So much material in one article… Thank you David. I've no doubt much of it will be explored during the life of this thread.

I'm sorry you feel so affronted by atheists, new or otherwise – but I have to tell you the tone of your article was not so much turn-the-other-cheek, as unctiously cheeky. Don't panic. God is big enough to cope… unless you doubt this.

I'm genuinely impressed at your christian confidence – it speaks volumes about theism. Plus, it will put those nasty Zoroastrians in their place… Splitters!

But I'm confident that we can deal with a number of the issues you raise in the article if you could offer a time slice of human history. That is, anywhere any time, any place there was this happy confluence of your religious ideals. I'm assuming this will be before the 1960s.

Enjoy the conference. Say hello to david f for us.

Well David I don't think your intellect will be challenged by the same old dogmas rapped up in pseudo science. The text books will keep changing but the deceit won't. No one interested in truth will be lost to this religion. Also comparing the morality of the Lord Jesus Christ with the High priests and priestess who will be speaking will be no contest. I wonder what vileness Deveny will produce this time round. And yes I think Mohammed will be safe.

Well here goes - I was raised as a Catholic -
I have my own private beliefs - and I'm
looking forward to the Atheist Convention -
for no other reason then to learn how other
people think and why. I have read Richard
Dawkins's, "The God Delusion," and enjoyed it.
I watched "Q and A," on Monday evening with
Mr Dawkins and Cardinal Pell - and found it
interesting. And I firmly believe that everyone
is entitled to believe whatever they want (provided
it doesn't hurt others). I have no wish to convert
anyone - and "live and let live," is my ethos.

A Daniel in the lion's den? Not me. Merely a quiet
observer - with an open and tolerant mind.

It's great that religious people are going along to this event. Please take plenty of video and happy snaps and upload to youtube for those that can't make it in person.

^^^^
To the extent the organisers are cool with recording things.

I wasn't raised a Catholic but in the C of E.
Nevertheless, I'm with you Lexi

I believe that many people need a crutch in times of absolute despair such as those times as we see the consequences of American Christian actions in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan and Israel's ethnic cleansing in Palestine.

Charles Darwin's Origin of Species through natural selection pointed me in the direction of Atheism as an alternative to Creationism.

I sincerely hope others have the opportunity to learn of alternatives as I had when I could not muster faith to counter my own logic