We'd be better off without Religion

 
Here's an interesting guestion. On Tuesday, March 27th 2,000 people showed up at Westminster Central Hall in London to hear Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and AC Grayling debate Baroness Julia Neuberger, Roger Scruton, and Nigel Spivey on the subject "We'd be better of without religion." [Articles of Faith, We'd be better off without Religion]. I'm practically certain that you could never get 2,000 people out to such an event in Toronto. How about other cities; New York, Morris, San Francisco, Houston?

Assuming that the answer is no, what's different about London and how can we copy it?

Isn't it strange that the "aggressive atheists" are getting so much positive attention? From what you hear on some of the blogs you'd think that the crowd would be throwing rocks rather than listening attentively.