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Agnostic, Atheist, Non-Observant Toastmasters Groups NYC?

toutmonpossible
toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
in Social Groups
Does anyone know of any open NYC Toastmaster groups that have a large agnostic, atheist, or at least non-observant membership? I visited a group several months ago. Although the members were nice, practically every other person felt the need to invoke God for help with some achievement and I honestly don't think I could sit politely through two hours of that every week. In the comments on one of the speeches I noted it was important to remember that not everyone has the same beliefs.

I did a Google search, but came up with nothing.

Thanks.

Replies

  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    No one has any ideas?

    Part of me thinks it might be good practice to deal with these well-intentioned, if off-base folks. But two hours a week of listening to untrue banalities is a bit much.
  • emaren
    emaren Posts: 934 Member
    Call a few, explain that you want a God/Jesus/religion free version.

    If they say 'no problem' then you are good - if they question you - hang up
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    Call a few, explain that you want a God/Jesus/religion free version.

    If they say 'no problem' then you are good - if they question you - hang up

    I was thinking of call TM international, or a district office. There are so many clubs. I also don't want to offend anyone. Thanks.
  • soldier4242
    soldier4242 Posts: 1,368 Member
    It is possible that these groups just don't exist. If we were to draw a Ven diagram you would need a circle of people that live in NYC. Of those people how many are atheists. Of those atheist how many are actually interested in public speaking. When you consider all the criteria it is possible that you are the only one that meets all of them at the same time. I for example meet all except the living in NYC part.
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    It is possible that these groups just don't exist. If we were to draw a Ven diagram you would need a circle of people that live in NYC. Of those people how many are atheists. Of those atheist how many are actually interested in public speaking. When you consider all the criteria it is possible that you are the only one that meets all of them at the same time. I for example meet all except the living in NYC part.

    You could be right, but public speaking is an important skill and NYC is a big and diverse place. I would take a simple, businesslike approach.
  • soldier4242
    soldier4242 Posts: 1,368 Member
    Well if any place should allow you to pitch your idea it should be a toastmasters group. I do foresee some hurdles. The toastmasters group could take the position that while they are not a religious organization they do not take any measures to prevent someone from referencing any deity that they choose to. If they did that I think your idea could be dead in the water.

    The opposition would build a defense based upon the fact that it is their right to thank their god for their successes and they would claim that what you are wanting to do is create a group where in which you would censer any mention of god.

    I roll my eyes when someone thanks god for his divine intervention in some sort of trite event that was clearly facilitated by people actually doing the work. That said the Toastmasters are long standing advocates for the first amendment. You could argue that superfluous references to deities waste time and detracts from the topic at hand but I don't think it would be a strong enough grounds to justify a complete elimination of the references because of the far reaching ramifications.

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