Election 2009/2010

Friday, April 23rd, 2010 | | No Comments

Want to run the most successful non-religious student society in the UK? Then run for a committee position at our AGM this Tuesday.

The posititions up for election are:
President (exc)
Vice President
Secretary (exec)
Treasurer (exec)
Meetings co-ordinator
Interfaith co-ordinator (including courses)
Publicity Officer
AHS Rep

N.B. AHS Rep and exec must be students and it is prefered that Publicity officer will be also.

If you would like to know more about the roles all of the current committee will be in the Reason Week Marquee from 7pm tonight and most of us will be there all day too. Feel free too email us with questions.

Reason Week 2010 is almost here

Monday, April 5th, 2010 | | No Comments

I just wanted to tell you all how excited I am about Reason Week 2010. I've finally been truly bitten by the bug. With it so close and so much preparation going on at the moment it's really driving it home that it is happening and it's happening really soon!

Leeds Reason Week, formally known as Rationalist Week is not only our biggest event of the year - it's the biggest event run by any free thinking university society in the UK! Last year it was watched by people across the world and this year shall be no less spectacular.

This year we will he having a slightly different focus than last year. We want to get talking to people therefore we have cut out a lot of the talks - they were almost a distraction from the friendly "pull up a chair and have a chat about science, reason and atheism" approach that we're looking for.

Of course there will still be plenty of fantastic events - several per day and we'll be announcing that they will be shortly. Old favourites such as Make Your Own God and All Night Debate still have a debate in the schedule, make no mistake!

We have two final planning meetings taking place before the week so if you do want to get involved there is still time. If you can't make them because you're at home for Easter simply drop us an email to get the details as well.

Reason Week 2010 is almost here

Monday, April 5th, 2010 | | No Comments

I just wanted to tell you all how excited I am about Reason Week 2010. I’ve finally been truly bitten by the bug. With it so close and so much preparation going on at the moment it’s really driving it home that it is happening and it’s happening really soon!

Leeds Reason Week, formally known as Rationalist Week is not only our biggest event of the year – it’s the biggest event run by any free thinking university society in the UK! Last year it was watched by people across the world and this year shall be no less spectacular.

This year we will he having a slightly different focus than last year. We want to get talking to people therefore we have cut out a lot of the talks – they were almost a distraction from the friendly “pull up a chair and have a chat about science, reason and atheism” approach that we’re looking for.

Of course there will still be plenty of fantastic events – several per day and we’ll be announcing that they will be shortly. Old favourites such as Make Your Own God and All Night Debate still have a debate in the schedule, make no mistake!

We have two final planning meetings taking place before the week so if you do want to get involved there is still time. If you can’t make them because you’re at home for Easter simply drop us an email to get the details as well.

Arslan’s Situation

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010 | | No Comments

As most of you know Dr. Shaukat Aman Ulla, known as Arslan to us has been a member of Leeds Atheist Society and friend of many of us for over two years.

He is an out Atheist and ex-Muslim; currently living in the UK in safety. In Pakistan, his home country this is punishable by death!

Unfortunately his visa has run out and he has applied for asylum to stay in the UK.

We strongly feel that by being sent back to Pakistan for Arslan, is like being sent to his death. I urge you to support him.

His appeal is taking place on the 8th April and hopefuly this petition will show that he has support.

Please sign this to support freedom of belief and Arslan's asylum.

http://www.petition.fm/petitions/savearslan/0/4/

Thanks

Arslan’s Situation

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010 | | No Comments

As most of you know Arslan has been a member of Leeds Atheist Society and friend of many of us for over two years.

He is an out Atheist and ex-Muslim; currently living in the UK in safety. In Pakistan, his home country this is punishable by death!

Unfortunately his visa has run out and he has applied for asylum to stay in the UK.

We strongly feel that by being sent back to Pakistan for Arslan, is like being sent to his death. I urge you to support him.

His appeal is taking place on the 8th April and hopefuly this petition will show that he has support.

Please sign this to support freedom of belief and Arslan’s asylum.

http://www.petition.fm/petitions/savearslan/0/4/

Thanks

LAS Leading the country in Interfaith

Thursday, February 18th, 2010 | | No Comments

Getting up at 6am, after a night out painted as a blue Avatar is never easy. The excitement of meeting other students from around the country, with the same obsession I have made it a lot easier. After a somewhat eventful journey down south and then through the enlarged rabbit warren Londoners call the tube, I arrived at St Ethelburga’s where the first NUS Interfaith Forum was due to take place.

The forum started off with a welcome from Ben Whittaker, NUS Vice President for Welfare. This was followed by an introduction by Kat Luckock, NUS Student Inter-Faith Coordinator. She went though why the forum has been set up and forum guidelines.

