tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post2238375305158514031..comments2023-10-26T22:06:11.166+11:00Comments on Metamagician3000: Why no funding for the Global Atheist Convention?Russell Blackfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12431324430596809958noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-33327542293643110012009-10-17T03:34:35.765+11:002009-10-17T03:34:35.765+11:00"...But if the idea is to fund anything that ..."...But if the idea is to fund anything that brings tourists into Victoria, which is the rationale for the funding to the religious conventions,..."<br /><br />Ah - so it is tourism dollars. That makes sense. In my defense, these seems to be no mention of tourism in your post, Russell. My American atheistic paranoia is showing.<br /><br />I share your opinion about tax breaks to religion.Gingerbakernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-84746258025958907212009-10-17T02:56:43.280+11:002009-10-17T02:56:43.280+11:00Theres no need to speculate over whether atheists ...Theres no need to speculate over whether atheists are eligible for funding. We are, you can read the requirements for any group here<br /><br />http://www.tourism.vic.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=220&Itemid=2135<br /><br />The Convention meets the requirements for funding and yet we have not even received a reply letting us know why they are ignoring us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-76030638403376972512009-10-17T02:40:06.726+11:002009-10-17T02:40:06.726+11:00Great meeting you in Burbank, Russell.
We need ...Great meeting you in Burbank, Russell. <br /><br />We need more concrete examples just like these to show all the little ways that religion really does receive special treatment. Your criticism is spot on.Scott Hnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-4471432602546836152009-10-17T02:39:02.259+11:002009-10-17T02:39:02.259+11:00From a pragmatic point of view I guess the lesson ...From a pragmatic point of view I guess the lesson is to check the availability of subsidies first and only then decide where to host the event.mbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01678973246798434306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-42470551075207087312009-10-16T19:44:09.778+11:002009-10-16T19:44:09.778+11:00@Gingerbanker
The Victorian government gives even...@Gingerbanker<br /><br />The Victorian government gives events funding if there is benefit to the economy. If there is significant attendance to an event then assistance is usually forth coming.<br /><br />The immediate funding and sponsorship of "The Parliament of World Religions" is an example of a past decision were there was no hesitation to fund or not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-70751363594470807742009-10-16T15:29:16.875+11:002009-10-16T15:29:16.875+11:00On numbers alone the convention should be getting ...On numbers alone the convention should be getting about 1 million. Add to that we are materialists and the funding should double :)Sean Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14485575602984697926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-49509894474089083632009-10-16T14:17:35.091+11:002009-10-16T14:17:35.091+11:00I'd love to go, but I'm still waiting to k...I'd love to go, but I'm still waiting to know if we'll be allowed to take pictures... Missed the gold tickets already :-(<br /><br />--<br /><br />On the funding subject, I agree with you: Fund everybody on tourism grounds.<br /><br />About tax breaks, again agreed, or alternatively tax breaks should be extended to religion-*related* orgs, including atheist orgs that are related to religion in that they don't want it. :-)Geraldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-86948545045909723802009-10-16T13:45:17.009+11:002009-10-16T13:45:17.009+11:00My preference is that goverments fund neither, and...My preference is that goverments fund neither, and that they stop giving tax breaks to religion.<br /><br />But if the idea is to fund anything that brings tourists into Victoria, which is the rationale for the funding to the religious conventions, why shouldn't large anti-religious conventions be equally eligible? It has nothing to do with whether atheism is a religion. It is to do with whether rules about funding conventions for their alleged economic benefits are applied equitably.Russell Blackfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12431324430596809958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24761391.post-76106275831012176772009-10-16T13:41:09.661+11:002009-10-16T13:41:09.661+11:00That your government likes to financially support ...That your government likes to financially support religious organizations seems to me to be a separate issue from why they should also financially support a convention of atheists.<br /><br />Are you arguing that atheism is a religion? It seems to me that atheism is quintessentially secular. <br /><br /><br />Would you expect governmental funding for a meeting of the garden club or a labor organization? <br /><br />And have we not seen the proposition advanced that we, as atheists, would love to see the status of religious organizations demoted to garden club secular status? Did you not just argue that religious organizations should lose their tax advantages and convention funding?<br /><br />Why is it not then hypocritical for a group of atheists to demand government funding as if they belonged to a religious organization, which, by the way, should not enjoy government subsidies?Gingerbakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14211637630936981883noreply@blogger.com