Atheists/Agnostics?

AlkalineAcid

Diarmaid07 wrote: »

Perhaps a different approach, such as a society of followers of the Invisible Pink Unicorn, would be more effective?

FSM perhaps?

Slurmsy

Diarmaid07 wrote: »

Perhaps a different approach, such as a society of followers of the Invisible Pink Unicorn, would be more effective?

Or flying spaghetti monster.

lil_cain

Diarmaid07 wrote: »

Just so you all know, DCU denied the request to set up one of these last year - One of my friends tried set it up.

I believe it was veto'd by the fellow who sends out the interfaith emails.


Perhaps a different approach, such as a society of followers of the Invisible Pink Unicorn, would be more effective?

I'm on the SPC who are the only group who can approve/deny requests to set up societies in DCU. And to the best of my knowledge (I've missed a meeting this year, so it's possible I'm wrong, but not very likely) there hasn't been any attempt to set up an atheist society. And the chaplin isn't a member of our committee, so wouldn't get a chance to veto it, nor would any staff member.

c0rk3r

Diarmaid07 wrote: »

Just so you all know, DCU denied the request to set up one of these last year - One of my friends tried set it up.

Don't believe you

Diarmaid07 wrote: »

I believe it was veto'd by the fellow who sends out the interfaith emails.

Again i don't believe you. That chaplin hasnt got a say in the creation of a club/soc.



Thats insane

thusspakeblixa

So- to reignite debate-
Who's in for the DCU SASS (or HAI) soc in September?

Slurmsy

I'd be up for it. What kind of ideas do you have for the soc?

thusspakeblixa

Well we'd be liasing with similar societies in UCD, NUIG, and UCC, so we'd rob ideas off them.

I think we'd organise for guest speakers to come along, but also I think we'd organise various events. I know Islamic Soc. this year organised trips to bowling and stuff, and I think our society would have a similar objective- we would act as a platform for atheists, secularists, agnostics and humanists to meet each other. So that would be the social element. We could do table quizzes for charity, and organise pub nights and stuff too.

Also we could show stuff like The Edge Of Reason and have annual Darwin Day and Talk Like A Pirate Day celebrations.

Also the possibility is there that we could liaise with the Humanist Association of Ireland with their campaign to have the swearing on a higher power removed from the constitution. This would involve information campaigns and stuff if we decided to take it on.

TheDeparted

Just throwing it out there, but isn't having a 'atheist/agnostic' society a bit, well, ridiculous?

It's akin to having a 'I don't play sport society'. Seems a bit odd to me anyway, and I'm an agnostic (of the Dawkins variety).

EDIT: I can see the idea of a humanist society, or a 'secular' society that would campaign for say, a Secular Republic.

AlkalineAcid

thusspakeblixa wrote: »

Also the possibility is there that we could liaise with the Humanist Association of Ireland with their campaign to have the swearing on a higher power removed from the constitution. This would involve information campaigns and stuff if we decided to take it on.

How about campaigning for something all students would agree with, for pubs and off licences to legally sell alcohol on Good Friday? I think you'd agree it's on similar lines.

thusspakeblixa

TheDeparted wrote: »

Just throwing it out there, but isn't having a 'atheist/agnostic' society a bit, well, ridiculous?

It's akin to having a 'I don't play sport society'. Seems a bit odd to me anyway, and I'm an agnostic (of the Dawkins variety).

EDIT: I can see the idea of a humanist society, or a 'secular' society that would campaign for say, a Secular Republic.

Earlier in the thread I said that the society would be modelled on the UCC soc - SASS -
Secularists, Atheists AND Sceptics Society
It would bring in all of those groups.
Alternatively, a branch of the HAI may work.
And yeah we'd campaign for complete secularisation- alcohol on good friday etc.

cocoa

I, like others, still have my reservations about the exact purpose and activities of the society, but I'm convinced enough to give support if it's attempted and I'd like to give it a chance and see how it goes.

Slurmsy

thusspakeblixa wrote: »

Well we'd be liasing with similar societies in UCD, NUIG, and UCC, so we'd rob ideas off them.

I think we'd organise for guest speakers to come along, but also I think we'd organise various events. I know Islamic Soc. this year organised trips to bowling and stuff, and I think our society would have a similar objective- we would act as a platform for atheists, secularists, agnostics and humanists to meet each other. So that would be the social element. We could do table quizzes for charity, and organise pub nights and stuff too.

Also we could show stuff like The Edge Of Reason and have annual Darwin Day and Talk Like A Pirate Day celebrations.

Also the possibility is there that we could liaise with the Humanist Association of Ireland with their campaign to have the swearing on a higher power removed from the constitution. This would involve information campaigns and stuff if we decided to take it on.

