Decades of activism have been required in order to reduce incidents of discrimination against gay and lesbian men and women. But there is a final frontier to be crossed – the extension of the legal right for same sex couples to marry. While the majority of the Australian public support this development, there is trenchant opposition from some quarters – most notably amongst some religious groups who consider marriage to be a sacrament ordained by God. There are groups who argue the social meaning of marriage is heterosexual, as the basis for a secure traditional family life. There are also strong voices within the gay and lesbian communities who oppose marriage – preferring to maintain a symbolic separation from the distinct heterosexual community. All of the legal entitlements enjoyed by married couples could be extended to same sex couples without upsetting any of the committed guardians of the status quo. So, why risk dividing the community for the sake of what amounts to nothing more than symbolism? Or are symbols precisely the kind of thing worth fighting for – precisely because others guard them so fiercely? Speakers include Clover Moore, Mark Textor and Helen Razor.

Individual ticket for this event can be booked here ($32); http://tickets.cityre...

The whole IQ² debate package ($135 for all 5 debates) can be booked here; http://www.cityrecita...

It would be nice to sit together as a group so I suggest we meet in the Foyer at 6:15pm, everyone knows my ugly mug, but if there are any issues call me on 0450 957 203.

Sydney - Australia

Tuesday, May 29 at 6:45 PM

Attending: 6

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/64319062/

Come along and meet other atheists in an informal setting. Drinks and meals at reasonable prices in a classy Penrith pub.

This will be the third Sydney Atheists Meetup social event in the Penrith/Blue Mountains area. It looks likely we'll be there from 5.30-9.00 p.m. each final Wednesday of the month.

If you've been wanting to get along to one of our events, but the city seemed too far away, or the parking was too difficult, now's the time to come out of the shadows and join us at the Red Cow on Wednesday the 30th. Maybe you could bring a guest.

And yes, members from the broader districts - Liverpool, Lithgow, Blacktown, Hawkesbury, Hills etc - are also welcome if they want to come.

I'll have big red atheist 'A' on a stand, to help anyone who doesn't know my face to find our tables. Just come upstairs and look for the big A!

Murrath

Sydney - Australia

Wednesday, May 30 at 5:30 PM

Attending: 11

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/64700132/

We'll meet at the last Thursday of the month for drinks at changing venues. We'll meet wherever it is from 6pm until the last person is gone. No agenda, no topic, just an opportunity to meet informally and share a few canapés.

Sydney - Australia

Thursday, May 31 at 6:00 PM

Attending: 10

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/62033322/

Once a month the meetup meets for a topical discussion with a special guest. Special guest in the past have been members of the meetup, who spoke on a topic of their choice, or experts from outside, speaking on a topic of the expertise. If you want to speak, or know somebody who would like to speak to us, please contact me.

We are trying a new place this time as Toxeth have remodelled getting rid of the space upstairs, so it will be at PJObriens, a nice Irish pub in the City, Sunday is their $10 roast night, please RSVP as soon as possible so I can give them numbers.

Can you please try to budget in to purchase drink or food to compensate PJ Obriens for use of their space.

Sydney - Australia

Sunday, June 10 at 6:30 PM

Attending: 3

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/63620282/

This is discussion from a 'left-wing perspective', not concerned here with economics, but with resolving a complex social and historical issue without getting caught in racism or neo-imperialism. A humanistic, liberal, multicultural approach.

Everywhere we see oppression of women & minorities, appalling practices, threatening behaviour and retrograde ideas emanating from Islamic activists and regimes. These discussions seeks to find a way to resist unacceptable practices and to condemn criminal behaviour without being drawn into discrimination or xenophobia.

The intention is to break through to a consensus on meaningful activism to change the social conditions we all are concerned about. (This process is a follow-up to our April activism workshop, working towards the workshop at the end of September).

The first discussion (May 10th) came up with several possible courses of action:
* Contact progressive Muslim groups to invite dialogue
* Support struggling feminist and queer groups in Muslim countries
* Encouraging more lefties to engage with the issues
* Addressing issues in language that doesn't falling into reactionary rhetoric
* Attending events like Lakemba Mosque's open day for dialogue with Islamists
* Projects to support those already doing good things, e.g. Amnesty International
* Generating atheist/leftist press releases when Islamic issues get in the news
* Simply continuing the discussion with another meeting.

