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The 2010 Global Atheist Convention Melbourne, Australia

punktuality

punktuality

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I thought some people in here might be interested in this:

http://www.atheistconvention.org.au/


The 2010 Global Atheist Convention
Melbourne, Australia

12-14 March at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Presenters will include: Richard Dawkins, Catherine Deveny, Phillip Adams, Taslima Nasrin, Peter Singer, PZ Myers, Dan Barker, Stuart Bechman, Sue-Ann Post, Kylie Sturgess, John Perkins, Tamas Pataki, Max Wallace, Russell Blackford, Ian Robinson, AC Grayling, Robyn Williams, Jamie Kilstein and Simon Taylor. A panel of women chaired by Maggie Millar will feature Lyn Allison, Tanya Levin, Leslie Cannold and Jane Caro.

"The enlightenment is under threat. So is reason. So is truth. So is science … We have to devote a significant proportion of our time and resources to defending it from deliberate attack from organized ignorance …"
Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion
Introduction to the Richard Dawkins Foundation

"The number of churchgoers in Australia is about 9% and dwindling, the diversity of spiritual belief is flourishing and atheism is going off like a frog in a sock."
Catherine Deveny
The Age, Melbourne
February 18, 2009

The 2010 Global Atheist Convention will be the biggest ever atheist event in Australia’s history.

This is your chance to hear world-class atheist speakers, and meet Australian and internationally acclaimed atheists, skeptics, humanists, rationalists and academics in one of Australia’s most vibrant and exciting cities.

The bigger we can make this convention, the stronger the signal it will send to Australia's religious and political institutions that atheism and secularism are forces to be reckoned with.

See you in Melbourne!
 
For all this talk about science and reason, atheists sure have a lot of faith in their belief that there is no god. How can you possibly know that for sure?
 
"The enlightenment is under threat. So is reason. So is truth. So is science … We have to devote a significant proportion of our time and resources to defending it from deliberate attack from organized ignorance …"
Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion
Introduction to the Richard Dawkins Foundation
Click to expand...
I wonder what he means by this? Why do athiests feel so threatened by theaists? As far as I understand it religion (organised) is declining in the west. And I have rarely seen any form of organised attack on athiests by respectable academics - in fact it apears quite the oposite. Do people not have the right to hold beliefs even if they may be wrong? As an agnostic I see Dawkins as just as much of a fundimentalist as his targets.

By the way punktuality, interesting avatar for an athiest :)
 
Hmm, they are selling ticket's to get together with fellow atheist's, and the religous people do the same thing for free every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Unless of course, if you are Muslim, then it's five times a day.
 
Catherine Deveny? She's about as knowledgeable as I was when I gave up religion at the age of 12 years old, but she thinks she's profound because she gets to write for The Age.
 
^thats usually the general malaise amongst atheists. they seem to think they know what they are talking about, but they actually don't have the slightest inkling of understanding as to what religion actually is. and exactly because this of this lack, they are defined by it (literary: a-theists). ironically, an atheist is as religious about his own position as a theist is about his, because he does not understand the other side. thus he does not understand his own. theism does exist boys and girls, you can't simply 'deny' it out of existence.
 
i hope that dick dawkins visits sydney, i'd sure love to debate the twat.
 
Is this (and the second post in each, too) allowed to be posted identically in both P&S and CE&P?
 
While I still will not hold anyone's personal beliefs against them the reason I feel we must unite to be heard is because many governmental decisions and public policies are still based around religious and specifically judeo-christian ideas.

- The Australian Parliament still says compulsory prayer and the start of every sitting.

- Prime Minister Rudd has made multiple trips to the Vatican to talk with the pope about making Mary Mackilop a saint.

- Australia is one of the only countries left in the western world that still gives tax exempt status to 'profit making businesses' owned by religious organisations.

- Gays are not allowed to marry because Christian ideals influence policy.

The reality is that Australia is a very multicultural and secular society but this is not reflected in the policies above and many more.

Someone needs to make a stand against these ridiculous and outdated ideas that waste tax payers money and politicians time.

Atheists too often get pinned as "christian haters" etc.
All we really want is for a truly free and secular society for all and the reality is that religion constantly interferes with this goal.
 
I apologise for double post I just thought both forums were relevant areas to discuss.

marsmellow said:
For all this talk about science and reason, atheists sure have a lot of faith in their belief that there is no god. How can you possibly know that for sure?
Click to expand...

- We don't know at all, but what any Atheist will usually say is "based on all available evidence it is improbable that there is a god" which seems like a more reasonable assumption than the religious "I definitely know there is a God"

Hmm, they are selling ticket's to get together with fellow atheist's, and the religous people do the same thing for free every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Unless of course, if you are Muslim, then it's five times a day.
Click to expand...

- unfortunately Atheists are unable to get tax exempt status like religions (which is sure to be a topic of discussion) to fund this, all speakers are speaking for free and the admission prices cover travel and accommodation for the guests.
 
By the way punktuality, interesting avatar for an athiest
Click to expand...

Just because I am an Atheist it does not exclude me from having a deep spiritual relationship with the universe, it just means I don't think there is any conscious entity pulling the strings behind the scenes.
 
punktuality said:
All we really want is for a truly free and secular society for all and the reality is that religion constantly interferes with this goal.
Click to expand...

despite my criticisms of some famour atheists, i personally, highly respect this goal.
 
punktuality said:
- unfortunately Atheists are unable to get tax exempt status like religions (which is sure to be a topic of discussion) to fund this, all speakers are speaking for free and the admission prices cover travel and accommodation for the guests.
Click to expand...

I understand the cost of bringing in guest speaker's, but I don't understand why Athesist's haven't gotten together and formed an organization to pushed for Tax Exemption on the basis of definiton for the term Religion.
re⋅li⋅gion
  /rɪˈlɪdʒən/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ri-lij-uhn] Show IPA
Use religion in a Sentence
See web results for religion
See images of religion
–noun
1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.

3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.

4. the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.

5. the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.

6. something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice.

7. religions, Archaic. religious rites.

8. Archaic. strict faithfulness; devotion: a religion to one's vow.

—Idiom

9. get religion, Informal.

a. to acquire a deep conviction of the validity of religious beliefs and practices.

b. to resolve to mend one's errant ways: The company got religion and stopped making dangerous products.
Click to expand...

Simply through definition Atheism as a Religion is applicable here.

Better yet, if they formed it under the guise of Ethical Humanism, they would probably gather more support in the way that Wicca did when it was pushing for it's own recognition. They combined a multitude of Paganistic ideal's under one Flag, and pushed for tax exempt status.

I'm an Agnostic Jew myself, and follow the Spinozan philosophies. By law my Religion is Judaism, but in practice it resembles very little of the common perception of Judaism.
 
For all this talk about science and reason, atheists sure have a lot of faith in their belief that there is no god. How can you possibly know that for sure?
Click to expand...

Hmm, they are selling ticket's to get together with fellow atheist's, and the religous people do the same thing for free every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Unless of course, if you are Muslim, then it's five times a day.
Click to expand...

lol good points

there should be an agnostic festival and people can show up if they want.. admission fees are optional.. guest speakers.. not sure yet..
 
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