Daily Atheist Devotional #200 (Local Meetup Day 2 Edition)
Sean Faircloth, executive director of Secular Coalition for America speaks at the Southeast Regional Meeting for American Atheists Saturday afternoon at the Holiday Inn Express.
Secular Coalition for America: Legislate for common good -- and mind your own business!
HUNTSVILLE, AL -- The legislative agenda for the Secular Coalition for America can be summed up in one four-word phrase: "Mind your own business," said Sean Faircloth, the coalition's executive director.
Faircloth was addressing those gathered for this weekend's Southeast Regional Atheists Meet, a regional meeting of American Atheists, which continues today, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn downtown.
He warned that laws based on attempts to regulate one religious view, such as limiting birth control or outlawing gay relationships, not only violate the U.S. Constitution, which was designed to be secular, but also cause harm.
"Our theme is that someone is being hurt; someone's rights are being violated," said Faircloth, drawing the first of several interrupting moments of applause during his talk Saturday.
Faircloth will host a workshop today at 1:30 p.m. about how those forming the Secular Coalition for Alabama, the second state affiliate of the national organization, can become active in influencing laws in Alabama to become religion-neutral.
When religion becomes part of law, everyone loses, Faircloth said. In Alabama, for instance, state laws regulating child care centers are exempted for centers run by religious organizations. Justice, he said, is a moral value those laws trample.
"We want one law for everybody," Faircloth said before his talk Saturday.
On Saturday, he spoke on "Moral Eunuchs: Sex, Morality, Women and Law." Faircloth, who prosecuted child abusers as a former assistant attorney general of Maine. In his 10 years in the Maine legislature, he also championed several bills affecting child welfare and protection. "But those at the top often want to focus on sexual regulation rather than the common good."
The meet, which has drawn 202 registered participants from around the Southeast and other states, included entertainment from actor Paul Provenza, who has written "Satiristas!" Psychologist Dr. Darrel Ray, author of "God Virus: How Religion Infects our Lives and Culture" and "The Performance Culture: Maximizing the Power of Teams," spoke on cultivating teamwork and overcoming leadership "blindspots."
Blair Scott, now communications director for American Atheists and former president of Alabama Atheists, formally handed over leadership of North Alabama Freethought Association to Christie Swords. Scott recalled how the group has grown from his wife and himself in 2003 to about 500 members now.
"A lot of people are coming out of the closet now," said Scott Savage, director of Alabama Atheists and a longtime member of NAFA.
A few Christians from Mississippi gathered across the street from the hotel Saturday morning to hand out Bibles to those attending the conference.
Savage, who spoke with the group for a while, said he was glad to get a copy because he hadn't had one that printed Jesus' words in red.
"From our point of view, the Bible is the best tool we have to convert people to atheism," Savage said.
Today's program includes panel discussions on several issues, Paul Provenza's stand-up routine at 2:30 p.m. Dave Silverman, president of American Atheists is to speak at 3:15 p.m.
Paul Provenza's stand up routine was not only funny but very enlightening. He shared photographs from the web with discussion from the audience as to whether or not the photos were racist... or maybe post racism? Here is an example that caused a lot of discussion in the crowd:
Destined to be an old woman with no regrets!
Atheist Convention in Huntsville Creates Buzz
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By: Rebecca Shlien |
HUNTSVILLE, AL - A national Atheist group was in the Tennessee Valley for a convention over the weekend. Roughly 200 people attended the event, held at the Holiday Inn in downtown Huntsville.
Buzz about this convention began roughly a month ago, when the group American Atheists put up a billboard advertising the event. The billboard declared all religions “scams."
The convention itself has provoked both prayer and curiosity in believers, but attendees say it simply gives them a place to be with others just like themselves.
Amanda Gulledge decided to attend the Southeast Regional Atheist Meet after spotting the group's provocative billboard on Memorial Parkway. She says, “When we stopped, I took out my blackberry and went to the web site that was on there, and there was a convention in Alabama." Gulledge appreciates the chance to be with like-minded people. She explains, “I'm not alone, even though I'm in the South and religion is everywhere. I'm just really glad I saw the billboard and that I was able to join a group like this."
Just across the street in Big Spring Park, Evangelical Christian Carmen Cacioppo flipped through a stack of religious pamphlets he planned to give to the atheists. Instead of judging them, he says he’s reaching out: “If you love people, His love through you will do more to change a heart than anything else you can do."
WAAY 31 spoke with another Christian in the park, Chris Burns, who says he respects their right to meet, but hope these atheists find faith. Burns explains, “I’m not happy about it, but we do live in a country where we're supposed to have freedom of speech, freedom of religion…You're going to get arguments saying, ‘well who says the Bible is right?’ Well take a look around at the trees and the clouds and the skies.l If you can't believe there's a God, then something's wrong. You know, as a Christian, all I can do is pray."
But American Atheists President David Silverman feels faith in a higher power isn't necessary: “Atheism is the realization that reality rules. That we're here, we have one life. Let's make a positive impact on this community before we die."
And despite the controversy atheism entails, Gulledge is beginning to embrace it. She says, "The word 'atheist'—still I'm trying to get comfortable with it. 'Humanist,' 'freethinker' are a little easier for me to say, but to be honest I'm an atheist. I don't have a God. I haven't heard one or talked to one."
The American Atheists' national convention will be held in Iowa this April.
Further, it is logically flawed. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
How, exactly, does one have a NON-experience of something?
We only know of this quote what you posted. You beleived it was self explanetory, as you didn't add comment. Even a "Isn't this funny...", but No. As you posted it... it's crap.
It very well have been a statement of the oposition that he then went on to disprove, but again, you didn't provide that context. YOU obviously, and wrongly, posted it as something you agree with, again demonstrating a lack of critical thinking skills.
;)
#2. *I* actually *DO* have a desire to change the world. Do you claim you don't, even after 200 of these posts? Really? Is wanting to change the world for the better a bad thing?
Yeah, pointing out your lack of crititical thinking skills via evidence is exactly the same as your tact of adding -tard to things. Riiiight.
Batwingsman · 4 replies · 1334 views