● Jose Acacio de Barros, Associate Professor of Liberal Studies, San Francisco, CA, USA "I was surprised to hear that CNPq denied financial support to the 1st Congress about Logic and Religion. From a scientific point of view, the list of speakers, as well as the organizers, is impressive. Furthermore, the topic could not be more relevant. I hope the organizers are successful in contesting CNPq’s decision. "

● Michel Ghins, Emeritus professor of philosophy, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium "I am extremely surprised and very disappointed to learn that the CNPq has denied its support to the first Congress on Logic and Religion. I have been teaching at Unicamp between 1983 and 1991 and I know the high level of competency and professionalism of prof. Itala d'Ottaviano who has organized many well-organized conferences of outstanding academic standard. Besides, the topic of the congress is original and very contemporary since the role of religion in society is coming back at the forefront of cultural and political issues in many countries. In such a context, it would certainly be very interesting to study, among other issues, the commonly alleged "irrationality" of religions with the help of the most recent logical tools . "

● Razvan Diaconescu, Research Professor at Simion Stoilow Institute of Mathematics of the Romanian Academy (IMAR), Director of Informatics Department of Scoala Normala Superioara Bucuresti, "I am sorry to hear about this bad news. It is shame since the topic may be of paramount importance in todays troubled world when religion is often invoked for justifying a lot of violence. Hence a rational approach to religion may in fact make a separation between what I consider real spirituality that is meant to bring happiness and dispel suffering and some very bad things that are claimed in name of religion. "

● Ana Teresa Castro Martins, Professor, Department of Computation, Federal University of Ceara, Brazil "Apoio a petição pela importância do tema, pela senioridade do comitê científico e organizador, pela necessidade de uma maior clareza nas justificativas de recusa do CNPq a pedidos submetidos."

● Régis Angot-Pellissier, PhD and professor agrégé in mathematics, Le Mans, France. "This congress is very important for the evolution of mathematical logic because exploring religious cosmologies leads to new construction of logical concepts (opposition, for example). In return, some very subtle mathematical and logical tools throw new lignts on very difficult religious speculations (Nagarjuna, Daodejing...). This congress will surely mark the future research. "

● Rafael Haddock-Lobo, Adjunct Professor, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil "O anonimato e a falta de transparência do CNPq encobrem injustiças e favorecimentos pessoais e criam situações absurdas. Todo o meu apoio! Devemos começar uma luta por transparência nos processos de análise e de concessão do CNPq."

● Katarzyna Gan-Krzywoszynska, Assistant Professor at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland

● Bernardo Alonso, Adjunct Professor at Federal University of Mato Grosso - UFMT, Cuiabá, Brazil, "I could not think of a worse time slice to deny support towards an important subject matter such as the relation between Logic and Religion "

● Renato Mendes Rocha, PhD Student, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil and fellow reseracher at Australian National University, Canberra

● Adílio Jorge Marques, Adjunct Professor, Universidade Federal Fluminense Departamento de Ciências Exatas, Biológicas e da Terra. "Não é compreensível que uma pesquisadora com o currículo competente da Profa. Dra. Itala D'Ottaviano não possa ter o devido apoio para um evento da magnitude do 1st World Congress on Logic and Religion. O Brasil deve fazer jus ao que chama hoje de "pátria educadora" e, por isso, acredito que tal decisão será sabiamente revista. "

● Anand Vaydia, Professor, San Jose State University, CA, USA

● Luis Felipe Lopes, PH.D. in progress at UFMG on Modern Philosophy and Philosophy of Religion "It is a surprise to hear that CNPq denied to support such a important congress that is discussing so a relevant field in philosophy and so current. Certainly, a negative by CNPq would be very embarrassing once that many important philosophers were supposed to be here. CNPq could learn with Cambridge University, Oxford University, Harvard University and their centers on Religion Studies as Ian Ramsey Center (Oxford), The Faraday Institute (Cambridge) and so on. "

