Atheist Sunday Assembly goes worldwide, the future is bright for non-believers

Originally posted by spy66

Originally posted by KBadger

Originally posted by watchitburn
This is just absurd on so many levels.

I'm not religious at all, I have no interest in, nor any use for gods.
I still want nothing to do with this.

I have many friends that are very religious, and we have no problem hanging out and having interesting conversations.

The above post is spot on.
A weekly Sunday meeting for atheists sounds totally ridiculous, arrogant and hypocritical. If anything it sounds like the start of a religious cult.
I'm not religious at all, but atheists who claim to know there is nothing are no better than religious fundamentalists.

You say your not religious. But the funny thing is, You actually fallow the Catholic sabbath days without being aware of it. It is called blind faith. The catholic sabbaths are implimented into the gregorian callander and you fallow this time and all the sabbath days within it.

Well, personally I just follow normal business trading patterns in the UK.
I work Mon-Fri, then enjoy 2 days off. Saturday is having fun and Sunday is more chilled and involves preparing for Monday. Apologies, but I don't see the idea of any blind faith there.

reply to post by grainofsand


Im an Atheist, i don't like to start my sentence off with that but i had to mention because i'm on the opposite side of this.

I like to go to Scientific Discussion groups or Scientific expos.....whenever they are in my city. Its too early for me to speak about this Atheist "church" until i been to one, but if i sense a religious formation in it... like they start of with some sort of verse... like "lets find truth to gather" or some crap like that, i would leave right away.

This group should be discussion of how someone became atheist and how do they cope in current era, and also offer tips to people sitting on the fence....

But i swear if this shows me any hint of religious formation, i would be all against it. They should set several rules for these groups on what they SHOULD NOT become, because human will try to form a group out of many things then they will try to incorporate their experience into it, some will be subtle and others ideas would be extreme.My logical mind would form a conclusion saying some people need the feel of the "church" thus not true atheist. What i not want is a Westboro version of Atheist group lol.

reply to post by grainofsand


I like the idea of indoctrinating a charitable aspect in the mix and doing good deeds with such organised gatherings...

But why create segregation among ourselves when we can work together despite our differences for a better world?

But then again isn't that what Red Cross and other similar organisations are all about??? That is the theme of charity improving the lives of fellow humans.

The idea of segregation in my opinion is a divided world, but of course all the problems of the world cannot be resolved over night, even with or without help from any deities.

We need to strip away this false perception of segregation among ourselves, and start seeing fellow humans as fellow humans and treat each other with the same level of respect and humility as one may expect others to treat them.

Peace

reply to post by luciddream

Lol, I agree about the aggressive atheist bit and Westboro opposite, completely.
The new group in my area has already got a paleontologist and a bio-chemist from the local uni lined up to do some talks. The idea is a religious free zone with a social and charitable aspect thrown in. If it became a hard-core campaigning atheist group I would probably be turned off with the idea myself.

reply to post by InnerPeace2012

To me, it's less about segregation and more about finding the benefits of likeminded people in an environment free from solely faith based argument.
I agree there are many charitable groups one could join, but then which do I choose?
As I said, many churches do sterling work in their local communities for multiple causes. I am excluded from such things due to my lack of belief, so this to me is an interesting option which seems to offer a similar solution for people without faith.

reply to post by grainofsand


Well, it eventually boils down to what one's feels comfortable with, and I don't have a problem with that, as long we are happy with each other...

By the way am neither a christian,nor an agnostic and not an atheist. I am that am.

I just don't like the idea of labeling things I simply observe things as they are, however as much as my opinions will contradict otherwise. It is what is.

Peace

reply to post by InnerPeace2012

Now you see that kind of attitude is very refreshing, and if we all shared similar views then the world would be a much nicer place

You may have noticed my signature regarding no problem with faith when it is not presented as fact. I absolutely stand by that and have no particular issue with other peoples various conflicting beliefs.
The times such faith is a problem is when simply expressing a lack of agreement results in cries of "you'll burn" or whatever.

In another unrelated thread I started some time ago, while discussing the prospect of taking the non-religious affirmation in court as a witness, someone actually stated I should be killed for denying my creator!
It is exactly that kind of religious hatred which I look forward to avoiding in an environment for people without faith.
I know many religious groups feel persecuted, but imagine being an atheist sometimes I say to them, it can be an equally difficult road to walk openly.
For those reasons especially I find this religious free zone an attractive and interesting idea which is certainly worth exploring at the very least.

reply to post by grainofsand


Yes, there are extremes from either end. It comes down to how we deal with any given situation to rip the best out of it for our personal leanings with each of our unique perceptions of live as we see it.

