5 June 08
The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc response to the Victorian Law Reform Commission’s (VLRC) report on the law of abortion.
If Australia were a theocracy, a conscience vote on abortion would be the norm. However, we are a secular democracy. Politicians are obliged under that model to consider the informed wishes of the public. They must also take into account whether any proposed law is gender discriminatory and ensure the good outweighs any harm. Most importantly, empirical evidence and not personal belief has to be the decider. Any politician who cannot accept these criteria has only one option and that is to abstain.
Abortion is a stand alone issue, making ethical deliberation complicated for some. This leads to subjective appraisal always attempting to override reasoned assessment. It is an easy path to overplay abortion as a moral concern even though, in doing so; the ensuing consequences have a history steeped in disaster for fecund females.
President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc, David Nicholls said. “The personal choice of abortion does not need the added pressure of having ambiguous moralising laws in the background. Parliament is duty-bound to remove all relevant sanctions from the statute books.”
Of the three Models presented by the VLRC, it is only Model C that:
- says all Victorians are created equal
- says the medical procedure must be regulated like all others
- trusts women and their partners to negotiate the moral issues
- delivers the respect and support that all women and couples facing a problem pregnancy deserve
The choice for politicians is clear.
Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc
Private Mail Bag 6
MAITLAND SA 5573
Phone: (08) 8835 2269
Website: http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au
E-Mail: info@atheistfoundation.org.au
5 May 08
There is a growing disquiet amongst Atheists concerning the looming Catholic World Youth Day. Atheists are rightfully upset that secular governments are spending lavishly on supporting a particular belief system, which demonstrably is no better in its historical and present political and social context than any other.
A huge wooden cross back-dropped by a macabre 'sacred' corpse and an elderly bloke in flowing robes, surrounded by a plethora of costumed priests and bishops, provides a false impression of the deeper negative implications.
Even though numerical Catholicism in the Western world is in a plummeting free-fall, its destructive influence in developing nations is growing alarmingly. Parts of Africa, Asia, South America and the Philippines suffer tremendously under the well recorded heel of irrational and compassionless Vatican dogma.
President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc, David Nicholls said. “Australian support for this superstitious entourage makes it a guilty party in the religious oppression of millions of people on a scale never before witnessed by humanity.”
Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc
Private Mail Bag 6
MAITLAND SA 5573
Phone: (08) 8835 2269
Website: http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au
E-Mail: info@atheistfoundation.org.au
28 April 08
Atheism has few friends in the media who are willing or able to proclaim clearly, proudly and concisely secular ideas as a matter of urgency for humanity. The few who burst forth with unsettling concepts demonstrate a necessary beacon of independent thought, because they can.
One such person was Pamela Bone. With a passion born of understanding and a fierce determination resulting from witnessing large and small-scale horrors, she reported it all with a humour defined by the need to remain sane in an often all-too-insane world. Pamela Bone projected thoughts onto paper as inspired artists represent every minute and important detail on canvas.
We will miss the cutting wit, the intelligent comment, the reasoned appraisal and, most of all, we will miss knowing that somewhere out there Pamela Bone is no longer working at making the world a better place for everyone.
Goodbye Pamela, we will not meet again. Your impact on all that is good lives after you. Your example begs imitation. Your life was more worthwhile than most of us can dream of equalling. Thank you for being on our side so effectively. Your blink in infinity is over. It will not be forgotten.
Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc
Private Mail Bag 6
MAITLAND SA 5573
Phone: (08) 8835 2269
Website: http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au
E-Mail: info@atheistfoundation.org.au
24 March 08
The call by Abu Bakar Bashir for “young Muslims to die as martyrs” is yet another example of irresponsible incitement by extremist Islamist elements. Curbing such inflammatory sentiment is not achievable by ignoring it. Paying no heed to hate-speak, places the lives and wellbeing of targeted people and bystanders at eventual risk.
The Australian government is duty-bound to protest to Indonesia at the highest diplomatic level. Whether this eventually involves the reassessment of aid, a review of cooperation between the armed forces or some other measure, is a ministerial matter.
It is also well-nigh the time for moderate Muslim clerics, world-wide, strongly, consistently and continually to voice their disapproval at the rantings of the likes of Abu Bakar Bashir, in sermons and in the media. They should also petition regimes from where such venom emanates.
President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc, David Nicholls said. “Islamic individuals must start a grass-roots movement, making it crystal clear to their leaders that decent people revile those hell-bent on creating indiscriminate mayhem in the name of religion.”
Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc
Private Mail Bag 6
MAITLAND SA 5573
Phone: (08) 8835 2269
Website: http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au
E-Mail: info@atheistfoundation.org.au
19 March 08
Ah... Easter... shops full of tinsel-covered chocolate eggs... an ancient tradition of our forbears who celebrated the end of a bleak and hungry winter with a festival to welcome spring. Australians, of course, are not starving and are probably celebrating the end of a heat wave or rain, rather than looking forward to winter. But a bellyful of chocolate might cushion the blow of another interest rate hike.
Christianity puts its own spin on the ancient celebration. Instead of celebrating the ‘death’ of winter and the ‘rebirth’ of spring, Christians celebrate the murder of a god/man on Friday, and his re-birth the following Sunday. And if this isn't miraculous enough, this sacrificial victim is also a ‘scapegoat’.
Instead of sacrificing goats and sheep to keep god happy, Christians sacrificed a living human, so their god would forgive the sins of everyone else!
We should be happy about this, but the morality is troublesome. If someone does an ‘evil’ act, is it ok for the courts to send an innocent man to jail instead? If not, why not? The Christian god did it. It’s scarcely a good example to set children. Wouldn’t it be better for people to take responsibility for their own actions and enjoy the cycles of nature without symbolic sacrificial murder?”
Peter Taylor
Public Relations Team
Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc
Private Mail Bag 6
MAITLAND SA 5573
Phone: (08) 8835 2269
Website: http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au
E-Mail: info@atheistfoundation.org.au
10 February 08
The comments concerning marriage and divorce for Muslims by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, demonstrate a lack of understanding of the Western legal system. Laws are not made to fit populist appeal, whether they are religious or secular in nature. They exist to define the rights and responsibilities of citizens in democracies in an effort to make all equal before the law. Even though glaring anomalies exist in present legislature, the ideal is immutable.
To actually introduce a regulatory system which varies depending on ideological demands is a huge step backwards, and a sizeable chunk out of the safety net of pluralism.
The Archbishop has made a blunder of immense proportions and he must retract the ill conceived statements concerning Sharia law and apologise forthwith.
President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc, David Nicholls said. “Apparently, Dr. Williams wishes to increase the existing religious discrimination, to which it feels entitled, against women and gays etc to encompass the Muslim religion also. If all the faiths really lived up to the ethics they so proudly and loudly proclaim, bigotry would be decreased, not expanded upon.”
31st December 07
The brutal censorial death of Benazir Bhutto, those around her at the time
and the horrendous injuries inflicted in the name of politicised religion,
once again reveal the intractable disease of the mind caused by childhood
faith-indoctrination.
This is not a problem specific to any one nation; it is part and parcel of
the combination of human nature and circumstance. Whether it is the
Christian George W Bush told by a god to decimate Iraq or a puppet of the
Islamic creed killing randomly, the end-result only varies by available
method.
The spectre of nuclear weapons in the hands of dissembled and rearranged
minds intent on introducing a particular ideology at any cost is now an
alarming closer reality. How long will luck be the arbiter of this dangerous
game played out in the name of hyper-active imagination?
Will the driving forces of childhood programming coupled with the
trepidation of our eventual demise, be a self-fulfilling prophesy for a
large part, or all of humanity in one horrific moment of gratuitous madness?
24th December 07
As expected ‘tis the season for vilification by Christianity of Atheism. Pulpits remonstrate against an evil humanity with religion the only saving antidote. What is wrong with this picture? Everything!
Humans are not inherently bad. The notion that we are in need of a set of instructions from a god enabling goodness to rule, is not only false, it has produced a self loathing civilisation trapped by its own manufactured narrow tenets. In the name of pious absolutism, hurt and oppression continues unabated, wreaking havoc on those falling outside of its arbitrary precepts.
Yes, there are good religious people, but they exist not because of belief in a supernatural realm and deity but despite such beliefs. The negatives of religion outweigh the benefits to the point of being a danger to the survival of life on earth.
Love, respect, compassion, cooperation, etc are evolutionary traits built on common desires. Therefore freely chosen Atheism is the default position for a more just and equitable society.
