Sydney Atheists

As you probably know, the 2011 census will take place on August 9th. Some of you may already have received the census forms. Even though the census has many questions, the religion question gets all the attention. Various groups have asked people to carefully consider which religion they mark; they should only mark religions they actually follow. You can see that the question hasn't been changed since 1971; seven of the possible answers are some form of Christianity. Even Christians have complained that they wouldn't know which denomination to choose. This was different in 1971, when Anglicans and Catholics considered each other separate species. Even though a few of them interbred succesfully.

If you want to know what went on at the Sydney Atheists Big Day Out, and what Ian and Pell's sidekick did discuss, the YouTube video is out.

Sydney's alternative newpaper City Hub feastured Fleur, Carrie, and Kerry prominently on their April 21 cover.

Journalist Kieran Adair of City Hub spend the entire day on the bus to report on the Chaplaincy and Census campaign. Read also the interview with Fleur and Andrew inside.

“There is every cause for angst if people give up on God.”, Bishop Anthony Fisher declared last Easter, receiving support from Archbishop Peter Jensen and Cardinal George Pell. On Palm Sunday, April 17, Sydney Atheists will respond with their first ever bus campaign with the motto "No God? No Worries."

Inspired by similar campaigns in Europe and the UK, an original red double-decker bus bearing the motto "No God? No Worries" will be cruising the streets of Sydney, meeting congregations at St Marys and St Andrews as well as delivering a petition to the Prime Minister at Kirribilli House.

Apart from the simple message that it is possible to be "Good without God", we prepared a petition that the Chaplaincy in Schools program not be misused for religious recruiting. Furthermore, we ask Australians who are not religious, to actually mark "No religion" at the upcoming census.

Join us on our tour through Sydney to support Atheism as a completely normal point of view. Something you shouldn't worry about. The bus will depart at 10am from Humanist House, Chippendale. The seats on the bus have been allocated, but you are invited to join us at one of our stops in Sydney's CBD. The "No God? No Worries" bus route includes stops at St Marys Cathedral (11:30am), Kirribilli House (12:45pm) and St Andrews/Town Hall Square (2:45pm).

Sydney Atheists in response to the erroneous reporting on the Catholic Website, www.sydneycatholic.org, wish to advise the following:

The counter protest was initiated by Laura, who personally opposed the continued harassment of vulnerable women and the workers of the PreTerm Women's Clinic. Laura herself is not an Atheist, and not a member of Sydney Atheists. Laura was offered advice and support from Sydney Atheists. Because of a mutual interest in human rights, Sydney Atheists applied for a permit. With the permit granted, Laura has continued to organise the protest, and the protest now includes some members of Sydney Atheists.

Funds Raised for Sydney Atheists Bus

Last Saturday we launched the Sydney Atheists Bus campaign officially at Cafe Well Connected, in Glebe. It was not just a nice evening among free-thinker, but also raised more than $800. Thanks to everybody, especially to Murray for digging deep to get the two best seats on the bus.

Sydney Atheists accept donations for the bus campaign. Under the banner "No god? No worries" we will advertise atheism as view point.

The easiest way to donate to Sydney Atheists is through PayPal's secure servers.

Alternatively, you can make a deposit directly to the Sydney Atheists St George Bank account: BSB 112-879 account no. 410 136 189.

Say where you are now, not where you used to be.

Don't enter your childhood religion on the Census if you've left it behind.

Lets give the Government accurate information so they don't believe that you believe in banning Stem Cell Research, Abortion rights, and Free Speech.

Sydney Atheists Incorporated
Annual General Meeting
will be held Monday, 20 December 2010
7pm at the Broadway Lounge, corner of Broadway and Shepherd St, Chippendale.

Agenda:
confirmation of the minutes of the last AGM
reports on the activities of the association during the last year
election of secretary and treasurer
reception and consideration of the financial statement

A podcast from the archives while we re-engineer the show: Alan Conradi, Ian Woolf, Fleur Dickinson, Jason Brown and Dave the Happy Singer discuss Jesus All About Life and the NSW Chaplains programme.