Sean the Blogonaut

Crackergate Down Under and Day 1 of The Global Atheist Convention

Blogonaut — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:20:57 +0000

I was having breakfast with PZ Myers (me and 13 others) this morning (and for all you doubting Thomas’ there’s video evidence) at the bloggers and podcasters breakfast. It was a little surreal for about 15 minutes and then PZ’s warmth and good nature put us all at ease, he really is a genuinely cool, easy going bloke. I then suggested that he might try some vegemite. He had been forewarned, and after smelling it I pretty sure he may have thought that I was part of a theist conspiracy to give him food poisoning prior to his speech.

PZ then decided to spread it on his communion wafers(the kind that everyone happens to carry). The video is below. I apologise for the quality, but I was trying to to film it sitting directly beside him..

Many thanks to Drunkenmadman for uploading it on the spot.

The rest of the day was one rather long pub crawl and meeting of various twitter and blogging friends. Although I did meet “Amy, who’s not on the internet”

The convention opened with a good speech from David Nichols and some comedy from Sue Ann Post and Catherine Deveney. It was a harsh roasting for which they have already being criticised for. But hey if you’re offended, really offended, bugger off it’s our convention.

Seriously, I am finding the “you should respect my beliefs, my ideas and not make fun of me” line a little worn. I will respect you, and your right to believe and say what you want, I might even be polite in telling you I think you are wrong and a bit foolish.

But kindly, politely even, take a long walk off a short pier if you want to shut down criticism or discussion if you expect that we will treat your individual, personal view of religion as a special case.

If you have crackpot ideas like the body of christ existing in a cracker then prepare to be laughed at and ridiculed. If you have defined god out of reach of criticism be prepared to be called on it.

Dumping PZ Myers for AC Grayling

Blogonaut — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:52:13 +0000

Currently in Melbourne for the Global Atheist Convention and I have already met THE PZ Myers and left him to go and see AC Grayling talk(the fanboyish angst experienced in that decision). The official opening for the convention starts tonight but I was lounging at the convention bar at the Hilton yesterday with some other godless types when I noticed the familiar look of a dazed and jet lagged American tourist.

I not quite sure of what PZ thought of this band of strange Australians waving at him from across the bar. Mr Embiggen summed it up nicely when he called out “You don’t know us but we know you”.

PZ was very congenial, shook each of our hands and pleasantly chatted until we had to leave to go to the Cinema Nova in Carlton to see Russell Blackford and AC Grayling took and sign books.

If you ever have the chance to see AC Grayling talk live I suggest you do – a well practiced speaker.

I also had the chance to meet many twitter friends at the talk and I shall probably meet some more today. The evening finished for this jetlagged blogger with half the committee of the Sydney Atheists at a hotel in Brunswick, where we were serenaded briefly by Drunkenmadman on his ukulele.

Today will be filled with a raft of kidney killing meet-ups. But take heart I will endeavour to report back on the days events.

Saturday Steampunk – Sam Van Olffen

Blogonaut — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:17:14 +0000

There is steampunk art and then there is art produced by the likes of Sam Van Olffen. His work is dark, but not without humour – enjoy!

ABBEY ROAD

BABEL CENTRAL STATION

More artwork can be found at his blog

Fundamentalists enraged over being required to teach science

Blogonaut — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 04:12:49 +0000

Unbeknownst to most South Australians it has been possible, until very recently for independent Christian schools to teach creationism as part of the science curriculum. That sad and sorry state of affairs has been altered. The South Australian Non-Government Schools Registration Board has made a policy decision to remove the teaching of creationism from the science curriculum. It can still be taught as part of …say… a class on RELIGION!

Under policies published in December, the board said it required ”teaching of science as an empirical discipline, focusing on inquiry, hypothesis, investigation, experimentation, observation and evidential analysis”.

The board said it ”does not accept as satisfactory a science curriculum in a non-government school which is based on, espouses or reflects the literal interpretation of a religious text in its treatment of either creationism or intelligent design”.

[source]

But of course the persecuted Christian brigade is up in arms fearing this as being the thin edge of the wedge and that other states may follow.

he chief executive of Christian Schools Australia, Stephen O’Doherty, said the board statement was too strident, removing the right to teach ”biblical perspectives” as part of science.

He said the policy set a precedent which might be taken up in other states, including NSW, where the issue had been the subject of intense debate two years ago.

[source]

So a win for science and better education of our children regardless of their religion.

Atheist performer banned from appearing in Mildura

Blogonaut — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 03:46:17 +0000

Famous atheist columnist and comedienne Catherine Deveny has apparently been banned( or rather her booking was cancelled) from appearing at St Joseph’s College. Deveny who will be appearing at the Global Atheist Convention next week was apparently too controversial. It seems that the principal of the college was pressured by prominent members of the catholic community to drop the entertainer because she holds belief that are not consistent with the catholic church (her and about 50 % of lay Catholics).

So it seems that you can only speak at St Joseph’s college stadium if you are catholic or not in conflict with catholic views. Fair enough if you are holding a closed house event but if you are using the venue to generate income by holding events for the wider community well it seems a little…churlish?

