Students, faculty looking to start atheist, agnostic, humanist group
Delia-Marie Richardson
Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: News
Students and faculty from Nicholls are working with the Secular Student Alliance to start a group for atheists, agnostics, humanists, free-thinkers and skeptics on campus.
Ory Fromenthal, freshman Morgan City, is the organizer of the group and is being supported by associate professor of biological sciences David L. Schultz. Fromenthal and Schultz hope to get about 10 students, the minimum number required for a new student organization.
The focus of the group will be to have a social community, to educate and to advocate.
"The community is for people to have intelligent conversations and to know they aren't alone in their disbelief," Fromenthal said.
He continued by saying the group is a social community minority.
"Religion is not a monopoly," Schultz said. "We use rational thinking and hope to put a positive image on negative baggage misunderstood about atheists, agnostics, humanists and free-thinkers."
Fromenthal and Schultz said the group will not be an anti-religious group.
"We hope to have a good relationship with other religious groups and possibly even co-sponsor a debate," Fromenthal said.
Schultz said he believes atheists, agnostics, humanists and free-thinkers have common interests with religious people.
"We all want the separation of church and state. Many religious groups want the government out of their religion, just like we want religion out of our government," Schultz said.
Nicholls would not be the first college in the South to have such a group. Louisiana State University has Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics (AHA) to "provide a forum for free thought and discussion and to serve as a social arena for free-thinkers," as stated on LSU's Web site.
Mississippi State University also has Atheists, Agnostics and Free-thinkers Student Association.
Nicholls has five religious clubs on campus: Alpha II Omega, Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Campus Crusade for Christ, Chi Alpha and St. Thomas Campus Ministry.
Ory Fromenthal, freshman Morgan City, is the organizer of the group and is being supported by associate professor of biological sciences David L. Schultz. Fromenthal and Schultz hope to get about 10 students, the minimum number required for a new student organization.
The focus of the group will be to have a social community, to educate and to advocate.
"The community is for people to have intelligent conversations and to know they aren't alone in their disbelief," Fromenthal said.
He continued by saying the group is a social community minority.
"Religion is not a monopoly," Schultz said. "We use rational thinking and hope to put a positive image on negative baggage misunderstood about atheists, agnostics, humanists and free-thinkers."
Fromenthal and Schultz said the group will not be an anti-religious group.
"We hope to have a good relationship with other religious groups and possibly even co-sponsor a debate," Fromenthal said.
Schultz said he believes atheists, agnostics, humanists and free-thinkers have common interests with religious people.
"We all want the separation of church and state. Many religious groups want the government out of their religion, just like we want religion out of our government," Schultz said.
Nicholls would not be the first college in the South to have such a group. Louisiana State University has Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics (AHA) to "provide a forum for free thought and discussion and to serve as a social arena for free-thinkers," as stated on LSU's Web site.
Mississippi State University also has Atheists, Agnostics and Free-thinkers Student Association.
Nicholls has five religious clubs on campus: Alpha II Omega, Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Campus Crusade for Christ, Chi Alpha and St. Thomas Campus Ministry.
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