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• September Third Sunday Meeting

  • When
    09/20/2026
  •  
    10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    PSCC, Hardin Valley Road

  Tim Vane will be speaking on the Civil War in Tennessee. Details to follow. 

  We meet in Room 1017 of the Haslam Math and Science Building on the Hardin Valley Campus of Pellissippi State. The room is just to the left of the main entrance of the building.  Here is a  PSCC map, which shows the location of the building and parking. You can park in the F1 or O8 lots and enter at either X. The room is located where the red dot is.There will be Rationalists of East Tennessee signs directing you to the entrance. 
  

  Please note that there is construction at the campus entrance off Solway Road, making it inaccessible. It is best to enter the campus from Hardin Valley Road.

  Here is a map to help you find the room and nearby parking:

  PSCC Map
  

  There will no longer be a coffee service, but bring a snack to share if you wish. 

  For those who wish to join us via Zoom, the link will be available in the newsletter and in the event notifications. 

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• Knox County Fourth Wednesday MEET-UP

  • When
    09/23/2026
  •  
    6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Corner 16, 9637 Kroger Park Dr
Knoxville, TN 37922

  Come join an informal gathering for food and conversation at the Corner 16 Restaurant, 9637 Kroger Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37922 near Pellissippi and Northshore.

  If you are interested in seeing the menu beforehand, you can check it out here.  

  Disregard the notice below about forwarding this email. Feel free to share with others who may be interested. 

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• September Reflections

  • When
    09/27/2026
  •  
    4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  September Reflections

  Well, Summer is gone but not forgotten.  Did you have some interesting times?  How did your garden turn out?  Did you manage to put the news aside for a moment and get some peace and quiet?  Big plans for the Fall?

  Join us for a discussion of how things turned out and where you plan to go now that the cooler weather is just ahead of us.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• Mid-terms Postcard Writing Party

  • When
    10/02/2026
  •  
    3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Location
    Panera Bread, 205 North Peters Road

  American Humanist Association haas graciously offered postcards with lists of voters for RET members to use during this first-ever postcard party. 

  Come purchase a snack or drink and enjoy the company of like-minded folks while filling out postcards for mailing in early October. 

  We will have 250 postcards to complete, so the more the merrier. Come for a few minutes or a couple hours. Every bit of help is appreciated and the conversation should be enjoyable as well. 

  Be sure to wear your favorite secular shirt!

  
  

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• October First Sunday Meeting

  • When
    10/04/2026
  •  
    10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    PSCC, Hardin Valley Rd. Haslam Science Bdlg. Rm 1017

   Linda Fitzpatrick will give a presentation on Meditation. More details to come. 

  We meet in Room 1017 of the Haslam Math and Science Building on the Hardin Valley Campus of Pellissippi State. The room is just to the left of the main entrance of the building.  Here is a  PSCC map, which shows the location of the building and parking. You can park in the F1 or O8 lots and enter at either X. The room is located where the red dot is.There will be Rationalists of East Tennessee signs directing you to the entrance. 
  

  Please note that there is construction at the campus entrance off Solway Road, making it inaccessible. It is best to enter the campus from Hardin Valley Road.

  There will no longer be a coffee service, but bring a snack to share if you wish. 

  For those who wish to join us via Zoom, the link will be available in the newsletter and in the event notifications. 

  
  

  
  

  Show details
• Blount County First Wednesday Meet-up

  • When
    10/07/2026
  •  
    6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Peaceful Side Brewery, 106 Everett Ave, Maryville, TN 37804

  Come Join us at the Peaceful Side Brewery, 106 Everett Ave, Maryville, TN 37804

  If you enjoy looking at menus ahead of time, check out this link: 

  https://peacefulsidebrewery.com/taproom-menu/
  

  This will be a monthly event on the First Wednesday. 

  Please disregard the notice below about forwarding this email. If you know of others who would enjoy this event, please share. 

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• TVUUC Movie Night

  • When
    10/10/2026
  •  
    6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
  • Location
    TVUUC-Elandria Williams Room

  RET has long wanted to have a regular Movie Night. While we don't have the resources to arrange one, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. We can join the folks at TVUUC for theirs. 
  

