"If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."
- George Orwell
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Free-Thought of the Day
Happy Blasphemy Rights Day, everyone! Today we defend the right to dissent without fear of violent retaliation, to speak our minds even when our words slight or offend people and institutions that demand undue respect in our modern society.
Minority Report: A Success!
Just wanted to express our gratitude to everyone who attended Minority Report this past Tuesday night! We were very pleased with the extent of the dialogue -- this sort of free exchange of ideas is exactly what we're all about! I hope we can continue to vocalize our similarities and differences so openly in the future, in whatever company we may find ourselves.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Free-Thought of the Day
Salman Rushdie endured the wrath of blasphemy when Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran issued a fatwa for his death, following the release of his novel "The Satanic Verses" in 1989. Rushdie remains unharmed today, though 38 others have been killed in violence against those connected with the book, including his Norwegian publisher. Support ISSA and free speech by participating in International Blasphemy Rights Day tomorrow on the Quad!
“The idea of the sacred is quite simply one of the most conservative notions in any culture, because it seeks to turn other ideas – uncertainty, progress, change – into crimes.”
- Salman Rushdie
“The idea of the sacred is quite simply one of the most conservative notions in any culture, because it seeks to turn other ideas – uncertainty, progress, change – into crimes.”
- Salman Rushdie
Blasphemy is not AdvISSAble
Hey all, it's that time again. This Thursday, September 30rd at 7pm we will be recapping International Blasphemy Rights Day and hearing out anyone who wants to say their piece. To help us unwind we will watch a bit of celebratory blasphemy (time permitting), then as usual it will be off to Murphy's.
As always, we'll be in Mechanical Engineering Building room 253.
Help get the word out!
Tonight (Wednesday), at 7PM, we need your help setting up for International Blasphemy Rights Day. If you're interested in flyering, chalking, or making posters, meet up at the Union at 7!
Bar Crawl!
ISSA will be holding a bar crawl this semester. Just give us your Name and Shirt size, Pre-order now!
Blood Drive!
We will be holding a blood drive on October 1 at the Wesley Foundation Methodist Church. If you would like to volunteer or sign up to give blood, add your name to the appropriate spreadsheet. You must sign up so that the Red Cross knows how many people they need to staff the event.
Volunteers:
Giving Blood:
Tell us about your ideas!
If you want to give a presentation or lead a discussion, let us know! If that's not your bag, then maybe ISSA's official blog at http://UIUCAtheists.blogspot.com is the perfect venue to get your opinions heard. Comment on existing stories, or email us your own!
Upcoming Events:
This Week:
International Blasphemy Rights Day -- Thursday, September 30
International Blasphemy Rights Day takes place every September 30th, to commemorate the publishing of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons. The purpose of this event is to set a particular day as a day to support free speech, support the right to criticize and satirize religion, and to oppose any resolutions or laws, binding or otherwise, that discourage or inhibit free speech of any kind [from Center for Inquiry]. We will have a table by the Union and various displays to mark the occasion.
International Blasphemy Rights Day takes place every September 30th, to commemorate the publishing of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons. The purpose of this event is to set a particular day as a day to support free speech, support the right to criticize and satirize religion, and to oppose any resolutions or laws, binding or otherwise, that discourage or inhibit free speech of any kind [from Center for Inquiry]. We will have a table by the Union and various displays to mark the occasion.
Red Cross Blood Drive with Cru -- Friday, October 1
As previously mentioned, we will be holding a blood drive from 11AM-3PM. We will be co-hosting the drive with our friends, the Campus Cru Crusade for Christ (Cru).
Merry Atheists @ Merry Ann's! -- Every Sunday
Come check out this fine nostalgic diner's newest location and brunch with your heathen pals this Sunday at 11AM. Merry Ann's is located near Krannert and the Canopy club.
Next Week and Beyond:
Curtis Orchard Trip -- Mid-October
Come out and celebrate fall with us! There will be apple-picking, pumpkin carving, and even a petting zoo! We hold this event every year, and it's always a lot of fun. More details to come.
Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) Annual Convention -- Halloween Weekend
This year's speakers include Dan Barker, Julia Sweeney and Ayaan Hirsi Ali. In addition, this will be a chance to meet and socialize with our excellent friends from sister campus secular groups such as UNIFI, AHA!, and NUSHIFT! Conferences are awesome and always a lot of fun, guaranteed. Let us know ASAP if you would like to attend, costs will be minimal for the first 12 people. If you would like to attend, you must register here by October 6!
_______________________________________________________
ISSA on the Web
ISSA Blog http://uiucatheists.blogspot.com
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2252245006
Flickr Photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/uiucatheists/
Email: UIUCAtheists@gmail.com
See everyone at the meeting!
Love,
ISSA
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Atheists Know Better (...here, and in general)
A new study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (if you're like me, you recognize the Pew name from the charitable trusts that sponsor most NPR programming) has concluded that Americans are woefully uninformed when it comes to the brass tacks of virtually every religion, including the very beliefs to which they themselves subscribe. As stated in the New York Times:On average, people who took the survey answered half the questions incorrectly, and many flubbed even questions about their own faith.
Those who scored the highest were and agnostics, as well as two religious minorities: Jews and Mormons. The results were the same even after the researchers controlled for factors like age and racial differences.
“Even after all these other factors, including education, are taken into account, atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons still outperform all the other religious groups in our survey,” said Greg Smith, a senior researcher at Pew.
That finding might surprise some, but not Dave Silverman, president of American Atheists, an advocacy group for nonbelievers that was founded by .
“I have heard many times that atheists know more about religion than religious people,” Mr. Silverman said. “Atheism is an effect of that knowledge, not a lack of knowledge. I gave a Bible to my daughter. That’s how you make atheists.”
Take a variation of the survey for yourself and let us know how you scored!
Free-Thought of the Day
Minority Report is tonight (Tuesday night) in DCL 1320 at 7:00 pm! Our own Ed Clint will be speaking alongside Dr. Kenneth Howell and FIRE's Azhar Majeed on the provisions of the first amendment and the intersection of human rights and social harmony. Hope to see you there! In the mean time, however...
"And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in all the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual."
- John Steinbeck, East of Eden (1952)
"And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in all the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual."
- John Steinbeck, East of Eden (1952)
Monday, September 27, 2010
Mark Your Calendars!
In addition to Minority Report (Tuesday), Blasphemy Day (Thursday) and the Blood Drive (Friday -- and that's a double link for donors and volunteers, respectively), the Science and Religion live video event with Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris is this week! Click the banner above to go to the Simon & Schuster Ustream page and RSVP.
Should be worth your while... I know I'll be watching!
With as much affection as someone so godless can muster,
Becca
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Free-Thought of the Day
This quote was one of the 25 Blasphemous Quotes published by Atheist Ireland, after the Irish Blasphemy Law became operational on 1 January, 2010.
“Also it has another name – The Word of God. For the Christian thinks every word of it was dictated by God. It is full of interest. It has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies… But you notice that when the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, adored Father of Man, goes to war, there is no limit. He is totally without mercy – he, who is called the Fountain of Mercy. He slays, slays, slays! All the men, all the beasts, all the boys, all the babies; also all the women and all the girls, except those that have not been deflowered. He makes no distinction between innocent and guilty… What the insane Father required was blood and misery; he was indifferent as to who furnished it.”
- Mark Twain, describing the Christian Bible in Letters from the Earth, 1909:
“Also it has another name – The Word of God. For the Christian thinks every word of it was dictated by God. It is full of interest. It has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies… But you notice that when the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, adored Father of Man, goes to war, there is no limit. He is totally without mercy – he, who is called the Fountain of Mercy. He slays, slays, slays! All the men, all the beasts, all the boys, all the babies; also all the women and all the girls, except those that have not been deflowered. He makes no distinction between innocent and guilty… What the insane Father required was blood and misery; he was indifferent as to who furnished it.”
- Mark Twain, describing the Christian Bible in Letters from the Earth, 1909:
Free-Thought of the Day
Sunday's winding down... Here's a dynamic little morsel for these last precious hours of weekend!
"What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof."
- Christopher Hitchens
"What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof."
- Christopher Hitchens
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Free-thought of the day
This is a good one, should hold you over a few days at least. Some words from a book whose title and author helped to inspire Tuesday's proceedings.
"We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart."
-- H L Mencken, Minority Report (1956)
"We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart."
-- H L Mencken, Minority Report (1956)
 |
| We shall not soon see his like. |
Thursday, September 23, 2010
FIRE Rescues UG Student from Clutches of Persnickety Prig Bureaucrats
 |
| Don't mess with scooter-prone grad students that look a bit like Michael Moore. |
Evidently Lovell had used some colourful language as kids these days are wont to do when aroused. The university decided this amounted to being "threatening." According to the website Lovell said, I’m not exactly sure what they found threatening. I used a couple of curse words, but I did not intone violence; I think what they actually found threatening was that I dared to be rude and dared to criticize them. The charges against Lovell were dropped but only after FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, sent University President Michael Adams a letter explaining they had violated his rights.
The content of this case is somewhat trivial: a parking charge, a silly over-reaction. Still, it highlights the smug, self-important attitudes that haughty university boards tend to incubate in their administrators. Complaints with a harsh tone are grounds for criminal charges. What sort of small-minded Napoleonic imbecile makes such a decision? The kind that get hired and promoted at top-ranked universities. This would all slide too, until and unless a national watchdog agency like FIRE intervenes. As if tapping the school-heads on the shoulder and calmly saying "pardon me, you're completely full of shit. please stop. thanks" at which point, red-faced.. knowing their shame, they do.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Déjà Vu?