● Cassiano Terre Rodrigues, Professor, Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, Brazil, "É uma pena que ainda atualmente, em pleno século XXI, tenhamos de enfrentar a recusa a financiamentos de eventos científicos de alto impacto, relevância e inovação, como o é o 1º Congresso Mundial de Lógica e Religião. A justificativa de o CNPq financiar somente eventos de qualidade científica revela desconhecimento sobre o evento, causando imensa surpresa, uma vez que a comissão organizadora é composta de numerosos estudiosos, professores, pesquisadores do mais alto gabarito, amplamente reconhecidos no Brasil e no exterior, e justamente pela qualidade de seus trabalhos - sinal disso, é o numeroso aporte de outros estudiosos, professores e pesquisadores do mundo todo que se inscreveram para o evento, em reconhecimento à sua seriedade e qualidade. Não faz sentido negar o financiamento a um evento desse porte, que colocará o Brasil mais uma vez com destaque no cenário mundial de pesquisa na área, sem dizer qual a qualidade de que se trata e quais eventos financiados alcançam esse nível de qualidade. Espero que o CNPq reveja essa equivocada diretiva e volte atrás, financiando o 1º Congresso Mundial de Lógica e Religião e tornando mais públicos seus critérios de avaliação, bem como quais eventos financiados satisfazem a esses critérios, para que seja possível uma avaliação pública, genuinamente republicana, de suas decisões."

● Christian de Ronde, Associate Professor - National University Arturo Jauretche, Fellow Researcher National Council for Scientific and Technical Investigations, Philosophy Department Dr. A. Korn - Buenos Aires University, Argentina.,Center Leo Apostel for Interdisciplinary Studies and Foundations of the Exact Sciences,Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.

● Otávio Bueno, Full Professor, Chair of the Department of Philosophy, University of Miami, Florida, USA - Editor-in-Chief Synthese

● Marcelo Coniglio, President of the Brazilian Society of Logic - SBL, Full Professor, State University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Brazil

● Manuel Doria, Student of Philosophy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ , "Professor Itala D'Ottaviano is an internationally acclaimed logician, being one the most distinguished Latin American researchers in Logic. The decision of the Brazilian Research Council (CNPq) rejecting financial support for the prestigious event that Professor D'Ottaviano is organizing is without merit. CNPq has a history in financing research from humanities departments throughout Brazilian universities that are dubious in terms of scientific value. A simple analysis of the list of keynote speakers of the 1st World Congress On Logic And Religion indicates that it is unlikely that such event will be devoid of scientific (as well as humanistic) value. This is evidence that the evaluation standards of CNPq are defective."

● Lorenzo Magnani, Full Professor Director: Graduate and Postgraduate Studies in Philosophy, Department of Humanities, Philosophy Section , University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy Director: Computational Philosophy Laboratory, Editor: Springer Book Series SAPERE Studies in Applied Philosophy, Epistemology and Rational Ethics "It is time to enrich the studies about religion also using the best tools derived from the logical an epistemological tradition. Cognitive science already furnished various methods for studying religion as a "natural phenomenon" so we expect a lot a new knowledge from this exceptional conference. I myself tried to increase rational images of religion (in connection with morality and violence) in my recent book Understanding Violence. The Intertwining of Morality, Religion and Violence: A Philosophical Stance."

● Manuel Mouteira, Teaching Assistant, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ, Brazill

●Hércules de Araujo Feitosa, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru, Brazil "I am in favour that CNPq changes this decision and gives support for this relevant event'."

● Roman Matuszewski, Associate Professor of logic, University of Bialystok, Poland, "The topic of the 1st World Congress on Logic and Religion is very important and the Congress is new. But many philosophers and logicians were interested in links between logic and religion. It is a very classic topic, but also connected to the most recent advances in automated deduction."

● Arthur Buchsbaum, Professor, Department of Computation, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil

● Filipe Ceppas, Adjunct Professor, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil "Espero que o CNPq reveja sua decisão e apoie este importante congresso."

● Joaze Bernardino-Costa, Adjunct Professor, University of Brasília, Brazil, Visiting Scholar at University of California at Berkeley, USA "É urgente a necessidade de que cada área do conhecimento seja avaliada de acordo com seus próprios parâmetros. Da mesma forma, é necessário que sejam apresentados os critérios de avaliação de cada projeto aprovado ou não. Somente sabendo os critérios de avaliação, podemos aceitar uma decisão, mesmo ela não sendo favorável ao nosso pleito. A conferência sobre lógica e religião tem evidente validade e relevância no campo do conhecimento, assim como dialoga com acontecimentos centrais que tem acontecido no cenário internacional"

● Fábio Elias Verdiani Tfouni, Adjunct Professor, Department of Philosophy, Federal University of Sergipe, Brazil, "I hope CNPq changes its decision about the financial support for this congress.."

