I’ll be taking part in two debates about religion this week, in University College Dublin on Wednesday 26th October and in Trinity College Dublin on Thursday 27th October.
On Wednesday 26 October I will be in UCD, debating the motion ‘This House Believes That the World would be a Better Place Without Religion’. This debate is organised by the Literary and Historical Society and takes place at 7pm in Theatre P In the Arts Block on the main UCD campus.
I and Rita Harrold of the Humanist Association will be proposing the motion, and Fr Peter McVerry, Founder of the Peter McVerry Trust, and Dr Bernd Wannenwetsch, Former Head of Theology at Oxford University, will be opposing the motion.
On Thursday 27 October I will be in TCD, debating the motion ‘This House Believes that Scientology is as Legitimate as any other Religion’. This debate is organised by the University Philosophical Society.
I and Mike Rinder, a former global spokesperson for the Church of Scientology, will be proposing the motion, and former Scientologist John Duignan and Matthew McKenna of Anonymous Ireland will be opposing the motion.
Mike Rinder will also be appearing on TV3’s Midweek, presented by Colette Fitzpatrick, at 10 pm on Wednesday night ahead of Thursday’s debate. This show will also be available online at www.tv3/ie/midweek.
Do we need to register to attend or can we just show up on the night?
I’ve emailed both groups to ask.
The UCD debate is open to the public. I’m waiting to hear back from TCD.
Edit: The TCD debate is only open to students, but it will be recorded so we will have video of it later.
Thanks for replying. I have a few people here in UCD that want to attend.
The Trinity chappie has told me that they film the debates, so I’m hoping to get the footage from the debate for a bit of youtubage afterwards. Should mean that those who miss the event will be able to enjoy afterwards.
I’m still giggling over this to be honest. Rinder is FreeZone, which means he practices/believes Scientology but does so outside of the organisation. Afaik they couldn’t get any Scientology members to join Rinder, so the only choice they had was to get you to argue that no religion is legitimate (thereby affirming that Scientology is as legitimate as any other religion). Did I mention I’m still giggling?
Up for meeting in The Duke afterwards? I’ll be joining a few ex-Scientologists there. Hope to invite Mike along too (if he isn’t still be followed by PIs).
Yes, I’m happy to go for a drink afterwards, unless I have been converted to Scientology by then.
has the wannenwetsch debate been posted anywhere?