Secular Sunday #55 – If It Ain't Broke…

It’s time for this week’s Secular Sunday. There are a few, largely cosmetic, changes to the format, most noticeable in the e-mail edition. As promised, more substantial improvements are coming but it’s an evolving process. (As an atheist I don’t believe in Intelligent Design!) Feedback is welcome.

In this issue:

• News
• Upcoming Events
• Bloggery

News

• The Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children held three days of hearings last week to discuss the Government’s decision to legislate and regulate for abortion law. On the first two days, the committee heard from doctors and lawyers. On the third day they heard from advocacy groups for and against the choice to have an abortion, as well as representatives of various religious bodies. Atheist Ireland was invited to represent the disparate views of the considerable non-religious minority. The video of Michael Nugent speaking should appear below. If not, click here to view.

Upcoming Events

• 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 (map)
  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.
• Thursday 17 January, 7:30 pm, Trinity Capital Hotel, Pearse St., Dublin 2 (map)
  Dublin Atheists in the Pub. No speaker this month. We’ll be having an informal discussion about the need for a secular health care system with particular focus on the issues of abortion and the right to die. Facebook event page
• Saturday 19 January, 8:00 pm, Blackrock Castle Observatory, Cork (map)
  Skeptics in the Castle. Jen Keane (aka Zenbuffy) will be talking about Stanislaw Burzinski and his questionable cancer treatments. Read more
• Tuesday 22 January, Camden Palace Hotel, Cork (map)
  Cork Humanists Film Club presents I Heart Huckabees. This is the first in what will be a regular event. The purpose of the film club will be to screen popular and indie films with Humanist topics or themes. Facebook event page
• Thursday 7 February, Reidy’s Wine Bar, Western Road, Cork
  Cork Humanists’ new monthly discussion group “Think and Drink”. This month’s topic is “Religion in the Public Eye”. Facebook event page

Bloggery

• People who choose to live or who are not of sound mind should be given every help to stay alive, with the maximum possible quality of life. And people who are of sound mind and terminally or seriously ill, and who choose to die on their own terms, should also be given help to do that. – Michael Nugent on the right to live and the right to die
• The Coalition For Marriage are dedicated to ensuring that two men or two women in love cannot avail of the same societal recognition of their commitment enjoyed by my wife and I. – Geoff turns his tweet machine on another religious group.

That’s it for this week. Expect more changes next week and some big news.

Derek Walsh
Editor, Secular Sunday
Atheist Ireland