🌟 Season of Gratitude
As we reflect on this past year, we’re reminded that progress is rarely simple — yet through every challenge, our community has shown resilience, creativity, and integrity. From navigating shifting educational priorities to addressing the growing need for evidence-based dialogue, we’ve continued to expand our reach and impact. Our webinars empowered learners to question confidently and think critically, while our annual conference brought together some of the brightest minds to explore how reason and empathy can guide action in a rapidly changing world.
None of this would have been possible without the dedication of our members, supporters, and speakers. Your contributions — whether through time, funding, or expertise — have sustained our mission and amplified our voice. Each discussion led, each idea shared, and each dollar donated has helped build a more thoughtful, compassionate, and informed community. As we look to the year ahead, we do so with deep gratitude and renewed commitment to keeping the light of critical inquiry and human understanding burning bright.
Reason as a Guiding Light
“As the year draws to a close and the nights grow long, we’re reminded that light isn’t only found in candles or stars — it’s found in knowledge, empathy, and the courage to ask questions. In times that test our understanding, our community continues to shine as a beacon of curiosity and compassion.”
In this season of reflection, there are several publications that remind us how reason, knowledge, and critical thinking can be beacons in the darkness. Whether you’re grappling with uncertainty, misinformation, or moral questions, these works can offer insight, encouragement, and a steady intellectual companion.
Here are some thoughtful books and essays that highlight how reason, evidence, and humanist inquiry can be our guiding light even in uncertainty.
| The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark — Carl Sagan | A deeply resonant metaphor: science and skepticism as our “candle” against pseudoscience and fear. | Excerpt via Penguin Random House Penguin Random House Canada |
| The Age of Reason — Thomas Paine | A classic Enlightenment call for reason over dogma; a foundational secular-humanist text. | Full text (public domain) on Project Gutenberg Project Gutenberg+1 |
| Thinking, Fast and Slow — Daniel Kahneman | Explores cognitive biases and how our two modes of thinking shape judgment; critical for understanding and improving our reasoning. | Summary version via OverDrive (requires library login) OverDrive+1 |
Happy Holidays! See you in 2026!
Written with the help of ChatGPT
WeCanReason Conference 2026
May 1 to 3, 2026
Mark your calendars! The evidence is waiting. We look forward to seeing you there!
Join us for an unforgettable conference dedicated to science, critical thinking, and rational inquiry. WeCanReason is the place to connect with like-minded individuals, engage with leading experts, and dive deep into topics ranging from medical misinformation and conspiracy theories to the latest in scientific discovery.
Go to our website for more details.
WeCanReason 2025 Videos
Monday, December 1
Go to our website (on the menu under Videos/Conference) or our YouTube channel (playlist WeCanReason Conference) and find the videos from Rodney Schmaltz – Adventures in Teaching Skepticism, Aaron Devor – Sex and Gender Rights: Finding the Right Balance, Forrest Valkai – Life Lessons From The Lab: How Learning Science Makes You a Better Person, and Eugenie Scott – Why Kitzmiller v Dover is Relevant 20 years later.
All the videos are now available, and you can start preparing for WeCanReason 2026. We will be sending you updates as they come.
Life Without Religion – Online
Thursday, December 4
First Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm MDT
Live Without Religion (LWR) is a peer support group for people whose lives have been negatively impacted by religion. Nearly anyone who has left a fundamentalist or high-control religion can tell you that it leaves not only scars but sometimes open wounds. Nothing helps with the healing better than sharing your experience and discussing how to heal with others who have had a similar experience. That mutual support is what we find in LWR meetings. If you want to learn more about LWR, contact Lois at loislwr@gmail.com.
Coffee Chat Online
Monday, December 8
Second Monday of every month at 1:00 pm MDT
Our Coffee Chat is an enjoyable, unstructured afternoon conversation. Anyone can introduce an idea or ask a question, and the group will jump in and discuss it. You never know where the conversation will go, but it is always interesting and sometimes even educational. Join us and add your two-cents-worth.
Go to our Meetup page to register and get the Zoom link.
Book Club
Will resume in 2026
Life Without Religion – Online
Tuesday, December 16
Third Tuesday of every month at 7:00 pm MDT
Live Without Religion (LWR) is a peer support group for people whose lives have been negatively impacted by religion. Nearly anyone who has left a fundamentalist or high-control religion can tell you that it leaves not only scars but sometimes open wounds. Nothing helps with the healing better than sharing your experience and discussing how to heal with others who have had a similar experience. That mutual support is what we find in LWR meetings. If you want to learn more about LWR, contact Lois at loislwr@gmail.com.
Skeptics in the Pub
Will resume in January 2026
Winter Solstice
Saturday, December 20, 6:00 pm MST
Join us for our annual Winter Solstice Celebration!
Turkey dinner (vegan option), cash bar, silent auction and entertainment! Everyone had a BLAST last year, do not miss it this year!
Tickets are just $20, in advance only, so we can make sure we have enough food. Children welcome, anyone under age 12 can pay $5 at the door. We accept cash, debit or credit at the door.
Ticket sales close Thursday, December 18th.
Feel free to bring a dish to share and/or something to donate to the silent auction!
Movie Night
Monday, December 22
Fourth Monday of every month at 7:00 pm MDT
Join us for a movie and a discussion to follow.
The title will be announced later.
Head over to our Meetup Page, to register, get updates and the Zoom link.
WeCanReason Webinar
Will resume in January 2026
Monthly Board Meeting
Will resume in January 2026
All details of our events can be found on our Meetup Page at https://www.meetup.com/rockymountainatheists/events/.