Atheism does not require an indoctrination process, as it contains no beliefs. Its only demand is that those with religious conviction supply evidence if they wish to manipulate the public to their way of thinking. So far, that evidence has not been forthcoming.
Editorial appearing in a Rome newspaper, The Roman Times, circa 100CE.
(Amazing discovery at the bottom of an archaeologically excavated early Christian outhouse)
(Due to unidentified staining, the translations may not be totally accurate)
15th December 07
Friends, Romans and countrypersons.
We, the followers of ancient and timeless traditions based on fact, are more than somewhat miffed at one of the new cults on the block. Christianity is attempting to take control of the celebration of Saturnalia. The followers of a mythical messiah have hijacked the life-story of our beloved god incarnate, Mithra, for their own perverted mind-manipulation of a minority of the gullible citizenry.
Mithra is the real redeemer of sins, whose promise is the resurrection of the body after death. As is well known, he was born of a virgin on December the 25th. Shepherds announced his birth. He ate with his disciples and then ascended into heaven. The Christians have stolen and slightly altered this historical occurrence, as have other cultures in the region.
The Egyptian infidels foolishly follow the imaginary god, Horus, born of the virgin Isis, as the saviour of humankind, so they tell. The Greeks say their virgin goddess, Kore, gave birth to Dionysus, also known as Ies or Jesus. These copycat myths and others that abound are a danger to the cohesiveness of our Empire, society and the family unit. They must be curtailed.
If we are to retain the real reason for the winter solstice celebration of dies natalis solis invicti, (birthday of the invincible sun) all the other pretenders need exposing for the frauds they are. The lion’s share of the work in foiling these impostors lies with those rightfully accepting Mithra as the one true god.
It is comforting to know that Mithra has always been with us, and will be, long after these other atheistic trouble-making zealots with their false gods have disappeared into the mists of time.
Justus Stupidibus
Editor
The Roman Times
16th November 07
The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc Social Issues Survey sent to 500 sitting and aspiring politicians achieved its goal. So far, it has demonstrated that:
Approximately 70 candidates have not treated the electorate with contempt.
The fear of the perceived ‘faith’ vote has frightened the majority of politicians.
An unknown number of potential leaders hide their personal religious ‘beliefs’.
The media has lost its way with investigative journalism.
Religion continues directly and indirectly to compromise Democracy.
President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc, David Nicholls, said of the survey: “The honesty and integrity of those who have filled in the Survey makes them very worthy of consideration at the election on 24th November. In regard to those who did not respond, there could be no better example of the expression of bringing into office, ‘a pig in a poke’.”
The AFA is hopeful that a little prodding by the media will substantially increase the numbers of our prospective leaders willing to inform the public what they think on these vital social issues.
http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/survey.htm
6th November 07
The public expects to choose its leaders with full knowledge of the opinions held on economic, social and environmental matters. A fully informed electorate is the essential engine of democracy.
In light of this, the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc has sent a Social Issues Survey to federal political aspirants regarding modern community concerns. It is the unwritten task of investigative journalism to seek, question and report the attitudes of contenders, on not only monetary and ecological policy, but any hidden personal beliefs. This is especially the case if those values influence politicians to vote against the public interest.
The AFA Social Issues Survey is unique in that it supplies the media a framework on which to build a helpful profile of those seeking to exercise power on behalf of all Australians.
David Nicholls, president of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc stated; “Western democratic systems are beset with people using dogma instead of rational and reasoned evaluation as a guide in making law. This is leading civilisation back into a Dark Age mentality. Those recognising the threat are duty-bound to react according to their capacity.
When oppression grows, brought about by inaction, it will be a heavy burden to bear.”
24th October 07
Over six million people declared no religious affiliation or did not answer the question concerning religion in the 2006 Census. It would be no exaggeration to suggest that millions of voters are, to say the least, uneasy about aspiring parliamentarians prostituting their wares in the beds of various denominations.
Australia is subject to the same real problems besetting humanity and the biosphere as the rest of the world. A large proportion of those dilemmas have their basis in the main ‘faiths’ which dangerously believe humans are protected by ‘providence’ and are a special species originated by a god.
With no evidence for such lavish claims, anymore than there is for fairies, some politicians still pander to the wild imaginations of those who base their reasoning on childhood indoctrination by one of the numerous religions. Many of our leaders have also succumbed to such fanciful methods.
President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc, David Nicholls said; “The predicaments faced by the planet which are bringing us ever closer to extinction are not going to be solved by imaginary beings and realms. Now, as never before, politicians, who place reliance on supernatural concepts in decision-making, should be shunned like the plague.”
29th August 07
Without any hesitation, from a plethora of contenders, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and George W Bush were the lucky recipients chosen by the full Committee of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc for the annual prestigious G.O.D. Award. (Grossly Outlandish Deficiency)
Both are self god ordained saber rattling antagonistic leaders; one has nuclear weapons at his whimsical disposal and the other is hell bent on trying to obtain them. George takes direction unswervingly from his personal savior and Mahmoud often states that Israel should be wiped from the face of the earth.
Language from each side depicts the more ‘colorful’ side of religion and is exemplified by terms such as the ‘Great Satan’ and the ‘Axis of evil’. These men make the planet immeasurably more unsafe and unstable than any presently in power. Their individualistically opposite theocratic notions of reality are a danger to all life on earth.
The volatile parts of the Middle East and further a field have tensions fuelled to levels well beyond a rational dialogue when the messages passed between Bush and Ahmadinejad are underlined by or overtly promote hatred.
President of the AFA, David Nicholls stated; “The tenseness of the standoff between Iran and the USA is now a matter of one having super-weapon power over the other. What will be the result when this becomes more equal?”
Once again, as is usual with this award, in it having no substance and being ethereal by nature, in line with religious convention, this should pose no problem to the beneficiaries.
13th August 07
John Howard and Kevin Rudd are both appealing to Christian values in an effort to enhance their status as worthy leaders. But what are these Christian values we’re supposed to admire? As neither Howard nor Rudd are keen to spell them out, the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc decided to take a look. We discovered it’s easier to gain an understanding of Christian values by looking at the things they oppose rather than the things they reckon they support.
Christian values oppose granting relief from misery and unremitting pain to terminally ill patients who desire to die with dignity.
Christian values oppose equality for women; by (a) maintaining they should be subservient to their husbands, and (b) insisting they have not the right to decide whether or not they are able, emotionally and/or financially, to give a child the best possible upbringing. To this end they oppose both legal termination of pregnancies and the availability of RU486, thus denying the benefits from its widespread introduction that have been observed in advanced Western nations.
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Christian values oppose equal rights for same-sex couples.
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Christian values oppose anti-discrimination legislation, by demanding exemptions for all activities in which they have some interest.
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Christian values oppose broad comprehensive sex education for all students, despite voluminous research proving it is the best way to prevent unwanted pregnancies, premature sexual experimentation and sexually transmitted diseases.
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Christian values oppose stem-cell research which has the real potential of leading to cures for many intractable health problems besetting humanity.
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Christian values oppose strong opposition to the teaching of creationism; so-called “intelligent design”, thus undermining both science, and the development of rational thinking in students.
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Christian values oppose a balanced approach to teaching about religions. Instead of a broad-based study of human religions, beliefs and values throughout history, they want to indoctrinate young minds with their own unsubstantiated belief system.
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Christian values oppose the right of state school students to be free of religious indoctrination, by demanding access to state schools through tax-payer funded Christian chaplaincy programs, thus replacing properly trained School Counsellors – a social disaster!
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Christian values oppose a fair deal for everyone by refusing to pay tax on the profits of their enterprises, thus creating an enormous, unfair burden on honest taxpayers who haven’t this right to evade their moral duty.
The AFA has sent a Questionnaire on a number of these matters to all federal politicians. It is alarming how few have responded! Are our representatives with no ‘faith’ frightened to be honest because of a possible religious backlash? Or are they merely the lap-dogs of political power-brokers, fearful of repercussions for non-compliance?
Whatever their reasons, it is inexcusable that those touting for votes by pushing Christian values are so contemptuous of the electorate that they refuse to state them in the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc survey.
http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/survey.htm
Our parliamentarians enact laws binding on all Australians. If they are using Christian values to determine what makes a good law, then it is high time these values were written down clearly, and published for everyone to see. How else can we learn to trust political decisions? By concealing their values and motives, politicians undermine our fragile democracy. More than half the voting population has no interest in religion, so to continue pretending that Christian values are somehow better than, or different from the universal ethical guidelines that have kept humanity going for a couple of hundred thousand years, is stupid and unrepresentative.
