Teachers, foresters, veterans, therapists and retirees: These are just some of the people who belong to the Flathead Area Secular Humanist Association.

For Richard Wackrow, the Flathead’s “leading atheist,” the diverse turnout at the first “Skeptics in the Pub” meeting recently was a good sign for freethinkers in the valley.

The association is a group of skeptics and freethinkers who question long-held beliefs in Western society and demand evidence for the claims.

Chief among these is the questioning religion and believing in something with no evidence other than faith.

“A skeptic demands evidence,” Wackrow said. “A skeptic doesn’t take things on faith.”

The public meeting, a rare occurrence for the semi-secretive club, was conducted over beer and popcorn at Kalispell Brewing Co.

More than a dozen members, who tended to be well-read but soft-spoken, turned out at the meeting to discuss what the word “theory” means and how ignorance of the term leads to political and religious chicanery over evolution, climate change and other hot-button topics.

“Old wives’ tales” such as water witching also were discussed and widely derided.

A “Skeptic’s Starter Kit” was handed out to new members and included links and ways to get started with research into some of the most prominent skeptics such as James Randi and Michael Shermer.

Most of the members were raised in religious households before striding out on their own. Many now identify themselves as atheists.

Jim Willett, a Vietnam Air Cavalry veteran member of the group who proudly displayed his political campaign buttons for Democrat candidates, was raised as a Southern Baptist before he left that faith.

“I’m a freethinker,” he said. “I’m happy with the attendance at this meeting and I’m happy with the discussion we had.”

The group is secretive about its meetings and actions, since members feel it can draw the ire of people.

Despite this, the Flathead Area Secular Humanist Association is starting an outreach campaign for more members and is presenting a video series at the ImagineIf Library in Kalispell. The first of four videos has been run, but this Saturday, Nov. 8, the second video in the series will be screened at 10 a.m.

In subsequent presentations, the “American Freethought” video series will cover the abolition and women’s rights movements, the mainstream vs. alternative press, and the rise of Roman Catholicism (the third and fourth installments will be on Nov. 22 and Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. in the ImagineIF Library basement).

To learn about the group, go to www.flatheadsecular.com.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.