  Science Fiction Club Movie Night

  When: Saturday, August 8, 2026 6:00pm - 9:00pm

  Where: Elandria Williams Room
  Building/Room: Elandria Williams Room

  Every 2nd Saturday of the month a different film is offered by the club. We share snacks and conversation and usually take a collection to provide pizza for those interested. No need to RSVP, please join us.

   Contact Person: Janette Kennedy, janettemkennedy@gmail.com

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• Annual Speaker - Bradley Onishi

  • When
    10/11/2026
  •  
    2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    TVUUC 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville

  RET is co-hosting with Freedom From Religion Foundation-East Tennessee and the Atheist Society of Knoxville Bradley Onishi, author of the recently released American Caesar: How Theocrats and Tech Lords are Turning America into a Monarchy. 

  Following Onishi's talk about his book, there will be a wine and cheese reception with book sales and signing. 

  TVUUC has kindly offered free childcare during this event. 

  
  

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• October Third Sunday Meeting

  • When
    10/18/2026
  •  
    10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    PSCC, Hardin Valley Rd. Haslam Science Bdlg. Rm 1017

   Drl. Molter of the University of Tennessee department of philosophy will be speaking on The Domination of Logic and the Logic of Domination: A Defense of Safe and Just Living Within Earth Systems Boundaries 

  Scientists have proposed “safe and just” Earth-system boundaries intended to establish both the ecological limits within which humanity may safely operate and the minimum resources required for a decent human life. This presentation will examine whether scientists are warranted in making claims not merely about what is environmentally sustainable, but what is socially just, particularly when such claims conflict with defenses of the status quo. Central to the discussion will be the feminist philosophical concept of the “Logic of Domination”: the notion that superiority in some respect may justify domination of that deemed inferior. The talk will ultimately consider whether classical logic and longstanding ethical traditions instead provide firmer grounds for a cooperative, ecologically sustainable, and socially just society.

  We meet in Room 1017 of the Haslam Math and Science Building on the Hardin Valley Campus of Pellissippi State. The room is just to the left of the main entrance of the building.  Here is a  PSCC map, which shows the location of the building and parking. You can park in the F1 or O8 lots and enter at either X. The room is located where the red dot is.There will be Rationalists of East Tennessee signs directing you to the entrance. 
  

  Please note that there is construction at the campus entrance off Solway Road, making it inaccessible. It is best to enter the campus from Hardin Valley Road.

  There will no longer be a coffee service, but bring a snack to share if you wish. 

  For those who wish to join us via Zoom, the link will be available in the newsletter and in the event notifications. 

  
  

  
  

  Show details
• Field Trip to Cherohala Skyway for Autumn Color

  • When
    10/24/2026
  •  
    8:30 AM
  • Location
    Meet at Ledendecker's House

  After meeting at 8:30 AM, we will create carpools to drive to the Cherohala Skyway. 

  Pack a picnic lunch!

  Note that there is little or no cell service once we get on the Skyway. We will have maps and stopping points marked so that we can stay connected during our outing. 

  Also, for planning purposes and the address where to meet, please RSVP to outreach@rationalists.org. 

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• October Reflections

  • When
    10/25/2026
  •  
    4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  October Reflections

  How do we get out of this mess?

  Wars, social disfunction, wealth inequality, you name it.  Problems galore and endless infighting.  How can we settle down, solve some problems, and fly our starship into the future?

  One way is to deal with the overproduction of elites.   You know, all those people who want to be big shots, CEOs, CTV talking heads, wealthy stockbrokers, influencers, opinion controllers, and just plain boss people around while controlling society and bringing home the big bucks.  Too many of them and too few really needed so they are locked in a fierce competition for positions and money.  They are fighting among themselves for the spoils, and the losers are becoming counter elites with the goal of burning down the system to get what they want.  For details:

  Hundreds of societies have been in crises like ours. An expert explains how they got out.

  Join us for a discussion on how to figure this all out and pare back the useless elite population.

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• Knox County Fourth Wednesday MEET-UP

  • When
    10/28/2026
  •  
    6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Corner 16, 9637 Kroger Park Dr
Knoxville, TN 37922

  Come join an informal gathering for food and conversation at the Corner 16 Restaurant, 9637 Kroger Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37922 near Pellissippi and Northshore.

  If you are interested in seeing the menu beforehand, you can check it out here.  

  Disregard the notice below about forwarding this email. Feel free to share with others who may be interested. 

  Show details