The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc president, David Nicholls said; “If the citizens of Australia want to keep their society democratic, secular and pluralist, then they should demand answers from would-be politicians, whether they represent a political party or are ‘Independents’ – far too many of whom are merely front men and women for religious organisations. This is the only way to make your vote count.”
24th July 07
“It is a ludicrous and untenable situation where a female’s right to make decisions concerning fertility control is forever under threat by a minority of religious fanatics,” said David Nicholls, president of the Atheist Foundation of Australia.
Pious leaders, distorting and irrationally altering the thinking of adherents, is intrinsic to all faiths but the results of this mind-control must not be forced by law onto the wider community. The place for such unreasonable manipulative dogma is within the confines of churches, amid consenting adults and not in parliament.
Politicians with a genuine intent to serve society, who are unwilling or unable to discount their induced holy misogyny, have no choice but to abstain from voting on the current bill to decriminalize abortion. Failure in this regard is aiding and abetting, by theocratic decree, the growing blurring of the line separating church and state.”
Nicholls concluded: “If defeated, this bill will be a savage and unjustified attack on the inherent rights of women and that is totally unacceptable in a country espousing democratic equality."
27th June 07
The release of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census figures on religion has reinforced that the observance of faith in Australia is in continual decline. Information so far made public demonstrates no-religion, the only category in ascendancy, has increased by a marked 3.2%.
20% of the population (four million) are children under the age of 14. They do not possess the mental maturity to make decisions on the complex issue of religious belief.
Participants robotically stating ones birth-religion even if no longer practised; one parent aligning other members of the family to their particular faith, again, even if not true shows the figures supporting religious belief are grossly overstated.
The question itself presupposes a religious view is held.
Important political decisions using the premise of high religious observance by Australians is clearly based on a falsity.
That the leaders of all religions do not attempt to rectify the situation of specious Census figures reveals the morals they so vigorously espouse, are sadly lacking.
This kind of demographic deception is unhelpful to democracy.
26th April 07
According to the 2001 Australian Census, 27% of Australians profess no religion. In order that those citizens can make an informed choice on Election Day, the below survey has been sent to all members of the House of Representatives and the Senate as of this date 26th April 07. Responses, as they become available may be viewed at
RESULTS
Dear Candidate,
According to the 2001 Australian Census, 27% of Australians profess no religion. In order that those citizens can make an informed choice on Election day, we urge you to complete our short survey [approximately 2 minutes].
Thankyou.
David Nicholls
President
Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc
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(27th January 1916 – 14th March 2007)
21st March 07
Keith Stanton Cornish, founding member and past president for 30 years of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc, died in the Modbury Hospital, Adelaide on 14th March, 07 after becoming ill the night before. He was 91 years of age.
Keith relentlessly strived to keep religion out of politics and for children to be unburdened of faith-driven propaganda. He recognised long before others, such as Richard Dawkins, in The God Delusion, that the religious indoctrination of young minds with the threat of a hell is mental child abuse.
Keith was happily married to Brenda for 59 years, fathered four children, was the grandfather of eight and great grandfather of one and a half. He was loved and highly respected by them all.
Keith was a good, gentle, kind, honest, wise and thoughtful person esteemed by friends and colleagues alike and the description ‘gentleman’ could have no better use. Even detractors found to their dismay that his calm and rational outlook on life destroyed the ‘evil’ Atheist illusion.
After stepping down as president, Keith continued in an active capacity on the Committee of Management of the AFA, corresponding to inquiries as a Public Relations Team member until a few days before his death.
For the record, Keith did not recant his Atheistic views, to the end. He would have been appalled at such a suggestion.
Newspaper Letters Sections containing intelligent missives, signed KS Cornish, will be no more.
The world has lost a principal advocate for atheism and for the widespread acceptance of the supremacy of reason.
4th January 07
The Federal Government announcement, via Tony Abbott, of $51 million going to Catholic-controlled pregnancy counselling services is an alarming continuation of religious intrusion in the political/social sphere.
This is on top of a $90 million impost for the ill-conceived Australia-wide chaplaincy program.
There already exists property rate exemptions, taxation benefits, private-school funding and other privileges being pilfered from the communal purse.
This growing religious ideological push is unrepresentative of the population, a recipe for social divisiveness and a blueprint for increased inequality.
Tony Abbott has succumbed to a well-honed faith-based infant indoctrination process and needs to recognise that delusional thinking should be kept as a private matter between consenting adults.
It must not be used to form public policy for a secular political system.
Contracting religious organisations to fulfil government welfare or other responsibilities can do naught but carry a heavy unhelpful bias.
22nd December 06
Despite no ex-biblical historical evidence for the alleged miraculous
happenings in the New Testament; despite the alleged historical character
known as Jesus was most likely a composite production of later years,
despite the knowledge there has never been one instance of a reliably
recorded supernatural occurrence in all of history, in a universe governed
by natural laws, the Christmyth persists.
Planet Earth faces immense problems with Global Warming, overpopulation,
diminishing energy supplies and ecological system breakdown of such
seriousness as to affect future survival. Humanity is playing a fools
game continuing to indoctrinate children with mythological stories as though
they represent reality.
The striking differences in theological fantasies of the main religions, all
held as the 'truth', with equal fervour, points very obviously they all
result from wishful delusion. Each group has, or is intending to have,
nuclear weapons. Each group has always demonstrated aggressive behaviours
to the others.
Will it be of help to the desperate and doomed survivors to suddenly realise
it really was a Christmyth?
30th October 06
By initiating “A NATIONAL school chaplaincy program”, the Federal Government renewed and exacerbated harm for upcoming generations of students. The very act of a system authorized by parliament gives undue credibility to a set of myths, which are not supported by known facts. This is nothing less than the manipulation of the minds of children who are still learning critical analysis skills.
Existing chaplaincy programs demonstrate overwhelming attraction of the zealous evangelical/fundamentalist/Pentecostal side of Christianity whose one purpose in life is to win converts. The effects on students with other ‘faiths’ or none, will be negative, as their ‘beliefs’ or lack thereof are not privileged with the same government sanction. “Non-denominational” in essence, means Christian supremacy.
The consideration, that ‘values’ rest mainly within the precinct of a particular religion is patently false and arrogant. Such thinking emanates from religiously indoctrinated politicians and not from clear-headed evaluation of available empirical evidence. In fact, the opposite can often result exampled by an unnecessary confusion on social mores and curtailment of scientific endeavour.
Leaving the introduction of chaplaincy programs to cash strapped or agenda driven school councils and principals is inviting the worst outcome possible. The priority of the education system must be that properly trained professionals perform counselling of children. A few weeks course by persons of strong religious persuasion is a recipe with consequences that will include detrimental exploitation of young minds.
The duty of care to Australia’s most vulnerable citizens is compromised by curricula emphasising reliance on ‘faith’ over actual teaching of knowledge. Governments are elected to safeguard an open society, including its youngest members and not to propagandise narrow divisive viewpoints. Moreover, whether the official promotion of Christianity is an infringement of the overall intent of Section 116 of the Australian Constitution is a moot point.
We call upon members of parliament, state and federal, to not support this or any chaplaincy program but rather build upon existing initiatives more conducive to a pluralist society.
David Nicholls
President
Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc
Ian Robinson
President
Rationalist Society of Australia
Dr John L Perkins
President
Secular Party of Australia
Dr Max Wallace
Australian National Secular Association (ANSA)
Humanist Society of Queensland
Steve Maxwell
Secretary
Rationalist Association of NSW
Humanist Society of NSW
21st October 06
The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc calls upon all elected representatives to recognise the dangers inherent in smothering democracies and endangering humanity et al with the present religious fetish sweeping the globe. A mustard seed of reason is all that is needed to conclude there is not a skerrick of evidenced for anything supernatural and that such concepts result from the evolutionary process hyping imaginations through cultural and specific religious indoctrination.
The planet is facing enough potential and established crises and they only have the possibility of being lessened or averted by rational thought and due deliberation. Pretend god games create enmity between nations and engender a false sense of personal security at the cost of oppressing selected groups.
President of the AFA, David Nicholls had this to say; “Those ‘believing’ in magical invisible friends and kingdoms are as deluded as they consider adherents of all the other religions, of which there is a bountiful supply. It is nigh time that politicians, community leaders and statespersons, not infected with the ‘faith’ gene/meme, to stand-up and be counted by injecting voices of sanity into the public arena.”
