第六届世界无神论会议结束
(2007-01-08 09:59:11)
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World Atheist Conference from Jan 5
January 03, 2007 08:43 IST
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The sixth World Atheist Conference will be held at Siddhartha Auditorium in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, from January 5.
Atheist Centre Executive Director Vijayam said people from various countries would take part in the three-day conference.
Well-known atheists, humanists and rationalists would participate in the conference titled 'The Necessity of Atheism', he said.
Dravidar Kazhagam President Veeramani would inaugurate the conference.
On the concluding day, National Knowledge Commission Vice-Chairman and Cellular and Molecular Biology Founder Director P M Bharagava would deliver the valedictory address, he added.
Religion is based on revelation, not science: Bhargava
Vijayawada, UNI:
Dr Bhargava, former Director of CCMC, Hyderabad, said there was logical reasoning based on existing knowledge and all scientific tools were testable and verified.
National Knowledge Commission Vice-Chairman P M Bhargava said religion was based on revelation and but in science their was no place for revelation.
Giving his valedictory address at the sixth three-day World Atheist Conference here yesterday, Dr Bhargava, former Director of CCMC, Hyderabad, said there was logical reasoning based on existing knowledge and all scientific tools were testable and verified. It was not so with religion.
Scientific progress took place by partial modification.
'A scientist can say I don't know.. Can a religious leader say it', he asked and said to make India a knowledge-based society, it required everybody to be committed to scientific temper.
'We are 99 per cent chimps and it is amazing that our cells have similar structures', he said, adding, 'we should realize there are black boxes in evolution. The answer could be found only in science.
Former IHEU president Roy W Brown in his address said atheists were in a unique position to make an important contribution to a debate about social justice. There should be freedom of religion, which must include the right to change one's religion or to reject religion entirely. There was no conflict between freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief, he said.
The conference ended with a declaration on addressing atheistic and humanistic concerns through a mandate.
Andhra Pradesh News
Science is perceivable, religion is not: Bhargava
Vijayawada (AP), Jan 8: Making a distinction between science and religion, National Knowledge Commission Vice Chairman P M Bhargava has said that while science could be tested and perceivable, it was not the case with religion.
Addressing the valedicatory meeting of the Sixth World Atheist Conference here yesterday, Bhargava said, "It was possible to test all scientific truths but the same was not the case in religion.
"Science was important for the future development of the society, but people who believed in religion cling on to its past." He said a knowledge-based society required people to commit themselves to scientific temper.
Bhargava said the belief that man was unique was absurd.
"Belief in god would actually dull one's motivation. People had the tendency to shift responsibilities to the shoulders of their respective gods and sit pretty waiting for a positive result," he said.
He attributed most ignorance-driven sins committed by the gullible to clergymen of their respective faiths.
The three day Sixth World Atheist Conference concluded with the release of a declaration that reiterated the commitment of delegates to democracy, human rights and rule of law with the ultimate objective of achieving fullest possible development of every human being.
--- PTI