I know this may come as a shock, David Nichiolls, but Online Opinion is about opinions, not your unbounded ego.

Your attitude on this thread can only be described as impolite and deceitful.

You have consistently avoided the underlying question - is the convention likely to assist the efforts of atheists to counter the inroads of religious groups, or to damage them.

As the great panjandrum you feel the need to defend your event, which is as it should be. But your tactics, which have ranged from deliberately misrepresenting and re-branding my position, to outright claims that I cannot actually be an atheist at all, have been utterly shameful.

Every post has been a constant, unedifying sneer, as you attempt to sidetrack the issue into an argumentational cul-de-sac.

You keep protesting that I haven't answered any of your questions, when you know full well that the boot is firmly on the other foot - your dissembling has been both blatant and shameless.

With you at its head, your organization will repel far more than it attracts - which, sadly, also provides religious groups more ammunition with which to continue to sideline the rest of us.

But never mind. You still have the likes of Gee Suss to sustain your intellectual advances against the forces of organized religion.

>>I am so seriously stoked, we gonna talk some serious science, do some serious networking, and drink some serious beer :) oh on that point, where are we all going after the dinner sat night? :) a few thousand atheists roaming melbournes streets looking for clubs is gonna be a blast :) :) hahaha<<

Congratulations.

>> I set out to agree with another poster's position that "to make atheism a movement in itself would appear to counteract the very nature of atheism."

Oh this is just word play.

Effectively if atheists stand up and say 'We want equality, we want choice and do not want our laws controlled by the religious based on scripture and belief, it should be on good science' you have a fit and start saying it's a 'movement', trying to assert everything under the sun.

It's a joke, you were pulled out on all your claims and assertions without any evidence that you were using just to try to disparage people standing up for what they see is right. You were called on it, pointed out your fallacy in your argument, and just keep switching tack to try and maintain a position.

Where in the 'big book of Atheism' you have does it say an atheist cannot fight for what is right? Where does it say they cannot join collectively to do so? apatheist isn't quite right, as your actively fighting against atheism, and for the religious status quo.

Religion maintains rights based on unfounded belief. That's something ourselves as atheists are fighting against. How you can compare scientifically backed information as equal to 'belief based laws and rights', I dunno, but only makes sense in your head, and the religionists.

>> With you at its head, your organization will repel far more than it attracts - which, sadly, also provides religious groups more ammunition with which to continue to sideline the rest of us.

Oh this is just rich, coming from some one that says if we do anything about it we are forming a 'movement'! (which is bad mm'kay)

While folk don't do anything about it, the religious are actively fighting and getting laws that give them more rights than others. You have been given a few examples and we are going over trodden ground.

I don't see there being any way to fight against for instance the taxation status of religion without collectively organising our voices. Standing alone, no ones got anywhere.

It's all academic, anyway, Woot - the jury has spoken. In just a few weeks 1000 tickets have been sold for the Global Atheist Convention. Atheists across Australia and beyond are voting for atheist collectivism with their wallets. There seems no doubt now that the MCEC, one of Australia's largest convention venues, will be filled.

No cause ever gets 100% support, nor should they expect it.

The important thing is, the AFA put out the call and Australian atheists have answered in droves.

WOOO_OOO WOO WOOOT WOOT QUOTE<<..this is just word play.

Effectively..if atheists stand up>>..like they are all/..sitting arround scratching their boils...except you..lol..how presumptious/demeaning..to your..'own'

<<and say..'We want equality,>>>..as if you dont have equally that other..'people'..have...

what individually differes..you from me...i dont get govt grants to form my party/either...political/people..[individuals dont..in the way your expecting]

<<we want choice>>>..you got choice..y
ou CHOSE to be athiest..poor you got no choice..lol

<<and..do not want our laws controlled/by the religious based on scripture and belief,>>..govt make laws...courts judge them...

in fact court..used to..be church...but then/..via sepperation of church and state......mate..your 300 years..too late

any decisions..we..make..should be informed/based on fact..<<..it should be on good science'>>>...

thats what im saying...the science dosnt say what your claiming..isnt fact that validates/genus evolution..[and definitivly has no first life cause...let alone science replication/via faulsifyable method

<<you have a fit and start..saying it's a..'movement',>>yeah..i know i was being nice..its not a movement...its spin/..like the spin..that swirls away a bowel movement

<<It's a joke,>>>it certainly apears so

<<Where in the..'big book of Atheism'>>>..dorkins books...for 1 eg..[the god delusion]

<<Religion maintains rights based on unfounded belief>>>..no we actually got books/trust individual priests/teachers.

<<How you can compare/..scientifically backed..information>>with the science...yeah...how about revealing some science..info does not equal fact

<<the religious are..getting laws..that give them more rights..than others.>>>..name names..what laws..oh retarded other..laws of belief protect..even your right..to dis-belief

<<we are going over trodden ground>>>..i thought more building on weak foundations....entering a cesspool/quicksand/laststand

<<I don't see there being..any way to fight/..the taxation status of religion>>>simply speaking..they dont got..any..tax status...

see the key is..not applying for tax..in the first place....simply via applying..you fall under/subject..to..laws obligating tax payment...but..your too dumb to fill in the gaps

you pay tax..because its volenteerd..via..your own declarations..no tax file/..no declaration...no tax

woot woot
woot woot /woot..
toot toot

OUG you make no sense. I can't work out what your saying, except your obviously having your position of priviledge feeling threatened. The bits I can understand, are just kinda weak namecalling.

Why not be open-minded and come along to the Atheist Convention and see what it's about?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI