Hi, 👋 We’re Humanist Explorer!
If you’ve landed on this page, we’re guessing that you’re contemplating a life without religion. For some people, choosing to live a life without religion is a pretty smooth transition. For others, especially those who were particularly religious, it can be a period fraught with doubt, loneliness, and a sense of being adrift. Almost everyone laments the loss of community and the inability to speak candidly about what they’re experiencing.
We’ve set out to do two things as Humanist Explorer: create a community for humanists and like-minded individuals, and provide a judgment-free space for those questioning religion. If you’re thinking about life without religion and looking for a place where you can speak candidly about what’s led you to question your religion or the supernatural explanations of the world, we invite you to come meet us.
Most of our group – but not everyone – has gone through the process of deciding whether or not they’re going to worship a deity or accept supernatural explanations of the world around them. Most people in our group would be happy to share what books they read, what podcasts they listened to, and what research they did as they evaluated whether or not religion would continue to be part of their life.
Meet Humanists and other Secular-Minded Individuals in Omaha
If you’re trying to decide if religion fits into your life and your values, consider coming to one of our events. Here you’ll find a relaxed and casual environment that’s welcoming to newcomers. We know that considering a major change to your values system is a deeply personal experience, so we’ll never put you on the spot.
Our social events are unstructured and an opportunity for like-minded people to gather. Each month we host Pints! For Humanity, or monthly happy hour for area humanists and like-minded individuals. Once a quarter, we gather (usually at Spielbound) to play tabletop games.
Our educational events have a bit more structure to them, as they usually revolve around a specific topic. But even so, these events are social learning opportunities, so you’ll still find that same casual environment as with our social events. Our monthly Through the Lens series picks a timely topic, then applies a humanistic lens to it. Several times throughout the year, we’ll host an Exploration Series. An Exploration Series is divided into several sessions (usually 3 to 5, depending on the topic) and allows participants to co-create meaning, engage in social learning, and develop a deeper understanding of the topic.
Connecting with Humanist Explorer
This website is our main way of engaging with the humanist community outside of our events. You can find information on upcoming events on our calendar of events page, and you can keep up with happenings by following our blog. We promote our events and blog posts on our Facebook page, and a few times per month, we’ll send out an email to our subscribers.
We know that exploring life without religion can be a lonely process. Consider this your open invitation to join us.
Mental Health and Questioning Religion
Humanist Explorer is a social group, and while we strive to be as supportive as possible to people who are evaluating their relationship to religion, we’re not a substitute for counseling or behavioral health services provided by a qualified professional.
If you are in need of professional services, we have a few pieces of advice:
- First, recognize that questioning is part of our human nature and give yourself grace while you look for answers to your questions.
- Second, seek the help of a qualified local counselor or mental health provider who uses evidence-based practices when providing services. These professionals will act as an unbiased third party and won’t try to influence you in one direction or the other. You can find lists of local providers on the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services website or use SAMHSA’s Nationwide Helpline.
- Finally, if you are going to use a mental health/counseling app on your mobile phone, choose carefully. These apps have largely been able to skirt regulations designed to protect individuals leading to poor care and flimsy privacy protections.