The discussion group is genuinely inclusive and welcomes those with passion on these issues, and especially those with personal experience of Islam.

Sydney - Australia

Wednesday, June 13 at 5:30 PM

Attending: 10

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/65173682/

Come along and meet other atheists in an informal setting. Drinks and meals at reasonable prices in a classy Penrith pub.

This will be the third Sydney Atheists Meetup social event in the Penrith/Blue Mountains area. It looks likely we'll be there from 5.30-9.00 p.m. each final Wednesday of the month.

If you've been wanting to get along to one of our events, but the city seemed too far away, or the parking was too difficult, now's the time to come out of the shadows and join us at the Red Cow on Wednesday the 30th. Maybe you could bring a guest.

And yes, members from the broader districts - Liverpool, Lithgow, Blacktown, Hawkesbury, Hills etc - are also welcome if they want to come.

I'll have big red atheist 'A' on a stand, to help anyone who doesn't know my face to find our tables. Just come upstairs and look for the big A!

Murrath

Sydney - Australia

Wednesday, June 27 at 5:30 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/qljcwcyqjbkc/

We'll meet at the last Thursday of the month for drinks at changing venues. We'll meet wherever it is from 6pm until the last person is gone. No agenda, no topic, just an opportunity to meet informally and share a few canapés.

Sydney - Australia

Thursday, June 28 at 6:00 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/65660172/

Once a month the meetup meets for a topical discussion with a special guest. Special guest in the past have been members of the meetup, who spoke on a topic of their choice, or experts from outside, speaking on a topic of the expertise. If you want to speak, or know somebody who would like to speak to us, please contact me.

We are trying a new place this time as Toxeth have remodelled getting rid of the space upstairs, so it will be at PJObriens, a nice Irish pub in the City, Sunday is their $10 roast night, please RSVP as soon as possible so I can give them numbers.

Can you please try to budget in to purchase drink or food to compensate PJ Obriens for use of their space.

Sydney - Australia

Sunday, July 8 at 6:30 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/gzmqnyqkblb/

This is the place holder for the Sydney Atheists hits the 'burbs Meetup.

We are planning to get out there in the suburbs and come to you. This is a new regular event, inititally scheduled for every 3 months, but hopefully we will make it at least bi-monthly.

The October Meetup will hopefully be in Parramatta, depending on venue availability.

We are also hoping to visit areas such as Hornsby, Liverpool/Campbelltown, Sutherland and the northern beaches.

If you want one of these Meetups in your area, please email me and let me know.

More on this later,

Cheers,

Peter

Sydney - Australia

Sunday, July 22 at 6:00 PM

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/49387132/

Come along and meet other atheists in an informal setting. Drinks and meals at reasonable prices in a classy Penrith pub.

This will be the third Sydney Atheists Meetup social event in the Penrith/Blue Mountains area. It looks likely we'll be there from 5.30-9.00 p.m. each final Wednesday of the month.

If you've been wanting to get along to one of our events, but the city seemed too far away, or the parking was too difficult, now's the time to come out of the shadows and join us at the Red Cow on Wednesday the 30th. Maybe you could bring a guest.

And yes, members from the broader districts - Liverpool, Lithgow, Blacktown, Hawkesbury, Hills etc - are also welcome if they want to come.

I'll have big red atheist 'A' on a stand, to help anyone who doesn't know my face to find our tables. Just come upstairs and look for the big A!

Murrath

Sydney - Australia

Wednesday, July 25 at 5:30 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/qljcwcyqkbhc/

We'll meet at the last Thursday of the month for drinks at changing venues. We'll meet wherever it is from 6pm until the last person is gone. No agenda, no topic, just an opportunity to meet informally and share a few canapés.

Sydney - Australia

Thursday, July 26 at 6:00 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/65660182/

Once a month the meetup meets for a topical discussion with a special guest. Special guest in the past have been members of the meetup, who spoke on a topic of their choice, or experts from outside, speaking on a topic of the expertise. If you want to speak, or know somebody who would like to speak to us, please contact me.

