Originally Posted by
tsig
The James Randi Educational Foundation is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1996. Its aim is to promote critical thinking by reaching out to the public and media with reliable information about paranormal and supernatural ideas so widespread in our society today.
The Foundation's goals include:
* Creating a new generation of critical thinkers through lively classroom demonstrations and by reaching out to the next generation in the form of scholarships and awards.
* Demonstrating to the public and the media, through educational seminars, the consequences of accepting paranormal and supernatural claims without questioning.
* Supporting and conducting research into paranormal claims through well-designed experiments utilizing "the scientific method" and by publishing the findings in the JREF official newsletter, Swift, and other periodicals. Also providing reliable information on paranormal and pseudoscientific claims by maintaining a comprehensive library of books, videos, journals, and archival resources open to the public.
* Assisting those who are being attacked as a result of their investigations and criticism of people who make paranormal claims, by maintaining a legal defense fund available to assist these individuals.
I don't see "promote atheism" in there or any requirement that only atheists can join.
Does AA promote religion? If so, which one? Is there a requirement that only religious people can join?
As for JREF, are most members here atheists? Is atheism vigourously argued for and defended? Are non-atheists put down and ridiculed?
This goes back to the
de facto/de jure distinction. JREF may not be a
de jure atheist organization. It sure is a
de facto one.