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(Date Posted:12/02/2008 23:56:57)
Anyone go to these workshop?
(in any case there are some good links) “Unsinkable Atheism,” the 14th Annual Atheist Alliance International (AAI) Convention, will be held the weekend of September 25-28, 2008 on the beautiful and historic Queen Mary, which is permanently docked in Long Beach, California.Hosts:Herb Silverman and Margaret Downey
Speakers and Workshop Presenters:Jennifer Bardi - Editor of the Humanist magazine
August Berkshire - President of Minnesota Atheists
Ellen Johnson - Exec Dir for Godless Americans Political Action Committee M. J. Chritensen - Co-Founder of Scouting For All
Annie Laurie Gaylor - Freedom From Religion Foundation President
Kathleen Johnson - American Atheists Board Member
Cathy Jones - Godless Grief, Writer and Humorist
Troy Conrad - Comedian (Comedy Jesus) Lori Lipman Brown - Lobbyist for the Secular Coalition for America
PZ Myers - Biologist, University of Minnesota, Pharyngula
Michael Newdow - Attorney and Physician
Michele Rundgren - Comedienne
Michael Shermer - Publisher of Skeptic Magazine
Eddie Tabash - Lawyer and Atheist/Secular Humanist
Marlene Winell - Psycological Consultant Jason Torpy - Military Assoc. of Atheists and Freethinkers Jeremy Hall - Army Specialist and plaintiff Mikey Weinstein - Founder of Military Religious Freedom Foundation Carlos Bertha - Professor at the U. S. Air Force Academy Also Appearing:Joel Pelletier - Artist and Muscian The Camp Quest Players
Religiomania
with Michele Rundgren, Debra Ryll, and Wanda Plimmer
Jill Sobule - lyricist, singer and composer
Julia Sweeney
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In exchange for obedience, Christianity promises salvation in an afterlife; but in order to elicit obedience through this promise, Christianity must convince people that they need salvation, that there is something to be saved from. Christianity has nothing to offer a happy person living in a natural, intelligible universe. If Christianity is to gain a motivational foothold, it must declare war on earthly pleasure and happiness, and this, historically, has been its precise course of action. In the eyes of Christianity, woman(man) is sinful and helpless in the face of God, and is potential fuel for the flames of hell. Just as Christianity must destroy reason before it can introduce faith, so it must destroy happiness before it can introduce salvation.
-- George H Smith, Atheism: The Case Against God | 
