Secular Sunday: new weekly newsletter from Atheist Ireland

Michael Nugent

Atheist ireland is starting a new weekly email newsletter called Secular Sunday.

It will include details of events, activities, news items and other relevant topics.

The first issue, which you can read here, is devoted to a review of our main activities during 2011 and our plans for 2012.

If you would like to subscribe, just send an email to our editor Derek Walsh at secularsunday@atheist.ie.

5uspect

"Events, activities, news items and other relevant topics"?
Sunday is for being a lazy git, sheesh is nothing sacred?

Logical Fallacy

"News Just In : God Still Non-existent".

Eventually that's gonna get a little dull.

marienbad

Looks like a lot of hard work to me , why can't we just non-believe and fcuk the begrudgers , Sunday is a day of rest after all

ShooterSF

Cool. I'll definitely take a look. Would be nice for your group to be as transparent as possible in your workings. Whilst all atheists are less likely than their theist brethren (at least in theory!) to see eye to eye on subjects you might provide a spark for some rational debate amongst us on secular issues rather than the constant us against them this place can suffer at times.
Time for some infighting, yeah!

Galvasean

I would imagine all the work is done before Sunday and then mailed out on Sunday (wouldn't say that is much work in itself)

ShooterSF

Galvasean wrote: »

I would imagine all the work is done before Sunday and then mailed out on Sunday (wouldn't say that is much work in itself)

What's that s'posda mean? Huh? Them's fighting words!

Arcus Arrow

Any feedback or suggestions about this newsletter or the organisation in general are welcome.

I have a suggestion: why not publish the minutes of the meeting that took place in the Royal Dublin Hotel on 6th December 2008.

Dades

^^ Not the place for a personal gripe, AA.

Michael Nugent

The second edition of Secular Sunday is now published.

You can read it here.

It includes details of a debate in UCC this week, the next meetings of Dublin Atheists in the Pub and Dublin Skeptics in the Pub, a public discussion in Dublin on Irish and international blasphemy law with speakers from America and England, the next HAI meeting which will discuss the late Christopher Hitchens, and the upcoming European Atheist Convention in Germany.

It also includes the latest Atheist Ireland news, and some interesting atheist and skeptic related links from around the web.

soterpisc

Michael Nugent wrote: »

Atheist ireland is starting a new weekly email newsletter called Secular Sunday.

It will include details of events, activities, news items and other relevant topics.

The first issue, which you can read here, is devoted to a review of our main activities during 2011 and our plans for 2012.

If you would like to subscribe, just send an email to our editor Derek Walsh at secularsunday@atheist.ie.

If you wanted to be distinct from Religion... Why not call it

Secular Monday?

Anyway most of the newspapers a fairly much secular so would it not be better to get a column in the Sunday indo or times?

Delirium

soterpisc wrote: »

If you wanted to be distinct from Religion... Why not call it

Secular Monday?

Because they publish/post it online on a Sunday :P:pac:

nozzferrahhtoo

Monday might not be as free of religious associations as you might want, being a day of observation common to Islam, Judaism, the Latter Day Saint people and more.

Alas I am not aware of any day that is free of religious associations. Even the etymology of most of the Day names are stepped in god based folklore.

So secular sunday is as good as any.

MrPudding

nozzferrahhtoo wrote: »

Monday might not be as free of religious associations as you might want, being a day of observation common to Islam, Judaism, the Latter Day Saint people and more.

Alas I am not aware of any day that is free of religious associations. Even the etymology of most of the Day names are stepped in god based folklore.

So secular sunday is as good as any.

Plus it is traditionally the day where people kick back and read. Most newspapers have their biggest editions on a Sunday. It seems to make sense.

MrP

Newaglish

In a weird way, I kinda hoped it would be incredibly sensationalist and abrasive, like an atheist version of Alive!.

nozzferrahhtoo

Actually on the AI website forum I did put forward the idea that it might be comical to steal the Alive! format, all except for changing the "A" to the Atheist "A" logo... and then start sticking it unsolicited into random doors in Dublin.

Galvasean

nozzferrahhtoo wrote: »

Actually on the AI website forum I did put forward the idea that it might be comical to steal the Alive! format, all except for changing the "A" to the Atheist "A" logo... and then start sticking it unsolicited into random doors in Dublin.

It has to be completely random too. Like, 1 in every 7 houses per street and alternate which houses get it each week.

Dades

^^ You could throw in an empty envelope too so people could return their "dues". :pac:

Sarky

Heh, I bet that would actually result in a few envelopes coming back with a fiver or two inside.

Michael Nugent

Issue 3 of Secular Sunday is now published.

It includes more news and upcoming events, including the starting of a local Atheist Ireland group in Cork, plus some sample posts promoting Irish bloggers.

You can read it here.

soterpisc wrote: »

If you wanted to be distinct from Religion... Why not call it Secular Monday?

The name is partly to remind people that Sunday (which is the Holy Day of the week for most Irish religious people) is not an exclusively religious day, and partly because of the alliteration value

Newaglish wrote: »

In a weird way, I kinda hoped it would be incredibly sensationalist and abrasive, like an atheist version of Alive!.

Well, we could consider adding an exclamation mark!

The Quadratic Equation

Michael Nugent wrote: »

Issue 3 of Secular Sunday is now published.

It includes more news and upcoming events, including the starting of a local Atheist Ireland group in Cork, plus some sample posts promoting Irish bloggers.

You can read it here.

The name is partly to remind people that Sunday (which is the Holy Day of the week for most Irish religious people) is not an exclusively religious day, and partly because of the alliteration value

Well, we could consider adding an exclamation mark!

