The Northwest Freethought Coalition (NWFC) is celebrating Independence Day and the recent arrival of summer with its 5th annual potluck picnic. NWFC group members, friends and area freethinkers are invited to this all-day event on Friday, July 3, 2009. Last year’s picnic drew approximately 200 people. The family-friendly picnic begins at 1 p.m., and runs into the evening. There will be a raffle and games, including bocce.

The Humanists of Washington is leading the event planning. Please contact HOW president Jerry Schiffelbein if you would like to volunteer.

NWFC member groups include the Seattle Atheists, Tacoma Atheists, Humanists of North Puget Sound, University Unitarian Humanists, Ethical Culture Society of Puget Sound, Secular Jewish Circle of Puget Sound, Freethinkers’ United Network and various Atheist, Humanist and Brights Meetup groups.

Guess who’s coming to visit us on Capitol Hill, folks? Mars Hill Church.

This week, Mars Hill’s Joel Fariss—a deacon at MH’s downtown church—wrote a blog post entitled “Mission in Capitol Hill.”

Capitol Hill is majestic in its standing among Seattle culture shapers, with its long Broadway avenue freckled with dirty Thai restaurants and hipster clothing stores, as well as a statuesque presence in the coffee world. Among these elite caverns of caffeine lies Bauhaus Coffee and Books. Bauhaus has long been a Capitol Hill landmark and is seen by locals as a comfortable place to hang out… literally. Just the other week I looked towards the door as I saw legs of black lace wrapped in a tight and short leather skirt which met the fur shawl that fell from the shoulders of a beautiful… man.

A MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A guy I know has been creating some really cool relationships with some of the staff there over the last year. The fruit of his ministry is amazing considering the hostility that most hold towards Christianity on the hill. Farris goes on to quote a bunch of scripture relating to Mars Hill’s mission to spread the word of God, fix the sinners, etc.

Then, Fariss writes:

This is what Mars Hill is doing on Capitol Hill: Living life intentionally. We are loving our neighbors, eating with them, serving the city with them. We have a vision to serve and love Capitol Hill to see the hill transformed to love and serve Jesus.Are You In?

I would love to talk with you more about the gospel of Jesus and the implications thereof, you can find me every Monday at Grey Gallery and Lounge on 11th between Pike and Pine on Capitol Hill: 5:30pm.

Yes, the same misogynistic, hipster church — which compared homosexuality to cancer — wants to come here and save you from yourself.

Grey’s management says they weren’t contacted Fariss or Mars Hill and aren’t sure what to expect, come Monday. “If it’s just [Fariss] and a couple people having a beer and talking about god, I don’t have a problem, but if it’s a mission thing then it’s not something we would tolerate,” says Grey Gallery and Lounge owner Erik Guttridge. “If it were to be a sort of mission at Grey, we’ve asked people to leave [for similar things] before.”

When contacted about his “mission” Fariss seemed a bit rattled. He danced around Mars Hill’s stance on homosexuality, saying that he disagreed with Pastor Mark Driscoll’s gay-cancer analogy, but still believes all you gays are sinners.

His best-but-totally-incomprehensible explanation:

“I believe that if there have been negative things said about homosexuality, where those statements are coming from, they are coming from the same place on a biblical or Christian perspective on abusive fathers or other injustice in the world. Maybe the same place we would say victims find themselves in. People are victimized in certain ways.”

The last anti-gay church that tried to get a foothold in Capitol Hill didn’t last long. This time, all the queers, punks, militant atheists and lovable godless weirdoes should head over to Grey next Monday, pack the place and make Mars Hill feel as welcome as possible.

The Skeptic’s Toolbox, August 6-9 in Eugene, OR.

The CFI Western Carribbean Travel Club Adventure, aboard the Carnival Miracle [yes, the irony has not escaped us!!], Nov. 12-20

FFRF 32nd annual convention, Nov. 6-8, Seattle.

Tonight at 7 p.m. at the Eames Theater, Pacific Science Center, 200 Second Avenue North, Seattle