Sean Faircloth: Attack of the Theocrats: How the Religious Right Harms Us All

Visiting from the United States for the Rationalist Society of Australia, hear Sean Faircloth speak to the issues raised in his book Attack of the Theocrats: How the Religious Right Harms Us All - and What We Can Do About It. He argues for returning America to its secular roots; as Richard Dawkins has said, ‘The trend toward theocratic thinking in the United States is a danger not only for America but for the entire world’.

Faircloth will outline his 10 Point Plan for a Secular America and discuss how the principles enshrined in this plan are relevant to any modern nation founded on democratic values, Australia included. A truly secular nation is one in which religious institutions have no more privileges than any other institution, where governments are neutral with respect to religion, and where there is both freedom of religion and freedom from religion.

Lunchbox/Soapbox

Sometimes, there’s nothing better than a good rant. Every Thursday, the Wheeler Centre hosts an old-fashioned Speaker’s Corner in the middle of the city, where writers and thinkers can have their say on the topics that won’t let them sleep at night.

Featuring some of the most compelling voices across just about every sector of human endeavour you can imagine, the themes dominating Lunchbox/Soapbox are proudly idiosyncratic. BYO lunch. Ideas provided.