Next week : 101 ways to get more wear out of your red jumper.

Sarky

Well I suppose the important thing is that you tried, Quaddie.

MrPudding

The Quadratic Equation wrote: »

Next week : 101 ways to get more wear out of your red jumper.

Yeah almost as boring as "and in next weeks mass, Jesus still died for our sins!"

MrP

Arcus Arrow

It's just another exercise in trying to be the "voice" of Irish atheists. It's already running out of steam. In another few weeks it will be using the TV listing for filling and have a photo of Georgia Salpa on the cover. Shock news report: Gerogia has never been featured in the Irish Catholic or photographed with the Pope!

Michael Nugent

Issue 4 of Secular Sunday is now published.

Details of upcoming events including meetings of Skeptics and Atheists in the Pub, a public talk on Irish and international blasphemy laws with Austin Dacey and David Nash, a HAI meeting about Christopher Hitchens, a debate between Michael Nugent and Hamza Tzortzis, a Darwin Day lecture by Stephen Oppenheimer, and the European Atheist Convention in Cologne.

Also, news of two teenage activists, Jessica Ahlquist in USA and Rhys Morgan in Wales, who have recently stood up to religious oppression.

You can read it here.

Turtwig

Michael,

I don't mean to cause offence or imply they are useless but do debates actually serve Atheist Ireland any benefits?

Michael Nugent

I think they do, not on their own but as part of our overall work. They raise consciousness about the issues and get people thinking about them, whether or not they agree with us. Debates are generally unlikely to change somebody’s mind on a fundamental issue on the spot, but they can plant seeds that might crop up later during a different discussion or at a different stage of somebody’s life experiences.

Overall, I think it is the cumulative effect of all of our activities that is beneficial, whether they be social events, lectures, debates, discussions, internet forums, other media reports, political research, political lobbying, submissions to Government, United Nations, OSCE, European Parliament etc, building alliances with other groups in Ireland, or cooperation with atheist and secular advocacy groups in other countries.

It takes a few years for a new advocacy group in any policy area to become established as an accepted part of the social and political discourse, as such groups can often come and go before that stage is reached. I think this year could well be a significant year for us, particularly if we can build on our existing work and also get some local groups established around the country.

Michael Nugent

The sixth edition of Secular Sunday is now online.

You can read it here.

It includes an update on last week’s political lobbying on the blasphemy law and the current blasphemy case of Alexander Aan in Indonosia, plus our attendance at a briefing session at the Dept of Foreign Affairs on Friday on Ireland’s Fourth Periodic Report under the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

It also includes this week’s upcoming events, including today’s Humanist Association of Ireland tribute meeting for Christopher Hitchens, an informal meeting of Atheist Ireland members in Sligo on Monday, three debates between Michael Nugent and Hamza Tzortzis in Dublin and Galway, an Atheists in the Pub discussion in Dublin on Thursday with Vanessa Lacey from Transgender Equality Network Ireland, and a family trip to the Natural History Museum next Sunday to celebrate Darwin Day.

Galvasean

Michael Nugent wrote: »

and a family trip to the Natural History Museum next Sunday to celebrate Darwin Day.

Note to self: find a wonderful woman and make babies with her.

Michael Nugent

Galvasean wrote: »

Note to self: find a wonderful woman and make babies with her.

Small Print: Persons who are or have been members of any family may attend, and do not need to bring other family members with them. Having babies solely for the purpose of attending this event is not recommended, though neither is it forbidden.

Links234

Michael Nugent wrote: »

an Atheists in the Pub discussion in Dublin on Thursday with Vanessa Lacey from Transgender Equality Network Ireland,

Vanessa is really nice, so that should be good

Michael Nugent

Issue 8 of Secular Sunday is now online.

You can read it here.

It includes news of Atheist Ireland’s submission to the Oireachtas on daily preyers in parliament, our participation last week in an IHRC seminar on racism and an NGO forum on human rights, and some online opinions on recent events from Irish atheists. It also includes details of a novel three-way debate in Cork on Monday on Catholicism, Islam and secularism, and the HAI Darwin Day lecture in Dublin on Friday.

Galvasean

Was the trip to the museum enjoyed by all?

Michael Nugent

It went very well.

No doubt Alain de Botton would have approved of it as a potential first step towards building a secular temple!

recedite

Well done on the Oireachtas prayer letter. Any official response yet?
Would AI consider taking some sort of incitement to hatred action against a certain teacher training college.....
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056553324

Ideally the complainant should be called "the atheist humanist society of Ireland", but still.....

Michael Nugent

recedite wrote: »

Well done on the Oireachtas prayer letter. Any official response yet?
Would AI consider taking some sort of incitement to hatred action against a certain teacher training college.....
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056553324

Ideally the complainant should be called "the atheist humanist society of Ireland", but still.....

Thanks, recedite.

We are following up on the Hibernia College issue, including writing to the Department and to various human rights monitoring bodies regarding freedom of conscience.

With regard to the Oireachtas prayers, the Seanad is discussing it today. Unfortunately, the proposal being put is to add a silent reflection before the forced prayer, which is another 'irish solution to an Irish problem'.

I've started a separate discussion on today's Seanad debate here.

Michael Nugent

Issue 11 of Secular Sunday is now online.

You can read it here.

It includes news of the new Atheist Ireland lobbying group, upcoming television and meeting news in Dublin and Limerick, and a competition to win a signed copy of Darrel Ray’s new book Sex and God: How Religion Distorts Sexuality.