Applying for Non-Profit Status

I am currently in the process of filing forms 1023 and SS-4 for tax-exempt status and for an employer identification number for the organization. You are still welcome to donate, but it is advisable to wait until the organization has the status necessary to make your deduction tax-deductible.

The Center For Real Science

The official founding of the Center For Real Science occurred today, June 26, at 2:22 AM. What is the Center For Real Science, you ask? At the moment, it is an idea, but it will grow into a movement. It will be a place where people who want to practice real science in their daily lives will go to learn how. It will be a place where people who understand that science gives us an approach to a practical understanding of what we can observe, as opposed to faith, which makes claims and promises about what we can't observe.Mission statement:The Center For Real Science (which has exactly one member as of this minute--me!) is an attempt at bringing people together to become more disciplined in a scientific approach to the world around them. Its intention is to spread the practice of science throughout the world, whether in the form of pure research or in the everyday actions of ordinary people.Tenets of the Center For Real Science:1. Members will strive toward intellectual diligence in all matters.2. Facts are more important than opinion.3. Curiosity with caution will always be encouraged.4. Observation is the beginning of understanding.5. Confirmation of observations by peers is a necessary step for maintaining objectivity.6. All hypotheses inspired by observation must be falsifiable, or they are not valid.7. Members will strive to exercise self-doubt, self-correction, and humility when faced with evidence contradicting their claims, or when their evidence contradicts the claims of others.8. Ingenuity will always be encouraged, but must be tempered with an understanding of consequences of the implementation of inventions.9. Members will strive toward non-interference with other species as much as possible, unless such interference is necessary for survival of the species or of our own.These Tenets, like scientific knowledge, are not immutable, and are the humble invention of one man who has a passion for science and would like to encourage it in others. More will be added or some will be taken away, according to how well they encourage scientific practice and knowledge.The Goal:I want to buy abandoned churches (do a search sometime and see how many churches are for sale, and for almost a steal) and turn them into places where people who have a passion for science or are simply curious about it can go to enjoy the company of others like them, discuss the latest discoveries, teach those at the novice level how to approach science, and share new ideas and approaches to technology and the understanding of the universe. The Center For Real Science will never endorse a political candidate or entangle itself with the state in any way.I envision regular meetings--not necessarily early on Sunday mornings, as I enjoy my sleep. I envision youth groups, where children are able to take hands-on approaches to scientific ideas. I envision charity work in the form of wildlife conservation, technology sharing, and humanitarian ventures. I envision grants and scholarships for science education and research.Of course, to accomplish this goal, I have to raise money, and I have to gain membership. As an online entity, money is not really an issue, but if we're going to go brick-and-mortar, which I think we should, and if we are going to do all of the non-profit work I've described above, we have to have money, we have to have people to run the centers, and we have to build an infrastructure of property and policy. If you think this cause is worthy of consideration, please donate.