BARNEY ZWARTZ
February 2, 2010AN ATHEIST convention in Melbourne has sold out six weeks before it opens despite no aid from any level of government, organisers said yesterday.
Convention organiser and Atheist Foundation of Australia president David Nicholls said the state government had ''stabbed the people of Victoria in the back'' by not helping, forcing organisers to hire smaller venues.
The Global Atheist Convention, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 12-14, features a stellar line-up of presenters, including the world's best-known atheist, Richard Dawkins.
''We think this is a turning point for secularism in Australia, and it will be looked at by the rest of the world,'' Mr Nicholls said. ''We will see it happening more through the free planet, and our aim is to make the whole planet free.''
He said more than 2500 tickets had been sold, about half to Victorians and the rest to interstate and international visitors.
But he said that only the last day, with Richard Dawkins, would be in the 2500-seat auditorium. Because organisers ''could not afford to gamble'', they had hired smaller auditoriums for the first two days.
''We were very annoyed that all three tiers of government refused to assist us,'' Mr Nicholls said.
He said Canberra bureaucrats said such funding was not part of the portfolio responsibility of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd or his deputy, Julia Gillard, and provided no other advice.
The Victorian Government raised hopes, then suddenly told him ''the event has been secured, so you're not getting the money'', he said.
The Parliament of the World's Religions, held in Melbourne in December, received $2 million from the federal government and the state government.
Mr Nicholls said if the organisers had been able to afford a bigger venue and advertising, many more people might have been able to attend.
Other speakers include philosophers Peter Singer and A.C. Grayling, American commentator P.Z. Myers, former evangelist Dan Barker and broadcasters Phillip Adams and Robyn Williams.
Religion... A very sensitive issue. So, i just talk a little bit about this issue here.
ReplyDeleteReligion... Is that any necessary to have a 'specific' religion? No, I don't think so. In my view, religion is not so important. You can have it. But don't be too aggressive. It doesn't matter if you don't have it as well. It depend what are you thinking. Every religion is teaching a right attitudes.
I still remember one of my friends told me about his view in religion. He said that everyone should have at least one religion. It is very important. It is a magic. When you are down, it can guide you to a right way. You may be disorientated without it.
Ya, I agree with him. Everyone should have religion. You still can try to understand other religions as well. It doesn't matter. What I want to share here is that:
'If you believe in it, it is always there. If you doesn't, it will be stayed away from you.'
What are you thinking about religion? Please share and leave your views here^^
In my opinion, religion is somekind of believe. For me, it doesn't matter whether we have religion or not, the most important thing is that we have the right thought.
ReplyDeleteI think religion can play an important role in guiding a person in life. It is a kind of belief; I agree about that. As long as people find it right in their lives, it is okay to have belief in religion.
ReplyDeleteEvery religion have their own unique thought, but I found that almost all of them are more to the positive side. So, it actually helps many people by having religion. But, I would say that it is not nessasary to have religion unless we really need it. Nowadays, many people especially teenagers are staying away from religion. People are not forced to have religion, but we should appreciate and practice it if it benefits us.