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Tuesday evening was spent at the Atheist Society to hear Rick Barker discuss recent developments in physical anthropology with the charming title You Me and the Chimpanzees: You Can Choose Your Friends But Not Your Relatives. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the weird creationist from four years prior was in attendence and again made the same claims as prior. This time I managed to respond to the claim that there were no transitional fossils, but before I could respond to the matter of speciation - behold! - she got up and exited the room (again!). After completing the question I als decided to follow, whereupon the creationist cycled off as fast as they could. Three times now they've run away from proof of speciation! In a case of deja vu, Alambama is trying to teach creationism in public schools.

On a related topic, Saturday evening was the meeting of the Victorian Secular Lobby on religious instruction in public schools, addressed by Mike Stutchberry and Stephen Stuart from the Victorian Humanists. A well-attended meeting, the key messaages were that the indocrtinating Special Religious Instruction differed from a educational secular comparative religious studies, that SRI was divisive and was conducted by unqualified instructors. The next step will be the VCAT case brought forward by the Humanists, and then ramping up the campaign with the the AEU and, of course, FIRIS. On a related topic, the speaker at the Unitarians yesterday (with an excellent turnout) was Leslie Cannold, speaking on Did Jesus Have a Sister? and promoting her historical fiction novel, The Book of Rachael.

On Saturday (also at the Unitarian hall) was Andrew Pam giving an excellent presentation on Linux Games. Currently very impressed to see that an old favourite, Red Alert, is now available as free and open-source software. In more traditional gaming, played Best Friends on Thursday and Pathfinder Planescape on Sunday. The latter contributes a great deal to the just released double issue of RPG Review, which also has an interview with the people from Crafty Games, a D20 Overview, an anti-D20 rant, some D20 CoC stats, movie reviews and more. Also on the movie side of things spent Friday night at the double Sherlock Holmes special at Melbourne's best deco cinema, the Astor.

Date: 2012-02-20 07:35 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
I like the idea of "Jesus lizards"

Date: 2012-02-20 07:42 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fluffyblanket.livejournal.com
http://www.factzoo.com/reptiles/lizards/jesus-lizard-running-on-water.html
I'm sure you're very popular at the interfaith gatherings .
:D
Edited Date: 2012-02-20 07:43 am (UTC)

Date: 2012-02-20 08:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
Yeah, Jesus Lizards are awesome! It's even better that their real name is basilisk, which of course was the medieval critter that could kill with its gaze. Now that would be a miracle!

Also, I quite like the band "The Jesus Lizard" as well... :)

People who go to interfaith gatherings tend not to be very fundamentalist about most things. After all, if one is tolerant and accepting of other's religious beliefs they also tend to be accepting and tolerant of some of the more amusing potential interpretations.

Date: 2012-02-20 09:07 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fluffyblanket.livejournal.com
I know . In London I used to attend -
http://www.worldfaiths.org/
Here in Alicante I 've attended a similar group .

Date: 2012-02-21 06:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
Such groups are, of course, necessary to ensure connectivity and communication between people of different faiths, but I've noticed there can be a tendency to walk on eggshells, to use the English idiom. Did you find that there was sufficient constructive criticism?

My experience is that interfaith groups are quite willing to criticise their own religions, but often not that of others. They tip-toe towards universal rights without saying so.

Date: 2012-02-21 07:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fluffyblanket.livejournal.com
You're right ! They seemed to endorse each other's religion more than their own . I used to think most Muslims loved the Sufis - as do I - cos they were probably the only ones who attended . I was in multicultural education at the time . I must confess to having problems with patriarchy and fanaticism .
I also dislike Salafis and Wahabis . They slaughtered a hundred million Hindus duting their invasion of India . Ah well ...
À propos de rien , how do you get "Insert Photo" and "Insert Video " on your site . I assume you have to pay .
Edited Date: 2012-02-21 07:07 am (UTC)

Date: 2012-02-27 07:43 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
À propos de rien , how do you get "Insert Photo" and "Insert Video " on your site . I assume you have to pay .

Which site do you mean?

Date: 2012-02-21 02:01 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zenicurean.livejournal.com
Ah, the old "no transitional fossils" canard again! I reserve a special distaste for that one.

Date: 2012-02-21 03:19 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
It is such abject nonsense. Every species is transitional between its ancestor and its descendent, therefore every fossil represents a transitional fossil.

Date: 2012-02-22 12:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zenicurean.livejournal.com
Absolutely. As far as arguments go, it's right up there with the startlingly common "it's cold today, therefore there is no climate change".

Date: 2012-02-21 11:15 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nvcarnie.livejournal.com
Ugh .... More religion in schools. So disappointing, although Alabama doesn't really shock me.

The Sunday service sounds great. :) I may have to look up that novel.

Date: 2012-02-21 11:36 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
To say that the special religious instruction in schools is extremely unpopular is an understatement. To also say that the opposition is disorganised is also accurate, almost in direct proportion to the degree that the advocates are organised.

I hope to change that in the coming year or two.

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