Depending on the source, between 10,000 and 30,000 atheists and agnostics gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., last Saturday in the rain to “unify, energize, and embolden secular people nationwide, while dispelling the negative opinions held by so much of American society,” according to the organizer’s website. Featured speakers at the Reason Rally included David Silverman, president of American Atheists; actor and “comedian” Bill Maher; magician/comedian Penn Jillette; and famous atheist (or agnostic, depending on the source) Richard Dawkins.
Rather than trashing religion, the Reason Rally was supposed to be a “positive experience” to celebrate “secular values” and motivate atheists to “become more active.” While that might sound reasonable, if you listen to Dawkins’s speech, you’d get a different impression.
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