Imagine an entire building full of brilliant, sardonic, BRILLIANT, fun, brilliant, educating speakers and people in the audience. I can assure you, you WANT to be at this event next year.
For one thing, it was totally free! That's right. No admission fee at all for hearing the likes of Dan Barker, James Randi, Rebecca Watson, Joe Nickolls, John Corvino, Greta Christina, PZ Myers, Richard Carrier, and some other amazing people!
The Springfield MO area is quite "Bible Belt" so, consequently, our convention was NEWS: http://www.ky3.com/videobeta/882644f2-77b3-4680-8737-a624ba29116a/News/Skepticon
I was very inspired by so many of the speakers, some of whom I'd never heard of before! The brilliance and brains was overwhelming! It was the type of community that makes one feel PROUD to be a part of.
If you can make it next year...WOO HOO!
New ideas are swirling around in my head. Ideas for this blog, beginning with the new and for always name: Homeschooling Atheists. I have tiptoed around this one for awhile now and I am PROUD to be one of the few blogs by homeschooling atheists! I also have some ideas for our lives here in the Atheist Homeschooling home, on lessons, in our lives, future work, and future study!
Dr. David Fitzgerald, author of many books on HISTORY and PHILOSOPHY. This is that lecture that you have been waiting for, the one that shows you incontrovertible, historical PROOF of all of those things you have always wondered about church history, Jesus, and early writings and stories. GREAT Lecture! I got the book 'Nailed".
His lecture contained so many facts that I simply started photographing his slides so that I could continue the research on my own!
He is a former Associate of CSER, the Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion, and has been researching the Historical Jesus problem for over ten years. In 2005, he helped director Brian Flemming launch his documentary film The God Who Wasn't There. His lecture "The Ten Thousand Christs and the Evaporating Jesus," is now a full-length book: Nailed:Ten Christian Myths That Show Jesus Never Existed at All.
You want to talk BAD ASS? This woman was a moderator for a panel discussion and she made the other people on the panels look like AMATEURS! She rocked!
I have no idea what her name is...
Victor Stengel is a professor of some pretty brain blowing physics classes. Made Jerry feel brilliant. Made me feel puny!
Dan Barker was there! I didn't have my books by him, but I still got his autograph! LOL
You might know Dan Barker as the minister of 19 years who left the ministry and became a foremost speaker on atheism. He also wrote the books "Maybe Yes, Maybe No" and "Maybe Right, Maybe Wrong"; titles designed to encourage critical thinking in the young.
PZ Myers, famous for his website Pharyngula, was a super funny and amazing speaker. He is a biology professor at the University of Minnesota Morris. Jerry was totally star-struck!
There were MANY other speakers and MANY other things I will say about this event, later. I mean, this is just the beginning! In the meantime, I've got some laundry to do, some CT lessons to prepare, and some kids to kiss and squeeze!
Peace.
Oh I am SOOOO jealous!!!! I may not make it next year...possibly 2013....I'm not sure. Once the boys are a bit older I will make sure to take them. From the numbers I've seen on other blogs it looks ot be growing which is promising. You are so LUCKY!! Thank you for the pics!! Oh I can only imagine how pumped up you must be. Nothing like working the brain to make you feel renewed. And I'm loving the name of the blog. For a second I didn't know whose blog it was in my blogfeed. LOL. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad it is you. And you are embracing who you are. Love ya!! *HUGS*
Oh and they actually have Gnostic bibles for sale! I plan to get one to read along with our Christianity studies. You can also find some info on the History channel website about some of those various movements.
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