It has happened yet again. Two young men in Georgia said Tuesday that the pastor of a 33,000-person Baptist megachurch, Bishop Eddie L. Long, had repeatedly coerced them into having sex with him.It's the Ted Haggard saga all over again. Homophobic, hate spewing pastors taking out their repressed sexual feelings on victims within their own congregation. True, it is merely a lawsuit, and nothing has been proven yet. The parallels between Christian anti-gay dogma and pastoral sexual abuse are becoming clearer by the day, though.
“Defendant Long has a pattern and practice of singling out a select group of young male church members and using his authority as bishop over them to ultimately bring them to a point of engaging in a sexual relationship,” said a suit filed by one of the men, Maurice Robinson, 20. The other man who filed suit is Anthony Flagg, 21.
Bishop Long is an outspoken critic of homosexuality and has been called by the Southern Poverty Law Center “one of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the religiously based anti-gay movement.” He is the author of a book titled “What A Man Wants, What A Woman Needs: The Secret To Successful, Fulfilling Relationships.”
Free-Thought of the Day
Here's more on blasphemy, in lieu of tomorrow's discussion on the soon-to-come International Blasphemy Rights Day and the role ISSA can play in promoting free speech!
“This crime called blasphemy was invented by priests for the purpose of defending doctrines not able to take care of themselves”
- Robert Green Ingersoll
“This crime called blasphemy was invented by priests for the purpose of defending doctrines not able to take care of themselves”
- Robert Green Ingersoll
Clever Wordplay ISSA Our Strong Suit
Hey all, it's that time again. This Thursday, September 23rd at 7pm we will be discussing International Blasphemy Rights Day, and what our club is doing to commemorate that day. Sarah and Mat will be leading the discussion. Afterwards, it will be off to Murphy's. Also, one more important note: ISSA will be holding a bar crawl this semester. Just give us your Name and Shirt size, so we can order enough!
As always, we'll be in Mechanical Engineering Building room 253.
Map: http://www.fs.uiuc.edu/ada/0112.html
Blood Drive!
We will be holding a blood drive on October 1 at the Wesley Foundation Methodist Church. If you would like to volunteer or sign up to give blood, add your name to the appropriate spreadsheet:
Volunteers:
Blood Drive!
We will be holding a blood drive on October 1 at the Wesley Foundation Methodist Church. If you would like to volunteer or sign up to give blood, add your name to the appropriate spreadsheet:
Volunteers:
Giving Blood:
OFFICIAL ISSA T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST ENDS SOON!
The T-shirt competition ends THIS THURSDAY. Post your designs (quickly!) to the facebook group. Here is the template. Immortalize your design in ISSA history!
Tell us about your ideas!
If you want to give a presentation or lead a discussion, let us know! If that's not your bag, then maybe ISSA's official blog at http://UIUCAtheists.blogspot.com is the perfect venue to get your opinions heard. Comment on existing stories, or email us your own!
Upcoming Events:
This Week:
Party! -- Friday, September 24
Join all your ISSA pals for a great time! More details here.
Party! -- Friday, September 24
Join all your ISSA pals for a great time! More details here.
Merry Atheists @ Merry Ann's! -- Every Sunday
Come check out this fine nostalgic diner's newest location and brunch with your heathen pals this Sunday at 11AM. Merry Ann's is located near Krannert and the Canopy club.
Next Week and Beyond:
Minority Report: The Ends of Campus Freedom -- Tuesday, September 28
Explore the limits of academic freedom and the speech rights guaranteed by the US Constitution. Speakers include FIRE's Azhar Majeed, U of I's own embattled professor Dr. Kenneth Howell and ISSA's Ed Clint. See it all at 6pm in Room 1320 at the Digital Computing Lab.
International Blasphemy Rights Day -- Thursday, September 30
International Blasphemy Rights Day takes place every September 30th, to commemorate the publishing of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons. The purpose of this event is to set a particular day as a day to support free speech, support the right to criticize and satirize religion, and to oppose any resolutions or laws, binding or otherwise, that discourage or inhibit free speech of any kind [from Center for Inquiry]. We will have a table by the Union and various displays to mark the occasion.
Red Cross Blood Drive with Cru -- Saturday, October 1
As previously mentioned, we will be holding a blood drive from 11AM-3PM. We will be co-hosting the drive with our friends, Cru.
Explore the limits of academic freedom and the speech rights guaranteed by the US Constitution. Speakers include FIRE's Azhar Majeed, U of I's own embattled professor Dr. Kenneth Howell and ISSA's Ed Clint. See it all at 6pm in Room 1320 at the Digital Computing Lab.
