Another video on Youtube from the 2012 Global Atheist Convention - A Celebration of Reason.

PZ Myers - Sacking The City Of God!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-CJojL4ZfA

Enjoy

David

You have some way to go yet, Mr Nicholls:

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/no-room-at-the-inn-20120616-20gmj.html

30,000 people, for five days of happy-clappy.

I have no doubt whatsoever that attendees will say that the "atmosphere was filled by a powerfully exquisite joy", and that afterwards they will claim that "the afterglow still burns brightly in the thoughts of attendees".

Side note: when I retrieved this article, Google served up an advertisement to accompany it that read "SYDNEY BEST PEST CONTROL. Guaranteed Pest Control Sydney 24/7. Control All Pests Now."

Context-sensitive advertising. Gotta love it.

Pericles,

No one imagines it is going to be an easy task. But if we consider the 147,000 people that attended the Billy Graham crusades in Australia 50 years ago, there is some reason for optimism. The population then was minuscule compared to today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0GMGmZJPgs

And if we consider the words of Shelby Spong that there is about eight to ten year retention amongst happy clappers, (this is a guess from memory as it is not important enough to research but seems to be about right) then things really do look bright.

On the other hand, although reverting to religion by atheists is oft touted as frequent, it is very rare.

Extremely amusing about the accompanying advert. :)

David

That's an interesting comparison, Mr Nicholls.

>>But if we consider the 147,000 people that attended the Billy Graham crusades in Australia 50 years ago, there is some reason for optimism<<

True, the numbers were staggeringly large. But the environment was also considerably different. I think that ABC's Compass covered it particularly well.

http://www.abc.net.au/compass/s2484481.htm

"Well over three million Australian’s flocked to hear the charismatic Christian preacher"

That was about half the total population. Remarkable.

So, what was it all about? The following are quotes from the Compass programme:

"It was exciting, it really was. And it felt very American, it did"

"I remember the seductive nature of the way he spoke"

"Our hearts were fluttering for Billy Graham. Like he was such a sexy looking man. And most of the ministers that we’d had were just very plain everyday, often a lot older men. And here was this young man, a beautiful man telling us all these wonderful things. And it was a revelation, it was just a revelation"

"He had that lovely golden brown curly hair those beautiful sparkling blue eyes lovely white teeth. You could imagine people swooning over him in the aisles in the picture theatre if he were on screen."

"We went in the bus and because it was for church we all dressed up. We all put our best dresses on. We all had gloves, stockings, high heel shoes, hats, the whole bit."

I suspect that with the competing attractions available today, from movies/theatre, to good restaurants, to TV, to computer games, to the Internet, that 30,000 is not a bad turnout. Especially as there is no charismatic with sparkling hair and curly brown teeth to entice them in.

>>... there is about eight to ten year retention amongst happy clappers<<

You are right, they shouldn't be taken too seriously. But the question is surely whether trying to compete with them on the same turf is at all productive. Especially where the activism of Hillsong, in the shape of the many save-the-world activities they get up to, is in such marked contrast to your own event.

Pericles,

Atheism is not actually trying to compete with the happy-clappers. That is only coincidental that the format is similar. Humans express themselves with this kind of presentation in many areas of life. Science events, music gigs, Football, cricket, horse racing flower shows so forth and so on ad infinitum.

The positive effect on numbers of attendees should be judged on a variety of criteria and not just the more people make for a ‘winning’ outcome. The expansion of critical and scientific thinking has the power within it to alter societies for good more than any other way. History shows this to be true on many fronts.

Religiosity is falling dramatically in Australia and other western nations, even in the USA with young people, and the AFA is but a part of helping this happen. There is no force involved, just getting the idea out there that the religious view is not the only way to see reality.

I’m extremely pleased I am on the side that recognises this and feel obliged to give others the chance at doing the same. I’d rather be doing anything but this.

Religion in general is frightened by this seemingly unstoppable change in human perception and I think it has good reason for that. Such privilege previously enjoyed is something those with a stake in keeping it that way will not surrender easily. Atheists should realise what is going on and not hamper nonviolent efforts in making life fair and equal for everyone.

It is unfortunate and very sad to me that this is not always the case. But, I do understand.

What I have just written is not a legal document but it will be viewed that way; such is the fear produced in some by anyone questioning the status quo.

David

david..the powewrs that be love athiest/movement
because thats the same harmless listening
involved..with the priestly class..peers

its the numbers doing nuthing
going no where..the powers that be love

anything to entertaint the masses
and keep them of the streets...some love faulse goheads[infalible godheads]..now athiests got thiers..same same..

leaders leading..teaching the party line
in this case by claiming no god
then presenting reliion

its completly different issues
only lumped together in vision..not transcripted word..cause its just tooo biased[they are too clever to put their bias into words..so along comes another hero

you
tell us david
what must we do

set to ignore..explain how theo
isnt what new age athism denies..but amplifies..