Author: The Literific

The Literary & Scientific Society is the debating society at Queen's University Belfast. We meet every at 7pm, Thursday evening during term time in the QUB Senate Room - you can be kept up to date with our website, Facebook and Twitter!

This House Believes There is a God

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The 15th Ordinary Meeting of the 165th Session of the Literific took place on the 20th of February in the Senate Room.

Jess Liningstone, David Cather and Professor David Glass supported the motion. Livingstone explained that in a situation where you can’t determine if or if not a God exists, it comes down to faith to make you decide. Cather determined that the world is far too finely balanced to not have something intervene. Prof. Glass concluded by telling the House that the universe would make more sense if a god did exist. He said that without religion and belief, many scientists would not have discovered what we have today as they wouldn’t have gone looking for God.

Ciaran Gallagher, Nick Millington and Paddy Mallon. C’p’n Gallagher focused on not offending people and accepted that it is a personal issue but that there is insufficient evidence to prove a god’s existence. Mr Millington said it was important for the House to understand his bias as an atheist and so while you can’t say there is a god or that there isn’t, you also can’t say there’s a mystical teapot floating about the universe. Mallon decided to pull a ‘Jonny Gallagher’ as it is so called within the Society (See 1967 Abortion Act Minutes) and said he didn’t believe there was ‘a’ God, but instead a load of them. Batman, something Irish Mythology reduces gods to fairies, to pixies.

We then went to the Floor. Both sides summarised, sand the motion then went to a vote and was defeated with 10 abstentions, 18 ayes and 26 nays.

This House Would Raise Gender Neutral Children

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The 14th Ordinary Meeting of the 165th Session of the Literific took place on the 13th of February in the Senate Room. It was co-hosted by QUB LGBT+

Ellen Murray and Fionn Rodgers took the proposition. Murray argued that gender is such a big part of our lives that separates us into boxes from the day we are born. These boxes can later affect what people do with their lives with society not accepting gender imbalances. If children were raised as gender neutral then they would learn to not discriminate between each other. Rodgers argued that it shouldn’t be up to the parent to force a preconceived idea of gender onto a vulnerable child that is open to learning whatever it is told. By raising children as gender neutral you’d be giving them the right to do what they want.

Charlie Barnes and Brendan Kelters opposed the motion. Barnes argued that it is the gender binary that is the problem and that gender is not, and should not, be a social construct. Instead of raising children as gender neutral he suggested we get parents to realise that there is a spectrum when it comes to gender. Kelters closed the debate. He suggested that gender neutrality is in itself a distinct gender and that the gender binary is rudimentary psychology that shouldn’t be something where you are classified as one or the other. By raising children as gender neutral, it could lead to confusion about how they interpret themselves.

The debate then went to the floor. Both sides summarised and the motion went to a vote. The motion was defeated.    

This House Supports Drone Warfare

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drone

The 13th Ordinary meeting of the 165th Session of the Literific took place on the 6th of
February in the Senate Room.

Alex Horkan and Ryan Jones supported the motion! Horkan argued that no weapon can be said to be used ethically but that war is inevitable so drone warfare must be considered. While warfare should be a last resort, drones allow better and more informed decisions when it comes about. Ryan Jones continued saying he hearts drones. There were some memorable quotes *cough* ‘whether your beliefs are communism, fascism or feminism’ *cough*.He said that like all advances in warfare, drones are necessary as it’s not about how many men you have in war but about how advanced your weapons are.

Henry Adams and James McAlister took the floor in opposition! Adams compared the cause and effect of the situation.  He argued that staying silent about the use of drones and having a lack of transparency would result in dangerous consequences due to an indifference to casualties. McAlister closed the debate. He told the House that it is just a way of allowing the government to make a kill list and carry out secret executions instead of giving trials and that it could escalate to a point where there is a disregard for human life.

We then went to the floor, a vote and the motion passed.