To many, the Center For Inquiry (1310 Sweet Home Road, across from UB North Campus) is a building shrouded in mystery. Upon closer inspection, you’ll find an institute devoted to two specific and harmonious goals: investigating religion and the paranormal, using unbiased reason, empirical deduction, and informed scientific scrutiny. According to event coordinator Corey Neil (who began working at the center two years ago after questioning his own beliefs), CFI is a “trans-national, non-profit science education and advocacy organization.” His position revolves primarily around scheduling distinguished speakers, guest hosts for their Secular Sundays series, and contributing to the well-oiled, long-running machine known as Just Buffalo Literary Center’s Literary Café.

This Friday, April 3, at 7pm, William Lobdell, author of Losing My Religion, talks about his 18-year tenure with the Los Angeles Times as an evangelical Christian reporter who worked the religion beat and finished as an athiest. After eight years covering religion, Lobdell went on to become metro editor of the Times before becoming a visiting faculty member at UCLA, where he teaches courses called “Religion and the Media” and “The Internet, Blogs and Politics.” For more information, call 636-4869 or visit www.centerforinquiry.net.

—tom waters