4/24/03 - Suggested topics will include:

• Do Atheists require faith in order to disbelieve in god(s)?
• At the AAI convention in Tampa this past weekend, a new label was proposed for those with a naturalistic world view (free of supernatural and mystical elements). The new label is "Bright". Is there a need for this new label? Is the idea that society can learn to give a new connotation to an old term (like "gay"), a good reason to try and disseminate this new term? Who decides if the connotations for a word are positive or negative? Would you feel comfortable referring to yourself as a "Bright"? Would you feel comfortable referring to others as "Brights"?
• What are the implications involved after engaging in our pre-emptive strike against Iraq? Will this have more of a positive or negative effect on reducing terrorism and menacing regimes?
• Do you agree or disagree with this quote by Socrates: "The more firmly you believe something to be true, the more willingly you ought to offer it up to scrutiny, since, if your belief be true, no manner of attack can invalidate it." Why do you agree or disagree?
• Will Genetic Engineering Kill Us? Will genetic engineering and other technologies divide human beings into classes that may one day try to destroy one another?

Quote of the week: "This is creating a real serious problem of perception: Here we have an army invading Iraq, followed by a bunch of people who want to convert everyone to Christianity. How's that going to look in the Muslim world? And how's it going to look that this guy says Muslims are evil and he's the guy who works with the President?" [Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on Islamic-American Relations. -- source]