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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 Chrys Stevenson on April 10, 2011 at 5:25pm: Rigby, thanks for your support - you make a good point and I'll ask Dave to add a non-twitter/facebook link to the site. In the meantime, you can email Julia Gillard with your opposition here: http://www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm and the Education Minister, Peter Garrett, here: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/memfeedback.asp?id=HV4

Comment by philip_rhoades on April 2, 2011 at 9:42pm: CaptainCook,

I'm with you brother - public funding of private brainwashing is bloody outrageous! I understand why the Whitlam government introduced the change that opened the floodgates later to private schools rorting the system but it was a BIG mistake! Churches should also pay all the back taxes on the public land they scammed for private use as well!

Comment by CaptainCook on March 31, 2011 at 7:34pm: Now Christian schools want full public funding!!

http://www.smh.com.au/national/christian-schools-seek-full-public-f...

If one Christian school I know of--with its poor teaching and spoonfeeding of students--is a representative example, evey cent spent is wasted--and they want more and more.

As far as I am concerned, all education funding should go to state schools. If these other people want to indoctrinate the next generation, let them do it at their own expense--not with my tax dollar!

Sorry if that's a rant, but I think it's outrageous.

Comment by CaptainCook on March 26, 2011 at 6:59pm: I have to admist to a certain unseemly glee when watching the NSW election coverage on the ABC last night and seeing the CDP coming last or second last with a minuscule share of the vote.

Comment by CaptainCook on March 25, 2011 at 12:38am: Here's a link to an ABC article on the tussle between the PM and the Mad Monk. I think what's referenced in the SMH is the appalling behaviour in Question Time. Not sure if it is on iView.

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/45620.html

There have been a few letters to the SMH on this, also reader comments.

Hope this helps.

Comment by Chrys Stevenson on March 20, 2011 at 6:17pm: Thank you, Richard. It was fascinating to research and there's much more to be told. Working on a book along the same lines now - if only I didn't keep getting distracted!

Comment by CaptainCook on February 21, 2011 at 9:23pm: Chrys, Richard, Luke, Rigbyt--all points taken, and agreed. There's a lesson for me in this about not letting enthusiasm rule the day--and also that doing too many things means that none of them are done well..

I will take Richard's advice to lighten up.

Comment by Luke on February 21, 2011 at 7:47pm: @Chrys: Agreed.

Comment by Chrys Stevenson on February 21, 2011 at 3:16pm: PS: Move on from the topic - not from this group!

Comment by Chrys Stevenson on February 21, 2011 at 3:15pm: OK. First, Rigbyt - I don't believe Luke is haranguing or harassing anyone. The incident was over and Captain Cook raised it from the dead. Luke has merely responded, as is his right.

Cook, what Luke says makes perfect sense. He provides a well-read and highly reputable atheist news service and has his own reputation to protect. He is quite right not to spread information which can't be supported. I often receive delicious morsels of information that I'd love to disseminate and which, often, I'm almost certain are true. But if I can't verify them properly, they just don't get passed on. That doesn't mean the information you provided wasn't true - just that the weight of evidence wasn't strong enough to support dissemination.

Everyone - I think this discussion is now over. Cook is to be congratulated for his passion about the Assange case. Luke is to be congratulated for his commitment to evidence. Rigbyt is to be congratulated for trying to make the peace. But, ultimately, although this issue is of broad interest to most of us, it's not about atheism and has already taken up enough space on this board.

You are all valuable members of this group but I'd thank you to move on, now, gentleman.

Thank you.