As much I attribute a source of all things, I cannot in anyway, shape or form provide a form of explanation but that which I observe.

But nonetheless, it's all a learning curve for all of us, me included, and to be happy all the while..

Peace

Originally posted by grainofsand
All of the same things which are carried out by religious churches/mosques/chapels etc, but where I am excluded due to my lack of belief in any of their gods.

Were you excluded by them or did you self-excluded yourself?

PS: by your description, you live in an area where the religious views are more extreme than in the area where I live.

Originally posted by ArMaP

Originally posted by grainofsand
All of the same things which are carried out by religious churches/mosques/chapels etc, but where I am excluded due to my lack of belief in any of their gods.

Were you excluded by them or did you self-excluded yourself?

PS: by your description, you live in an area where the religious views are more extreme than in the area where I live.

I spent 15 years in welfare and outreach work for central and local government before changing career, becoming self employed in construction as I am now. Last year I contacted a local coalition of churches which offer outreach services to drug and alcohol users at night on the weekends. I wanted to give back some of my skills to my community in a voluntary situation.
The reply? I could only offer my services if I was a member of a church and with a letter to confirm this. The most bizarre bit about it was that the religion did not matter, I could have been Muslim, Jewish, Christian, or Hindu, but without the recommendation of an organised religion they would not accept my help.
That is a real and honest example of why I am drawn to a religious free community of likeminded people.

People are so egotistical and full of foolish pride that everyone wants to be right. Athiests have a silly concept of what they think god is that it becomes unbelievable but everyone is afraid to be wrong so they group up. Everyone thinks that what they think is right and will hold on to stupid beliefs till they die. What insane vanity. This goes both ways for the religious and the non believers.

Silly humans. From a different perspective its easy to see how low the intelligence level is globally.

If God was a living body I wouldnt expect cells in it's anus to know who it is or expect it to ever know.

The inferiority of the human faculties renders it impossible for man to comprehend the essential nature of God. In the infancy of the race, man often confounds the Creator with the creature, and attributes to the former the imperfections of the latter. But, in proportion as his moral sense becomes developed, man's thought penetrates more deeply into the nature of things, and he is able to form to himself a juster and more rational idea of the Divine Being, although his idea of that Being must always be imperfect and incomplete.

reply to post by Shadow Herder

So, really you're just sharing your own perspective here as well. That's fine, I wouldn't say you are right or wrong, just that I've never seen anything to draw me towards believing in any gods or other mystical ideas.
If that concerns you in some way it is unfortunate, but it is an honest opinion which does not insult or openly criticise any other viewpoint.

reply to post by grainofsand

Well, personally I just follow normal business trading patterns in the UK.
I work Mon-Fri, then enjoy 2 days off. Saturday is having fun and Sunday is more chilled and involves preparing for Monday. Apologies, but I don't see the idea of any blind faith there.

Correct. As you state: you just fallow normal buisness trading patterns. Practically the whole world fallows the exact same pattern of the Catholic Sabbath days as you do. You are not supposed to see it, non of us are.
You are just supposed to comply by it.
By doing this you are actively being balsphemous against God. That is the whole idea behind the catholic church and their gregorian callander. You are just supposed to be faithful to them, and you are being faithfull to the catholic church by comlying to their sabbaths time frame. And you dont even know it because you only look upon this as normal buisness hours.

There is no religion here you think. But how wrong you are.

Originally posted by spy66
reply to post by grainofsand

 

Well, personally I just follow normal business trading patterns in the UK.
I work Mon-Fri, then enjoy 2 days off. Saturday is having fun and Sunday is more chilled and involves preparing for Monday. Apologies, but I don't see the idea of any blind faith there.

Correct. As you stat: you just fallow normal buisness trading patterns. Practically the whole world fallows the exact same pattern of the Catholic Sabbath days as you do. You are not supposed to see it, non of us are.
You are just supposed to comply by it.
By doing this you are actively being balsphemous against God. That is the whole idea behind the catholic church and their gregorian callander. You are just supposed to be faithful to them, and you are being faithfull to the catholic church by comlying to their sabbaths time frame. And you dont even know it because you only look upon this as normal buisness hours.

