Secular Sunday #53 – Out With The Old

Welcome to the final Secular Sunday of 2012.

In this issue:

• News
• Upcoming Events
• Blogginess

News

• The Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill that was recently passed by Dáil Éireann allowing non-religious groups to perform legally binding wedding ceremonies, continues to discriminate against the non-religious in a number of ways. Most onerously, it prevents a non-religious body that performs weddings from promoting political causes. This puts the Humanist Association in the difficult position of having to choose between being able to perform weddings or continuing to campaign for a secular Ireland. Read more.
  The discriminatory nature of the Bill has become more apparent with a political appeal launched by Cardinal Sean Brady in his Christmas message. As a religious organisation, the Catholic Church is free to promote its political cause (of having its theological positions enshrined in law) and to solemnise marriages. Read more.

Upcoming Events

• Saturday 5 January, 12:00 – 2:00 pm, outside the GPO, O’Connell St., Dublin 1 (map)
  Brendan Maher will be at his stall promoting atheism, secularism and humanism. If you want to help, you can email Brendan or have a chat with him if you’re in the area.
• Sunday 6 January, 4:00 pm, Buswell’s Hotel, Molesworth St., Dublin 2 (map)
  Monthly meeting of the Humanist Association of Ireland. All are welcome.
• Monday 14 January, 8:30 pm, McSwiggans Bar and Restaurant, Woodquay, Galway (map)
  Galway Skeptics in the Pub – “5 Months of Fire and Brimstone”. Science and skepticism with a focus on climate change. Facebook event page
• Wednesday 16 January, 8:00 pm, Absolute Hotel, Sir Harry’s Mall, Limerick
  The Mid West Humanists are meeting. As well as old and new attendees (new people always welcome) getting to talk about life as an atheist or humanist in a society with a religious-biased culture, they are continuing their plan to meet TDs in the region, on the Constitution, starting when the Blasphemy article arises in the Convention.

Blogginess

• David Quinn has written recently on the need to move away from insults in online discourse. It’s one of those likely rare topics on which we agree – I find insults lazy, tawdry and generally counterproductive. If your strongest argument is your belief that your opponent is a ‘toerag’ you have little in the ways of convincing material and your efforts will most likely weaken the cause you support. – David Quinn, Politeness and the One-Sided Conversation from Geoff’s Shorts.
• The Roman Catholic Church is out of touch. Understatement? Very possibly. – Ratzinger and Brady’s Christmas Special – Political Lobbying and a Call To Arms from Atheism: Northern Ireland.
• Rashid assumes that an ideal can only be conceived of once, and any other person that promotes this ideal must have derived it from the earliest known source. This, of course, is just plain silly. – “Richard Dawkins Follows Prophet Muhammad’s Teaching on Freedom” I Think Not. from humanisticus.

That’s all for this week and, indeed, this year. It’s been a great year for Atheist Ireland and next week we’ll be back with a full and roundup of the best and worst of 2012, our plans and hopes for 2013 and (probably) a new improved format. Until then, have a safe and happy New Year.

Derek Walsh
Editor, Secular Sunday
Atheist Ireland