Ways to Support the Goals of NOSHA!

1) Be a good person that you are and also be open about your atheism to others.

* When appropriate, wear symbols that identify your beliefs. For example, the atheist “A,” or other images from the Freethought movement are available. You can also buy items with the NOSHA logo.

* If someone asks you which church you attend, don’t become defensive or shy. Just matter-of-factly say that you don’t go to church, because you don’t believe in god.

* If someone publishes a letter or article in the Times-Picayune that unfairly denigrates non-believers, write a letter to the editor explaining rationally why you disagree.

2) Help out as a volunteer when we organize events that will make us visible in the community.

* Also, find charitable projects that NOSHA can get involved in and volunteer to be the leader of the project. For example, sponsoring a team on a walk-a-thon, or a road clean-up campaign are two easy ways to do something that would get people involved and active.

3) Help us get an “In Reason We Trust” Louisiana license plate for our state.

4) Start a freethought/atheist/agnostic group at your workplace, if appropriate, especially if there are religious groups already in place.

5) Read freethought books and educate yourself about diverse religions so you are well informed and can make well-reasoned arguments. Here are some you might add to your library: (when possible, support local bookstores by letting them order a copy for you)

+ The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
+ Godless by Dan Barker
+ Why I am not a Christian (an essay) by Bertrand Russell
+ The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine
+ Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris
+ Freethinkers – A History of American Secularism by Susan Jacoby
+ End of Faith by Sam Harris
+ God is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens
+ Breaking the Spell by Daniel Dennett

6) Join us at NOSHA social functions! This may seem like too much fun to be helpful, but remember that there are many non-religious people in the New Orleans area who feel isolated by their lack of belief.

Going to a potluck party, picnic, monthly meeting, happy hour or other social event would not just be fun for you, but it would be your way of offering support to others who need to see that they are not alone.

7) Participate in discussions at our Google Group and offer to contribute articles to the NOSHA newsletter. Contact newsletter editor Connie Gordon if you would like to submit a suggestion. Also, write a guest review of any book, film, website, article or other item that might be of interest to and they will be posted at the NOSHA website

8) Join NOSHA (pay your annual dues faithfully) and other organizations with related objectives (Americans United, ACLU, FFRF, Secular Coalition, etc.)