● Alexandre Costa Leite, Assistant Professor, University of Brasilia, Brazil, "Esse evento é muito importante porque pretende explorar em particular quais são as ligações possíveis entre o racional e o irracional. Deste modo, o congresso merece todo o apoio."

● Pedro Augusto Carelli de Castro Chaves, PhD Candidate in Philosophy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and Professor in High School, Brazil, "Considero injustificada a decisão do CNPq, uma vez que o congresso abordará um tema de extrema atualidade e terá como participantes nomes consagrados na pesquisa em Lógica e em Religião."

● Piotr Lesniewski, Assistant Professor at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland "Perhaps the following thought by A. N. Whitehead, co-author with Bertrand Russell of Principia Mathematica, a major work in the history of humanity, should be reminded: "Science (at least as a temporary methodological device) can rest upon a naive faith; religion is the longing for justification." [Religion in the Making]"

● Cláudia Passos-Ferreira, Psychologist, PhD in Public Health, and PhD Candidate in Philosophy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, "Gostaria de declarar meu apoio à realização do Congresso sobre Lógica e Religião."

● Juan Manuel Campos Benítez, Professor at Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, México, "Denying support to a scientific project with the participation of scientists from all around the world is not a quite rational decision."

● José Veríssimo Teixeira da Mata, Consultor da Câmara dos Deputados, Brazil, "Considero que o estudo das formas lógicas das práticas e do pensamento na religião permite melhorar a compreensão desses, bem como pode enriquecer o próprio domínio dos objetos visados pela lógica. Demais, não me parece que se possa ter uma boa compreensão de algumas correntes filosóficas, sem se passar pela compreensão de sua matriz, que é de natureza natureza religiosa. O evento de João Pessoa é, desse modo, iniciativa de digna de louvores. José Veríssimo Teixeira da Mata."

● Vladimir L. Vasyukov, Head of the Chair of History and Philosophy of Science Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia, "From my point of view a negative answer from CNPQ for the financial support of the CONGRESS ON LOGIC AND RELIGION means, first of all, an attempt to prescribe what scientists should and what they should not investigate."

● John Woods, FRSC Director, The Abductive Systems Group The UBC Honorary Professor of Logic Department of Philosophy University of British Columbia, President Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy University of Lethbridge, Canada, Editor of the Handbook of History of Logic, 11 volumes. "The decision of the funding authorities to slight this important congress is disheartening, but perhaps not entirely unpredictable in a world of officials who seem unable to collect their minds around a coherent idea of political secularism in an otherwise religiously rich world. Some of history's most important logicians were also theologians. Gödel was a Lutheran, not church-going but bible-reading on Sundays, Kripke is an observant Jew, Gabbay is one of the world authorities on the logic of the Talmud, and the list goes on and on. I commend my Brazilian colleagues for their efforts in bringing this congress about. I deeply regret my inability to attend, this first one but am already planning to join the one that follows. With best wishes to all."

● Rodrigo de Alvarenga Freire, Assistant Professor, University of Brasilia, Brazil. "Apoio o pedido para que o CNPq reconsidere sua decisão. Não há muitos eventos de filosofia desse nível ocorrendo no Brasil. Além disso, o tema Lógica e Religião é indispensável para a compreensão de questões urgentes do mundo contemporâneo. "

● Francisco Doria, Professor emeritus of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ and Researcher CNPq -1B, "We have to remember that the first researcher, in recent times, to unify Logic and Religion was Kurt Gödel himself."

● Wilson Mendonça, Full Professor, University of Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ and Researcher CNPq -1B, "Eu gostaria de acrescentar meu nome à lista dos que consideram errada e injustificada a decisão, por parte do CNPq, de não apoiar o Congresso sobre Lógica e Religião em João Pessoa."