Sounds good.

Dave!

Any developments on this, no?

Urizen

I was talking with thusspakeblixa about it recently, no progress.

Though I firmly believe that Fr. Joe Jones would NEVER oppose such a society. I've known the man for fifteen years. I'm pagan, he has no problems with that. So whatever was said along those lines is almost cerainly a lie.

This society IS a good idea, just have to want it hard enough and work for it.

thusspakeblixa

Yeah, I'm a bit swamped with stuff at the moment.
If people were to give me a hand we could have the society ready for semester 2.
Any volunteers?

thusspakeblixa

*BUMP*

The DCU Atheist/Agnostic/Secularist/whatever else you're having society is go!

We have all the documentation, we just need signatures now in support of the society.

PM me here if you're interested or else just catch me around campus (I'm usually around the clubs and socs office and the name is Niall Farrell)

Urizen

I love interfering!

michael.herron

I can understand why some people think that a society built on the idea that they don't believe in something is a bit silly.

But it wouldn't be that, not as I see it. It would be a society for people who think that the world would be a better place if fallacy did not play such a prominent role in the lives of billions.

cocoa

michael.herron wrote: »

I can understand why some people think that a society built on the idea that they don't believe in something is a bit silly.

But it wouldn't be that, not as I see it. It would be a society for people who think that the world would be a better place if fallacy did not play such a prominent role in the lives of billions.

IMO, this is exactly why the society's goals should be clearly stated... I for one believe that the world is a product of human nature and techniques used to control that nature are not confined to just organised religion.

I still support the society though =D

thusspakeblixa

cocoa wrote: »

IMO, this is exactly why the society's goals should be clearly stated... I for one believe that the world is a product of human nature and techniques used to control that nature are not confined to just organised religion.

I still support the society though =D

The goals of the society will be clearly defined in the constitution, when adopted by the society.
First we need a committee though. :P

GLaDOS

michael.herron wrote: »

Hopefully some people might realise the significance of this contrast.

I imagine most people would just think their religious nutjobs

Choc123

Cop on bud, the last thing students want is to have bibles rammed in their face, if you are to become a society you gotta do things in the right way so as not to become hated.

john.needham

michael.herron wrote: »

The name of the club is very important too, im not sure about presenting it as Atheist, agnostic, Has a name been committed too already?

Idea, I think it would be pretty funny and would gain publicity to hand out bibles on campus. Ordinary bibles, don't try to make fun or anything just silently hand them out and encourage people to have a read. Maybe hand out other religious documents as well,

It would pose sort of an unspoken challenge to the religious societies to handing out books like the God Delusion or God is Not Great, which would obviously never happen.

Hopefully some people might realise the significance of this contrast.

As far as I know theirs no society on campus that tries to convert people...possible something that shouldn't change.

Still looking for signatures?

john.needham

michael.herron wrote: »

Religion deserves to have the piss takin out of it.

If anyone tried setting up a society to do this you'd probably last about 5 seconds.

thusspakeblixa

john.needham wrote: »

If anyone tried setting up a society to do this you'd probably last about 5 seconds.

I agree.
If we were to do stuff like that- forget about funding.

john.needham

michael.herron wrote: »

Obviously it would be silly to set up a society just to take the piss out of religion, I'm not suggesting that at all. There are a lot more worthwhile things the society could do.

But to set up a society that's all overly respectful and of religious beliefs would be a waste of time. It's nonsense and I don't see why the society should tip toe around it. That's all I meant to say and I imagine most here would agree.

I'm not suggesting we would go out of our way to demean or insult, but some of the perfectly fine rational things atheists say are found to be demeaning and insulting by religious people, there's no avoiding that.

As far as I'v seen its the manor in which things can be said which people find demeaning or insulting.

I think a society along some of the ideas expressed in this thread could be very beneficial to DCU, this does not mean it needs to antagonize individuals or organizations on campus who wish to express their own religious views.

quackisss

I'm in for joining this society, I'd even go up for first year rep and will try help out as much as I can if it does go ahead!

thusspakeblixa

michael.herron wrote: »

But to set up a society that's all overly respectful and of religious beliefs would be a waste of time. It's nonsense and I don't see why the society should tip toe around it. That's all I meant to say and I imagine most here would agree.

If the existing religions in DCU were overt in their attempts to convert me, then I'd be all for this.
Running information campaigns is fine, Islamic Soc do that at their events. But being aggressive in these campaigns isn't on.
We aren't all Dawkins types. Also the society will be for Secularists, Humanists, Agnostics, Freethinkers and anyone else with no religion. Not all of those people would want a world free of religion.

Cy_Revenant

The line dividing being overly respectful to Religions and taking is piss is about 10 miles wide.