We are trying a new place this time as Toxeth have remodelled getting rid of the space upstairs, so it will be at PJObriens, a nice Irish pub in the City, Sunday is their $10 roast night, please RSVP as soon as possible so I can give them numbers.

Can you please try to budget in to purchase drink or food to compensate PJ Obriens for use of their space.

Sydney - Australia

Sunday, August 12 at 6:30 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/gzmqnyqlbqb/

Come along and meet other atheists in an informal setting. Drinks and meals at reasonable prices in a classy Penrith pub.

This will be the third Sydney Atheists Meetup social event in the Penrith/Blue Mountains area. It looks likely we'll be there from 5.30-9.00 p.m. each final Wednesday of the month.

If you've been wanting to get along to one of our events, but the city seemed too far away, or the parking was too difficult, now's the time to come out of the shadows and join us at the Red Cow on Wednesday the 30th. Maybe you could bring a guest.

And yes, members from the broader districts - Liverpool, Lithgow, Blacktown, Hawkesbury, Hills etc - are also welcome if they want to come.

I'll have big red atheist 'A' on a stand, to help anyone who doesn't know my face to find our tables. Just come upstairs and look for the big A!

Murrath

Sydney - Australia

Wednesday, August 29 at 5:30 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/qljcwcyqlbmc/

We'll meet at the last Thursday of the month for drinks at changing venues. We'll meet wherever it is from 6pm until the last person is gone. No agenda, no topic, just an opportunity to meet informally and share a few canapés.

Sydney - Australia

Thursday, August 30 at 6:00 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/65660192/

Once a month the meetup meets for a topical discussion with a special guest. Special guest in the past have been members of the meetup, who spoke on a topic of their choice, or experts from outside, speaking on a topic of the expertise. If you want to speak, or know somebody who would like to speak to us, please contact me.

We are trying a new place this time as Toxeth have remodelled getting rid of the space upstairs, so it will be at PJObriens, a nice Irish pub in the City, Sunday is their $10 roast night, please RSVP as soon as possible so I can give them numbers.

Can you please try to budget in to purchase drink or food to compensate PJ Obriens for use of their space.

Sydney - Australia

Sunday, September 9 at 6:30 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/gzmqnyqmbmb/

Come along and meet other atheists in an informal setting. Drinks and meals at reasonable prices in a classy Penrith pub.

This will be the third Sydney Atheists Meetup social event in the Penrith/Blue Mountains area. It looks likely we'll be there from 5.30-9.00 p.m. each final Wednesday of the month.

If you've been wanting to get along to one of our events, but the city seemed too far away, or the parking was too difficult, now's the time to come out of the shadows and join us at the Red Cow on Wednesday the 30th. Maybe you could bring a guest.

And yes, members from the broader districts - Liverpool, Lithgow, Blacktown, Hawkesbury, Hills etc - are also welcome if they want to come.

I'll have big red atheist 'A' on a stand, to help anyone who doesn't know my face to find our tables. Just come upstairs and look for the big A!

Murrath

Sydney - Australia

Wednesday, September 26 at 5:30 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/qljcwcyqmbjc/

We'll meet at the last Thursday of the month for drinks at changing venues. We'll meet wherever it is from 6pm until the last person is gone. No agenda, no topic, just an opportunity to meet informally and share a few canapés.

Sydney - Australia

Thursday, September 27 at 6:00 PM

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/zngnnyqmbkc/

About thirty-five of our Sydney Atheist Meetup members have now attended the first and second Atheist Activism workshops. Each of these offers a chance to spend four hours from 3.00-7.00 PM on a Sunday afternoon reviewing past activist endeavours, but also developing ideas and forming partnerships for action in the time ahead.

The idea is to bring together experienced and new enthusiasts, those with skills to share and those looking to build their skills, the creative and the supportive, the thinkers and the doers, hoping to achieve a 'critical mass' for effective action. The important thing is to come along, contribute at your own pace and level of comfort, and promote understanding and awareness of our ideas and concerns.

A Reason Rally? A new Bus Campaign? Lecture Nights? Big Day Out or Big Night Out? Podcasts or Vodcasts? Websites or Magazines? Atheist Charity? Ethics - Education - Abortion - Equality - if it irritates, arouses, enlivens, enthuses or annoys you - you can come and talk about doing something about it.

