Speakers include Richard Dawkins, comedian Eddy Izzard, Adam Savage of Mythbusters, the Amazing Randi, and many others.
Here is what the Washington Post had to report on the festivities:
“Our goals in four words: social and legislative equality,” rally spokesman Jesse Galef said. “There are so many stigmas against atheists.”
In a piece for The Washington Post’s On Faith blog, David Silverman, president of American Atheists, wrote:
“While the Reason Rally is a non-partisan event with attendees from all along the political spectrum, it is a statement to Washington, to our elected leaders, and to the rest of the nation that nonbelievers are a legitimate political segment of the American population.”
According to the American Religious Identification Survey in 2008, the number of people who claim no specific religious affiliation had grown to 34 million, 15 percent of the U.S. adult population. A survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life conducted in 2008 yielded similar findings.
“What is lost, what is flying under the radar is that there is a growing and mushrooming atheist movement in the U.S.,” said Rick Wingrove, chief executive of Beltway Atheists.
Damn, I really wish I had the money, and time, to attend this event. I do so enjoy having discussions with intelligent people about complicated issues.
But then I have all of you for that now don't I?
I will continue to post updates of some of the speeches and discussions that take place at the rally as they come online.
Until then just remember:
I mean seriously?
More good news...reason finally comes to the GOP. Well, one member, anyway.
ReplyDeleteRichard Hanna, GOP Congressman, Tells Women To Give Their Money To Democrats
O/T but I found this a VERY helpful article on 'ObamaCare(s)' and I encourage you to take a peek at it. It answers all sorts of things that I've been wondering about, and lays out the progression of the 'kick ins' on the bill.
ReplyDelete*****
Two Years Ago Today, the ACA Became a Very Progressive Law
...For those of you still complaining because the ACA didn’t include a “public option,” let me assure you, it’s coming. A number of provisions in the ACA will actually make certain it happens, and none other than the insurance companies themselves will demand it.
That's right; the insurance companies will probably be asking for a “public option” themselves. Consider the changes above, and consider them along with some of the other changes the ACA makes in the insurance industry:
http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/2012/03/no-matter-the-delusion-the-aca-obamacare-is-a-very-progressive-law.html
15% of the US in 2008, means it's probably a larger percentage in 2012!
ReplyDeleteSoon we'll be able to coalesce Around issues and candidates to fight the GOP and their ignorance regarding separation of church and state.
Just in time with the rise of Sarah's dominionist cronies and Frothy's blind Alligience to the pedophile organization known as the Catholic church. Oh and let's not forget the ultimate Catholic hypocrite Newt!
may mama always told me
ReplyDelete"actions speak louder then words" and she was sooo right.
To be tolerant of all religions is to be tolerant of child abuse at the hands of catholic priests. But that's only one example which applies to catholics. Now can any of you 'tolerants' think of some good reasons to not be 'tolerant' of other ridiculous religions and their crimes against humanity? Surely there are some Muslim haters amongst you all that can think of reasons to not tolerate terrorism in the name of religion? Hmmm?
ReplyDeleteThat's ridiculous. Priests are not the church and not all priests are pedophiles. No, I'm not Catholic, just fair-minded. As for the rest of your rant, WTF? What is your point? You're foaming at the mouth, and it is making you incoherent.
DeleteYour "all religious people are evil" meme is pure bullshit. Only a moron tars and feathers all people in any group. To paraphrase the sign above, our beliefs do not indemnify us, our actions do.
DeleteWhat crawled up your ass?
Athiests all, the kristyuns condemn you to the hell fires. Now there's a really, really good reason to be tolerant of their stupid sky fairy beliefs! Teach your childrent that and tell them to love them even though they foresee your children burning in hell!
ReplyDeleteHahahaha! That's kinda funny isn't it!
Hmmm. you sound just like the previous poster. Been drinking, have you?
DeleteOh my, Anonymous. As a follower of Christ who fully appreciates many known agnostics and atheists (and probably a lot more whose beliefs I do not know or share), while finding many "Christians" intolerable, I don't seem to fit your generalization.
DeleteI don't think I'd like you much, though, as you sound a lot like those intolerable, hateful, faux "Christians."
Jesus riding a dinosaur...love it!
ReplyDeleteI like the girl with the sign. She's holding her ground, but she's not putting anyone down. That's the way to do it. Yeh, I'm a Christian. I think that whatever gives you a moral compass and compassion for others is worth following. Christianity does not have a monopoly on those traits.
