Atheists cross as religious forum secures taxpayer funding
Posted on : 26-11-2009 | By : grant | In : General
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The lack of funding was discussed in The Age today and the responses made it clear people are not happy.
Published November 26, 2009, The Age
Atheists have accused the Brumby Government of discriminating against them by refusing to fund the movement's global conference in Melbourne, but giving $2 million to a religious conference.
The Parliament of the World's Religions begins on December 3 at the new Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and has also received $2 million from the Federal Government and $500,000 from the Melbourne City Council.
Premier John Brumby launched the event this morning.
The Atheist Foundation of Australia says it approached all three levels of government for a total of $270,000 for its conference, to be held at the same venue early next year, but has received no funding.
"This is a world-class event with world-class academic and intellectual speakers," foundation president David Nicholls said.
"If I was the Catholic church they'd be all over me like a rash, giving us bundles of money. This is an ideological decision." ...
Letters to the editor.
AS ONE of 4 million-plus non-religious Australians, I'm outraged that Labor governments are putting $4 million of taxpayers' money into a religious event, but have refused funding for Melbourne's Global Atheist Convention.
You only have to search the internet to see how news of this event is spreading internationally. Isn't that what the funding is for: to promote tourism to Australia and Victoria?
I will be travelling to the convention in March. Does the Brumby Government value my tourist dollars less than those of a theist? If so, I will be careful to restrict my spending while in Victoria and I won't be in a hurry to return to a state where non-theists are obviously not wanted.
Chrys Stevenson, Mapleton, Qld
Was application read?
I WOULD be tempted to think there may be some kind of religious bias in the Government's decision especially as I wrote to Tourism Victoria, the department responsible for funding not-for-profit international conferences, only to be told it did not provide funding for business conferences.
The Atheist Foundation is a registered not-for-profit organisation and this was clearly stated in the application. From the department's answer I can only assume the application for assistance was rejected without even being read.
Doug Steley, Cowwarr
Christians agree with bias
AS A Christian minister I agree with my atheist friends on this one - it appears they have been discriminated against on the basis of religion.
It's all very ironic and kind of humorous, given the Brumby Government's social engineering reconstruction project for Victoria. As a taxpayer I don't support funding a conference for atheists (how much money do they need to say ''God is not there''?), and I also don't agree with funding the ''World Parliament of Religions''. I would have thought that putting the money into hospitals would be a better investment.
Murray Campbell, minister, Mentone Baptist Church, Mentone
Blurring the boundaries between church and state
THE Government's funding decision is not surprising. Religious lobby groups have formed a very powerful relationship with government far, far beyond the numbers they represent. This continual assault on the equality of non-believers in supernatural things is going to prove costly. We really have had enough.
The State Government's decision to grant $2 million to a world religious conference, also in Melbourne, reveals a bias that disregards our status as a secular nation. This is just another example of the blurring of the separation of the church from the state.
Warren Bonett, Pomona, Qld
Where's the money going?
WHERE are the missing delegates to the Parliament of World Religions and where is all the money going?
Original claims of about 13000 delegates have now been reduced to 5000 by John Brumby. With funding of $4.5 million from taxpayers and ratepayers, that is nearly $1000 per head.
What have they spent the money on?
Andrew Rawlings, Blackburn
All welcome to attend
ATHEISTS need not ''feel the cold shoulder'' (The Age, 26/11) because the State Government has provided funding to a multi-religious, not a religious, event.
Everyone who is willing to be respectful of the views of others is welcome at the Parliament of the World's Religions, including atheists. They, too, are part of the rich diversity of religious and philosophical value bases that ennobles our life in Melbourne.
Professor Gary D. Bouma, Monash University
Furthermore
ATHEISTS have accused the Brumby Government of discrimination. The Government has responded by declaring there is no scientific evidence that the movement exists.
David Anderson, Karingal, Vic
Atheists on program
GARY Bouma (Letters, 27 November) invites atheists to be involved in the Parliament of World Religions.
If he had read the program, he would have noticed that we are involved. We are running a session called “Living the Good Life: The Secular Way” Everyone is welcome.
Ian Robinson, Rationalist Society of Australia, Hawksburn, Vic
Moreover
OF COURSE the Government gave money to the Parliament of World Religions and not the atheists’ conference. They have a lot more invisible friends to accommodate.
Andrew Dixon, Glen Waverley, Vic
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