This Wednesday, we will be screening Parrot, a short film about a young man losing his faith. It made its debut at the Global Atheist Convention, and the filmmakers have graciously allowed us to show it. It is also a wonderful opportunity to extend our “Why I am an atheist/Christian” discussion (there will be time after), and the Christian Union has been invited to view the film.
Details:
Wednesday May 2, 1pm, Lowe Theatre, Redmond Barry Building.
It’s time once again for the most important event of the year: the UMSS Annual General Meeting! Attendance is extremely important to meet our quorum requirements, and will also ensure the continued success of the club. Remember that UMSS cannot exist without active members. There will be also free pizza!
The AGM will include an activities report and Treasurer’s report. We will also be proposing a few minor amendments to the UMSS Constitution (see below), as well as electing a committee. Any club member who is a University of Melbourne student may run for a position on the committee, which consists of a President, Treasurer, Secretary, Publicity Officer, and four general committee members.
The AGM will be held on Thursday April 26 (the day after Anzac Day), at 1.05pm in Graham Cornish Room A, second floor Union House.
Hope to see you there!
Files:
This week, UMSS is co-hosting an event with the Melbourne University Christian Union!
Each club has selected two students to talk about what led them to accept or reject concepts of God and faith. Come for what should be an interesting forum.
Hosted at our usual location: Lowe Theatre, Wednesday (April 18) at 1pm.
Hot on the heels of the Global Atheist Convention, see some of the speakers at The University of Melbourne in a fringe event hosted by the Rationalist Society of Australia and the Humanist Society of Victoria. Featuring…
…in, “The Road Less Travelled: can atheists and believers work together for the common good?”
Details:
Monday 16th April, 6.15pm
Elisabeth Murdoch Theatre A
+ after party with FOOD at Embiggen Books
Tickets only $12 for students and MUST be purchased online.
RSVP/Invite friends on Facebook.
School is starting up again, and so are Secular Society events! Come renew your membership at the Clubs and Societies Expo in Wilson Hall for $2, where we also have an exciting opportunity for you! We will be raffling off a concession ticket to this year’s Global Atheist Convention! Valued at $270, this ticket grants you the opportunity to see many distinguished speakers and fantastic comedians, including Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, Leslie Cannold, PZ Myers, Lawrence Krauss, Eugenie Scott, Peter Singer, Catherine Deveny, Fiona Patten, and Ben Elton!
The convention runs from Friday April 13 to Sunday April 15 (mid-semester break), with lunch and tea breaks fully catered. To enter the raffle, you just need to buy a ticket at our stall on Thursday February 23 or Friday February 24, between 11am and 3pm. Tickets are $5 each, or three for $10. Note: you must possess a valid concession card or student card in order to gain entry to the convention. The raffle will end in week two.
Also, everyone who signs up during O-Week (whether a new or returning member) is automatically entered into the draw to win a copy of Richard Dawkins’s book, The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution. More reason to show up!
We will also be celebrating the new school year with our famous Flying Spaghetti Monster Mixer on Thursday March 8 at the Queensberry, so come dressed as your favourite deity or religious figure. Prizes will be awarded for best costume! But more on this event later.
If you’re interested in getting involved with the club this year, and are able to help out with Club Days, please let us know by sending an email to p.clearwater@student.unimelb.edu.au.
In the aftermath of Elevatorgate, many questions about the role of women in the freethinking movement have arisen. Why aren’t there more female atheists? Why aren’t they as prominent as the male celebrity atheists? Does the atheist movement favour males? Should atheists support the feminist movement? Come talk and hear about these issues at the last Secular Society event of the year, as we have discussions led by the students.
When: Wednesday October 26, 1-2pm
Where: Lowe Theatre, Redmond Barry Building
In celebration of the end of the semester, there will also be a variety of free food and drink.
UMSS is pleased to announce that we are co-hosting the inaugural SkeptiCamp Melbourne! It will be held on campus in the Redmond Barry Building (ground floor) on Saturday, October 22 (end of week 11 of semester) from 9.30am – 5.30pm.
What is SkeptiCamp?
SkeptiCamps are informal, community-organised conferences borne of the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. Everyone from casual skeptics to the experienced participate, give talks and get to know each other.
Attendees can sign up to present a talk related to science, skepticism, or critical thinking.
This event is completely (a) free, (b) exciting, and (c) open to the public! However, you do need to register for your free ticket if you plan to attend.
See you there!
Not a UMSS event, but it may be relevant to your interests. Tomorrow night, Professor Tim Berra of Ohio State University will be speaking at Embiggen Books:
“Tim Berra is professor emeritus of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology at the Ohio State University. An acknowledged Darwin expert, he is the author of over 75 scientific papers and six books, including Evolution and the Myth of Creationism and A Natural History of Australia. His latest book Charles Darwin: The Concise Story of an Extraordinary Man forms the basis of this fascinating presentation, which deals with Darwin’s life, family, influences and significance to science and western thought.
An open invitation to see Professor Tim Berra of Ohio State University and biographer of Charles Darwin, speak at Embiggen Books on Thursday the 13th of October at 6.30pm. Places are limited to 50, so email or call quickly to reserve a seat.
RSVP to events at embiggenbooks dot com or call us on 03 9662 2062.”
Renowned theoretical physicist, Lawrence Krauss, will be answering your questions as part of the Secular Society’s regular lecture series. There is no limit on questions, just an open discussion with one of the best scientific communicators around.
Krauss is the director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University, and a prominent author on subjects ranging from criticisms of string theory to the Physics of Star Trek. In addition to being a speaker at next year’s Global Atheist Convention, his latest book, A Universe from Nothing will be published early next year, and features a foreword by Christopher Hitchens and an afterword by Richard Dawkins.
When: Wednesday August 24, 1-2pm
Where: Lowe Theatre, Redmond Barry Building
If you cannot attend but have an interesting question you would like addressed, feel free to leave it in the comments of this entry, or you can post it in our Facebook event (or tweet us!)
“Religious faith discourages independent thought, it’s divisive, and it’s dangerous”, says Richard Dawkins. Following on from week three, we will be screening the second and final part of the Richard Dawkins documentary Root of All Evil?. In this episode, Dawkins examines childhood indoctrination and morality.
When: Wednesday August 17, 1-2pm
Where: Lowe Theatre, Redmond Barry Building
Also, free food will be provided! And as always, you can sign up for a membership to support the club and/or buy a t-shirt on the day.