Camp Quest: Atheist summer camp

July 2, 10:21 AMPortland Humanist ExaminerMicha J. Stone

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British atheists are importing Camp Quest, a U.S. based God-free summer camp. Camp Quest, founded in 1996, is already present in six North American locations. Camp Quest is a secular summer camp aimed at offering a choice beyond scouting and church camps for summer enrichment. The new British location is a site near Somerset.

A "godless alternative", the purpose of Camp Quest UK, which has been praised by the atheist and sceptic author Richard Dawkins, is to encourage critical thinking and provide children with a summer camp "free of religious dogma".

Aside from the new British camp, Camp Quest has six locations in North America: Ohio, Smoky Mountains, Minnesota, Ontario, Michigan, and California. From the Camp Quest web site:

Camp Quest is the first residential summer camp in the history of the United States for the children of Atheists, Freethinkers, Humanists, Brights, or whatever other terms might be applied to those who hold to a naturalistic, not supernatural world view.

The purpose of Camp Quest is to provide children of freethinking parents a residential summer camp dedicated to improving the human condition through rational inquiry, critical and creative thinking, scientific method, self-respect, ethics, competency, democracy, free speech, and the separation of religion and government guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.

Camp Quest promotes a sense of belonging to a large community of young free thinkers. By encouraging critical thinking, the camps enable young people to draw their own conclusions based on evidence. In addition, the camps promote respect for others even though they may have different viewpoints, values, and beliefs. Finally, like any good summer camp, Camp Quest provides a safe and fun environment for personal and social development.