21st September 06
Atheists rise to the challenge of a
PUBLIC DEBATE in Launceston, TASMANIA by ‘creationists’ at the Horton Auditorium, Scotch Oakburn Senior School, Penquite Road, NEWSTEAD on Friday 29th September 2006, 7.00PM — 9.30PM.
President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia, David Nicholls said; “We have accepted the challenge by Craig Hawkins from the Combined Baptist Churches of Launceston, to debate evolution, science, Atheism, religion and creationism because of the importance to humanity of these topics. Mr Hawkins offered the challenge as a reaction against the AFA television advertisement linking religion with oppression. However, we insist Atheism is a proven positive force for civilization. Those proposing there are supernatural realms and entities must supply evidence universally accepted in the court of reason. As there have been many thousands of religions, this is a very straightforward and reasonable request.”
There has never been a more crucial time in history when all religions are in need of critical analysis. The involvement of various faiths and sects in present world affairs and potential future planetary strife makes this imperative and urgent. Atheism is not opposed to religion per se, but is vehemently against unevidenced monotheistic childhood indoctrination.
Nicholls added; “The media profitably filled the airwaves and its pages when “intelligent design” exploded onto the Australian scene.
Now is the chance to do some responsible and genuine investigative reporting on the methods and distortions supporting these socially disruptive, scientifically erroneous and globally dangerous delusions? The AFA has accepted the challenge but the question is
will the media attend and do likewise?”
ANNUAL G.O.D. AWARD
18th September 06
Without any hesitation, Pope Benedict XVI was the lucky recipient chosen by the full Committee of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc. for the annual prestigious G.O.D. award. (Grossly Outlandish Deficiency)
The assessment was not solely based on the total lack of responsibility regarding the rejection of the use of condoms in the fight against HIV/AIDS in developing nations, even though this resulted in an immensity of death and misery. Nor were Vatican proclamations in opposition to same sex unions, stem cell research or the many other inanities, the deciding factor.
The Islamic blunder was not surprising as each religion in reality, regardless of the occasional expression of ecumenical nicety, hold all the others in such low esteem.
The pivotal about face of giving legitimacy to the “intelligent design” guess was by far the most disturbing announcement, with the largest negative implications for the planet. The ammunition afforded fundamentalist forces already setting humanity on a course to theocratic tyranny, have their non-case bolstered by such an irresponsible conclusion. Pope John Paul II, who conceded that evolution was an irrefutably correct interpretation of nature, would be turning in his sepulchre on hearing such nonsense.
President of the AFA, David Nicholls noted; “One is left wondering if the white smoke at pope-choosing time was not the result of partaking in illicit substances. Recent papal advocacy of matters irrational suggests that if so, it appears the illegal habit continues.”
Once again, as is usual with this award, in it having no substance and being ethereal by nature, in line with religious convention, this should pose no problem to the beneficiary.
RELIGIOUS INDOCTRINATION AND THE MIDDLE EAST
9th August, 06
It is an unknown quantity whether historical factors, grievances and revenge without end in the Middle East will escalate in an out of control fashion involving the rest of the world. Atrocity upon atrocity is creating a human tragedy so vile in proportion that future generations can never escape the now exacerbated hatred of old. As the loathing increases in parallel with the wider availability of technological advances in warfare, at some stage there is the inevitable guarantee of the inclusion of super-weapons in the conflict.
The metaphorical oil lubricating the situation is the Abrahamic religions of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. These three imaginary god-states, all unevidenced and relying solely upon infant indoctrination, need recognition as a threat, not just to the region but also to the whole of humanity. The planet has enough real problems with, a looming energy crisis, global warming, overpopulation and failing eco-systems with which to contend.
David Nicholls, president of the AFA said; “The unnecessary addition of brainwashing children with the concept of imaginary beings is a burden no longer acceptable to a civilisation on the brink of annihilation. The cost of religious delusion may turn out to be more than the human race can pay.”
THE CENSUS QUESTION ON RELIGION
A falsity with adverse political ramifications
14th July, 06
Once again, the Australian public will fill out the non-obligatory question on the Census form concerning religious affiliation. Most have no understanding that stating their present philosophical status and not their infant and on indoctrinated ‘faith’ is a prerequisite for accuracy.
The idea of the question is to allow for planning into the future but it has become an exercise in chicanery in providing false figures to bolster flagging religious statistics. The outcome of the interference in state matters, greater than the actual real numbers of adherents, distorts democracy in a most unhealthy manner.
Church leaders are aware of the inaccuracy in the counting method and the undue augmentation of influence but remain silent as the lie is in their favour. The morals, values and absolutes so often used to rail against social ills, perceived or real, do not see the light of day on this most important issue.
David Nicholls, president of the AFA said; “If the religious question in the Census was truthfully answered, the Atheist (Non-religious) numbers would be somewhere between 30% and 50% or more. People are answering it along traditional lines even though they have long since had no connection with or belief in a particular religion. It is a sign of mental immaturity to continue with this sham in accommodating a very small percentage of the population.”
11th June, 06
Opposition to the Civil Unions legislation in the ACT by John Howard is yet another example of interfering conservative religious views. These should remain a quaint obsession between consenting adults in private.
There is no sign of concern for the negative consequences of a continual denial of lesbian and gay equality. Financial discrimination, emotional hardship, physical harm and death result from these stereotype utterances from the highest levels of government.
It is a travesty of natural justice when people who love, respect each other, live good lives and are productive members of society must take a back seat to the particular religious indoctrination of certain politicians.
There is a considerable weakening of democracy once officialdom kowtows to destructive views supported only by unevidenced religious hyperactive imagination. The primary concern of civil unions or indeed, marriage, is that two people are willing to commit legally as an expression of partnership. The warped religious emotional baggage of the self-righteous has no place in the equation.
Spokesperson for the Atheist Foundation of Australia, president, David Nicholls added: “Same sex bigotry originated in the days where sexual ignorance and superstition were in colusion. Most intelligent and educated people recognise this inescapable fact. Who doesn’t, is deluded.”
TELEVISION CAMPAIGN BEGINS
2nd May, 06
The Atheist Foundation of Australia is deeply concerned at the ever-encroaching interference of religion in State and Federal politics. Therefore, it has initiated a series of television advertisements, alerting the public to the consequences of blurring state and church boundaries. The campaign had a successful trial presentation on South Australian television and next in-line will be Tasmania, followed by the other states and territories.
The blind adherence to words of ancient tribesmen is having an increasingly detrimental influence on our pluralist system of governance. Voters need to be aware of the consequences of over-representation of religion in affairs of state, as is exampled by rampant fundamentalist zealotry distorting policy in the USA.
David Nicholls, President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia added; “It is essential for society to re-examine the mistaken notion that unchecked religion is either benign at worst or even good for democracy, for it is neither. There is urgency in that reason must prevail over ‘faith’ or oppression and tyranny will proliferate.”
22nd April, 06
Congratulations to the Queensland Education Department in making changes to regulations regarding religious instruction in state schools. Parents and guardians are now required to sign a form if they require the child in their care to be further religiously indoctrinated via the school system. It is also of note that other ‘faiths’ and no faith instruction is now available.
With only 9% of the population regularly attending a church, this anachronistic system of ‘forced’ religious instruction by all state governments and territories, must end. Queensland has taken a first small step towards a reasonable and rational approach.
David Nicholls, President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia said, “Specific religious indoctrination of children by government must be immediately replaced by teaching comparative religion combined with training in the use of universally accepted ethics. Schools exist to educate, not indoctrinate.”
14th April, 06
The real and original meaning of Easter has its roots in antiquity celebrating survival through the harsh northern winter into a food productive spring. The joy generated by the return of the Sun is as old as humanity itself. Our ancient forebears accredited this event to the particular gods in vogue. The European god Eostre, from which Easter derives its name and the Greek god Persephone are but two of note but numerous others strutted the supernatural stage.
Christianity usurped the existing gods, replacing them with their own by assimilation and by force. Similarly, the Easter
festival slowly took on the trappings of the new 'faith'. This feat achieved by retaining the age-old themes of god/men, virgin births, resurrections and miraculous happenings. There is nothing new in the Christian myths.
5th April, 06
John Howard insists he is not anti-gay, but he is not telling the whole truth. Mr Howard failed to mention that gay marriage is against his particular indoctrinated Christian view and he doesn't mind distorting democracy in its support.
Politicians and church leaders remain shamefully silent on how such narrow attitudes detrimentally affect homosexual people. These include, causing depression, a sense of worthlessness, suicide, isolation, physical harm, psychological damage and death by thoughtless 'gay bashers'. The majority of society understands that same sex orientation is a part of the sexual spectrum.
