A question for libertarians

I’m listening to Nick Lee and Dale McGowan this morning, and they’re talking about the importance of expanding free thought movements to include the best of what religious organizations offer: community, giving, and social support networks. I like the ideas, but I’m bothered by one thing: I think government should be providing the social safety net, not atheist communities. But then I had an odd thought.

What about the libertarian contingent in atheism?

They take a different view. They generally want to gut government and get them out of the business of the public welfare. Shouldn’t that mean libertarian atheists should be most enthusiastic about seeing the atheist movement becoming more liberal and socially progressive? I’ve seen the opposite, though.

So this is the question for libertarians: do you endorse the liberalization of organized atheism?

Call for submissions

I’ve been reading this book of 100 year old letters from atheists that was published as Letters from an Atheist Nation, and I was thinking that heck, I could do what Charles Chilton Moore did, only here in the 21st century on a blog instead of a newspaper. Moore asked his readership to write short essays, anything from a short paragraph to a couple of pages, that answered the question, “Why I am an atheist”, and then he published one in each issue of his newspaper.

So, I’m requesting submissions from you readers: short pieces titled “Why I am an atheist” which I’ll post here. Be sure to specify what name you’d like associated with it (pseudonyms are acceptable!), and if you’re willing, your general geographic location. Send them along, preferably as plain text, and I’ll make them a regular feature here.

You missed it!

Too late! My talk is all over.

There is one writeup already, there were people in the audience with cameras so something will appear on youtube soon, and the convention had professional videographers present, so maybe you’ll see it sometime soon. Or you could invite me out to whereever you are to give it again.

(Also on Sb)

At last, they found an internet contest I can’t win

It’s stacked against me. They’re trying to raise money for Skepticon IV, and one of their schemes is a set of unreleashed cheesecake shots from the Skepticon calendar, which are obscured now, but donations will gradually reveal the underlying photo. Featured: Jen, JT, and…me.

Oh, man. They’re asking for donations to uncover my photo? I shall be forever unseen. I actually recommended that they do the reverse, and show the photo outright and take donations to cover it up, and we’d be done already. I was ignored! How dare they!

The Houston meetup

Those of you wondering about a Gathering of the Horde in Texas…yes. Saturday, after the free thought banquet, we’ll meet in the Hyatt hotel bar, from say, 7:30 or 8 until whenever. Stop on by. I’ll be all done with all my labors at the convention, so I’ll be ready for entertainment and relaxation.

I didn’t realize how late the banquet goes on. It’ll be more like 9pm, at the lobby bar of the Hyatt Regency Houston on Louisiana street — and of course, you don’t need convention admission to attend.