But its par for the course isn’t really? What’s good for the minority of uptight Catholics is good for everyone. Just imagine if the had the power to take over public venues like racecourses or a cities streets. Or indeed have laws enacted so that you couldn’t wear mildly intelligent but offensive t-shirts taking the piss out of Catholics.

Ah well it could be worse, Deveny might be locked up for offending the religious if she were to take her show to England.

Photo: ABC Radio

Mercy Ministries and Privacy Commissioner Investigations Update

Blogonaut — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:19:46 +0000

In the post we learnt that the Privacy Commissioner had decided to carry out a preliminary investigation of the situation surrounding the refusal of Mercy Ministries Australia to hand over client files to past clients.

In a letter received by one of the complainants, a few days ago, the Assistant Privacy Commissioner has advised:

So Mercy Ministries Australia is undergoing investigation by the Privacy commissioner and has until March 23rd to answer claims made by the complainants. Three weeks for Mercy to cobble together a cogent argument as to why they shouldn’t hand back files containing personal information.

Did Mercy have a privacy policy?

Or does that not come under biblically based management practices?

Fellow Tweeters in the news

Blogonaut — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:28:14 +0000

In some much needed downtime, I missed 15 minutes of fame granted to some fellow tweeters. First up we have:

Dr Rachie winning a Shorty Award in the Health Category

Dr Rachie, cell biologist and all round bonza shelia and skeptic, beat off some stiff competition from shameless self promoting woo pushers Dr Joe Mercola and Mike Adams the Health Ranger..ranger…anger..nger.

It seems that somehow Dr Rachie has enough real followers and concerned skeptic tweeters to combat what has turned out to be some nutty woo sellers with over inflated email lists. If you want to read the entertaining back story to the shorty awards click here and you can merrily get lost on a train ride of lulz.

Congrats to Dr Rachie.

Second:

Angie the Anti-Theist and the Abortion live tweet.

Cult survivor and reasonably well known tweeter and Youtube atheist made headlines here in Australia. We had such inflammatory headlines as US woman videos her abortion on YouTube from the idiots at Cathnews. Who in turn scooped the story from the Age and ABC America. She is of course now facing death threats from various pro-lifers, not only against herself but levelled also at her young son – oh the irony.

Freethought University Alliance

Blogonaut — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:45:00 +0000

I mentioned in a previous blog post my hope that some positive action and networking would be one of the outcomes of the Global Atheist Convention. It seems that some very hardworking people, flying just below the radar are doing just that.

The Freethought University Alliance will be launched at the GAC:

The Freethought University Alliance, a coalition of atheist, humanist, secular and skeptic campus groups from universities across Australia, will be launched at The Rise of Atheism, 2010 Global Atheist Convention.

The Alliance will connect student leaders and help them work together and grow as a collective student movement dedicated to furthering science, reason and secular values in Australian society. The Alliance will provide students with useful advice, resources and networking opportunities, and also support students planning to start new aligned groups on university campuses.

[Read more]

Just who are the brains behind this wonderful idea?

Well Jason Ball, the same young lad that impressed us as part of the Young Australian Skeptics and in a number of interviews given on the Global Atheist Convention. Tanya Smith another convention committee organiser and public voice of the convention and the mysterious Anna Yeung* who I know nothing about, but who by the company she keeps must surely be impressive as well.

Youth leading the way

It would be nice if taking a leaf from their book, we could get a similar group off the ground for our disparate Atheist groups and organisations, for those of us that have long ago left the halls of academia or perhaps never ventured through them.

* The Awesome Anna Yeung can be found here

Australian Priest recruitment up due to world youth day.

Blogonaut — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:13:31 +0000

According to the Catholic News Agency:

A record number of men are entering seminary for the Archdiocese of Sydney and up to six men will be ordained to the priesthood this coming June, a rise that observers partly attribute to the influence of World Youth Day 2008.

On June 11, between four and six men will be ordained priests by the Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell. This is the largest number of men ordained into the Archdiocese of Sydney since 1988, the archdiocese reports.

[Read More]

Just as well the state subsidised World Youth Day, with the expense of this sort of recruitment policy the church would bankrupt itself.

I was, however dumbstruck by this piece of sanctimonious horseshit from later in the article:

“Today many young people are seeking deeper meaning to their lives and not just looking for a career but for a vocation which can answer the big questions of life,” Fr. Percy added. “In this post modern culture there are no values, no standards and no foundations on which to build minds. But young people really want these things and in a world of dysfunctional families and society generally, they are looking to the Church for stability.

Reality check – this is a representative of the Catholic Church speaking.

Saturday Steampunk – Steampunk in Oxford

Blogonaut — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 08:16:43 +0000

Its almost cool enough for me to begin working on my Steampunk specimen drawers. But not quite.

Thus I have for your viewing pleasure, found a cinematograph for your viewing pleasure. Wherein is described the Steampunk exhibition and Oxford.

Slightly concerned about the examples that the gentleman pictured above uses to explain certain temporal devices.