This is a workshop on effective communication tools and debate tactics that secular people can use when speaking with theists. These tools encourage effective outcomes, and allow for conversations to occur that promote the exchange of ideas and debate, while also presenting alternative perspectives that theists are more likely to engage with, having been made to feel heard themselves. Also - comedy. 

• Comedy trainer. Producer. Writer. Nationally ranked debater. Podcaster.  (she, her) Originally from Bentonville, Arkansas, Sydney relocated to Chicago at the age of 16 to pursue a career in comedy, studying at The Second City Training Center.  Her comedy special "TRASH" is available online. In addition to performing, Sydney has hosted and produced live comedy shows for The Second City,  The Comedy Bar, Third Coast Comedy Club, and Apollo Theater Chicago. She also developed the curriculums currently in use at SCTC for Storytelling, Standup, and Public Speaking. Sydney is also the host of the podcast Growing Up Fundie, where she interviews guests who were raised in strictly religious households (of any religion, sect, or cult). She serves as a host on the ACA's shows "Talk Heathen" and "Truth Wanted" and was a co-founder of "The Conversation Coalition".  www.sydneydavisjrjr.com  www.growingupfundiepodcast.com

What is going on with humans? Around the world massive changes are happening. From decreasing fertility rates, plummeting marriage rates, political divides; a wide range of social changes are impacting relationships, marriage, dating, reproduction and much more. Our children, grand children, nieces and nephews are already facing these issues. The “one size fits all” monogamous model of marriage is failing dramatically around the world. How can we view this as humanists? What are healthy responses that can increase human thriving and healthy relationships? What models might be available for the future?  Society is not talking about these issues but as humanists we are in a position to lead in creating new ways to be in relation to others. 

• Dr Darrel Ray (he/him) is the founder of Recovering from Religion, and author of the books "The God Virus: How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture" and "Sex and God: How Religion Distorts Sexuality."  www.recoveringfromreligion.org  

White Christian Nationalist elitists have recently proclaimed on a national platform that Christianity is being persecuted.  I beg to differ!  Atheists, agnostics, and non-religious affiliated are actually the ones being persecuted via personal, government, and work. This workshop will empower you to take a stand against situations such as unconstitutional violations, hostile work environments, difficult conversations with loved ones, coping during difficult times, and being a voice of reason in your local community. 

• Bernard Acosta was raised in a pentecostal Assemblies of God church and became “saved” at the age of six.  As a preacher’s kid, he participated in the worship team, gave sermons, and played in a christian rock band that showcased for two christian record labels.  After 36 years, Bernard deconstructed his faith which eventually led to his freedom from religion while gaining a renewed sense of purpose.  Aside from having keen knowledge of the “holy” book and its contradictions, Bernard has equipped himself in the fight against apologists, separation of state and church, and religious fanatics.  Bernard is a proud member of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and strives to be a voice of reason in any platform. 

The only thing that Americans seem to agree on right now is that we are more divided than ever, that “those people” are idiots, and it's all doom and gloom on the horizon. Is there something we’re missing?  In this insightful and interactive workshop, discover: 

• What culture camps and historical contexts make up many of your ideals, biases, and worldview. 

• Identify why the divide is much deeper than merely “Christian v. Atheist” or “Left v. Right”.

• Identify, compare and contrast your current perspective from that of others in positive ways that affirms all of humanity, not just your “side”. 

• Discover the major contributions that have caused the polarization we see today, and how to have more productive and collaborative conversations with people you disagree with. 

• And finally, assess suggestions for radical paradigm shifts for creating a better future.
  
  

• Nathaniel Wildstone is a professional trainer and instructional designer who has worked at Blue Origin and Amazon. He consulted and helped to design coursework for Street Epistemology for Anthony Magnabosco (as seen on YouTube), where his research for this workshop began. He currently trains operations personnel for the New Shepard vehicle/rocket, particularly the Capsule Commanders (CapComs) who speak to the astronauts in flight. In addition to his two degrees in training and a decade of experience with Fortune 500 companies and spaceflight, he has studied extensively in psychology, sociology, religion, philosophy, and history. 

Topic description.

• Artist, Model & Entertainer.  Glenda Jordan lives in Las Vegas and works full time as an artist, model, and entertainer. She grew up on a farm south of Nashville, Tennessee where she was indoctrinated into the Southern Baptist faith from birth. After deconstructing religion in college, she became involved in activism for various causes. Joining the third wave intersectional feminist movement, Glenda believes that liberation from the patriarchy and the destructive influence of misogynistic faiths are inexorably linked. Focusing on atheistic feminism and sex positivity, Glenda is an active volunteer with Recovering from Religion and other non-profit organizations and her local queer kink communities. Other passions include fantasy and sci-fi, Star Trek, art history, traveling, and national parks. When she’s not in her studio or doing marathon Zelda gaming sessions, Glenda enjoys spending time with her partners and friends.

A short history of humanism and its tenets, and how to be a human, more importantly a Humanist in a fast changing world that challenges race, gender, sexuality, politics and who is human.  We will talk about what it means to be human, to err, to forgive, to mourn the old human, to regain our intentional consciousness! 

• Sociologist, professor, mediator, Emotional Intelligence trainer, humanist community builder and activities organizer with Humanists of Tennessee (the Humanist Association of Middle Tennessee, HAMTN). 

Morality is an important topic. One that has largely been dictated by religion and philosophy. But why? Why do we accept this as the paradigm? Let's take a bold, new approach and subject our moral questions to the scientific method. Let's make a science of morality! 

