What's the Reason for the Reason Rally? Derail

[apophenia]

From: http://rationalia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=30799

Oh criminy, what's next? A rally for mom and apple pie? Reason needs no rally, and it isn't reason this rally is about — it's about opposition to the reasons of religion, not for reason generally. (And note that the OP made the classic atheist mistake of conflating belief in God (capitalized) with religion in general.) This is a typical bit of propaganda, much like that I encounter when I attack either science or atheism at discussion groups, individuals inevitably try to create a union between science and atheism to insulate one or the other from this or that charge against it. Bollocks. Atheism isn't scientific, nor is secularism the inheritor of the banner of reason. But we've seen this before (and I touch upon it in the threads in which I discuss delusion), other social movements have attempted to assume the mantle of truth to acquire political power. The religious have done it throughout time, eugenecists have done it as well. Now there is a movement to justify homosexual behavior on account of it being natural. What happens if we're wrong, that it's largely a result of choice? Do we then abandon the notion of protecting the rights of gay people? Roland Barthes, in a quote I've likely used elsewhere, said, "Beware the natural sign." By this I take him to mean that, where culture teaches us that something is natural and therefore right, we should look ever more closely, as often that is a cloak to cover over artifice, artifice which would not prevail if examined correctly; "Beware the natural sign," because that is where the most unnatural constructs hide.

Secularism uses reason, but then so does plumbing and balancing your checkbook. This isn't about reason, it's about anti-religion, and I find it a disingenuous bit of cheek.

"Beware geeks cloaking themselves in the flag of Reason."

[Gawdzilla Sama]

If somebody splits this off I'd be glad to discuss that with you, but this thread is about meeting Ratz at that event.

[maiforpeace]

Ap, doesn't it come down to the intent of the people attending?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

What part of this do you not agree with?

The Reason Rally

Washington, DC – August 23, 2011 – Millions of Americans — roughly 16 percent — consider themselves nonreligious, according to the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS). Whether members of this group refer to themselves as atheists, agnostics, secular humanists, or any of the other descriptive terms used to indicate rejection of belief in God, secularism is on the rise.

The Reason Rally, a nationwide celebration sponsored by the top secular organizations in the United States, will be held March 24, 2012, in Washington, DC. With the intent to unify, energize, and embolden secular people nationwide, The Reason Rally is a FREE event that will combat negative stereotypes about nonreligious Americans. Slated to be the largest secular event in world history, the rally will be filled with music, comedy, and addresses by leaders of the secular movement.

This event will give secular Americans an opportunity to unite under a banner of reason and community at a level of impact that has never been seen before.

A growing list of diverse speakers includes:

Richard Dawkins, ethologist, evolutionary biologist, and author, The God Delusion
James Randi, magician, author, lecturer, and amateur archaeologist/astronomer
PZ Myers, biologist, associate professor at the University of Minnesota, and blogger
Ronald A. Lindsay, president and CEO, Center for Inquiry
Todd Stiefel, secular humanist, atheist, activist; vice president, Secular Coalition for America
Greta Christina, author and writer for AlterNet
Fred Edwords, president, United Coalition of Reason
Sean Faircloth, executive director, Secular Coalition for America
David Silverman, president, American Atheists, Inc.
Roy Speckhardt, executive director, American Humanist Association
Jamila Bey, freelance journalist
Hemant Mehta, author, I Sold My Soul on eBay

Stay up to date with event details, including additional speakers, here. Follow The Reason Rally on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and The Reason Rally blog; for more information, please contact Publicity Director Michelle Blackley at 716-636-4869 Ext. 218 or press@centerforinquiry.net.

[Audley Strange]

You should have a passion play with Jesus being taken down from the cross, his wounds cleaned and dressed by nurses, examined by doctors, diagnosed, treated and sitting up in bed a couple of hours later and then get everyone to shout "THAT's a fucking miracle!"

[Gawdzilla Sama]

And, of course, this is the most important reason for the rally:

Andrewclunn
(Anna09)
Ayaan
camoguard (w/cellphone)
(drl2)
(Hadespussercat)
Ian
Kristie
Maiforpeace
(Robert_S)
(tattuchu)
Wumbologist
Zilla

[Audley Strange]

Why what have you lot done now that they are having a Reason Rally to bring attention to your shenanigans? I mean two Haruspices and a Dumbledore wannabe are hardly people I'd want as figureheads in a protest against me.

[maiforpeace]

You should have a passion play with Jesus being taken down from the cross, his wounds cleaned and dressed by nurses, examined by doctors, diagnosed, treated and sitting up in bed a couple of hours later and then get everyone to shout "THAT's a fucking miracle!"

And, of course, this is the most important reason for the rally:

Andrewclunn
(Anna09)
Ayaan
camoguard (w/cellphone)
(drl2)
(Hadespussercat)
Ian
Kristie
Maiforpeace
(Robert_S)
(tattuchu)
Wumbologist
Zilla

EXACTLY.

I'll be hooking up with a number of other friends too. We need to come up with some kind of identifying sign or flag before the rally so people can find us in the crowd.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

How about headbands with a big red A on them?

[maiforpeace]

Unless you will be standing on stilts, they would still be hard to find in a big crowd.

[Audley Strange]

Big fuck off faux gold crucifixes round the neck with noose rope, pig masks and white boiler suits should do it.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Unless you will be standing on stilts, they would still be hard to find in a big crowd.

I think cell phones will be the key to this. We could all rally 'round Ian, so he can show us where the port-a-potties are.

[maiforpeace]

I'm bringing some Depends just in case.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I'm bringing some Depends just in case.

I'm going to pee into the Reflecting Pool. The Park Rangers love that shit.

[Audley Strange]

Urine is not shit, unless you intended to follow through without comment?