FLASH!

Blasphemy: What Is It? Do We Need It?
And What the Heck, Why Shouldn?t We Do It?

This may come as a surprise to you, but not everybody is against blasphemy. There used to be a YouTube site called ?The Blasphemy Challenge,? put on by a young Philadelphia group called The Rational Responders. The point was to blaspheme on camera and wait for lightning to strike you dead. Of course, lightning never struck, so it was a learning experience for those who had been brought up all their lives to think that this would happen.

Now, one of the leaders of NYC Atheists? Tuesday evening Meetup discussion meetup, Michael Dorian, has come up with a rather contrarian idea: ?I don?t mind the idea of ?blasphemy,? ? he says, ?there?s not enough of it.?

What he means, he explains, is that ?the notion that religion gets preferential treatment has always ticked me off.? That is, why should religion be exempt from public criticism? Why can?t we throw some choice words at religion like we do about everything else?


Convention Theme: Blasphemy


On top of that, at the April 2?4 American Atheist (AA) convention in Newark, the theme of the convention will be?guess what??Blasphemy! The subtitle of the convention is: ?On the Dangers of Privileging Religious Beliefs.? Turns out that AA?s president, Ed Buckner, has also long been ?ticked off? at the notion of religion?s special dispensation from questions and criticism on the grounds of politeness.

So it is only appropriate that on Tuesday, March 16, our Daring Duo discussion leaders, Michael Dorian and Alexandra Sidiropoulos, bring you the heated topic of Blasphemy.

Once more, our trendy twosome is throwing out a terrific, thought-provoking topic, namely, what?s wrong with Blasphemy? Are we being too kind to religion when we politely say, Chacun a son gout (each to his own taste) and pretend that the delusionary ideas of religion have the same right to a platform as science? Why is it always Hands Off of religion?

Michael, a feisty, talented documentary filmmaker (his film, ?Pizza?The Movie? got rave reviews from viewers when it aired on Channel 31 in the New York area), plus an educator and graduate student (and you think you have a busy schedule?) is known for his give-?em-hell straight talk.


Share Your Thoughts with Friends


Alexandra?lithe, lovely, sagacious Alex?is his graceful balance. Alex, originally from St. Louis, became a nonbeliever after a scary childhood experience in a church camp where the ministers frightened her with nightmarish stories of hell and brimstone. Today, at 24, with utmost poise, she heads our discussion group in tandem with Michael, graciously and gently pulling the group?s thoughts together with the accuracy and verve of TV?s Christiane Amanpour.

Come, appreciate this twosome?s insights and courage in dissecting the strange fictions of religion. Come and feel free to join in a heated discussion among like-minded people who understand where you?re coming from.

Come and quaff a wee pint of beer on the evening before St. Patrick?s day, before the crowds and the parade take over Manhattan. Come and feel the camaraderie of sharing your thoughts with fellow non-believers! Stay a while afterwards to chat with our terrific twosome, who, apparently, some people can?t get enough of.



EVENT SUMMARY


WHAT: ?Is Blasphemy So Bad? Why is Religion Getting Preferential
Treatment?? an audience-participation discussion led by
Michael Dorian and Alexandra Sidiropoulos.

WHEN : Tuesday, March 16, at 7 p.m.

WHERE: The Stone Creek Bar and Pub
140 East 27th St. (Bet. Lex & 3rd)
Back room

COST: Free. But we hope you will purchase a drink or food to show Stone
Creek that we appreciate their letting us use their space. The menu
has excellent noshies at a reasonable price and a wide selection of
beers.