Atheist meetings

I have been an atheist for some time now but I am only new to Irish atheist culture. Are there any atheist groups which meet up in restaurants, pubs or other venues from time to time to just socialise and discuss? I had a peek on the Atheist Ireland forums but, although I admit I didn't look too thoroughly, it seemed to be mostly related to activism.

Thanks for any help.

strobe

Legend has it, once in the long long ago, in a galaxy far far away, there existed an A&A beers. But untill I see empirical evidence of such a happening, I will remain objectively skeptical.

MrPudding

strobe wrote: »

Legend has it, once in the long long ago, in a galaxy far far away, there existed an A&A beers. But untill I see empirical evidence of such a happening, I will remain objectively skeptical.

Additionally, as we actually know in our blood pumping organs that god actually does exist, and we merely deny his existence so we can behave wickedly and do stuff like have sex before marriage and say things like "why shouldn't homosexuals have the same rights as heterosexuals" we tend to avoid large groups in case god goes Old Testament on our asses and lays down a serious smiting.

MrP

checkyabadself

Theres a saying that "organising atheists is like trying to herd cats". In saying that, it`d be nice to meet like minded people, especially for those who had a hard time gaining acceptance from friends and family.

rugbyman

I like the idea of meeting, but in reality for any group to meet to discuss what they do not believe in seems a bit strange.
Rugbyman

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

Ickle Magoo

Plowman wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Hmmm, probably more discussing ways of getting church and state disentangled than group worship of his noodliship.

ColmDawson

I propose a Ten Commandments themed A&A beers. We all go out and get sloshed, then try to break all ten commandments before sunrise. Things could get messy...

The Mad Hatter

Plowman wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Yup, it always goes the same way.

First Zillah stands at the pulpit and leads us in a recitation of "Our Father who ain't in Heaven".

Then we have little pithy comments by robindch, followed by readings from the Gospels of Richard and Christopher.

Then Dades gives a sermon, usually dictating the wickedness of modern society, due to the influence of religion. It always starts with an anecdote that can be easily found on Google.

Then there's the communion, where we take a baby and eat its flesh and drink its blood. That bit's usually messy.

We wrap up with talking about all the people who have been killed by religion this week, and then go home.

Just like church.

legspin

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

Yup, it always goes the same way.

First Zillah stands at the pulpit and leads us in a recitation of "Our Father who ain't in Heaven".

Then we have little pithy comments by robindch, followed by readings from the Gospels of Richard and Christopher.

Then Dades gives a sermon, usually dictating the wickedness of modern society, due to the influence of religion. It always starts with an anecdote that can be easily found on Google.

Then there's the communion, where we take a baby and eat its flesh and drink its blood. That bit's usually messy.

We wrap up with talking about all the people who have been killed by religion this week, and then go home.

Just like church.

Wot, no orgy?

checkyabadself

checkyabadself wrote: »

In saying that, it`d be nice to meet like minded people, especially for those who had a hard time gaining acceptance from friends and family.

This is the extent of what I'm talking about. Coming out as an atheist to friends and family in Ireland can be hard, so it'd be nice for that reason.

I was just wondering if such a thing already existed. :pac:

Zillah

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

First Zillah stands at the pulpit and leads us in a recitation of "Our Father who ain't in Heaven".

Our Father who aint in Heaven,
spurious be thy name.
Why must there be some,
who art so dumb,
so as to waste earth for ficitious heaven.
Now let us say the king is dead,
and invent yet newer trespasses,
as we berate those who trespass against us,
and give into our hungry temptations,
and deliver us pizza from dominos.
Amen.

The Mad Hatter

Zillah wrote: »

Our Father who aint in Heaven,
spurious be thy name.
Why must there be some,
who art so dumb,
so as to waste earth for ficitious heaven.
Now let us say the king is dead,
and invent yet newer trespasses,
as we berate those who trespass against us,
and give into our hungry temptations,
and deliver us pizza from dominos.
Amen.

Just had to one-up me, didn't you?

(Great post btw.)

robindch

Zillah wrote: »

deliver us pizza from dominos.

Domino's Pizza my ass!

Zillah

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

Just had to one-up me, didn't you?

(Great post btw.)

You totally gave me the setup

robindch wrote: »

Domino's Pizza my ass!

Aww crap. What were the chances?

robindch

Zillah wrote: »

Aww crap. What were the chances?

The forum was warned

Galvasean

We used to organise beers, but then Dades went and started prioritising his family above drinking with randomers from the internet - the selfish git

Dades

I'm not the Sports & Social Officer around here.

Build it, and they will come. Even me, maybe!

MrPudding

I you fancy a road trip I will organise one in Buckingham, or, if you are really lucky, maybe even Milton Keynes. Won't that be a treat?

MrP

PeterIanStaker

Plowman wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

So long as its not early on Sundays.

Wacker

rugbyman wrote: »

I like the idea of meeting, but in reality for any group to meet to discuss what they do not believe in seems a bit strange.
Rugbyman

At the last one anyway, I spent more time talking about whiskey with The Mad Hatter than I did discussing my lack of belief in gods.

And it was a f*cking blast!

The Mad Hatter

Wacker wrote: »

At the last one anyway, I spent more time talking about whiskey with The Mad Hatter than I did discussing my lack of belief in gods.

And it was a f*cking blast!

I remember talking The Big Lebowski. By the time we got to whiskey, I probably had had one too many.

Wacker

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

I remember talking The Big Lebowski. By the time we got to whiskey, I probably had had one too many.

You're out of your element Hatter!

Galvasean

I remember the work the next morning....

Oh, and i also havent scored hot homeopathy chick yet (for ethical reasons!)

Dades

Anyone ever find out who that closet atheist boardise at the bar in the Duke was?

Fun times.

sonicthebadger*

robindch wrote: »

The forum was warned

I think he sold it since though. It's just a publicly traded company now, so it's too late to not buy pizza.

nozzferrahhtoo

Atheist Ireland (www.atheist.ie) has a monthly dublin meet up simply called "Atheists in the pub".

There is usually details posted on the forum over there (http://www.atheist.ie/phpBB3/index.php), or on their face book page. There is also a mailing list where the head of the dublin branch Ciaran MacAoidh sends out an email a few days before reminding you of the when and where.

You do not have to be a paid up member etc for any of this.

I will post details here next time it is announced. I think the last two started off in the Davenport.

Galvasean

Im on their mailing list but they genereally dont email me until 2-3 days before the event. By then it's too late for me to get out of wor and/or I already have plans.

nozzferrahhtoo

Thanks for the feedback, I will get on to Ciaran MacAoidh about this immediately.

Galvasean

nozzferrahhtoo wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback, I will get on to Ciaran MacAoidh about this immediately.

Oh you know him? Well in that ask if it's possible to give an email 1-2 weeks beforehand please.

fisgon

You could also try Humanism Ireland, they meet once a month, on the first Sunday, in a hotel near the Dail.....is it Buswell's? Can't remember exactly. They're more or less atheist. They also have a website...
http://www.humanism.ie/website/index.php

Galvasean

Alright, lets start our own beers. Been WAY too long since the last one. What month do people wanna do it in?

eoin5

Galvasean wrote: »

Alright, lets start our own beers. Been WAY too long since the last one. What month do people wanna do it in?

Anything suits me. Oh, can it be themed? I'm thinking angels and demons.

nozzferrahhtoo

Galvasean wrote: »

Oh you know him? Well in that ask if it's possible to give an email 1-2 weeks beforehand please.

I emailed him and kicked ass for you about it and he said he would try and do better

Having said that, the meeting is the same time each month, the 2nd Thursday of each month. So consider this 1 weeks notice. 5 weeks notice. 9 weeks notice. 13 weeks notice….

J C

fisgon wrote: »

You could also try Humanism Ireland, they meet once a month, on the first Sunday, in a hotel near the Dail.....is it Buswell's? Can't remember exactly. They're more or less atheist. They also have a website...
http://www.humanism.ie/website/index.php

What do they do at these meetings on the first Sabbath Day each month?

Are the meetings open to all faiths and none ?

The Mad Hatter

Galvasean wrote: »

Alright, lets start our own beers. Been WAY too long since the last one. What month do people wanna do it in?

I say August!

J C

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

I say August!

Is this an A & A only meeting ... or is everyone invited?

The Mad Hatter

J C wrote: »

Is this an A & A only meeting ... or is everyone invited?

If I recall correctly, there was some discussion of inviting you to the last one.

robindch

Galvasean wrote: »

Alright [...] beers [...] Been WAY too long since the last [...]

Agreed. Wheels are in motion at the moment -- watch this thread over the next short while.

einshteen

strobe wrote: »

I will remain objectively skeptical.

You'd be the first person I've met that's managed it for any reasonable period of time.

strobe

einshteen wrote: »

You'd be the first person I've met that's managed it for any reasonable period of time.

Yeah? Cool.

nozzferrahhtoo

Couple of Atheist Meetings of note...