We bring some snacks and drinks to share. There's plenty of time for informal networking. Good talkers and good listeners both enjoy a feast of practical ideas.

Murrath, Workshops Convenor

Chippendale - Australia

Sunday, September 30 at 3:00 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/62893502/

Once a month the meetup meets for a topical discussion with a special guest. Special guest in the past have been members of the meetup, who spoke on a topic of their choice, or experts from outside, speaking on a topic of the expertise. If you want to speak, or know somebody who would like to speak to us, please contact me.

We are trying a new place this time as Toxeth have remodelled getting rid of the space upstairs, so it will be at PJObriens, a nice Irish pub in the City, Sunday is their $10 roast night, please RSVP as soon as possible so I can give them numbers.

Can you please try to budget in to purchase drink or food to compensate PJ Obriens for use of their space.

Sydney - Australia

Sunday, October 14 at 6:30 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/gzmqnyqnbsb/

We'll meet at the last Thursday of the month for drinks at changing venues. We'll meet wherever it is from 6pm until the last person is gone. No agenda, no topic, just an opportunity to meet informally and share a few canapés.

Sydney - Australia

Thursday, October 25 at 6:00 PM

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/zngnnyqnbhc/

This is the place holder for the Sydney Atheists hits the 'burbs Meetup.

We are planning to get out there in the suburbs and come to you. This is a new regular event, inititally scheduled for every 3 months, but hopefully we will make it at least bi-monthly.

The October Meetup will hopefully be in Parramatta, depending on venue availability.

We are also hoping to visit areas such as Hornsby, Liverpool/Campbelltown, Sutherland and the northern beaches.

If you want one of these Meetups in your area, please email me and let me know.

More on this later,

Cheers,

Peter

Sydney - Australia

Sunday, October 28 at 6:00 PM

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/ddfqccyqnblc/

Come along and meet other atheists in an informal setting. Drinks and meals at reasonable prices in a classy Penrith pub.

This will be the third Sydney Atheists Meetup social event in the Penrith/Blue Mountains area. It looks likely we'll be there from 5.30-9.00 p.m. each final Wednesday of the month.

If you've been wanting to get along to one of our events, but the city seemed too far away, or the parking was too difficult, now's the time to come out of the shadows and join us at the Red Cow on Wednesday the 30th. Maybe you could bring a guest.

And yes, members from the broader districts - Liverpool, Lithgow, Blacktown, Hawkesbury, Hills etc - are also welcome if they want to come.

I'll have big red atheist 'A' on a stand, to help anyone who doesn't know my face to find our tables. Just come upstairs and look for the big A!

Murrath

Sydney - Australia

Wednesday, October 31 at 5:30 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/qljcwcyqnbpc/

Once a month the meetup meets for a topical discussion with a special guest. Special guest in the past have been members of the meetup, who spoke on a topic of their choice, or experts from outside, speaking on a topic of the expertise. If you want to speak, or know somebody who would like to speak to us, please contact me.

We are trying a new place this time as Toxeth have remodelled getting rid of the space upstairs, so it will be at PJObriens, a nice Irish pub in the City, Sunday is their $10 roast night, please RSVP as soon as possible so I can give them numbers.

Can you please try to budget in to purchase drink or food to compensate PJ Obriens for use of their space.

Sydney - Australia

Sunday, November 11 at 6:30 PM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/gzmqnyqpbpb/

Well Nostradamus has stuffed up the dates a few times (but made a lovely jam) and Harold Camping screwed the pooch twice... now let's all get together and have a laugh at the Mayans! (Thanks to Dave from Brisbane Atheists for this idea)

Already emailed Aurora to get them to reserve an area/table for 30 in the Klippax lounge.

Sydney - Australia

Friday, December 21 at 7:00 PM

Attending: 3

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/61072862/

If you have nothing to do and Christmas Day and don't particularly want to attend religious services or events, how about gathering with some fellow atheists for a bit of social time?

We will meet at either the large "Duck pond" or the Opera House entrance to the Gardens, depending on what people know in Botanical Gardens for a Picnic

Sydney - Australia

Tuesday, December 25 at 11:30 AM

Attending: 1

Details: http://www.meetup.com/sydneyatheists/events/45558812/