Michel Onfray symposium

Atheism à la mode by Caspar Melville, New Humanist, July/August 2007

Symposium on Michel Onfray’s In Defence of Atheism, just published in the UK. Contributors: Richard Norman, Julian Baggini, Jonathan Rée, Doug Ireland.

I am not so thrilled about the panelists. Richard Norman ought to have done better. Julian Baggini is an improvement. Jonathan Rée has lost his mind, how different he is now that when he was interested in working class philosophers back in the '80s.

Note: This is the book published as Atheist Manifesto in the USA.

Jean Meslier gaining recognition

I have reported on French priest turned atheist Jean Meslier (1664 - 1733) on this blog and on the early version of my Studies in a Dying Culture blog. (See: Jean Meslier (1664 - 1733): Priest, Materialist, Atheist) Meslier is gaining more attention in recent years, judging by these additional items:

"How to be a successful atheist priest" by Colin Brewer (2003)

The Last Priest, play by David Walter Hall

Good heavens - some decent atheist drama, 11 June 2007, review of two plays:

The Last Priest by David Walter Hall

On Religion by A.C. Grayling & Mick Gordon

Thinker: Jean Meslier by Colin Brewer, New Humanist, July/August 2007