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Aussie, Kiwi & South Pacific Atheists

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A group for networking and friendship between atheists in the Australian/New Zealand/South Pacific region, and for discussion of political and religious topics relevant to these regions.

Members: 352
Latest Activity: Apr 18

5 members like this

Aussie, Kiwi and South Pacific Atheists

This group is hosted by Richard J and Chrys Stevenson

Another High Court Challenge Against the National School Chaplaincy Program
Website: http://www.highcourtchallenge.com

Breaking News! After successfully challenging the Commonwealth government in the High Court of Australia over funding for the National School Chaplaincy Scheme, Ron Williams is to take them on again. In an attempt to circumvent the High Court ruling, the government has passed some extremely questionable legislation which tears at the heart of parliamentary democracy and public accountability. Williams has consulted with his crack legal team and the decision has been made today (Saturday, 7 July) to mount another challenge.

For more information see here:

http://thatsmyphilosophy.wordpress.com/2012/07/07/its-on-williams-to-return-to-the-high-court-on-chaplaincy-issue/

Mounting a High Court challenge is extremely expensive and Ron Williams is just an average, suburban Dad. If all of us who care about a secular, democratic Australia can chip in as much as we can, it will help enormously. Please consider donating at:

http://www.highcourtchallenge.com/

This is your chance to be a part of making Australian Constitutional history!

Embiggen Books - Your Australian Atheist/Skeptical Bookshop

Embiggen Books, an Australian bookstore devoted to promoting science, philosophy, rationalism and skepticism is now on Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. Warren Bonett and Kirsty Bruce of Embiggen are also passionate and active members of the atheist and skeptical communities.

Australian Atheist Issues

For new members, if you want to get a grasp of some of the issues effecting atheists in Australia, you might like to take a look at the Atheist Nexus (Australia) submission on "Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century" made to the Australian Human Rights Commission early last year. It's long, but easy reading, and worth spending some time on. A report, using information compiled from submissions, should be released later this year.

Atheist Meetup Groups - Australia

If you'd like to meet up with some local atheists, there's no better way than joining your local Atheist Meetup, Skeptics, or Freethought Groups:

Adelaide Atheists
Ballarat Atheists
Brisbane Atheists
Canberra Social Skeptics
Melbourne Atheists
Launceston Skeptics
Macarthur Atheists (Macarthur Region, Sydney (NSW)
Perth Atheists
Perth Skeptics
Sunshine Coast Atheists
Sydney Atheists
Sydney Freethinkers
Western Sydney Freethinkers
Wollongong Skeptics Society

Have we missed your meetup group? Just let me know and I'll add it in.

Discussion Forum

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Comment by Alice on May 22, 2011 at 8:07am: gee i'm looking forward to the tour as i might get to meet him in person..

Comment by CaptainCook on May 19, 2011 at 7:44pm: More duped people. Seems to be poor communication, though--surely this 'Jesus' should be in touch with FamilyRadio.com! The news of the impending apocalypse seems not to have reached Queensland. So many beliefs--all think they are right. If follows logically that none are right.

On a different tack, if only Mohammed had been born in 1900! He'd have been certified insane and locked up for the rest of his life, along with Napoleons and Jesuses and Julius Caesars--and the world would have been a happier place.

But--oh--I forgot! Humankind already had something equally ridiculous: Christianity.

Comment by Matthew Hutchinson on May 16, 2011 at 5:08am: Does anybody know of any NZ groups looking to go to the 2012 global atheist convention in Melbourne? I want to go but would rather go with a group

Comment by CaptainCook on May 9, 2011 at 8:35am: Fellow atheists, did you know we have only 12 days to live? A relative, and fellow non-believer, passed me this information as she knew I'd fall about laughing. She said the pastor, or whatever, who is privy to this informatiion had predicted an end to the world a few years ago, but made a mistake. Now, he asserts, he is correct. For a window into this absurd notion, go to www.ebiblefellowship.com -- I have to confess that I couldn't be bothered reading all the tripe there, but the timeline of history they present was good. Gosh! I never thought the world was 11,000 years old! I suppose 'God' planted those Lake Mungo remains and the rock art in the Kimberley just to fool us into thinking Aborigines had been in Australia for about six times longer than that.

WHY do people believe this rubbish? DO they actually, REALLY believe it?

Comment by Chrys Stevenson on May 5, 2011 at 10:18am: Check out this article in The Age: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/teacher-fury-over-god-comic-20110...

And if you feel strongly about it, please consider sending an email to Martin Dixon, Victorian Education Minister, demanding his government sever its relationship with Access Ministries. He's at: martin.dixon@parliament.vic.gov.au

Comment by Alice on April 30, 2011 at 2:06am: This looks good - I have kids to look after - and am in Point Cook - a bit far from box hill - are there any this side of town - South West Melbourne? I'm going to be attending the course in the city in a couple of weeks lead by Alex McCullie at the Centre of Adult Education - so hope to meet some like minded people there... : )

Comment by Shane Blamer on April 29, 2011 at 11:13pm: Humanist Society of Victoria
Sunday 1 May - Public Lectures

The Tudor Motel (Regal Room)
1101 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill

Theme 1: Secular public schooling Chair: Stephen Stuart
1010–1040 – Dr Harry Gardner (HSV) 'Teaching ethics without moralizing'
1040–1110 – Dr Anna Halafoff (Religion, Ethics & Education Network Aust.) ‘Reviewing religious instruction in schools’
1130–1200 – Mary Bluett (Australian Education Union) 'Teachers’ view of RI and chaplains'

Theme 2: Humanist outreach Chair: Robert Heard
1400–1430 – Jason Ball (Freethought University Alliance) 'Harnessing student idealism'
1430–1500 – Dr Meredith Doig (Rationalist Society of Australia) ‘Freethinkers co-operating for Reason in Australia’
1500–1530 – Alex McCullie (Centre of Adult Education) ‘Pursuing the Humanist vision – hopes, challenges and passions’

victorianhumanist.com

Comment by Graeme Shalders on April 11, 2011 at 8:45am: I have tweeted my view.

I'm not sure if you've mentioned this yet but I listened to a great podcast by ABC Background Briefing about chaplaincy ( http://www.abc.net.au/rn/backgroundbriefing/ ) I recommend to all. Garrett continues making a complete fool of himself. I think he should go back to fronting a band.

I believe the biggest issue is not so much the independent schools but the use of Xtian chaplains in state schools. Non-religious counsellors (who are trained and know what they are talking about. [OK I was married to a social worker so I am a little sceptical about a lot of them too.] rather than guided by tooth-fairies or whatever they believe) are more sensible for the role IMHO.

Comment by Douglas Clifford on April 11, 2011 at 4:39am: What really pisses me off, is that, as a gay man (who has lived with the same, same-sex partner for 39 years, is that for most of that period, we have paid taxes as two single people, in order to subsidize "independent" schools that teach their charges that both me and my partner, are "intrinsically disordered" (the official Catholic line).

Comment by Luke on April 10, 2011 at 9:06pm: Garrett is a Christian. If he needs to know anything about education his god will magic it into his brain.