RSA Daily

For atheists, rationalists and secular humanists in Australia

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Good morning ,

Today, some stories to help you maintain the rage. Against hypocrisy, duplicitousness and cant. Not just to prick an emotional reaction but to remind us that we should not give up, should not turn away in frustration, should continue to do what we can to defend and promote a liberal, pluralist society in which there is evidence-based public policy, a professional and disinterested media sector, and genuine secularism - separation between church and state.

If you haven't already, please consider joining the RSA as a member and help us help you do this.

Lead stories

I hesitated before including a link to this story. It's from Caldron Pool, a self-described "conservative website for news, current affairs and cultural opinion". I do so because at times we need to remind ourselves of the sheer hypocrisy of its contributors. I apologise in advance for any heightened heartrates. 

The MAV (Municipal Association of Victoria) has rejected a motion urging local councils to remove Christian worship from their opening meeting rituals, citing "concerns about the wording" and "doubts over whether it was the MAV’s role to tell local councils how to run their meetings". And yet, more than 70 years ago, the MAV wrote to councils urging them to introduce prayers! The words 'cowardly' and 'hypocritical' come to mind. 

Another silly thesis, trying to make a mountain out of a plain old anthill. The 'science' in the title actually refers to technology - like ChatGPT and data-mining - rather than the scientific method, which remains the best known way of progressing human knowledge. But the recommendation to teach more 'quantitative literacy' at universities is well taken - it used to be called statistics.

Check the graph.

Other stories of interest

Ukrainians Are Directing Their Anger at Their Church

A reminder of the political role that institutionalised religions have always played, now and in history.

Outrage is appropriate: The role of big consultants in Australian government

Senator Barbara Pocock reminds us of the hoops community organisations have to go through when (if!) they ever get a govt grant. Compared with the unaccountable millions dispensed to corporate consultancies ...

Meta hit with record $2 billion fine for data transfers

Europe continues to challenge US commercialism.

How PwC monetises its insider secrets

Remember the Hayne Royal Commission into banking? "Four years on, not a single person has faced the courts or any professional bodies over their plain misbehaviour"

Got a comment on any of these stories? 

Write to me at president@rationalist.com.au

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