As with the overturning of the NT Voluntary Euthanasia legislation, the government is imposing views born of ignorant ancient tribesmen, as though they are relevant in the modern world.
David Nicholls, President of the AFA said; "Will equality ever find its true meaning amongst the culturally induced bigotry still rampant in the 21st century?"
12th March, 06
The South Australian State election offers the promise of negatively altering social policy on a number of important fronts. The Family First Party, a purposed misnomer, will impinge on the rights of ordinary citizens in line with Christian Fundamentalist ideals. An adequate amount of investigative journalism, as it should, may curtail Family First from holding the powerful position of two seats in the Upper House. Many voters are unaware of the mischief inherent in a party that views church and state alliances as a must, in order to propagandise its narrow agenda.
Under threat will be; comprehensive sex education such as the Sexual Health and Reproductive Education Program (SHARE), the right to choose a termination, gay and lesbian equality, science lessons distorted by ‘intelligent design’, stem-cell research and Legal Voluntary Euthanasia aspirations. The touted message on drugs will have no beneficial effect but if implemented, would give young people a criminal record for life.
President of the AFA, David Nicholls, said; “The Family First party, with its divisive and retrograde policies is a danger to the democratic ideal. A party with no conscience about narrowing or even cementing together church and state boundaries is not deserving of any votes in a county that has so enormously prospered in every way because of pluralism.”
16th February, 06
The decision of the Lower House to repeal the control of RU486 by the Health Minister is a victory for women of Australia, democracy and a needed first wedge separating church and state. The women and men of parliament having unanimously voted on the facts presented in both the Senate and the House of Representatives are in need of congratulations for rejecting the strong theocratic push to override democratic process.
State and Federal governments must learn the lesson that religion and politics distorts outcomes and oppresses the very people who vote them into power.
10th February, 06
The Atheist Foundation of Australia publicly congratulates Senators voting in favour of removal of the Health Minister’s right to veto the use of RU486. We urge members of the Lower House to follow the same democratic path and resist surrendering to personal theological agenda.
The decision by the Senate is not only a victory of some magnitude for women’s rights to control their fertility but it is a clear expression by parliament that church and state are and must remain separate identities.
President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia, David Nicholls said; “Backdoor efforts to restrict already legalised abortion have been thwarted for the moment. The reputation, integrity and honesty of our governing system now rest with the House of Representatives.”
6th February, 06
Western democracies are under ideological attack. The slowly eroding rights and privileges wrought from the hands of corrupt theocracies over the centuries need vigilant protection by all levels of society. Autonomy of expression, including the satirical, is the most valued asset a forward thinking civilisation has in its protective arsenal.
Religions must be brought to heel if they wish to live under the shielding umbrella of pluralism. To set up sacred cows and then complain about pertinent comment from free society is nonsense.
Religions are suppressing ordinary rights in highly theocratic and even democratic states and use violence in many instances. Half the population of the planet, females, are victims of oppression with numerous others vilified. All forced to bend to individual interpretations of dogmatic rules invented by ancient, nomadic and ignorant desert tribesmen.
Atheist Foundation of Australia President, David Nicholls said: “Unevidenced supernatural ‘beliefs,’ the result of infant indoctrination, threaten governing stability worldwide and show promise of planetary upheaval. Exposing the dangers by all non-violent methods is not only imperative, but journalists, artists and the media in general are duty bound to humanity in this regard.
As Salman Rushdie stated: “Religions play ‘bare-knuckle rough’ all the time, but demand kid-glove treatment in return.” ”
19th January, 05
The Community Affairs Committee has received over 4,000 submissions regarding Ministerial responsibility of the drug RU486. The report that half are anti-abortion rhetoric with no reference to Ministerial control, should disallow their use in proceedings.
The large number is clear evidence that religious adherents have been programmed to respond. Therefore, the remaining submissions in favour of continued Ministerial control have the potential to be part of a contrived stratagem designed by a minority religious view and must be treated with due suspicion. They do not genuinely represent the wishes of the electorate, having concern only for an unproven supernatural notion rather than assisting the Committee in its deliberations.
Failure to consider the above would be a strong indication the Community Affairs Committee is acting on behalf of a would-be theocracy and not to the advantage of electors.
Atheist Foundation of Australia President, David Nicholls, added: “The Therapeutic Goods Administration service and its expert advisers can establish safety and efficacy of RU486 better than any single Minister. It is especially so if the Minister has a religious bias blurring his thoughts.”
19th December, 05
The roots of the holiday period of Christmas are deeply entwined with Mithraism, paganism and folk lore concerning changing seasons and its present manifestation owes more to the Coca Cola Company than to the imagined birth of a particular god. Although a percentage of Australians attend some kind of church service out of traditional habit, the main emphasis is on the giving and receiving of gifts.
Society needs to learn two lessons from this festive time. The piety expressed by the religious is nothing more than evolutionary produced ‘feeling’ culturally indoctrinated by each generation and the excessive gift giving is a massive environmental waste. The former places humans on an ecologically ravaging pedestal and the latter is either resulting from or supported by that erroneous thinking.
President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc, David Nicholls said: “The enjoyment of the company of others is not necessarily enhanced by forced, excessive and slavish commitment to selected days of the year. Averaging out good will over the whole year is much more preferable for community stability and workability. Celebrating the birth of yet another of the many people produced myths is mentally damaging to individuals and a danger to the future viability of the planet.”
13th November, 05
After considerable deliberation the Committee of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc voted that the annual prestigious Grossly Outlandish Deficiency Award, be presented to Roslyn Phillips, ‘Research Officer for the Festival of Light’.
This last year made available such a plethora of contenders, all promoting unsubstantiated vacuous nonsense, that the Committee very nearly concluded the award should be one in common to a number of irrepressible ‘faith’ pushers. There was Pat Robertson and his hysterical demand that the USA assassinate Hugo Chavez, Brendan Nelson catholically promoting ‘intelligent design’, Pope Benedict XVI continuing the traditional religious anti homosexual rant and so many other deserving recipients, that the Committee decided to look at the grassroots level of religion.
The excitement built to a crescendo as names and mumbo jumbo organisations flew around the room, all competing to be the lucky one. Hillsong, Peter Costello, Little Pebble, Peter Notere, a variety of Bishops and Archbishops, more Politicians than is healthy for a vibrant democracy and even State Education Ministers for allowing fundamentalism to infiltrate the State schools system.
Suddenly, miraculously, as though by divine intervention, the name Roslyn Phillips lifted itself above the others and a cry in unison of agreement accepted the nomination. Lo and behold, Adelaide town had its own notorious retrograde thinker. Invisible as Roslyn Phillips seems, all present recognised her continuous attempts at muddying the waters on many important social issues. Abysmally erroneous Voluntary Euthanasia, pro-choice and sex education proclamations on behalf of the ‘Festival of Light’ have been, over many years, her flagship trademarks. It was time to send forth the white smoke.
Once again, as is usual with this award, it having no substance and being ethereal in nature, in line with religious convention, this should pose no problem to the beneficiary.
2nd October, 05
The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc condemns the latest horrendous bombings in Bali as the work of induced insanity. It condemns the ‘spiritual’ leaders and the perpetrators and deems them distorted individuals, perverted by the control religion has over their lives. Grievances, either real or imagined, normally do not elicit such barbarity unless justified by conscience salving religion.
Terrorism of this nature will not go away at the chest-beating behest of Western leaders. Reducing civil liberties in democracies will do nothing but bring societies ever closer to tyrannical rule commensurate with a change of our own political/religious circumstances.
The falsehood that Christianity is somehow different to Islam in the terrorism stakes is a matter of chronological timing, supported unequivocally by the evidence. Wars, inquisitions, Crusades, slavery and the subjugation of women, indigenous races and the environment stand as testimony to the dangers to humanity when ‘faith’ rules supreme.
The touted sacred religious ‘absolutes’ have and do not guarantee respect for human life and liberty. The promise for the future is that if we do not learn from this sordid lesson, history will be repeated ad infinitum. Religion is always waiting in the wings, ready and willing to control by force when societies flounder.
David Nicholls President of the AFA said; “It is foolhardy not to critically examine the basis of all ethereal type ‘beliefs.’ Is the immensity of pain worth the continued playing of the pretend god game?”
The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc is at one in deep sorrow for those killed, injured or scarred mentally or physically for life because of these bombings.
5th September, 05
The disarray within the NSW Liberal party is directly attributable to religious fundamentalism. The insidious USA style of politics has crept in under the sanity radar because the population has been ‘protected’ from proper criticism of traditional ‘faiths’. Fundamentalism is a result of religion and it is not an aberration. As long as conventional religion exists, so will the extreme example.