International Blasphemy Rights Day -- Thursday, September 30
International Blasphemy Rights Day takes place every September 30th, to commemorate the publishing of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons. The purpose of this event is to set a particular day as a day to support free speech, support the right to criticize and satirize religion, and to oppose any resolutions or laws, binding or otherwise, that discourage or inhibit free speech of any kind [from Center for Inquiry]. We will have a table by the Union and various displays to mark the occasion.
Red Cross Blood Drive with Cru -- Saturday, October 1
As previously mentioned, we will be holding a blood drive from 11AM-3PM. We will be co-hosting the drive with our friends, Cru.
Curtis Orchard Trip -- Mid-October
Come out and celebrate fall with us! There will be apple-picking, pumpkin carving, and even a petting zoo! We hold this event every year, and it's always a lot of fun. More details to come.
Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) Annual Convention -- Halloween Weekend
This year's speakers include Dan Barker, Julia Sweeney and Ayaan Hirsi Ali. In addition, this will be a chance to meet and socialize with our excellent friends from sister campus secular groups such as UNIFI, AHA!, and NUSHIFT! Conferences are awesome and always a lot of fun, guaranteed. Let us know ASAP if you would like to attend, costs will be minimal for the first 12 people.
_______________________________________________________
ISSA on the Web
ISSA Blog http://uiucatheists.blogspot.com
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2252245006
Flickr Photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/uiucatheists/
Email: UIUCAtheists@gmail.com
See everyone at the meeting!
Love,
ISSA
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Free-Thought of the Day
Greetings, my godless cohorts. Can you believe this week's already half-over? Blasphemy Day will be upon us before you know it!
That being said, let's kick that day-to-day irreverence into overdrive...
"The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully."
- Richard Dawkins
That being said, let's kick that day-to-day irreverence into overdrive...
"The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully."
- Richard Dawkins
Free-Thought of the Day
Happy "late late super late Monday - early Tuesday"! As always, it's worth the wait for all you night owls!
“It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
- Mark Twain
More on the wickedness contained in the Bible at our weekly meeting, for Blasphemy Day is coming up soon!
“It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
- Mark Twain
More on the wickedness contained in the Bible at our weekly meeting, for Blasphemy Day is coming up soon!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Sticking It to the Pope
I'm sure we're all still reeling from news this week of Pope Benedict XVI's remarks against secularism, but -- rest assured -- someone's still got his wits about him.
You guessed it... Here's some snazzy footage of Richard Dawkins getting all kinds of British-indignant (by far the most effective variety of indignation) on the Pope's high-and-mighty ass.
On a related note, Dawkins (along with Sam Harris) will be taking part in a live Simon & Schuster video conference on October 1st to discuss the ongoing conflict between science and religion. You can stream it here.
You guessed it... Here's some snazzy footage of Richard Dawkins getting all kinds of British-indignant (by far the most effective variety of indignation) on the Pope's high-and-mighty ass.
On a related note, Dawkins (along with Sam Harris) will be taking part in a live Simon & Schuster video conference on October 1st to discuss the ongoing conflict between science and religion. You can stream it here.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Free-Thought of the Day
Happy Sunday, everyone! I hope you make yours particularly unholy.
This one's for the Pope...
"There are plenty of good reasons for fighting, but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty Himself hates with you, too."
This one's for the Pope...
"There are plenty of good reasons for fighting, but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty Himself hates with you, too."
- Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night (1961)
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Free-Thought of The Day
R.I.P GC , you were the best!
Religion easily has the best bullshit story of all time. Think about it. Religion has convinced people that there’s an invisible man…living in the sky. Who watches everything you do every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a list of ten specific things he doesn’t want you to do. And if you do any of these things, he will send you to a special place, of burning and fire and smoke and torture and anguish for you to live forever, and suffer, and burn, and scream, until the end of time. But he loves you. He loves you. He loves you and he needs money.- George Carlin
Pope Compares Atheists to Nazis.
Amid the controversy surrounding his presence in Britain as a ‘State visit’, the Pope delivered a speech to Queen Elizabeth which was plagued with anti-secularist overtones. The Pope said –
"Even in our own lifetime, we can recall how Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live. I also recall the regime’s attitude to Christian pastors and religious who spoke the truth in love, opposed the Nazis and paid for that opposition with their lives. As we reflect on the sobering lessons of the atheist extremism of the twentieth century, let us never forget how the exclusion of God, religion and virtue from public life leads ultimately to a truncated vision of man and of society and thus to a “reductive vision of the person and his destiny” (Caritas in Veritate, 29)."
It is evident that the Pope has completely lost it. Nazism never had anything to do with atheism. There is absolutely no reason why a world-view infused with rationality, skepticism and science would lead someone to commit genocide. Hitler was most certainly a Roman Catholic, and even if one entertained the notion that he wasn’t, the entire Nazi mission was fueled by the radical anti-Semitism that was a trademark of Christian bigotry against Jews being responsible for the death of their savior.