• I have been researching morality as a science for the past 8 years informally. I am currently writing a book on the subject called Morality Matters and host a round table event each month to discuss topics from the book and solicit feedback. My formal education is in Economics, but my book has little to do with that. My expertise in morality is self-taught, as I have no advanced degrees and I'm not well known. 

Are you newly “religion-free”? Are you still working your way out of it?  Are you now happily "faith-free" or was it a pretty difficult journey?  In this workshop, we’ll hear the stories of some of our fellow participants, some perhaps quite different, some perhaps surprisingly similar to your own. We’ll experience what a relief it can be as we realize we’re not alone on the journey, when we’re finally in a judgment-free space.  Whether NaNoCon is your first experience finding your people, or whether you’ve been around freethinkers your whole life, we’ll appreciate how comforting it can be to share the lived experience with our fellow travelers. You’ve lived to tell the tale… and now it's a part of your story: "This was how I survived and moved on."

• Bob Faw has been leading workshops professionally for 36 years as a trainer and consultant for groups like NASA and the Red Cross.  With experience  as an improv comedian, he brings this humor and enjoyment  to his workshops. His approach is engaging, conversational, and fun.

In a time when Christian nationalists feel emboldened and the separation of church and state faces increasing challenges, collaboration with like-minded groups has never been more critical. This could mean finding common-cause with religious groups.  This workshop will provide training empowering non-religious people on how to build effective coalitions with organizations that share our values of inclusivity, justice, and freedom of belief. Participants will learn strategies for fostering mutual respect, navigating differences, and leveraging collective strength to address issues like religious attacks on reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ discrimination, and the erosion of democratic principles. Together, we can amplify our impact and create a more just and equitable community. 

• Bob Swanson has been the faculty sponsor of a secular student group, FAAMSU (Freethinkers, Atheists and Agnostics of Mississippi State University), since 2019. Recognizing that visibility can both normalize freethought and recruit new members (believers, seekers and secular students), FAAMSU has increased outreach and dialogue with religious groups on campus, especially since Spring 2024. 

The current political theatre begs a critical question--why do we hold absurd beliefs? Our signaling behaviors infuse nearly every aspect of our social lives, from the most mundane to the most consequential. They underlie dangerously held conspiracy theories. They underlie our worst online behaviors. They underlie war. Moreover, our signaling instincts are intentionally manipulated by foreign state actors, monied political interests, and religious leaders, all for personal gain.  The evolutionary sciences uniquely offer the means to pull these instincts into the light of rational examination. Dr Garcia's talk  draws on costly signaling theory (Zahavi, 1975), the strategic absurdity hypothesis (Williams, 2021), and the execution hypothesis (Wragham,2019) to illuminate the roots of our absurd beliefs. Attendees will learn how to recognize signaling as it applies to distorting reality, in themselves, and others. Understanding these dynamics provides a means to engage in freer, more rational social behaviors. 

• Dr Garcia is a clinical and evolutionary psychologist. He runs an evolutionary psychology research at Texas A&M in San Antonio. He has written two books on the topic of evolutionary psychology, both of which address our signaling behaviors, along with numerous empirical papers in clinical and evolutionary psychology. His work has been featured on TED, C-SPAN, and PBS.   hector-garcia.com

New to the nonreligious community? Trying to figure out how all this works and where you fit? We'll embark on a quick journey through history, terminology, the current map of organizations, community groups and other ways to connect. We will wrap up with a Q&A and a guide to resources. 

• Jen Scott (she/her) is a community organizer, grassroots activist and advocate. She started her activism as a protest organizer, including the Ark Encounter Protests and actions countering the KKK and the Westboro Baptist Church. She’s founded and led two local atheists groups and currently serves as the Board Chair for American Atheists. As the Director of Advocacy for Equality Ohio, Jen works on municipal and state policies. Jen also serves as Vice President of the Kentucky Freethought Convention and as Vice President of Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati. In her spare time, she expresses her love of science by running Science on Tap Cincinnati, a science education program.  https://linktr.ee/jenscott_american_atheists 

Dr. Ray will lead a panel discussion with RfR volunteers discussing what we see in clients who contact us and the services we provide to help them. We will discuss the primary issues facing most people deconstructing from religions of all kinds and how we train our agents to meet their needs. If you deconstructed from a religion you will find this discussion informative, even validating. From fear of Hell, to loss of family and community to changes in sexuality identity and political views, these issues can be devastating to many people. We offer Hope, Healing and Support so you don’t have to go it alone. The discussion will begin with a brief survey of participants allowing them to describe the main issues they faced when/if they deconstructed.  

• Dr Darrel Ray (he/him) is the founder of Recovering from Religion, and author of the books "The God Virus: How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture" and "Sex and God: How Religion Distorts Sexuality."  www.recoveringfromreligion.org  

Jordan Peterson. The Manosphere. The Intellectual Dark Web. Techno-Feudalism. Eugenics. Religion doesn’t have a monopoly on bad philosophy, or using their followers to gain money and power. After New Atheism made young people aware that life on Earth is all we have, many look at an incomprehensible world with a future defined by climate change and economic anxiety and lose hope, causing a Crisis of Meaning. They turn to Secular Gurus on YouTube selling easy answers that don’t initially appeal to faith. However, due to the financial incentives of Audience Capture, they increasingly end up leading their followers to alt-right Orthodox Christianity. Let’s analyze this phenomenon. Never heard of this stuff? Then you need this workshop! 

• Aaron is a lifelong secular humanist, entrepreneur, software developer, and writer of popular science and philosophy fan-non-fiction in wiki format at metaculture.net/wiki