● Cezar Augusto Mortari, Associate Professor, Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC, Brazil "I hope CNPq will reconsider its position and grant financial support to the 1st Congress about Logic and Religion. "

● Julio Stern, Full Professor of IME-USP -- The Institute of Mathematics & Statistics of the University of Sao Paulo and Researcher CNPq -1D. "To the President of CNPq: Dear Sir: First, let me thank CNPq for the continuous support to my career as a researcher in Brazil. As a Level 1 PQ fellow, and organizer of several international scientific events, I am very grateful. I am sending you this letter concerning the 1st World Congress on Logic and Religion, to be held at Joao Pessoa, on April 1-5, 2015. This event has applied for the support of CNPq but, unfortunately, this support has been bluntly denied. I believe that, at least in part, this denial involves a crucial aspect of this event, namely, its interdisciplinary. At CNPq, Logic is a sub-area of Philosophy. Hence, it is at the see-shore, where the waters of Philosophy meet the dry land of Mathematics. The see-shore is a turbulent environment. Moreover, many aquatic creatures see it as part of terra firma, a world alien to them, while many of those that proudly stand on dry land, see it as a semi-submerged world, better to be avoided. Nevertheless, the see-shore is also a very rich and diverse environment, full of life, supporting life forms that can be found nowhere else. The see-shore is a small, almost one-dimensional band that, nevertheless, is responsible for linking two great realms. Without this connection, these realms would remain isolated, at least from a biological perspective. Interdisciplinary is the blessing and the curse of Logic! It characterizes the field as a cross-roads between the Exact Sciences and the Humanities, but also makes it a frequent victim of the "not-out-of-my-pocket" syndrome. The main organizer of this event, Prof. Itala d'Ottaviano, together with some its leading figures, like Prof. Walter Carnielli and Prof. Newton da Costa, have suffered in the past of this kind of pervasive effect. In the past I, among many other Brazilian scientists, have humbly raised my voice in their defense. I do it again, in the hope that my voice, among many others, will be heard, and that this wonderful and pioneering scientific event, that will bring together so many brilliant minds from around the world at Joao Pessoa, will receive the proper funding it surely deserves. Yours sincerely "

● João Ricardo Moderno, Presidente da Academia Brasileira de Fillosofia "AO SR. PRESIDENTE DO CNPQ A Academia Brasileira de Filosofia manifesta o seu apoio incondicional ao projeto encaminhado pela Profa. Dra. Itala D'Ottaviano para o Congresso Mundial de Lógica e Religião. Sendo um projeto que envolve os maiores lógicos do mundo - brasileiros e estrangeiros - não entendemos como pode ter sido recusado, levando-se em conta a tradição de altíssima qualidade acadêmica do CNPq. Assim, solicitamos uma revisão que se mostre favorável ao que há de melhor do mundo acadêmico internacional, sobretudo em um momento histórico tão grave em razão da irracionalidade fundamentalista, que luta pela instalação definitiva da barbárie. Com os nossos melhores cumprimentos."

● Joseph Vidal Rosset, Maître de Conférence - HDR, Université de Lorraine - Nancy, France. " Many philosophers and logicians were interested in links between logic and religion (St. Anselm, Descartes, Kant, Gödel, to name only the most famous). The topic of this conference is obviously classic and important from a philosophical point of view, and it would be sad to cancel this event for financial reasons."

● Hadi Vakili, Associated Professor of Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, Tehran, Iran "Undoubtly this congress on Logic and Religion should be considered as a scientific highly event which explores and developes the link between the two of the most important categories in the history of the human intellectuality and it would be illogical as well as irreligious to be stopped because of financial reasons. "

● Bruno Woltzenlogel Paleo, Theory And Logic Group, Faculty of Informatics, Techncial University of Vienna, Austria

● Fabien Schang, Postdoctoral researcher and Lecturer at the National Research University, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia. "I have been informed by the refusal of the CNPq to bring its financial support to the 1st Congress about Logic and Religion. I hardly see why such a set of educated and open-minded scholars cannot be taken seriously. Therefore, I cannot but add my modest support to this innovating and relevant congress, hoping that any biases or unjustified distrust towards a logical approach to religion will be overcome meanwhile. My sincere regards to this beautiful project and its organizers. "

● Marcin Trepczynski, Researcher and lecturer at the Institue of Philosophy, University of Warsaw, Poland, "Logical problems concerning some religious statements can be defined and solved by scientists. 1st World Congress on Logic and Religion is a great opportunity to fulfill these goals. I hope CNPq will take it under consideration and change its decision."

