Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Welcome, UCD humanist society

Options
  • 09-04-2009 3:17pm
    #1
    ChocolateSauce
    Registered Users Posts: 2,892 ✭✭✭


    I've been talking about it for 2 years, but it is finally done.

    UCD's newest student society, the humanist society, has just been approved by the societies board, and I hope it will take its place in the freshers tent next year.

    IF you're interested in getting involved, PM me and we'll talk. Suggestions also most welcome. Although I'm very dedicated, I'm less than experienced in running a society.

    The aims of the society will be, in short, to promote atheism, and secular humanism in particular, as an alternative to theism, and to encourage science and reason.


«1

Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Tom65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,685 ✭✭✭Tom65


    Sounds interesting. What kind of things would the society be doing?


  • Options
    #3
    Thomas_S_Hunterson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,151 ✭✭✭Thomas_S_Hunterson


    Tom65 wrote: »
    Sounds interesting. What kind of things would the society be doing?

    Lots of crazy-ass nihilist orgies I hope:pac:


  • Options
    #4
    Raphael
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,880 ✭✭✭Raphael


    Awesome, congratulations!

    The one piece of advice I'd give you as regards society running is to try and get your committeee sorted now, so you can make solid plans for freshers week and the coming year in general over the summer holidays. Having that kind of stuff sorted before you come back can make a huge difference.


  • Options
    #5
    Tom65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,685 ✭✭✭Tom65


    Sean_K wrote: »
    Lots of crazy-ass nihilist orgies I hope:pac:

    I'm intrigued...


  • Options
    #6
    The_Minister
    Registered Users Posts: 10,255 ✭✭✭✭The_Minister


    I for one welcome our new, humanist overlords....


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    El Siglo
    Registered Users Posts: 3,803 ✭✭✭El Siglo


    Are you going to try and bring Richard Dawkins to UCD? Fair play anyway, so long as there's some sessions involved then it's all gravy from here!;)


  • Options
    #8
    33% God
    Closed Accounts Posts: 338 ✭✭33% God


    Count me in.
    What kind of activities do ye have in mind?


  • Options
    #9
    ChocolateSauce
    Registered Users Posts: 2,892 ✭✭✭ChocolateSauce


    Sean_K wrote: »
    Lots of crazy-ass nihilist orgies I hope:pac:

    I would organise one, but what's the point? The men wouldn't be able to get it up.

    Speaking of the committee, it's full of vacancies, which I suppose I have to fill by appointment this year; can't have an election without members!

    As for what we'll be doing, 3 things basically: Talks, Debates, and other. In other, I was thinking the screening of interesting shows, like Real Time with Bill Maher, maybe some docs like Root of All Evil, religilous, and perhaps coffee mornings.

    As for guests, that depends entirely on how much money we can offer them!:rolleyes:

    But I have one or two people in mind who are personally known to me who might have something to say to us!


  • Options
    #10
    Dave!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,857 ✭✭✭✭Dave!


    Congrats :)

    Get Michael Shermer from Skeptic magazine! I'd love if someone could confirm this for me, but I'm pretty sure he was at a debate in UCD before about the existance of god... I'm not sure, but think it was him.

    Anyways, good luck with it all ! Stick up some posters around the college to get some interest/hype going, and to recruit a committee


  • Options
    #11
    Pride Fighter
    Registered Users Posts: 5,729 ✭✭✭Pride Fighter


    I'll send you a PM about working with you. But first I have to get elected as auditor for the Soc I am going for.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    jimi_t
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,579 ✭✭✭jimi_t


    Pride Fighter wrote: »
    I'll send you a PM about working with you. But first I have to get elected as auditor for the Soc I am going for.

    Which is?

    When you've an idea of what you're doing worked out feel free to send me a PM, have spent a worrying amount of time with Richard Butler in 2008 and can advise on how to avoid some pitfalls/maintenance grants etc...


  • Options
    #13
    smashysmash
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭smashysmash


    Moneywise you'll get the guts of 200 quid as a start up grant, it doesnt really go beyond that. sit on finance committee an kicked off the artssoc there 2 years back an thats the norm!

    Any q's dave jus pm me, that was a great presentation by the by!


  • Options
    #14
    KeyLimePie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 861 ✭✭✭KeyLimePie


    ..................oh my :)

    best of luck with it


  • Options
    #15
    bnt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,971 ✭✭✭✭bnt


    As for ideas on what to do, there are other similar organizations out there, who we can talk to and borrow ideas from, such as:

    From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch’.

    — Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut



  • Options
    #16
    aequinoctium
    Closed Accounts Posts: 667 ✭✭✭aequinoctium


    will you be able to answer the great question: is it called:
    a) Allied Atheist Alliance
    b) United Atheist Alliance
    c) United Atheist League
    ?


  • Options
    #17
    bnt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,971 ✭✭✭✭bnt


    What are you on about? The society already has a name, it's not open for debate after it's been approved by the Board.

    From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch’.

    — Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut



  • Options
    #18
    Tom65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,685 ✭✭✭Tom65


    aequinoctium wrote: »
    will you be able to answer the great question: is it called:
    a) Allied Atheist Alliance
    b) United Atheist Alliance
    c) United Atheist League
    ?

    Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure humanism isn't the same as atheism.


  • Options
    #19
    33% God
    Closed Accounts Posts: 338 ✭✭33% God


    bnt wrote: »
    What are you on about? The society already has a name, it's not open for debate after it's been approved by the Board.
    It's a South Park reference from the episode where Cartman freezes himself so he won't have to wait for the Nintendo Wii to come out but accidentally ends up centuries in the future where everyone is atheist thanks to Richard Dawkins and his beautiful wife Mrs Harrison but all the atheists are at war over what to call themselves.


  • Options
    #20
    bnt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,971 ✭✭✭✭bnt


    Ah, there you go - South Park. I went off South Park after the movie - no way the episodes could top that, and they should have let it end on a high. That "atheist" episode was an example of what I mean: pointless.

    If you remember previous threads on this topic, there was so much whining and negativity that it's not even funny to speculate on "in-fighting". We really do not need any more of that.

    From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch’.

    — Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut



  • Options
    #21
    aequinoctium
    Closed Accounts Posts: 667 ✭✭✭aequinoctium


    Tom65 wrote: »
    Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure humanism isn't the same as atheism.

    well, it was mentioned in the original post:
    ChocolateSauce wrote: »
    The aims of the society will be, in short, to promote atheism, and secular humanism in particular, as an alternative to theism, and to encourage science and reason.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    The_Minister
    Registered Users Posts: 10,255 ✭✭✭✭The_Minister


    Tom65 wrote: »
    Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure humanism isn't the same as atheism.
    Humanism is essentially cuddly Atheism.


  • Options
    #23
    bnt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,971 ✭✭✭✭bnt


    Here's a speaker idea, one that will also appeal to the SF fans: Joss Whedon, if he comes to Ireland.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTY8-XPhTzQ

    Faith in God means believing in something, absolutely, with no proof whatsoever. Faith in Humanity means believing in something, absolutely, with a huge amount of proof to the contrary. We are the true believers.
    Now there's a quote that's just asking to be taken out of context, so I hope folks watch the whole thing - about 5 minutes.

    From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch’.

    — Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut



  • Options
    #24
    Tom65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,685 ✭✭✭Tom65


    The_Minister wrote: »
    Humanism is essentially cuddly Atheism.

    That's a concept I can warm to :D


  • Options
    #25
    the evil lime
    Registered Users Posts: 356 ✭✭the evil lime


    ChocolateSauce wrote: »
    As for guests, that depends entirely on how much money we can offer them!

    The finance committee will not fund the payment of speakers' fees. Try inventing some incentives (see the James Joyce award for an excellent example of this)... or getting external funding.


  • Options
    #26
    passive
    Registered Users Posts: 2,403 ✭✭✭passive


    the evil lime wrote: »
    The finance committee will not fund the payment of speakers' fees. Try inventing some incentives (see the James Joyce award for an excellent example of this)... or getting external funding.

    First Annual Joss Whedon Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Humanism?


  • Options
    #27
    ChocolateSauce
    Registered Users Posts: 2,892 ✭✭✭ChocolateSauce


    Posters are now up!

    Looking for people interested in being active members, particularly a secretary and treasurer, but also 5 regular committee members! The 9 members of the committee are the sole arbiters of the mission statement for the first year of operation, so if you know anyone interested, send them to me at ucdhumanistsociety@gmail.com.


  • Options
    #28
    JohnGalt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 230 ✭✭JohnGalt


    Is it really necessary to actively promote atheism? I think that would discredited the organisation. It would be better to leave it as implied that atheism or agnosticism are the positions held by most members, and focus on encouraging the kind of thinking that led these people to these conclusions.


  • Options
    #29
    Brimmy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,536 ✭✭✭Brimmy


    Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't one of the big societies promise Wheadon at the beginning of the year?

    Along with ArtSoc promising Ricky Gervais and Megan Fox. L&H promising Philip Seymour Hoffman and Chris Jericho. Lawsoc promising Patrick Stewart and a rake of others....

    Just don't promise speakers or guests you can't deliver and I'll join to support if I'm still around next year :)


  • Options
    #30
    bnt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,971 ✭✭✭✭bnt


    Brimmy wrote: »
    Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't one of the big societies promise Wheadon at the beginning of the year?
    I mentioned him and linked to the video because he gave a humanism-related speech at Harvard. That's it. It wasn't intended as a promise to bring him to UCD. :confused:

    From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch’.

    — Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut



  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #31
    Brimmy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,536 ✭✭✭Brimmy


    bnt wrote: »
    I mentioned him and linked to the video because he gave a humanism-related speech at Harvard. That's it. It wasn't intended as a promise to bring him to UCD. :confused:

    And I never suggested that you had. I was just saying I seem to have remebered one of the big societies promising Wheadon at the beginning of the year and (to no surprise) didn't deliver :(


Advertisement