Humanity is dicing with a return to the dark-ages or annihilation by allowing religious agendas to dominate the world and local scene. How many warnings are needed before the basis of all religion is crucially examined? They would be found lacking of any supporting evidence whatsoever under such an investigation. Are we happy to be submissive and go quietly to civilisation’s grave without a frightened whimper or rational suggestion that it is all a lie?
President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia, David Nicholls added: “It is a poor mental attitude that still wishes for mythical places and beings to exist with the vast and all-encompassing knowledge that is available to us today. It does not portend well for the future of politics or democracy.”
12th August, 05
Education Minister, Brendan Nelson is out of line in suggesting the tandem teaching of 'intelligent design' and evolutionary theory. The theory of Evolution is the result of testable, repeatable and checkable information, the product of disciplined scientific method. 'Intelligent design' is purely an assumption, and does not meet the standards of genuine scientific appraisal. There is no point in the promotion of the ID concept other than to lead children into a mind-set where they are then susceptible to accepting religious myth as fact.
ID is an attack on science, in that it plays upon yet unknown parts of evolutionary theory whilst ignoring the plethora of evidence in its favour. It also ignores fires, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, pathogens, disease and genetic malfunction, presumedly a macabre joke played by the 'intelligent designer'. Those gullible enough not to recognise ID's ideologically driven and intentionally deceptive agenda, should have no representation in forming education policy for the children of society who possess limited critical evaluation skills and who are the least able to mentally defend themselves.
President of The AFA, David Nicholls, said: “The promoters of ‘intelligent design’ are using the old ‘god of the gaps’ argument. 'ID' is not a theory, 'ID' is not a hypothesis, 'ID' is not even a very good guess.”
16th July, 05
We are irrefutably entrenched in World War III. However, stealth attack followed by brutal reprisal is not conducive to a resolution while continually ignoring the cause.
The platitudinal resolve displayed by world leaders does little for the victims as once only lives are gone or shattered. Seeking revenge, the response to mindless acts of savagery, will assure more innocent human-fodder fed into the unquenchable fires of ‘the war against terrorism’. Escalating tit-for-tat exchanges exploding into an all out nightmare scenario, is now a guessing game of not if, but when.
The mixture of religion and politics is humanity’s dire enemy. Generational ‘truths’ implanted, unrestricted into pliable minds, must become a mistake of the past. Indoctrinating children into monotheistic cultures, producing a ‘rightness’ beyond rational reproach, requires widespread condemnation.
Acceptance that a particular ‘god’ does or does not exist, or is the correct one, is not the problem. It is that young minds are psychologically susceptible to repetitious teaching of entrenched unevidenced religious ideas. This method ensures retention and blind unthinking reception in adulthood.
President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia, David Nicholls, added; “We cannot expect to influence other religions if we fear to question our own. Let adults ‘believe’ what they wish, if chosen without coercion, but the infant and on religious induction cycle must be broken. We are only one generation away from halting this induced violent insanity for evermore. There is no other way.”
6th July, 05
The annual Hillsong convention seems to have attracted a number of high profile politicians. The nature of religion disallows
the public from knowing if such fervour is the result of religiosity or expediency. Their public appearance validates one
'faith' over many others or none.
Australians should be aware that even relatively small numbers of evangelicals, bends politics in their favour more than is
warranted. The threat to social stability and equality on issues such as abortion, lesbian and gay rights and censorship is
real. The legitimate drive for the introduction of legal voluntary euthanasia, already stymied by frightened politicians,
suffers further setback by their presence.
Always able to find a minority to be the enemy of their imagined god, the greater their power the more enemies they will find.
President of The AFA, David Nicholls, said: "Leaders need to understand that religion going beyond being a private matter between consenting adults, is a looming threat to the
democratic ideal."
22nd June, 05
The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc is somewhat surprised by the actions of the South Australian Attorney General, Michael Atkinson, in choosing ‘Affirmation’ over Bible oath in the Ashbourne case. This public display of an incongruity between his *Christian ‘beliefs’ and secular practice begs the question as to why.
It is to be hoped that congratulations are in order to Mr Atkinson in setting an example, as the highest law interpreter in South Australia, in discounting the truth-binding power accredited to the writings of a superstitious age.
David Nicholls, President of the AFA said: “We take it on face value that Mr Atkinson saw fit to embrace secular ideals as an example to society.”
*The Attorney General, Michael Atkinson contacted the Atheist Foundation of Australia and explained his preference to be known as a Christian and that he always affirms. The AFA apologises for the mistake.
21st June, 05
The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc is somewhat surprised by the actions of the South Australian Attorney General, Michael Atkinson, in choosing ‘Affirmation’ over Bible oath in the Ashbourne case. This public display of an incongruity between his Roman Catholic ‘beliefs’ and secular practice begs the question as to why.
It is to be hoped that congratulations are in order to Mr Atkinson in setting an example, as the highest law interpreter in South Australia, in discounting the truth-binding power accredited to the writings of a superstitious age.
David Nicholls, President of the AFA said: “We take it on face value that Mr Atkinson saw fit to embrace secular ideals as an example to society.”
21st April, 05
The Vatican machine expects all to believe that Joseph Ratzinger (aka Pope Benedict XVI) has changed his ultra-conservative spots and is the way forward for the Catholic Church and the planet.
Misogyny, homophobia, sexual naivety, Catholic exclusivity etc can be veiled behind cleverly constructed words but their actuality still exists in the mind of the new Pope.
John Paul II escaped due criticism for these socially disastrous ways of viewing reality by relying on charisma and the personal pity he attracted for his always failing medical conditions. Simplistic messages skirting the damage whilst promoting ‘love’ kept the acquiescent ‘faithful’ in the palm of his hand.
The educated World is waking up to the enormity of suffering the Catholic Church is inflicting on Developing Nations and on humanity in general.
David Nicholls, President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia said: “As all before them, Pope Benedict and his Cardinals are really only aged men dressed up in frilly costumes sprouting outrageously antiquated and dangerous rubbish. They do, however, play an educational role in life. It is a clear demonstration of the depths of harmful fantasy humanity can devolve into if reasoned thinking is abandoned.”
3rd April, 05
The new National President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc, David Nicholls, can be contacted for interviews and opinions on:
(08) 8835 2269
unevidenced in history and an unethical example
21st March, 05
Theologians agree that the resurrection and other alleged miracles performed by the Biblical character Jesus are not evidenced by non-partisan historians of the time.
The name Easter is derived from the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of spring and renewal, Eostre. The concept of resurrection is a common theme in ancient religions.
New Testament writers fail to mention the ensuing chaos that would have occurred, when on the death of Jesus, between the ‘sixth and the ninth hour’, worldwide darkness actually happened. There is no ex-biblical reporting of this dramatic event and its consequences. Concerning this, history is completely silent.
The Christian tradition of Easter is based on the bloodthirsty vicarious sacrifice of a god/man in atonement for the sin of disobedience of Eve and Adam.
Spokesperson for the Atheist Foundation of Australia, David Nicholls, had this to say: “Christianity is based on an ethically unacceptable precept. The creator god, Yahweh, without informing Eve and Adam of the difference between right and wrong, severely punished them and the rest of humanity for a simple mistake. The purportedly all-knowing Yahweh knew that Eve and Adam would transgress.”
The AFA rejects the notion of the Genesis fable of original ‘sin’ as an unprincipled sham. It is also a morally bankrupt ‘belief’ that an innocent party, in this case, Jesus, can expiate the culpability of the guilty. The guiltless may pay the price but the wrongdoer will always remain responsible.
Religious mythology, as a cosmic explanation is no longer a viable option for humanity. It is an existing and growing threat to social equality and planetary survival.
16th December, 04
This is the time when Christians celebrate a central doctrine, that of the Virgin birth of Jesus as given in the first chapter of the gospel of Luke.
The angel came unto her (Mary) ….and when she saw him she was troubled….The angel said…..“the Holy Ghost will come upon thee….and thou shall conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son.”
Although Luke is considered to have been a physician, neither he nor anyone had any idea what process was involved in conception. It was simply seen as the male implanting his seed into the female, who provided the place for the child to develop.
It is only in the last few decades that scientists have been able to unravel the intricacies of fertilisation. So let us state them again in terms of everyday knowledge.