There is no religion here you think. But how wrong you are.

Interesting beliefs but I do not subscribe to your way of thinking.
I'm no slave to any religious dogma in deciding my working pattern. For example, the temperatures are too low today for a reliable sand/cement mix so I've taken the day off. I need to render the outside of a house and it looks like I'll be working the weekend now instead.
As I said, interesting beliefs, but I work according to whatever is most convenient. I don't believe in any gods though so your ideas of blasphemy do not come into my work/life planning in any way.

Finally ! they admit it that atheism is a religion and can finally sit in their own buildings and think about nothing at all. Still, try as they may, saying and acting like God doesn't exist will never make it so. I wonder if evangelist Richard Dawkins had planned to attend the services.

Originally posted by grainofsand

Originally posted by spy66
reply to post by grainofsand

 

Well, personally I just follow normal business trading patterns in the UK.
I work Mon-Fri, then enjoy 2 days off. Saturday is having fun and Sunday is more chilled and involves preparing for Monday. Apologies, but I don't see the idea of any blind faith there.

Correct. As you stat: you just fallow normal buisness trading patterns. Practically the whole world fallows the exact same pattern of the Catholic Sabbath days as you do. You are not supposed to see it, non of us are.
You are just supposed to comply by it.
By doing this you are actively being balsphemous against God. That is the whole idea behind the catholic church and their gregorian callander. You are just supposed to be faithful to them, and you are being faithfull to the catholic church by comlying to their sabbaths time frame. And you dont even know it because you only look upon this as normal buisness hours.

There is no religion here you think. But how wrong you are.

Interesting beliefs but I do not subscribe to your way of thinking.
I'm no slave to any religious dogma in deciding my working pattern. For example, the temperatures are too low today for a reliable sand/cement mix so I've taken the day off. I need to render the outside of a house and it looks like I'll be working the weekend now instead.
As I said, interesting beliefs, but I work according to whatever is most convenient. I don't believe in any gods though so your ideas of blasphemy do not come into my work/life planning in any way.

You don't subscribe to my way of thinking. That dosent matter.You fallow the Gregorian time and rituals. Even if you work on Sunday. It dosent really matter to the Catholic Church what you do with their time. As long as you dont fallow Gods time.

Originally posted by KBadger

The above post is spot on.
A weekly Sunday meeting for atheists sounds totally ridiculous, arrogant and hypocritical. If anything it sounds like the start of a religious cult.
I'm not religious at all, but atheists who claim to know there is nothing are no better than religious fundamentalists.

Except, if you read about the group, it is nothing like that at all. First, get the definition right. Atheism is simply lack of belief in God, it does not have to be "claiming there is nothing". Secondly, there is nothing religious or cultlike about it, there is no worship of a deity, there is no single supreme leader who is thought infallible.

It's simply a meeting place where people of similar beliefs get together to hear like-minded people give speeches. It's more of a convention that occurs weekly. I can't see why you would see a problem with that, or find it weird. As I have said already, not my cup of tea, but it's hardly the start of a new cult.

Originally posted by Fromabove
Finally ! they admit it that atheism is a religion and can finally sit in their own buildings and think about nothing at all. Still, try as they may, saying and acting like God doesn't exist will never make it so. I wonder if evangelist Richard Dawkins had planned to attend the services.

Religion is "thinking about nothing at all" because it claims to have all the answers. Out of the two positions, atheism and theism, it is usually atheism that admits lack of absolute knowledge, and religion that supresses thought.

You have it backwards?

Hahaha. The atheists want to meet and fellowship with like minded people. How cute. And ironic. Would it be possible to make Atheism more like a religion?

Originally posted by Fromabove
Finally ! they admit it that atheism is a religion and can finally sit in their own buildings and think about nothing at all. Still, try as they may, saying and acting like God doesn't exist will never make it so. I wonder if evangelist Richard Dawkins had planned to attend the services.

Nobody has admitted that at all, in fact the very idea is continuously ridiculed by everyone apart from people of faith.
I'm curious as to why religious types appear so desperate to make a lack of belief in gods a religion?
This is a gathering of likeminded folk in a religion-free environment, the specific term anyone wishes to call it is just semantics and frankly rather irrelevant.

Check back through my many replies here and you will understand the many reasons why such a group is attractive to me and many others. If you want to call people hooking up with a shared lack of faith a religion, then go for it, but it doesn't add support to any claims that gods or other invisible entities exist.