1. New speakers announced for panel on religion & politics

    Posted on January 25, 2012 by GAC

    While the godless may vary in the degree to which they view religion as a pernicious force in the lives of individuals, the hackles of unbelievers are almost unanimously raised when the issue of the influence of religious beliefs on political decision-making comes up. The fascinating, complex, and often frustrating interaction of sacred and secular factions in the political arena is a subject that demands discussion, and the Global Atheist Convention is proud to present a unique opportunity to watch a panel of intelligent and well-informed speakers contribute their two cents worth to the public debate.

    Addressing the subject of the intersection of politics and religion, our distinguished panelists will include Fiona Patten,  leader of the Australian Sex Party;  Marion Maddox, author, academic and political commentator; Dick Gross, journalist, author and atheist blogger for the National Times; and Colleen Hartland, Victorian Greens MLC. Moderated by ABC Radio veteran Derek Guille, it is sure to be a thought-provoking experience, a highlight of the convention programme, and yet another very good reason to be at the 2012 Global Atheist Convention in April.

  2. Dawkins: The biggest damage religion does is brainwashing children

    Posted on January 25, 2012 by GAC

    by Vineet Gill
    25th January 2011
    via The Times of India

    Richard Dawkins is amongst the most provocative thinkers of our times. The Oxford University geneticist has waged a blazing intellectual war on religion, calling for the rule of science and rationality. At the recent Jaipur Literature Festival, Dawkins spoke with Vineet Gill about why he prefers science over faith, whether he is an ‘atheist fundamentalist’, – and issues such as immortality:
    Continue reading →

  3. Phillip Adams: Tribute to the late Christopher Hitchens

    Posted on January 25, 2012 by GAC

    By Phillip Adams
    23rd January 2011
    via ABC Radio National’s Late Night Live

    Phillip Adams presents a tribute to Late Night Live’s longest and most outstanding contributor, the late Christopher Hitchens, journalist, author and contrarian.

    Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

  4. Attention Ticket Holders

    Posted on January 19, 2012 by GAC

    For all those of you who have been eagerly watching the post, tickets for the April event are now prepared for distribution and will be sent from next week.

    It is vitally important that you have the correct email and postal address registered with Greentix. To update your details please contact Greentix directly.

    When your order has been shipped out you will receive an email including your Australia Post Tracking ID. You can use that 12 digit number to track your tickets at www.auspost.com.au/track

    Be reminded that we have a strict NO TICKET NO ENTRY policy so keep your tickets in a safe place, read them carefully and bring them with you.

  5. Hitchens helped ease the journey for a kindred spirit

    Posted on January 6, 2012 by GAC

    by Cynthia Banham
    6th January 2012
    via Sydney Morning Herald

    An eclectic collection of books sat wrapped under the Christmas tree for me this festive season. Among the crime novels and exotic cookbooks was Christopher Hitchens’s collection of essays, Arguably.

    While very happy with all my gifts, Hitchens’s book, coming 10 days after his death from cancer, left me slightly melancholy.

    In his recent Vanity Fair columns about the disease I had found a kindred spirit. Enduring a personal catastrophe of the kind Hitchens suffered can be an incredibly lonely journey of unwelcome discoveries, and he captured this.

    Graydon Carter, the editor of Vanity Fair, eulogised his friend: ”You felt as though he was writing to you and to you alone.” I know what Carter meant.
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  6. Everything and Nothing: An Interview with Lawrence Krauss

    Posted on January 5, 2012 by GAC


    by Sam Harris
    3rd January 2011
    via SamHarris.Org

    Lawrence M. Krauss is a renowned cosmologist, popularizer of science, and director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University. He is the author of more than 300 scientific publications and 8 books, including the bestselling The Physics of Star Trek. His interests include the early universe, the nature of dark matter, general relativity and neutrino astrophysics. He is also a friend and an advisor to my nonprofit foundation, Project Reason. Lawrence generously took time to answer a few questions about his new book, A Universe from Nothing.

    One of the most common justifications for religious faith is the idea that the universe must have had a creator. You’ve just written a book alleging that a universe can arise from “nothing.” What do you mean by “nothing” and how fully does your thesis contradict a belief in a Creator God?
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  7. Krauss: Remembering Christopher Hitchens

    Posted on December 24, 2011 by GAC

    by Lawrence Krauss
    24th December, 2011
    via RDFRS

    The world, which Christopher Hitchens would have happily admitted was already pretty dark, got a little darker yesterday. With his death, it also got a lot emptier.

    Christopher was a beacon of knowledge and light in a world that constantly threatens to extinguish both. He had the courage to accept the world for just what it is, and not what we would like it to be. That is the highest praise I believe one can give to any intellect. He understood that the Universe doesn’t care about our existence, or our welfare, and epitomized the realization that our lives have meaning only to the extent we give them meaning.
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  8. The Christians Stole Christmas

    Posted on December 22, 2011 by GAC

    by Annie Laurie Gaylor
    22nd December 2011
    via US News

    Away with the manger—in with the Solstice!

    For a fact, the Christians stole Christmas. We don’t mind sharing the season with them, but we don’t like their pretense that it is the birthday of Jesus. It is the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun—Dies Natalis Invicti Solis.

    Christmas is a relic of sun worship.
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  9. Highlights from the 2012 Global Atheist Convention Student Grants Initiative

    Posted on December 21, 2011 by GAC

    Ten deserving students have been awarded free three-day passes to the 2012 Global Atheist Convention, based on essays submitted to our Student Grants Initiative.

    The GAC Committee have selected some of our favourite essays for publication, and we hope you enjoy them.

    It would be stellar to gain access to the GAC through a generous grant. As a student in the US, the very idea of attending seemed completely out of reach. Melbourne seems like worlds away! I see the GAC as a way of making my world a little smaller.

    I come from a family of compassionate and tolerant Lutherans. I’ve been around religion since birth- I was baptized in the church my parents were married in, and my grandfather remains active in that church to this day. My parents only ever made me attend church on Christmas and Easter, and I have very early memories of stumbling through hymns and refusing communion. I went to a secular private girls’ high school, where I was taught to question absolutely everything. I came out as an atheist when I was 15 to very little fanfare. My parents were understanding, but confused. My mom and I have since had many conversations about why she remains agnostic, and why I stubbornly insist upon refusing the idea of a “higher power”.

    I was alone in my lack of faith for a long time. The overwhelming majority of my friends hold on to their spirituality, whether it’s Judaism, Quakerism, or (rarely) Christianity. I discovered the works of Christopher Hitchens, Jennifer Michael Hecht, and Richard Dawkins. I found a niche in these amazing books. I’ve found and latched on to the skeptic community, because it seems to connect all of my favorite things- intellect, doubt, and science fiction. The GAC can be my first adventure in real-life atheism, with a vast community of incredible people who share my non-beliefs.

    I love the idea of forming relationships with outspoken, intelligent, educated, interesting, and all-round fantastic atheists from around the world. I’ve learned so much from the godless heathens in my life, and I can’t wait to spend a weekend bonding with more.

    Jennifer – Philadelphia

    Continue reading →

  10. Give the Gift of Reason this Holiday Season

    Posted on December 21, 2011 by GAC

    Christmas, Festivus, Summer (or Winter) Solstice, Saturnalia, Christmyth … call it what you will, and enjoy it in any way you see fit. But for maximum effect, we humbly suggest purchasing tickets to next year’s Global Atheist Convention for your loved ones, to ensure empirically-verifiable good cheer that promises to continue well into 2012!

    Click here to purchase tickets.