Conception in homo sapiens can only occur naturally when the female releases a mature ovum, which is penetrated by one of the millions of sperm injected into the vagina by a male penis. Fertilisation usually occurs in the fallopian tube before the ovum implants in the uterus. A variation to this occurs when the ovum is physically removed and fertilised in the laboratory with a specific male sperm and then returned to the uterus.
In a virgin the entrance to the vagina is closed by the hymen and an intact hymen signifies virginity. So let us return to contemplate the conception of the Immaculate Virgin.
How did the male Jesus-sperm enter into Mary’s vagina and proceed to pierce her ovum? What procedure did the Holy Ghost use for the penetration? Who supplied the sperm? Was it Yahweh, the Holy Ghost or Jesus himself, who, according to the Bible, was the part of the Trinity responsible for the creation of the earth and everything therein? Humanity is expected to believe that Jesus, the infinite creator god, becomes a microscopic sperm.
Obviously Jesus could no longer be in Heaven and also developing in Mary’s womb, so there could not be a functioning Trinity.
For fertilisation to occur the female and the male must supply 23 chromosomes each, so Jesus would have to be 50 per cent human. Moreover, the male chromosomes must be human or human-compatible. This is crucial. Sub-human or super-human is not good enough for fertilisation.
Is it possible that the mating of gods in ancient literature, including the Bible, is simply hogwash and purely mythical?
Atheists consider it to be so.
Adults no longer believe in the tooth fairy or Santa Claus. How much longer will they believe in the notion of the Immaculate Conception and the Virgin Mary? Could it be that most people are brainwashed and have never given the matter any thought or consideration? Surely it is now the time to do so.
7th November, 04
Together with free-thinkers world-wide, the AFA is gravely concerned at the re-election of George W Bush as the President of the United States of America. The decisive factor was the massive support from the evangelical Christian Right and this portends a future based on religious initiatives as a pay-back. This, coupled with the fundamental leanings of Mr Bush, augurs badly for social, national and international peace and security. It sounds the death-knell for the legal equality of women and minority groups, which are seen as a threat to religious dogma.
Whilst not in the same league as the USA, a similar situation now exists in Australia, for the evangelical fundamental Family First Party will be demanding social ‘reforms’ by the Christian-orientated members of Federal Parliament.
In America the religious control of government is far more open than in Australia but the potential is becoming obvious here. Instead of disclosing its religious base, the Family First Party used the simplistic notion of ‘the protection of the family’ as a vote winner. It failed to disclose that its main aim is the promotion of the shallow ‘moral’ interpretations of its particular beliefs.
The AFA President, Keith Cornish, said: “Today religious scams with social and military power are striving for world-dominance. Science and Reason are being overwhelmed by superstition and beliefs that have no factual base. There is no evidence of anything supernatural. In common with every life-form we have only one life and it is here and now.
There is no possibility of a Muslim Paradise, a Christian Heaven or re-incarnation. Religion is as naked as Hans Andersen’s Emperor. It is time for religion to be subjected to critical examination.
Everyone is free to believe what they choose but when beliefs impinge on the welfare of society and the planet, then it is time to challenge religion.”
3rd November, 04
The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc said today that Tony Abbott had stepped way over the line of political responsibility in his call for tighter restrictions on abortion. The unabashed promotion of a legally sanctioned form of fertility control stems from a religious upbringing. The expertise needed to evaluate whether an abortion is warranted is not reliably or impartially the result of such religious fervour.
The AFA asks that all politicians elected by the community be representative of the electors. Personal religious fantasies of any particular religion must not become the rule of law for the majority of women in Australia.
If a conscience vote is required by politicians so-affected, then abstinence is the only ethical response open to them.
"If a politician’s religiously imposed conscience is continually at odds with reality, it may well be the time for joining the priesthood instead and desist in interfering negatively with the real lives of real people,” said Keith Cornish, President of the AFA.
The Tony Abbotts of the world are very quick to mention the ‘slippery-slope’ argument but in this case they are hoping for it. Mr Abbott’s real end-result motives are to ban abortion altogether. This is just a first step towards that unachievable and imagined halcyon goal of thought.
The return to the days of illegal abortion or politically restricting women for religious reasons is a giant backward step in the female battle for equality.
A spokesperson for the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc was not amused with Tony Abbott’s comments. “The scam of religion is becoming more widely recognised. History demonstrates quite clearly that a healthy democracy gains that status when religion is given a back seat in political and personal decision making. Tony Abbott might not be so quick in promoting this dictatorial proposal if he was to become unintentionally pregnant, thus impinging on or ending his career."
6th October, 04
After much consideration, it was the unanimous decision of the full committee of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc that the annual prestigious Grossly Outlandish Deficiency Award be presented to Catholic Cardinal, George Pell.
A spokesperson for the AFA, said: “Heaven knows how much time we have spent on arriving at this decision. What with Peter Costello showing his mind-numbed side at the Hillsong gathering, Tony Abbott’s moralising on abortion and other matters, the Pope demonstrating the ineffectiveness of Lourdes and the Family First Party trying to convince the public that they are anything but a right-wing fundamentalist Christian group, the task of choosing gave us a devil of a time and was almost in need of divine inspiration.”
He continued: “I was leaning towards voting for the Family First Party because of their real goals of imposing a narrow creed onto a society not fully au fait with their outdated aims and methods. I changed my mind and voted for George Pell when the other members brought my attention to the past and immediate danger that Cardinal Pell presented to any person, cloaked or lay, daring to violate his dictatorial pronouncements.” The coup de grace his endorsement of the new ‘wheaty’ wafer. Coeliacs beware!
Once again, as is usual with this award, it having no substance and being ethereal in nature, in line with religious convention, this should pose no problem to the beneficiary.
17th August, 04
Federal politicians have betrayed not just the lesbian and gay community, but all fair minded people in Australia, by the introduction of legislation to ban same-sex marriage. A vociferous minority blinded by their indoctrinated religious affiliations have seen this as a victory for the ‘values’ they hold with maniacal passion.
All available credible evidence clearly shows that homosexuality is NOT a lifestyle choice. On the contrary homophobes have NO credible evidence to support their shallow case, but still CHOOSE to ignore the facts.
The Howard Liberal government, a theocracy already in the making, could be expected to opt for ignorance on this matter. That Labor has followed quietly in its footsteps is damming verification it would rather acquiesce to stupidity than stand tall pronouncing the dangers of Church and State alliances.
Liberal, Labor and the religions they attempt to cynically appease at all costs with such cavalier legislation, can be seen in no other light than irresponsible harbingers of the undoing of democracy.
Placed in proper perspective, in a world where hate grows by the day, our leaders have decided in their ethically infantile minds that love has no place of equal protection. With ‘infinite wisdom’ they have seen fit to make important an issue that the majority of Australians do not.
A spokesperson for the AFA said: “Lawmakers should immediately make a clear recantation of this outrageous legislation. If such simple decisions are beyond them, they have no right to hold onto the privileged positions of power given by an Australia that respects and expects fair-play for all in the democratic process.”
14th August, 04
The
Atheist Foundation of Australia finds the
anti-abortion messages promoted by the religious both
reprehensible and unacceptable.
Wearing
the trench coat of patriarchal self-righteousness,
covering a naked, emotional ideology, bereft of an
understanding of human sexuality, they stand guilty
of preying upon the female gender.
To
ignore the knowledge that unwanted conception can
happen by mistake, sexual spontaneity, failed
contraception, ignorance, drug-altered mental states,
coercion and rape and then to demand the resultant
pregnancy to fruition is a sentiment steeped in
unachievable idealistic nonsense.
It
is unconscionable to promote anti-abortion whilst
also rejecting comprehensive sex education. But even
if it were not so, abortion would still be a
necessary medical procedure for various reasons and
it must remain available for the women who choose to
terminate.
Keith
Cornish, President of the AFA said: “The
churches are holding females and males to ransom on
the abortion issue. Instead of upholding a baseless
absolutism, with the planned intention of creating
unnecessary guilt, a reality-check concerning the
harm caused to individuals and societies by their
uncompromising stand should be examined.
Women
seeking abortion need full societal support, not
unprovable male ‘faith’ driven
condemnation.”
24th May, 04
It
is a matter of grave concern that prayers still
remain a part of the routine of the Federal
Parliament in Australia.
We live in a natural universe and no one has ever
produced a skerrick of factual evidence of anything
supernatural, be it fairies, angels, spirits, gods,
devils, heaven or hell.
The practice of beseeching favours from gods is a
relic of the ignorance of the distant past and
certainly no longer appropriate where citizens of
today debate using present knowledge and the faculty
of reason.