We then got into small groups and discussed what Interfaith is, what we have been involved with personally and issues and challenges that we have faced. My group had four faiths represented, with varying experience in interfaith work from a strong interest to someone that set up a coexist society at Warwick and someone that organises interfaith football at Bath. Each group presented their discussions to the rest of the room. One thing that became startlingly apparent was the Leeds Atheist Society has arranged and been involved in more and a wider variety of Interfaith events than any other group present, including interfaith/coexist societies!

After a lovely lunch Campusalaam trained us in the FlashPOD method. This is a way to record a deep discussion of a specific event or issue and then share it online.

The day lived up to my high expectations. After almost two years of arranging Interfaith events mostly through Leeds Atheist Society, meeting other people with the same goal was invaluable. We shared stories of problems we had encountered and how we had over come them.

It was great to see that it is not just Atheists who believe in the importance of Interfaith. The forum was made up of mostly Jews and Muslims and I met one Sikh and one Baha’I too.

The forum is going to meet with the Minister for Universities, David Lammy on 4th March. How this is going to be ran was discussed by the forum.

Amongst the project aims the six Interfaith Forums will help the members to develop a strong inter-faith collaboration and enhance campus cohesion by creating space for interfaith dialogue and activities.

I believe it is already doing this. By using the FlashPOD method my group discussed why certain faith societies are less than enthusiastic about supporting interfaith events run by Leeds Atheist Society. I found this extremely insightful. Apparently people of faith feel they have nothing in common with Atheists and the idea that we want to spend time with them is greeted with suspicion as they think that we think they are stupid. I at least managed to dispel the popular myths about atheism.

Many of us that attended the forum have added each other to facebook so we can keep in contact until the next forum meeting. It was defiantly worth travelling 400 miles on Valentines day to attend.

I hope that the future forums will include more networking and small group discussions. These will facilitate the sharing of ideas for how to arrange successful interfaith events and discussion of problems that arose when staging these events. There is also need for training and a sharing of know-how on how to word things, as these are contentious issues and insensitivity benefits no-one. It would be terrible to unintentionally offend two faith societies on campus within minutes, wait that might have already happened!

I have suggested Leeds SU as a venue for the next forum and have sent in an article similar to this to the NUS, which will hopefully be appearing on their website shortly.

Oh and I think Leeds Atheist Society are officially entitled to the title “King of UK Interfaith.” :D

Fitna: The Big Debate has been postponed

Saturday, February 6th, 2010 | | No Comments

First off I would like to issue an apology from the society for those who were looking forward to our event "Fitna: The Big Debate" which was going to be taking place next Tuesday - February 9th, as this will no longer be the case.

Despite us announcing the events months ago, the union have decided to step in 5 days before the event and not allow us to run the event because they claim it violates the university's freedom of expression policy.

We are currently in talks with the union as to what steps will be required it in order for us to be able to run the event as it will be rescheduled for a later date. Watch this space for more information.

Fitna: The Big Debate has been postponed

Saturday, February 6th, 2010 | | No Comments

First off I would like to issue an apology from the society for those who were looking forward to our event “Fitna: The Big Debate” which was going to be taking place Tuesday – February 9th, as this will no longer be the case.

Despite us announcing the events months ago, the union have decided to step in 5 days before the event and not allow us to run the event because they claim it violates the university’s freedom of expression policy.

We are currently in talks with the union as to what steps will be required it in order for us to be able to run the event as it will be rescheduled for a later date. Watch this space for more information.

Calling past members

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 | | No Comments

Leeds Atheist Society is now entering into its fourth year of existence and its fourth committee are embarking on an exciting and challenging programme of events and campaigns.

One of the effects of the society reaching the grand old age of four is that many of our members in the first three years have graduated university, moved away from Leeds or have simply lost touch with the society. This is something the society would like to rectify and to achieve this A-Soc is launchin an alumni programme to help maintain contacts and develop a longer term association with our past members.

As the almuni co-ordinator, I would like to extend an invitation to all our previous members to get in touch via the Contact Us page. The scheme is free and open to all past members.

Benefits of joining the alumni programme include a termly news letter, access to society events and socials, a dedicated section of the website and the opportunity to take part in a discretionary donation sceheme.

I hope to hear from as many of you as possible, if only to let us know how you are getting on since leaving the society.

Calling past members

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 | | No Comments

Leeds Atheist Society is now entering into its fourth year of existence and its fourth committee are embarking on an exciting and challenging programme of events and campaigns.

One of the effects of the society reaching the grand old age of four is that many of our members in the first three years have graduated university, moved away from Leeds or have simply lost touch with the society. This is something the society would like to rectify and to achieve this A-Soc is launchin an alumni programme to help maintain contacts and develop a longer term association with our past members.

As the almuni co-ordinator, I would like to extend an invitation to all our previous members to get in touch via the Contact Us page. The scheme is free and open to all past members.

Benefits of joining the alumni programme include a termly news letter, access to society events and socials, a dedicated section of the website and the opportunity to take part in a discretionary donation sceheme.

I hope to hear from as many of you as possible, if only to let us know how you are getting on since leaving the society.

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