Firstly as I mentioned a few posts ago the Atheist Ireland monthly social evening is this week Thursday 8th July, from 7.30pm in the bar of the Davenport Hotel. All and sundry welcome, so drop in and tell AI what you like or do not like about them

It’s now less than two weeks to their 2nd AGM also in the Davenport Hotel in Dublin on Saturday July 17th. The theme will be “A Secular State for a Pluralist People”.

The afternoon session will be open to the public with talks from the committee and a talk from Darrel W Ray, Ed.D., the American author of The God Virus: How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture and a guest speaker from the Humanist Association of Ireland.

And of course the evening "session" will be just that, down the pub. Last year AI took over a large corner of the Market Bar. I imagine something similar will occur this year.

strobe

robindch wrote: »

Agreed. Wheels are in motion at the moment -- watch this thread over the next short while.

Is there any chance if an A&A forum beers is being planned that the mods (or whoever is planning it) could contact the mods of the other forums in the Religion and Spirituality grouping, or one of the CMods or whatever and arrange a mass Religion & Spirituality beers (non alcoholic for the Islam forum crew) instead. Now that would be an interesting night out. Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Atheists, Pagans, Raliens etc all getting locked together..... I'm not being facetious by the way. It is a serious suggestion.


Would any one else be interested in something like that?

ColmDawson

strobe wrote: »

Is there any chance if an A&A forum beers is being planned that the mods (or whoever is planning it) could contact the mods of the other forums in the Religion and Spirituality grouping, or one of the CMods or whatever and arrange a mass Religion & Spirituality beers (non alcoholic for the Islam forum crew) instead. Now that would be an interesting night out. Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Atheists, Pagans, Raliens etc all getting locked together..... I'm not being facetious by the way. It is a serious suggestion.


Would any one else be interested in something like that?

That actually is an interesting thought. I'm not sure if it'd work though — we'd either have to avoid discussing religion or else have a big drunken debate/argument about it. Neither of those sounds ideal (the latter would be preferable as long as it stayed polite).

nozzferrahhtoo

The full details of the AI meet ups are as follows:

Friday July 16 Morning - AI are looking for people interested in a hike on the wicklow way with Dr Darrel Ray, author of The God Virus. Paul "The Blasphemy Man" Gill who recently walked the length of Ireland to raise awareness of the law has already expressed an interest in partaking.

Friday July 16 Evening - MacTurcaills on Tara Street for drinks.

Saturday AGM 11.30 am to 1 pm - Davenport Hotel. The morning session will be for members only, though you can join on the day if you wish. If you are a member, the AI constitution allows creation of committee positions to suit any area of interest or expertise that you would like to help with.

Saturday Public Meeting 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm - with special guest speaker Darrel W Ray, Ed.D., the American author of The God Virus: How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture. Senator Ivana Bacik will open the discussion and also there will be a guest speaker from the Humanist Association of Ireland.

Dades

strobe wrote: »

Is there any chance if an A&A forum beers is being planned that the mods (or whoever is planning it) could contact the mods of the other forums in the Religion and Spirituality grouping, or one of the CMods or whatever and arrange a mass Religion & Spirituality beers (non alcoholic for the Islam forum crew) instead. Now that would be an interesting night out. Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Atheists, Pagans, Raliens etc all getting locked together..... I'm not being facetious by the way. It is a serious suggestion.

Hmmm. I'm not sure.

Somewhat like what starts out as great plans for a lads night out - and then someone suggests we all bring our other-halves too. :pac:

In a flash subjects like Jessica Albas boobs are off limits.

MikeC101

My primary motivation for going to a beers would be to kick back and chat with the people whose posts I read here, without worrying about saying something that would offend someone religious, or worse, spark off a creationism "debate".

I don't mean to sound like a (complete) jerk, but to be honest I try to avoid spending time with vocally religious people as much as possible, so a beers with posters from the religion forums - especially some of the ones who post in the A&A forum from time to time, who I would assume would be the most likely to turn up - wouldn't appeal to me at all.

Dades

I'd be perfect happy for some our regular religious to turn up, but I just feel that's a different night altogether from what is A&A beers.

A&A stuff isn't even discussed much (unlike The Big Lebowski, for example), but if we had a mixed crowd it might just turn into a big debate.

Beruthiel

Dades wrote: »

if we had a mixed crowd it might just turn into a big debate.

And ending with pint glasses being thrown across the room.

The Mad Hatter

Dades wrote: »

A&A stuff isn't even discussed much (unlike The Big Lebowski, for example)

...

How is it only just now I noticed your avatar is the Dude?!

Dades

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

How is it only just now I noticed your avatar is the Dude?!

Obviously, you're not a golfer.