Today’s Washington Post has a really terrific article about Camp Quest Chesapeake:

… Perhaps one should begin with what these campers believe in. They believe in critical and creative thinking. They believe in mutual respect and living ethically. They believe in arts and crafts. But here in a wooded national park south of Manassas, under shade trees and American flags and the mosquito haze of a swimming hole, they do not believe in God.

Camp Quest Chesapeake is a summer camp for atheists. Or the children of atheists…

…

“I don’t have any freethinker friends at home,” says Jake Monsky, thoughtfully. He’s 11, with blond hair damp from spending his free time at the lake. At some of his friends’ houses, the families pray before dinner. Jake says he bows his head because he doesn’t want to be rude. He likes these friends a lot, but sometimes, he thinks that if he told his friends that he isn’t religious, “then they might not be my friends anymore.”

Awesome article. Great publicity. And, dammit, someone find Jake a local freethinking friend!

Reporter Monica Hesse does a nice job of capturing what goes on at camp and how the attendees feel about it.

Now… about the headline:

Camp Quest is atheists’ answer to Bible school

I know Hesse isn’t responsible for it, but it’s completely misleading.

Camp Quest isn’t our version of Bible school. At a Bible school, the goal is to indoctrinate kids with Christian teachings. The goal is to teach children what to think.

At Camp Quest, the goal is to teach kids how to think critically for themselves. That’s an important distinction.

Some of them may be atheists already. Some of them may not know where they stand on religious issues. Some of them may even believe in a god. While I’m sure the latter group is small (if it’s there at all), no one at the camp is trying to “convert” kids to atheism. But the headline suggests otherwise.

So do the captions that go with the beautiful pictures:

Camp Quest: Summer playtime for atheists

Camp Quest, for atheist and agnostic children, has opened its first mid-Atlantic chapter…

*sigh*

Richard Dawkins‘ plan to raise my consciousness is working. If they called a little kid a “Muslim child,” we should all be offended because the kid probably doesn’t really understand Islam yet. Maybe s/he will in the future, but not yet. The same thinking applies here. Not all those children at camp are atheists or agnostics. Many are, but some haven’t made up their minds yet, and that’s fine. We don’t need to label them before they’ve decided. It’s far more accurate to call them the children of atheists or agnostics.

It’s hard to complain about any of this when the publicity is so good, but the reporter did a nice job to make all this clear. Too bad that wasn’t communicated to the people in charge of the rest of the package.

(Thanks to Ubi Dubium for the link!)

Good news for families in the NorthWest: Camp Quest is set to open a chapter next summer in Seattle.

In the summer of 2012, Camp Quest NorthWest is bringing a new kind of summer camp to the Pacific Northwest. With science experiments and s’mores, campfires and activities to foster critical thinking, Camp Quest NorthWest provides a secular twist on the time-honored summer camp experience for campers aged 8-17.

…

Excitement is high among Seattle-area freethinkers who are pitching in to help the fledgling camp. The Humanists of North Puget Sound have offered to match all donations up $10,000 until the end of 2011, which will be used for facilities, speakers, supplies, and “camperships.” In addition, earlier this year, Seattle Atheists raised $2,700 for the camp with its “Rapture Relief” campaign.

(photo courtesy of Camp Quest)

To get people excited about enrolling their kids in the camp, directors are planning to hold a free preview event on August 20^th from noon – 6:00p, open to parents, children, and potential volunteers. All they ask is that you bring a food item for a potluck picnic! You can RSVP for that event and get more info about it here.

I know a lot of readers have either sent their children to a Camp Quest somewhere in the country — or they’ve volunteered at one. The children love it and come back year after year. If you live in Seattle, tell your friends about it!

Camp Quest is really popular with children, so if you’re like me, you’re jealous you never had a chance to attend one. That’s about to change now that they’re offering the experience to entire families! At least in a couple locations…

Camp Quest Montana will take place July 30^th – August 6^th, 2011.

Anyone from birth to your grandma is the right age for Camp Quest Montana. Our schedule is structured with activities for children, tweens, and teens. Sometimes, families will participate together. Sometimes, counselors will conduct the activities with the children, leaving the parents free for an adult discussion group or activity. There is also a counselor in training program for camper’s ages 13-17 who want to attend without their parents (you know how it is).

Camp Quest South Carolina will take place October 1^st – 2^nd, 2011.

Camp Quest is known for the 3 F’s — Fun, Friends, and Freethought. At the family camp, we add a 4th F, and that is, of course, Family! The entire family, from the youngest baby to the oldest grandma and grandpa, is welcome! We will have age-appropriate programs and activities for all ages. This makes the family camp particularly attractive to families with children who are not quite camper-aged (especially envious younger siblings!) or who may be camper-aged but not quite ready for a whole week away from home. Of course, the weekend camp will be lots of fun for camper-aged kids as well.

If you have a chance to go, make it happen. It sounds like it’ll be a great experience!

(Thanks to Amy for the links!)

PZ Myers knows he can’t beat the horde of bloggers trying to raise more money than him for Camp Quest… So now, he says he’s throwing the challenge and encouraging people to donate to us!

He’s just trying to save face, so that when he loses, he can say he wanted to lose…

Fine by me. Whatever it takes for him to shave most of his beard. (Which my side will then auction off to the highest bidder. Just to rub it in.)

We even have a rallying poem!

Now the underdog team has a simple request:
If in humankind’s future you’d like to invest,
There are many good reasons to give to Camp Quest
And no reason at all to ignore us
The underdog team could be best of the best
And defeat the Monster of Morris!

And bribes for when we win!

• Adam Lee at Daylight Atheism will grow a beard
• Matt Dillahunty at The Atheist Experience TV program will do an episode of the show in drag.
• JT Eberhard of WWJTD? will shave his head… and wax his legs
• Greta Christina will sing karaoke.
• Jen McCreight will videotape herself learning how to ride a bike for the first time.

And I will… um… I’m not sure yet. I’ll do something that won’t get me fired from my job. I’m open to suggestions.

JT’s already decided I’m giving away my body. (Or, according to the rules of Magic, I can be used temporarily. Same thing either way, right?)

Go Team Beat PZ!

The Seattle Atheists are capitalizing on Judgment Day on May 21^st by holding a Rapture Relief program! All proceeds will benefit Camp Quest:

(I’m with Jen — what a kickass logo.)

So what exactly is “Rapture Relief“?

On the off chance that they are completely wrong, Jesus doesn’t come back, and life continues as normal, we will do our part to help the next generation avoid getting into this heartbreaking situation themselves.

…

If there is a universe left after all this, Camp Quest West, which teaches children critical thinking and science, will receive a check. Why, you ask? Because when children know how to think for themselves, they don’t get taken in by every terrible idea that comes across their desk.

So make a donation for the kids!