A Celebration of Reason is the fitting title of the Global Atheist Convention 2012.
To be held in Melbourne, Australia from 13-15 April, you may want to head on over to the site if you’re keen to attend. According to Religion Editor, Barney Zwartz – who I’ll wager will be attending – in The Age yesterday in ‘Four Horsemen’ draw godless crew;
TICKETS are selling fast to what organisers say will be the most significant atheist gathering in history next April, when the ”four horsemen of the apocalypse” share a stage for the first time.
The four horsemen are the world’s most famous atheists – scientist Richard Dawkins, philosophers Daniel Dennett and Sam Harris and journalist Christopher Hitchens – who will speak at the second Global Atheist Convention at the Melbourne Convention Centre.
”I don’t think this convention will ever be repeated. You will never get these speakers together again,” said organiser David Nicholls, president of the Australian Atheist Foundation, yesterday.
He said tickets were marching out the door, despite being on sale for only three weeks and not being advertised yet.
Of course it goes without saying that some pretty awesome, very talented and hard working individuals are striving hard behind the scenes to pull together an incredible international event. One Melbourne can be proud of. Sure, the term atheist applies but far from being anti-theistic in tone I’ve little doubt this event will be an intellectual feast.
The last convention which I also attended, drew bemusing criticism on the misguided assumption it was strictly a gathering of non believers. A product of internet debate and backlash toward the rise of the “new atheists” this cynicism was sorely misplaced. To be sure there are some very annoying atheists amongst the masses (no pun intended) who wear the title fundamentalist with aplomb. But assuming such an array of minds can be labelled as one is quite misguided.
Celebration of reason is an apt title. Yes, the godless do celebrate life. Far from any ritual or cross to bear, the burdensome weight setting us apart is that of genetic superiority and profound modesty to the point of deep humility (See what I did there). Seriously though. Non theists come in all intellectual shapes and sizes with the vast majority having a functional world view not unlike that of the majority of theists. Debating differences at times renders this hard to see.
Here’s looking forward to an event that will, given the huge array of speakers, prove to be a most stimulating weekend indeed.
Losing In The Lucky Country 