We sometimes invite people to consider joining our organization only to be asked: “Why?”

Many secular people do not see the need to expand their social life, or to add new forms of excitement and interaction to their routines. We are in no position to tell anyone their lives are missing something, but there are several reasons to believe we’d all be better off being engaged in organized social activity.

Here are a few:

1) Some of Your Friends Will Drift Away Over Time.

Chances are, some of the people you knew 10 years ago are no longer an active part of your life. People move to pursue opportunities. People find their significant other and become less available. Sometimes we simply drift away from our friends, and sometimes our friends drift away from us, as interests and values shift over time. Eventually, most of us will suffer the death of a friend.

Your social circle will naturally shrink over time unless you make an active effort to keep expanding it.

2) Your Mental and Physical Health Require Social Engagement.

Research on the social determinants of health indicate that a wide range of mental and physical health problems are associated with loneliness and social isolation. For example, a 2022 meta-analysis of 32 studies from around the world concluded that:

“The studies nearly all showed a significant association between baseline loneliness and subsequent onset of depression.”

 And..

“…the odds of developing new depression in adults is more than double in people who are often lonely compared with those who are not/rarely lonely. “

 The growing body of scientific literature contributed to a 2023 advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General, which cited a wide range of studies showing that:

“Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity.”

And…

“Loneliness and social isolation increase the risk for premature death by 26% and 29% respectively.”

 And…

 “…poor or insufficient social connection is associated with increased risk of disease, including a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke.”

And…

“Additionally, the lack of social connection may increase susceptibility to viruses and respiratory illness.”

Thus the scientific consensus is that you need social connection in order to be healthy. People have in recent decades replaced their social interaction time with screen time on phones, tablets, computers, and TVs. The results of this tradeoff are appearing in the statistics on reduced well-being and increased suicide rates.

Secular-minded people should pay attention to the science and make decisions science suggests will improve their lives. Involvement with secular organizations is likely to boost your mental and physical well-being.

3) Political Efficacy Requires Social Organization.

Every positive social change in American history was initiated by people who regularly met over the course of years. The people who became American Revolutionaries met in pubs, as did the people who formed unions, as did the people who started PRIDE.

The Abolitionist movement involved numerous groups, including the American Anti-Slavery Society, with 1,320 chapters across the U.S. and over 250,000 members. Similarly, the Suffrage movement involved several advocacy organizations and the grassroots support of hundreds of women’s clubs.

Other causes come to mind that have failed to generate social organizations and, likewise, failed to implement their goals. If you care about church-state separation, history suggests it is critical to be part of a social network of friends who meet regularly and often. Without that foundation, there is nothing to build a movement upon.

4) It’s More Efficient To Coordinate Gatherings As A Group.

Do you need an organization to schedule get-togethers with friends?  No. You could schedule ad hoc get-togethers with text messages or phone calls. However this is an inefficient way to do things. Between the demands of work, family, commuting, and household chores many people do not have the time to make things happen.

Members of organizations may commit some time and energy to planning get-togethers, but they enjoy the benefits of the events everyone else coordinates. The difference is that a lot more activity occurs when a social network is organized than when they are not organized.

5) Bring Your Friends! Bring Your Interests!

Secular organizations are not typically about conforming to a group’s activities, which you may or may not like. They are a platform with which you can recruit new friends to join you in doing the sorts of things you enjoy doing? Maybe it’s an exercise or sports group? Maybe it’s dog walks at the park. Maybe it’s a book club, or trips to art museums and theatres? Some may prefer going to bars and restaurants, while others prefer outdoorsy activities.

Just ask an admin to post your interests on our meetup.com page and you’ll be well on your way to having fun with friends doing what you like to do!

6) You Can Increase Your Life Satisfaction!

Let’s take a step back and understand that the purpose of this persuasive essay is to encourage you, the reader, to pursue a life of fun activities, civic engagement, and deep friendships instead of the opposites. We’re not saying you have to commit to hard labor or exercise, take on another subscription, or eat your vegetables. We’re merely suggesting that we make an effort to have fun together. We’re suggesting your life will be richer and more interesting if you do so. Of course, you have to make a decision to pursue that better life and act upon it.

Step one is to meet up at an ASF event. These are posted on Meetup.com and linked to on our website, arfreethinkers.org. Join us today!