt have to feel ostracized, Raghen Lucy, the club president, said.

Michael Diercks, an MNSU alumni, said, The one thing I always liked about this club is the sense of community. Sometimes it feels like Im he only non-religious person but then I come here and there is a whole group of like-minded individuals.

Campbell defined atheist and agnostic as, Atheist to me, deals with the lack of the belief in God, whereas agnostic deals with the knowledge of something meaning you dont know something for a fact.

Information on how to join can be found on posters throughout the campus. Weekly meetings are held Thursdays at 7 p.m. in Armstrong Hall 39.

We are open to anyone of any religious faith as long as you bring an open mind, Arsenault said.

Header photo: Students exchange their views on the extinction of dinosaurs at the Mavericks Atheist/Agnostic Secular Students Features meeting in Armstrong Hall Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020 in Mankato, Minn. (Mai Tran/MSU Reporter)

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MNSU's atheist club believes in the right to not believe - MSU Reporter