User:Benbest/sandbox/Society for Venturism

The Society for Venturism is a non-profit organization connected with the cryonics movement.

Philosophically the Society members, known as "Venturists," believe in "advocating and promoting the worldwide conquest of death through technological means." The Society was founded in 1986 by David Pizer, an Arizona businessman and cryonics advocate, with the assistance of Mike Perry, an Alcor employee. The Society was recognized in 1990 by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a scientific, religious and educational organization. The designation of "religious" is said to follow Paul Tillich’s definition of religion as "a state of being grasped by an ultimate concern" this being in keeping with the Society’s philosophy of conquering death and radically or indefinitely extending human life-span. In 2012, the Society for Venturism re-organized itself to be a church, rather than a religion.

Society members feel justified in opposing autopsy (which would be damaging for cryonics preservation) on religious grounds, and it supplies a "do not autopsy card" to cryonicists. The Society has raised funds for needy people who were terminally ill and wished to be cryopreserved after clinical death (see below).

Charitable work
The Society has raised money for William O'Rights, who was cryopreseved at the Cryonics Institute,  and Kim Suozzi, who was cryopreserved at Alcor. The 2013 cryopreservation fundraising campaign is for Aaron Winborn.

Religious observances
As a religious organization, the Society has conducted wedding ceremonies.

Like many other cryonics organizations, the Venturists celebrate "Bedford Day" (the anniversary of the cryopreservation of James Bedford) as an annual holiday on January 12.

Membership
Becoming a Society for Venturism Member requires paying dues and agreeing to the principles of the organization. The three classes of membership are Regular ($25), Benefactor ($100), and Lifetime ($1,500).

Directors and Officers
All Officers of the Society for Venturism are also Directors. Directors are to be elected by the Members. As of February, 2013 the Directors and Officers were: