The Case for Agnosticism

Wednesday 25^th June 7.30pm
The Green House Hotel,  4 Grove Road, Bournemouth BH1 3AX

with Kate Holden M.Phil

The “God Question” is perhaps the most important question there is, as not only does the answer have enormous implications for our understanding of the universe, our morality, and indeed our very existence, but billions of people live their lives guided in some way by ancient religious texts. Many theists and atheists regard agnostics as ‘fence-sitters’ who’ve simply failed to properly consider the evidence, but Kate Holden has extensively examined atheist and theist positions and believes there are good grounds for rejecting both.

In this presentation, she will explore both philosophical and evidential perspectives including the nature of God, the nature of truth, the ambiguity of faith, the apparent conflict of science and religion, and difficulties associated with proving God’s existence. She will highlight parallels between the atheist and theist positions and suggest that both are comparably weak, before concluding with the proposal that agnosticism embraces the undeniable lack of proof and certainty, and consequently provides a more realistic response to life’s ultimate questions.

Kate Holden studied for a BA in Philosophy and an MA in Philosophy and Religion at Heythrop College, University of London.

“Join us for another fascinating examination of the God Question”

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

(The Green House Hotel can also be accessed from Gervis Road, which is well lit and has roadside parking).

Please help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

Unholy Questions: The “Case for God” on Trial

Wednesday 24^th July 7.30pm 
The Green House Hotel,  4 Grove Road, Bournemouth BH1 3AX

In this entertaining and thought-provoking presentation, author, blogger and ‘tippling philosopher’ Jonathan Pearce will skilfully guide us through the maze of arguments for and against the existence of God. He will be explaining the best arguments from both sides of the God debate in plain English and critically examining their pros and cons.

Jonathan is a teacher and author from South Hampshire, who has dedicated many years of his life to all manner of things philosophical and theological. He is currently studying for a Masters in Philosophy, and is a founder member of the Tippling Philosophers, a friendly group of disparate believers and non-believers based in Hampshire. He is the author of several popular books including ‘The Nativity: A Critical Examination’, ‘Free Will? An investigation into whether we have free will, or whether I was always going to write this book’, and ‘The Little Book of Unholy Questions’. As an interlude from writing about philosophy and theology, he has also written a book of advice for dads of twins; Twins: A Survival Guide for Dads. He is also a founder author for the Skeptic Ink Network (SIN), an online community of skeptic writers, bloggers, academics, thinkers and activists. Check out their blog at http://skepticink.com/tippling/ and their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Skeptic-Ink

“Join us for an enjoyable discussion of the best arguments from both sides of the God debate”

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

(The Green House Hotel can also be accessed from Gervis Road, which is better lit and has roadside parking).

Please help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

Philosophy, Science and the God Debate

Thursday 28^th June 7.30pm
Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue, Moordown, Bournemouth BH9 1TW

There’s been a forceful backlash against the ‘new atheism’ of writers like Richard Dawkins and the late Christopher Hitchens, inspiring a new wave of Christian apologists. This group includes: Alister McGrath, Professor of Theology at King’s College London, Keith Ward, former Professor of Divinity at Oxford, and John Lennox, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford.

Many atheists make the mistake of assuming religion is wholly irrational, relying on faith alone but, in a series of interviews recorded for DVD, the apologetics heavyweights from the list above demonstrate their ability to challenge us with reasoned arguments.

We will be watching the film and discussing how Humanists and atheists can best respond to this new wave of reinvigorated apologetics. Come along and join the discussion.

Free entry (donations appreciated)   

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.