Secular Sunday #68 – In Before the Bell

Author Secular Sunday Published 14/04/2013

Another late evening edition. Second Sundays do take their toll, but our brunch in Dublin was very enjoyable and reports from Sligo suggest a good time was had there as well. Check out our event listings below for other ways to hang out with atheists and skeptics. Let me know if there are any worthwhile events I missed.

– Derek Walsh, Editor

News

While most of the focus on marriage equality in the country recently has been on same-sex marriage, there is also an issue of inequality between religious and secular organisations. Andrew Devine-Rattigan, a member of Atheist Ireland and of the Humanist Association of Ireland has written to the latter organisation expressing his concerns about the amendment to the law that permits Humanist celebrants to solemnise marriages. Read more

Profile: Anne Marie Waters

Every week until the Empowering Women through Secularism conference, we’ll be profiling one of the speakers.

Anne Marie Waters grew up in Dublin but lives in London. She is co-spokesperson and co-director of One Law for All, a campaign against Sharia and other religious tribunals in Britain. She is a council member of the (British) National Secular Society. She is a committed trade unionist and is the current Trade Union Liaison Officer of LGBT Labour.

Calendar

Wednesday 17 April, 7:30 pm, Quay Co-op, Cork (map)
Cork Humanists’ book club. This month the book being discussed is Alain De Botton’s Religion for Atheists. More
Wednesday 17 April, 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.
Monday 22 April, 7:30 pm, The Roundy Bar, Cork (map)
Cork Humanists Film Club. This month, the film is The Ledge (IMDB).Facebook event page
Monday 22 April, 8:30 pm, McSwiggans Bar and Restaurant, Woodquay, Galway (map)
Galway Skeptics in the Pub #55.Facebook event page
Saturday 4 May, 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm, GPO, O’Connell St., Dublin 1 (map)
Brendan Maher will be outside the GPO promoting atheism, secularism and humanism. Email Brendan if you want to help.
Sunday 5 May, 4:00 pm, Buswell’s Hotel, Molesworth St., Dublin 2 (map)
Monthly meeting of the Humanist Association of Ireland. All are welcome. Facebook event page
Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 June, O’Callaghan Alexander Hotel, Dubln 2 (map)
“Empowering Women Through Secularism” An international two-day conference featuring some of the biggest names in atheism, skepticism, secularism and feminism. Buy tickets now

Bloggage

Religious quacks and fraudsters have been around since the beginning of time. They range from those claiming psychic ability to self-proclaimed visionaries and angel gurus. The practitioners of these acts of charlatanism prey on our desire for comfort, hope and a yearning for meaning. Every year new variants of the same scam come onto the market. – Cyril takes on psychics and spiritualists

A strong point could be made that the Christian Bible falls into the category of poetry – and is most certainly a brilliant example of early literature as an art form. The texts of Psalms and the wordplay during key scenes are exemplary (In contrast, some also underwhelm – such as the dire creation story). Of course this is a man made text, and there is no reason one could acknowledge that the text contains any god given input in its creation, but as an historical relic it is a wonderful example of our species first attempt at creating a collection of literary output. – Jason Murdock on the cocktail of art and religion