● Evandro Gomes, Adjunct Professor, State University of Maringá, Parana, Brazil

● Chrysantho S. Figueiredo, pursuing a Master Degree at the Department of Philosophy of Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba/PR., "The existence of God and the possibility of thinking God through human cognition is a central concern in the most important systems of philosophy from ancient times to modern philosophy. CNPQ should support the 1st World Congress on Logic and Religion in the name of its fidelity to support high quality philosophical events."

● Francicleber Martins Ferreiras, Post-Doc, Department of Computation, Federal University of Ceará, Brazil

● Carla Rodrigues, Adjunct Professor, IFCS - UFRJ, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil "Eu gostaria de apoiar a realização do congresso sobre Lógica e Religião."

● Rodrigo de Almeida, Master Stduent, Garduate Program Logic and Metaphysics - PPGLM - UFRJ, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil "Dou meu apoio à moção para que o CNPq reveja sua decisão e conceda o auxílio."

● Yvon Gauthier, Professor of logic and philosophy of science, Department of philosophy, University of Montreal, Canada, "I wish to offer my support to the organizers of the Congress « Logic and Religion » to be held in Joao Pessoa, April 1-5, 2015. As a co-director of the doctoral dissertation of Ricardo Silvestre at the University of Montreal, I can testify to the scientific excellence of one of the main organizer of this important event with the well- known logician Jean-Yves Béziau and other internationally reputed scholars like Daniel Vanderveken and Candida de Sousa. I am not familiar with the subject of religion, but I am certain that logical investigations of matters religious can shed light on important aspects of the intellectual and social institution of religion. Since the object of logic is universal, the study of the relationship between logic and religion can only shed light on both dimensions of universality. I hope for an extensive and intensive support of this international meeting."

● Maria Lewtchuk Espindola, Mathematical Physicist, Associated Professor, Mathematics Department, Federal University of Paraíba, Brazil "In recent years I've been following the performance of a series of small events in Mathematics and Physics supported by CNPq. In these particular events the money is spent with some international scientists of little prominence and with very few published works. So I wonder why this congress that has an innovative feature and the participation of a huge number of leading scientists there is no support for this event? I really cannot understand!"

● Antonio Mariano Coelho, Professor, Department of Philosophy, Federal University of Minas Gerais - UFMG, Brazil

● Ivan Varzinczak, Department of Computer Science Institute of Mathematics Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

● Piotr Balcerowicz, Professor, Chair of South Asia, University of Warsaw, Poland, "I would like to express my dissatisfaction with the decision of CNPq - Brazilian Research Council not to offer the financial support for the organization of 1st World Congress on Logic and Religion, to be held in Brazil, April 1-5, 2015. The conference is a unique event ever to take place in Brazil, which brings together world renown specialists. The decision sheds a negative light on the actual intentions of CNPq and makes it quite doubtful whether their real will is to support theoretical disciplines vital for the development of science, such as philosophy or logic. I do hope that the negative decision was just a "slip of reason" and will promptly be rectified whereby the co-operation of Brazilian researchers with their international colleagues will only be strengthened."

● Giselle Ferreira de Britto, Catholic University of Brasília, Brazil, "Meu inteiro apoio a realização do evento!"

● Adonai Sant'Anna, Professor, Department of Mathematics, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil, Deus e a lógica do CNPq

●Nikolaus Schatt President of the Society of Philosophy and Logic in Munich (SoPLliM) Technische Universität München Munich Center for Technology in Society (MCTS), "I support the idea and concept of the congress and I would appreciate it, to get the planned financial support to the 1st Congress about Logic and Religion. From my point of view, the congress will bring together speakers and organizers from the top of science and the topic is quite relevant in the actual political society and relevant in actual sceneries. I hope the organizers are successful in getting a rework of their decision.."