Just a reminder that the Imagine No Religion meeting, always a great time, will be held this June 2-4 in Toronto. There’s a nice lineup of speakers, including the comedy team of Krauss & Dawkins, and I’m also allowed to swim with the Big Fish. The video below gives a preview. See you there!
Imagine No Religion 7
February 5, 2017 • 2:30 pm
The music for that video is funny because it’s so over the top. If I were only listening to the music, I would have thought it was a preview for a new “Mission: Impossible” movie.
That was the first thing I noticed too. The “music” is absolutely dreadful.
The meeting looks like great fun, tho.
Just a little dramatic maybe. I hope a good deal of it gets to the little screen.
Wow. Who knew non-belief could be so exhilarating.
“Respect for non-believers is long overdue.”
“The more we’ve learned about the natural world, the more we’ve learned you don’t need any divine intervention to explain anything.”
Perhaps I’m oversensitive, but there is something about this promo that I find annoying. The intellectual death blows to religion were dealt in the 16th and 17th century, before science proper entered the picture and made it’s worthy contributions. Respect for non-believers like Machiavelli, Montaigne, Bruno, Vanini, Hobbes, Spinoza, and Locke as the architects of the death of God and religion should be recognized. Before Newton or Darwin, these men (some more than others) held a very modern and accurate view of the world regarding religion and the supernatural.
I hardly think that delivering a college course on ancient philosophers is going to cut the mustard. It takes living breathing leaders today like Krauss and Dawkins, et al, to represent and articulate the nonbelievers’cause. I am exhilarated by these people every time I read or hear them, but I doubt that anyone gets exited and activated by Bruno and all the others. Let professors discuss the antecedents of atheism in their lectures. That’s where they belong. We need real live people to fight today’s battles.
I’m not trying to denigrate present day atheists. I revel in their existence and candor. I have and have read most of their books, listen to their podcasts, and watch their videos. They are invaluable in the war against religion.
I am suggesting that people’s experience as atheists would be greatly enriched by absorbing some of the history. For example, when you hear someone say “America was founded on Christian principles” wouldn’t you like to know it in your bones that this is false, and it was founded on atheist philosophy. Natures God, The Heretical Origins of the American Republic by Matthew Stewart (= contemorary atheist) tells the story in thrilling detail, explaining how the early modern philosophers I mentioned figure into the story.
“swim with the Big Fish”. Yes, you’re in the club (to mix metaphors) https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2015/02/26/i-had-a-dream-2/#comment-1151331
If you want I can say hi … I’ll be there Air Canada willing
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Meanwhile, in America, 1 in 3 people believe that you must be Christian to truly be an American.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/02/01/you-have-to-be-christian-to-truly-be-american-people-in-the-us-are-far-more-likely-to-say-so/?utm_term=.12e5a7015a6f
Hm, just down the highway a ways. Tempting!