It may have been excusable if the Pope was merely ignorant, but that’s certainly not the case. This hate-mongering man has descended to a form of callous wickedness that may be unrivaled for the head of any giant organization. He already has blood on his hands, as his position against condoms has been responsible for the deaths of thousands in Africa. His protection of pedophiles within the Church is only becoming more apparent by the day. The homophobic propaganda that the Church spews is only surpassed by its position against abortion to even the most vulnerable women. It is a pity that the UK has entertained this man as a guest of the State – his character is repugnant at best, criminally maniacal at worst.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Free-Thought of the Day
Friday, at last! If you made it to yesterday's meeting, you may recognize the premise of today's quotation. Please note that I've linked the last bit to the Wikipedia page for the 747 Gambit (for those of you who are not familiar with it), since we didn't have time enough to cover it last night.
"However statistically improbable the entity you seek to explain by invoking a designer, the designer himself has got to be at least as improbable. God is the Ultimate Boeing 747."
- Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion (2006)
"However statistically improbable the entity you seek to explain by invoking a designer, the designer himself has got to be at least as improbable. God is the Ultimate Boeing 747."
- Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion (2006)
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Free-Thought of the Day
Greetings, my godless brethren! Here is a quote from one of the greatest thinkers of the past, which addresses the inadequacy of ignorant bliss.
"The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality, and by no means a necessity of life."
- George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)
And speaking of drunken men, hope to see you all at Murphy's tonight!!
"The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality, and by no means a necessity of life."
- George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)
And speaking of drunken men, hope to see you all at Murphy's tonight!!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Free-Thought of the Day
Is it Wednesday already? Time for another atheistic tidbit!
Whenever I read or hear the ten commandments, I can't help but think to myself, "Man, that Yahweh is a total dick." That being said, I think the preeminent philosopher and cultural critic of the nineteenth century put it better...
"I cannot believe in a God who wants to be praised all the time."
- Friedrich Nietzsche
Whenever I read or hear the ten commandments, I can't help but think to myself, "Man, that Yahweh is a total dick." That being said, I think the preeminent philosopher and cultural critic of the nineteenth century put it better...
"I cannot believe in a God who wants to be praised all the time."
- Friedrich Nietzsche
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Epic Fail: Word-Play 101
Four weeks into the semester, and I know we're all beginning to feel just a bit overtired and overworked. Worse yet, the last month in world affairs has clearly been a troubling one from a secular standpoint. So, let's take a little break from the doldrums to admire what I personally would contest is the single most wasted pun in the short history of naming a search engine designed to filter out everything but religious content. No, really. I challenge you to squander another cutesy religious double entendre so carelessly.This is mostly just me making light of one of the most narrow-minded, repugnant attempts to preserve and, indeed, extol the virtue of ignorance that I've ever seen, but you've got to admit... it's a pretty epic fail.
To the proponents of these religious search engines:
If you want to filter out adult content, turn your Google "SafeSearch" on. If, on the other hand, your faith can't hold strong against an onslaught of basic truths about the world, perhaps it's time to re-evaluate what lead you to it in the first place.
...This was, incidentally, a less-than-shocking exposé on my own dorkiness.
AtheISSAm vs. Agnosticism: There can be only one!
Hello friends! It's once again time for the weekly run-down. Following up on last week's talk about definitions, this Thursday, September 16th at 7pm we will be learning more about agnosticism. Your President, Ed Clint, will be doling out the harshness and proving there is no god. After some Q&A we will head to Murphy's for socializing and such.
This week's meeting and all regular meetings will be in the Mechanical Engineering Building room 253.
OFFICIAL ISSA T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST CONTINUES!
The T-shirt competition ends at the September 24th meeting. Post your idea to the photos in the facebook group. Here is a template to help you out (or use your own if you prefer). Reminder of the guidelines:
- Concept is most important, not visual perfection. Resident ISSA artist Emelyn can help polish your artwork to make it production quality.
- Designs must include "ISSA" somewhere as well as "Illini Secular Student Alliance."
- Design should be amenable to screen printing (relatively few colors total) and work as both a standard t-shirt and a girl cut Tee
- Winner gets their shirt free plus the fame and acclaim!
Upcoming Events:
Merry Atheists @ Merry Ann's!
Come check out this fine nostalgic diner's newest location and brunch with your heathen pals this Sunday at 11AM. Merry Ann's is located near Krannert and the Canopy club.
Minority Report: The Ends of Campus Freedom -- Tuesday, September 28
Explore the limits of academic freedom and the speech rights guaranteed by the US Constitution. Speakers include FIRE's Azhar Majeed, U of I's own embattled professor Dr. Kenneth Howell and ISSA's Ed Clint. See it all at 6pm in Room 1320 at the Digital Computing Lab.
Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) Annual Convention -- Halloween Weekend
This year's speakers include Dan Barker, Julia Sweeney and Ayaan Hirsi Ali. In addition, this will be a chance to meet and socialize with our excellent friends from sister campus secular groups such as UNIFI, AHA!, and NUSHIFT! Conferences are awesome and always a lot of fun, guaranteed. Let us know ASAP if you would like to attend, costs will be minimal for the first 12 people.
Explore the limits of academic freedom and the speech rights guaranteed by the US Constitution. Speakers include FIRE's Azhar Majeed, U of I's own embattled professor Dr. Kenneth Howell and ISSA's Ed Clint. See it all at 6pm in Room 1320 at the Digital Computing Lab.
Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) Annual Convention -- Halloween Weekend
This year's speakers include Dan Barker, Julia Sweeney and Ayaan Hirsi Ali. In addition, this will be a chance to meet and socialize with our excellent friends from sister campus secular groups such as UNIFI, AHA!, and NUSHIFT! Conferences are awesome and always a lot of fun, guaranteed. Let us know ASAP if you would like to attend, costs will be minimal for the first 12 people.
ISSA on the Web
ISSA Blog http://uiucatheists.blogspot.com
Flickr Photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/uiucatheists/
Email: UIUCAtheists@gmail.com
See everyone at the meeting!
Love,
ISSA
Secularism gone rogue
It seems like the French are drunk over their notions of secular freedom. A law approved by the French Senate earlier today bans the wearing of any veils covering the body, specifically aimed at protecting women from the burqa and hijab. The French Parliament gave the following justification,
"Given the damage it produces on those rules which allow the life in community, ensure the dignity of the person and equality between sexes, this practice, even if it is voluntary, cannot be tolerated in any public place,"And this law apparently has the support of a majority of the French population.
The French back the ban by a margin of more than four to one, the Pew Global Attitudes Project found in a survey earlier this year. Some 82 percent of people polled approved of a ban, while 17 percent disapproved…Clear majorities also backed burqa bans in Germany, Britain and Spain, while two out of three Americans opposed it, the survey found.Shame on the French. They may be trying to battle religious dogma, but in the process are undermining a basic right of women – to wear whatever they want to wear. It is common for Muslim women to choose to cover themselves in a veil. One may never win the battle against religious oppression by restricting the freedom of expression – that is simply altering the type of oppression, not combating it. Subjugating women is something religious fundamentalists are good at - the French are simply following in their footsteps.
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Correction - The law does not ban the hijab. I misread it for the niqab ("a face-full veil that leaves an opening only for the eyes"), that has been banned
Free-Thought of The Day
Isn't it awesome when godlessness pervades your favorite TV show? Time for a light-hearted quote from House M.D! (It is kind of a depressing quote at the same time. If rational arguments don't work on them, are we just banging our heads against a wall when we try?)
"Rational arguments don't usually work on religious people. Otherwise there would be no religious people."
--House M.D. Season 4, Episode 2
"Rational arguments don't usually work on religious people. Otherwise there would be no religious people."
--House M.D. Season 4, Episode 2
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Free-Thought of the Day
And so Monday beings... Hope you're all still nursing full bellies from the cookout! Here's a tidbit with which I, for one, would be inclined to agree regarding my own atheism. Thoughts?
"People will then often say, ‘But surely it’s better to remain an Agnostic just in case?’ This, to me, suggests such a level of silliness and muddle that I usually edge out of the conversation rather than get sucked into it... If it turns out that I’ve been wrong all along, and there is in fact a god, and if it further turned out that this kind of legalistic, cross-your-fingers-behind-your-back, Clintonian hair-splitting impressed him, then I think I would choose not to worship him anyway."
– Douglas Adams in an interview with American Atheists, The Salmon of Doubt (2002)
"People will then often say, ‘But surely it’s better to remain an Agnostic just in case?’ This, to me, suggests such a level of silliness and muddle that I usually edge out of the conversation rather than get sucked into it... If it turns out that I’ve been wrong all along, and there is in fact a god, and if it further turned out that this kind of legalistic, cross-your-fingers-behind-your-back, Clintonian hair-splitting impressed him, then I think I would choose not to worship him anyway."
– Douglas Adams in an interview with American Atheists, The Salmon of Doubt (2002)
Sounds about right.
Yesterday Hemant over at Friendly atheist made a post about a website that determines the demographics of any given website based on writing style and such. According to the site, Hemant Mehta's friendlyatheist.com is written by a female ranging in age from 66-100, that is personal and usually upset. Needless to say I was curious about the ISSA website so I decided to run it through. Here are the results:
Text analysis:
uiucatheists.blogspot.com is probably written by a male somewhere between 66-100 years old. The writing style is personal and happy most of the time.
Text analysis:
uiucatheists.blogspot.com is probably written by a male somewhere between 66-100 years old. The writing style is personal and happy most of the time.
