Pursuing reality is not something we can afford to pretend to do…  Ideas matter; reality has implications. It takes courage, but we believe that if something is true a person ought to have the integrity to admit it is so and adjust their worldview accordingly, regardless of personal con- sequences and pre-existing allegiances.

Big Questions Forum: Topics to Ruin a Dinner Party

When: Saturday | May 8, 2010, 5pm

Where: 160 Brannan Street, San Francisco (Bayside Village Party Room)

Topic: TBD

RSVP: EucharistSF@gmail.com

Past Big Questions Forum topics

The Big Questions Forum is a series of candid conversations about the deepest things in life: spirituality, philosophy, ethics, and politics. The conversations happen in an open forum setting where it is appropriate to admit your doubts, share your ideas, challenge your assumptions (or your neighbors assumptions), hear another angle, ask questions, listen, and learn.

When: See above

Where: 160 Brannan Street, San Francisco (Bayside Village Party Room).

Refreshments: Bring either a dessert or drinks to share. Organizers will make sure that there is tea for all.

Why: (Why not?) Seriously… beliefs and ideas matter. They have implications for our world and ought to be evaluated.

Who: Anyone who wants to come! (Invite friends please…) Please RSVP as soon as possible by sending a brief email to Ryan (ryansjones@gmail.com) because we have a limit of approximately 25 due to the size of the room.

Ground Rules: Our goal is to provide an opportunity to listen, share and evaluate opinions, ideas and beliefs for their rationality, coherence or other suggested justification. We aren’t concerned with maintaining orthodoxy, control of conclusions, or political correctness. We acknowledge that everyone enters the conversation with biases… and this is precisely what makes it interesting. ☺

We do our best to operate this forum without allowing the conversation to slip into personal attacks or overheated, pride-driven arguments. This can only happen if we all approach each other with humility and gentleness.  The organizers have a bias that humans are deeply valuable and deserve respect and dignity regardless of what their ideas about the world are. However, respect for others does not mean that a person’s ideas won’t be up for evaluation and possible critique. We hope that people are mature enough to recognize the difference between ideas and the people who hold them.

We anticipate a fascinating discussion and lots of fuel for future conversations and personal reflection. Come prepared to participate!!

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