Moreover, with Australian society now multi-cultural,
it is an affront to appeal to one particular deity
out of at least 10,000 gods. This is blatant
discrimination.
Religion persists only through infant indoctrination
generation after generation because the parents fail
to question the folklore of the culture into which
they are born.
Unfortunately, religion is now the most important
element in the confrontations and bloody clash of
cultures throughout the world today, as evident in
Iraq, India/Pakistan, Palestine/Israel etc.
Religion is a matter of personal belief but 'belief'
is an admission of ignorance. When something is known
it is no longer a 'belief'.
To appeal, as the Parliamentary prayers do, to the
bloodthirsty tyrannical god of the Bible, who
demanded the awful death of his son as appeasement,
is certainly not appropriate for a body that should
endorse the ethical standards required for today.
We urge the immediate end to the prayer routine.
16th May, 04
The
proposed legislation by Senator Chris Ellison, the
“Crimes Legislation Amendment:
Telecommunications Offences and Other Measures Bill
(04)”, is a poorly conceived proposition, or a
purposed and cynical attack on the rights of states
and legitimate Voluntary Euthanasia organisations.
By linking the insidious character of child
pornography with suicide, without proper definition,
leaves the amendment open to democratically
unacceptable biased interpretation.
The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc can arrive at
no conclusion other than that the amendment is a
personal religiously advanced proposal or policy of a
religious group within parliament.
The AFA views such religious interference with a
seriousness demanded by a democracy following the
ethos of separation of church and state.
Keith Cornish, President of the AFA said: “This
is an unmitigated attack on the rights of states and
the individual, with future ramifications similar to
the time of the misery wrought by illegal abortion.
If politicians have not the sense or the gumption to
react and react strongly against this amendment then
they are receiving their incomes by false
pretences.”
7th April, 04
The
return of Spring has been celebrated in the Northern
Hemisphere for thousands of years, even before humans
thought of the fertility goddess Eostre.
Jews hold their Passover meal at this time to remind
them of their fabled escape from Egypt. (They
were under Egyptian rule but not in Egypt.)
A unique feature of homo sapiens is their ability to
concoct explanations for what they do not understand,
hence the concept of supernatural gods and
demons. Therefore, to be assured of good crops
and fertility, they considered it appropriate to
appease these imaginary beings by offerings and
sacrifices.
The Bible records the Hebrew folk-tale of Adam and
Eve who, being ignorant of right and wrong, fell to
the wiles of a talking snake, thus bringing death to
all living things.
The Jews still sacrifice animals to appease their god
Yahweh who, they say, began this sorry business.
Christianity, an off-shoot of the Hebrew religion,
still follows the same idea of appeasement but
consider that the New Testament account of the
sacrifice of a man provides an acceptable
scapegoat. Belief in this person is all that is
required to secure life eternal.
Keith S Cornish, President of the Atheist Foundation
of Australia Inc, said: "The doctrine that the
death of an innocent scapegoat can cancel the guilt
of a wrongdoer, even if the innocent pays the price
demanded by law, is morally disgusting and
unacceptable today. Everyone is responsible for
their own actions according to their mental
capacity."
Mr Cornish stated that: "Easter is the time to
weigh the impact of religion on civilisation
today."
16th March, 04
The
calamitous bombing in Madrid has highlighted the
urgent need for the heads of all societies to cease
promoting religions as having 'moral' value. It is
obvious that giving a sacrosanct status to 'faith'
based ideologies, thereby removing them from critical
scrutiny, has a history of disaster for ordinary
people.
It is not the role of governments to support any
religion, either verbally or financially. This is
especially true when that support is used to
indoctrinate the immature minds of children who have
no defence against it.
The Madrid tragedy is yet another example of the
disregard that religious leaders and heads of state
have for the mental health of their constituents.
Keith S Cornish, President of the Atheist Foundation
of Australia Inc, said: "We have to cease
referring to the perpetrators simply as 'terrorists'
and use the correct terminology of 'religious
terrorists.' The real or perceived injustices provide
the reason for their hostility and a god provides the
justification to kill and maim indiscriminately.
Another god urges retaliation and we obediently
oblige."
He added: "If an educated and affluent country
such as Australia cannot break the
government-supported religious indoctrination cycle,
then how can we expect to eliminate such
tragedies?"
22nd February 04
In light of the release of the film,
The Passion of the Christ, and the obvious ill
effects religions are bringing to the world, the
Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc would wish to
make the following observations:
In regard to The Passion of the Christ, Atheists
consider that the concept of an innocent scapegoat
being sacrificed to make atonement for the wrongdoing
of the guilty is morally disgusting and impossible.
The Passion of the Christ is based on literature from
nearly two thousand years ago. What is the method
employed by Christians that assures the rest of us
that these words were not written by insane, deluded
or fraudulent people, and indeed, are they factual?
What is the method employed by Christians, that
amongst the myriad of different religious writings,
what shows theirs to be the correct version of an
alleged supernatural history? All religions claim to
be the correct one. Why are any correct?
Why did genuine history not report the 'wonders' of
this time, after all, it did involve an alleged god
being human and performing extraordinary feats.
The Atheist Foundation of Australia condemns the
violence, in the old and the new testaments, on which
Christianity is based.
An AFA media representative
added: “If Christian indoctrination is capable
of having the faithful accept this abhorrent story as
having some moral goodness, then there is a lesson
for humanity that we are too mentally pliable for our
own good. We all have within us the propensity to
accept the unacceptable if the right strings are
repetitiously pulled when we are young. We must wake
up to this serious evolutionary produced flaw in our
character before it becomes our total undoing.”
12th February 04 is the
195th anniversary of the birth of Charles Robert
Darwin.
Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc, Humanist Society
of SA Inc and Skeptics SA, proudly support
the Darwin Day Program
www.darwinday.org
in
celebrating the birth of this great scientist.
“Darwin Day is an international celebration of
science and humanity as exemplified in the life, work
and influence of Charles Darwin. It is celebrated by
people around the world who value the adventurous
spirit and natural curiosity that scientists and
explorers of all kinds share.
The Program features the work of men and women
throughout history who have contributed to the
understanding of life within the physical universe,
while honouring the pioneering role played by Charles
Darwin. The program highlights topics of interest
within science and also explores how evolution
impacts humanity.
The long-term goal of the Program is to culminate the
vision of Darwin Day into a global celebration in
2009 and to increase the educational outreach
projects available. 2009 marks the bicentennial of
Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the
publication of The Origin of Species. In the
intervening years the program intends to build toward
the goal of a global celebration by reaching out to
all science-enthusiasts around the world –
encouraging them to celebrate Darwin Day and champion
the public understanding and appreciation of science
within their communities.”
Darwin Day Program
Charles Darwin Quotes-
“In
the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at
the expense of their rivals because they succeed
in adapting themselves best to their
environment."
"Nothing before had ever made me thoroughly
realise, though I had read various scientific
books, that science consists in grouping facts so
that general laws or conclusions may be drawn
from them."
Media Contacts:
Keith Cornish (Atheist Foundation of Aust Inc)
Dick Clifford (Humanist Society of SA)
Phone: 8255 9508
Laurie Eddie (Skeptics SA)
Phone: 8272 5881
13th October 03
It was the unanimous decision of the
full committee of the Atheist Foundation of Australia
Inc that the annual prestigious Grossly
Outlandish Deficiency Award be presented
to Anglican Archbishop, Peter Jensen.
A spokesperson
for the Foundation said that Peter
Jensen was deserving of such recognition for his
untiring contribution to the promotion of homophobia
in his religious role in the community. The new
Catholic Cardinal, George Pell and NSW
Parliamentarian, Reverend Fred Nile were amongst the
final choices for the award but were pipped at the
post by Bishop Jensen’s very public homophobic
outpourings.
He said that Peter Jensen blatantly
abrogated his responsibility to his fellow humans by
his open rejection of homosexual people in preference
to accepting selected passages from the Bible.
“Exodus
22:18 clearly states, Thou shalt not suffer a
witch to live: and the same Bible extols the
virtues of slavery, violence, rape and
genocide. One has to wonder as to why Bishop
Jensen rejects such direct commandments and
‘moral’ messages in favour of accepting
those of a more ambiguous sexual nature?”
He went on to say that he hoped the
anti-social example set by the very deserving award
winning Archbishop Peter Jensen was an inspiration to
the public in the opposite way it was intended.
“The
annual Atheist Foundation G.O.D. award will help in
this regard”, he said.
He
also added: “The award, having no substance, is
ethereal in nature, in line with religious convention
and this should pose no problem to the
beneficiary.”