Gender
Age
Mood
Tonality
I think this means we're friendlier than the friendly atheist, right? I wonder why it thinks we're so old though... Probably because we're so wise.
Free-Thought of the Day
Happy Sunday, heathens! Next time anyone asks you the foolish question, "How could you possibly be moral without God?", maybe you could quote the intellectual of the century.
"A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."
- Albert Einstein
"A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."
- Albert Einstein
Sociologist: If you want safe streets, move to a godless neighbourhood.
 |
| Sociologist and B&W enthusiast Phil Zuckerman |
To contest this madness Cohen cites the survey work of most excellent sociologist Phil Zuckerman. Some of his findings from last year include that atheists/secularists:
- are concentrated in states with the lowest murder rates
- have a lower level of prejudice against gays, women, and ethnicities
- are less likely to beat their children
- are more likely to be tolerant supporters of women's and gay rights.
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| Coming soon.. IlliniCoR. I promise. |
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Free-Thought of the Day
Greetings, Heathens! Hope your weekend is going swimmingly! Today, we're unveiling a fun new blog gimmick of the quote-a-day variety -- the Free-Thought of the Day! You can expect to see notable words ranging from the humorous to the sedate, but I'm hoping they will always be cause for reflection.
So... Let's kick this thing off with one of my favorite quotes from what is very possibly my favorite piece of atheist literature.
"I know of no society in human history that ever suffered because its people became too desirous of evidence in support of their core beliefs."
- Sam Harris, Letter to a Christian Nation (2006)
So... Let's kick this thing off with one of my favorite quotes from what is very possibly my favorite piece of atheist literature.
"I know of no society in human history that ever suffered because its people became too desirous of evidence in support of their core beliefs."
- Sam Harris, Letter to a Christian Nation (2006)
Speaking of burning things with zeal- come to our cookout!
What: Annual ISSA fall cookout
Where: Scott Park Map Link. Click me.
When: Sunday, Noon till whenever
Why: Hedonistic revelry; affinity for fire, geometric foods
To what extent: uh this is getting a little philosophical here so I'll just say 'chips'
Tell me more about What: free food, drinks. Frisbee, football, frisbee football, getting stuck in the playground equipment, de-pastifying your skin by about 10%; throwing rocks at Mel's house optional.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Islamophobia's Burning Issue
If you missed the melodrama of this week’s planned Quran-Burning, it’s been a doozy. What started as a series of hateful tweets quickly evolved into a veritable media frenzy, with the responsible party (Floridian Pastor Terry Jones) happily manipulating the current political climate – namely, tensions over the planned Ground Zero mosque.The event may be off, but the racket remains.
Let's establish one thing forthwith: The mere mention of burning books holds distinctly volatile connotations. Historically, book-burning has been the trademark of political, social and intellectual oppression and has been followed by periods of violent upheaval. Unless the intention is to highlight one’s own unflinching ignorance and zeal, setting fire to literature of any sort is not a reasonable course of action.
Let's establish one thing forthwith: The mere mention of burning books holds distinctly volatile connotations. Historically, book-burning has been the trademark of political, social and intellectual oppression and has been followed by periods of violent upheaval. Unless the intention is to highlight one’s own unflinching ignorance and zeal, setting fire to literature of any sort is not a reasonable course of action.
So what, you may ask, was the Pastor’s intention? In response to the controversy surrounding the aforementioned mosque, Jones expressed a need to send “...a radical message. We expect the Muslims that are here in America to respect, honor, obey, [and] submit to our Constitution.” Must I state the obvious, Pastor? These people are protected by the very same amendment that gives you the freedom to lead your [evidently hateful] congregation.
Let’s not mince words. This sort of retaliatory action is exactly why religion is so great a source of suffering in the world. For every good deed committed in god’s name, there’s another philosopher burned at the stake. The Inquisition may be centuries behind us, but the passage of time has done little to dissolve ties between religion and oppression.
Let's put an end to this madness. To quote our own Ed Clint, “Bad ideas die in open discussion, not in open pits.”
UPDATE: Whoa! Sorry for the double-post, folks. In a fit of what anyone else could only describe as divine intervention, Rohit and I (having clearly failed in the communication department) posted on the same topic within thirty seconds of one another. Sorry for crapping on your post, Rohit! Anyhow, Ed says we will henceforth consider this a duel, in which the inferior author is fired and subsequently shamed. So... vote Becca!
On Burning Qurans
Florida pastor Rev. Terry Jones must be basking in the fame and attention. President Obama, Gen. Petreaus, Robert Gates, an elite FBI squadron and half the nations in the world have weighed in on this egregious situation – not to mention media coverage that follows this fanatical evangelist’s every moustache twitch. He has flip flopped on the event as much as he could – shortly after making an announcement on the ‘Early Show’ calling off the event, he gave reporters the following remark, "We are seriously, seriously, seriously considering not burning the Qurans.” How much more apparent can it get – this pastor is masturbating over all the anticipation and suspense that he keeps creating. Next time I want to be famous, all I need to do is piss on a hundred Bibles? Well maybe not Bibles, but Qurans should definitely do it.