ReplyDeleteWell said.
DeleteOne doesn't have to subscribe to nonsense in order to understand the difference between right and wrong.
ReplyDeleteNice try, Gryphen. Actually, the Bible NEVER claims JC ever RODE a dinosaur. In Hysterectomy 4:13 it just mentions that he enjoyed the occasional triceratops knish. (or was it a kreplach? I'll have to check...)
ReplyDeleteSo, STOP MAKING STUFF UP!!
I wish more politicians would read from the book of Hysterectomy and also from Uterus 2.
DeleteYou slay me, Beldar!!
DeleteLucky I got one of those "keyboard prophylactics", so I just have to wipe winecooler off my screen.
One of your best!
Now if Jesus had ridden into Jerusalem on a Dinosaur, those damn Romans would have NEVER gotten him! WHAT was he thinking?
ReplyDeleteNice!
DeleteI put James Randi in the same category I put Sarah Palin. A shameless whore. If the facts don't fit his belief system, he lies about the facts.
ReplyDeleteHere's a recent article about James Randi and his long-time, now revealed to be an identify-thief, partner.
Ask yourself, Gryphen, if you would give Sarah Palin a pass for this if Todd Palin was found to be illegally using someone else's identity at the expense of that real person? I suspect you wouldn't; you would never believe that Sarah Palin didn't condone Todd's actions. So will you give James Randi a pass because he's an "atheist"* whose belief system you share?
And it most certainly is a belief system, no matter what you devout atheists claim. You are materialists and that is definitely a belief system.
*In the same grifting way Palin is a "Christian."
JAMES RANDI - SKEPTICISM'S GREAT ACHILLES
From the article:
DeleteThe identity Randi puts forward for public consumption is truth seeker. His professional role, at least on the surface, is to unmask hoaxers and charlatans—not live with them, or abet them.
But as I write in Fringe-ology, Randi strikes me as proving, at best, a highly problematic spokesman for a movement purportedly engaged in truth telling.
In fact, I would argue, the now 83-year old Randi, a one-time stage magician and long-time skeptic, has always been too consumed with the prospect of claiming total victory to be bothered overly much by more nuanced truths. But let’s back up a step.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you for your post!
Thanks for the link. It led me to Randi's forum and a long running thread on the stolen ID case. So hardly a secret.
DeleteMy son and I read atheist blogs and watch shows over the internet, but have only heard of Randi elsewhere. His claim to fame is for his debunking of paranormal activities. I haven't a clue about his religion or lack thereof. He describes himself as an illusionist and a skeptic. Skeptic is not the same as atheist, although one can be both.
So I don't understand your anger towards Gryph. Randi is hardly a leader- he a magician.
Materialism is a philosophy, not a religion. You can find it applied to other fields such as economic materialism. Some Xian megachurches promote materialism through their prosperity preaching. Jesus wants you to have lots of stuff. Lots of money and stuff is proof god loves you, etc.
Thanks for your comment. I'm not Atheist because I hate religion, God, or Faith. And I don't equate Atheism nor religion with immorality. Most Atheists I've known live by the golden rule.
DeletePeople fear what they don't understand.
We Are the 15 percent! Oh wait, that's already taken.
ReplyDeletehow about
"You say "Godless" as if it was a bad thing?"
I can see why this makes sense. The Religious Right has gone too far right and people are starting to question how much intolerance their Faith can allow them to ignore.
Thanks for sharing!
I think it is so very sad that a call for ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR is coming NOT from organized religion, but from its opposite.
ReplyDeleteWhen the churches turn into Republican fundraising sites, and the preachers spew hatred and fear instead of the true word of the Lord, this is what we get:
ATHEISTS being the ones who are calling for sanity and brotherly love.
Isn't it a pity? Now isn't it a shame? How we break each others' hearts, and cause each other pain? (George Harrison)
While I am an atheist, I have no use for the "Amazing" Randi.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I'm concerned, he is no different from the most close-minded fundie.
As an atheist I know too many people (who are also atheists!) who have seen ghosts and had out of body experiences. I've had several unexplainable experiences myself.
Not believing in God (which I don't) doesn't always translate into not believing we don't cease to exist when we die.
But people like the "Amazing" Randi - what is "reasonable" about them?