Homosexuality, creationism and religious acceptance were all hot topics at the Secular Humanist club’s first meeting Wednesday night in Hughes-Trigg.

Though the club functions mainly as a support group for anyone at SMU who identifies as nonreligious, the conversation turned into a heated debate over religious reasoning when a devout Catholic entered into the equation.

“It would be silly to be a Christian and not come out to these things,” sophomore Arnaud Zimmern said. “It’s a chance to finally duke it out with your faith.”

The club began back in March and is now working towards a charter with SMU.

“I started this group primarily because it’s not very comfortable to be an atheist on this campus and I want to change that,” president and founder Carmen Tinker said.

Members at the meeting defined secular humanism as a “life philosophy that promotes reason and ethics, but rejects the supernatural.”

“I came here because to me I don’t need a God to act good,” said senior Vladimir Jovanic. “To me it comes naturally to be nice to people.” Jovanic has been a member of the club since its founding last semester.

The group discussed different labels of religious and nonreligious thought, as well as the difference between being an “accomodationist” and a “nonaccomidationist.” Basically, they debated interfacing with religions such as Christianity versus getting rid of religion in society entirely.

Another topic that received quite a bit of attention was “Pastafarianism,” a religion whose followers believe that the “Flying Spaghetti Monster” created the universe. This belief system began as a spoof religion, but some followers take it very seriously.

The group has also been offered the opportunity to meet and talk with Neil deGrasse Tyson before his Tate Lecture.

Future meetings will occur Wednesday nights and will be a mix of discussions, debates and speaker lectures.