Regardless, most Americans remain united against the ‘Burn a Quran Day’. In fact, prominent atheists and secular groups, such as Jerry Coyne, Hemant Mehta, and American Atheists have been sternly disapproving of it. In the midst of this pandemonium, PZ seems to be one of a few with the cojones needed to call a spade, a spade.
“The problem isn't a few books being burned; that's not a crime, and it doesn't diminish anyone else's personal freedoms. The problem is a whole fleet of deranged wackaloons, including the president of the USA in addition to raving fundamentalist fanatics, who think open, public criticism and disagreement ought to be forbidden, somehow.”I tend to agree with him. The Quran is just a book. What PZ is talking about is a fundamental issue with religion - it gains unwarranted privileges that no institution should have. Pastor Jones is undoubtedly a crazed lunatic, and his reasons may be far from stellar. However, only one principle should trump this all – the right of stupid people to make stupid decisions, as long as they are legal. Instead of going ape shit over this, anyone who disagrees with the burning would probably be better off just shrugging and walking away. Of course, everyone including high profile critics such as Obama and Gates have the right to express their disdain over the burning (as much as Jones has in going on with it). The impact, though, of the leader of a secular nation making a political statement suggesting the repression of unpopular free speech may go well against the notions of living in a completely free country. It is true that Islamic terrorists in Afghanistan and elsewhere may find another reason to hate America and hurt Americans. Another reason out of a million. We are always going to piss off Islamic extremists - but the day we try to shun free speech in fear of their sensitivities, it might not be worth saving ourselves.
At the end of the day, the Quran does contain a violent philosophy that did, at its core, motivate the terrorists to carry out 9/11. Just saying, the pastor does have a point in all of this.
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UPDATE 9/14/2010 : Hemant Mehta has since clarified his stance on the issue - he agrees with PZ now. "Just because you care so very much about a certain book, or a particular way of living your life, or a personal hero, or reciting a certain prayer… it doesn’t mean everyone else also has to take those things seriously. We can respect it or mock it all the same."
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Hope your long weekend was not dISSApointing, this won't be!
(ohai Reddit!)
Greetings goodly unbelievers! Hope you enjoyed your day off. Are you a strong atheist? Perhaps an agnostic or antitheist? This Thursday, September 9th at 7pm we will discuss what these terms mean and some of the primary arguments which support them. None other than Phil Ferguson, President of CU-Freethinkers, will be on hand to school you in Atheism 101. As always we will adjourn to Murphy's afterward for some food, drink and conversation.
Greetings goodly unbelievers! Hope you enjoyed your day off. Are you a strong atheist? Perhaps an agnostic or antitheist? This Thursday, September 9th at 7pm we will discuss what these terms mean and some of the primary arguments which support them. None other than Phil Ferguson, President of CU-Freethinkers, will be on hand to school you in Atheism 101. As always we will adjourn to Murphy's afterward for some food, drink and conversation.
This week's meeting and all regular meetings will be in the Mechanical Engineering Building room 253.
OFFICIAL ISSA T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST ANNOUNCED!
This is your chance to help make the official 2010/11 and first ISSA t-shirt! You, the ISSA members, will vote on submissions at the September 24th meeting. Post your idea to the photos in the facebook group. Here is a template to help you out (use your own if you prefer). Some things to keep in mind:
- concept is most important, not visual perfection. Resident ISSA artist Emelyn can help polish your artwork to make it production quality
- designs must include "ISSA" somewhere as well as "Illini Secular Student Alliance"
- design should be amenable to screen printing (relatively few colors total) and work as both standard t-shirt and girl cut Tees
- winner gets their shirt free!
Got something to say?
What do you have to say? Did Dr. Laura's incomprehensible racism piss you off? Was there a really great (and somehow relevant) Daily Show clip that has to be seen? Do you think atheists are too mean? Too soft? Speak up! All ISSA members are encouraged to submit their own blog entries. Just email to UIUCAtheists@gmail.com.
Upcoming Events:
Merry Atheists @ Merry Ann's!
Come check out this fine nostalgic diner's newest location and brunch with your heathen pals this Sunday at 11AM. Merry Ann's is located near Krannert and the Canopy club.
Sunday, September 12: ISSA Cookout Come join us for BBQ and fun in the outdoors! We will update you on the time and place as details emerge. Mark your calendar (or check out ours)!
ISSA on the Web
ISSA Blog http://uiucatheists.blogspot.com
Flickr Photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/uiucatheists/
Email: UIUCAtheists@gmail.com
See everyone at the meeting!
- ISSA
