Atheist 'mega-churches' take root across US, world

It's like all those people with bad parent syndrome " I don't want to be like them, I refuse to be like them" until oops one day they wake up and they realize they are them.

Atheists took a full turn they are everything they claimed to hate.

Amusing really!

reply to post by Klassified

As you and others have said - "to each his/her own".
Should some kind of brother/sister-hood come of it...I'm sure it can benefit those that choose the same.
On the other hand - I sincerely hope that I NEVER hear them trying to "compete" with anyone-else, for how much better they are...or how much more they help the community/world/humanity. We already have too much of that coming from real religions.

reply to post by brandiwine14

Atheists took a full turn they are everything they claimed to hate.

Can we change that to some atheists? Lets not start putting all atheists under one umbrella just yet. lol.

reply to post by Klassified


When they are ALL Dead , they will All change their Tune.........

reply to post by Zanti Misfit


Ahh….. the sound of silence.

In other words no tune/sound.

reply to post by Klassified

I'm waiting for the first breakaway from the mainstream atheist church, though. "The reformed latter day atheists", "Southern atheists", or something like that. lol.

As an atheist, I prefer to practice as a solitary.

reply to post by hellnotes

I'm somewhat of an eclectic atheist myself. :-)

So what do they talk about (preach about). Most places have a book. I wonder what theirs is.

Dianec
Most places have a book. I wonder what theirs is.

It's a book full of empty pages.



-Peace-

Dianec
So what do they talk about (preach about). Most places have a book. I wonder what theirs is.

Well, they don't seem to have a book. Yet.

Hundreds of atheists and atheist-curious packed into a Hollywood auditorium for a boisterous service filled with live music, moments of reflection and an "inspirational talk, " and some stand-up comedy by Jones, the movement's co-founder.

During the service, attendees stomped their feet, clapped their hands and cheered as Jones and Evans led the group through rousing renditions of "Lean on Me," ''Here Comes the Sun" and other hits that took the place of gospel songs. Congregants dissolved into laughter at a get-to-know-you game that involved clapping and slapping the hands of the person next to them and applauded as members of the audience spoke about community service projects they had started in LA.

If I will have to go to church to not believe in god in the future, I might as well start going back to regular church on sundays. It is the perfumes, aftershaves, and deodorants that bother my breathing that keeps me away from going to church. I don't think you need to go to church to believe in god.

reply to post by Klassified

Exactly.

But hey. Who am I to judge these folks. If they're enjoying themselves. I think it's great. But I also think they aren't going to like the end result. If atheists thought they were stereotyped before, they haven't seen anything yet.

In a sense, it could be considered a mockery of religion. If you think about it, it shows how absurd mega-churches of any kind are, because the same could be done while "un-preaching" god's silence.

Hmm…

At the same time, people will just start calling atheists religious, which will cause cat-fight x90534

reply to post by boncho

Hiya boncho. Can you imagine the mess this could turn out to be? 501C3's, doctrinal charters, sectarianism, tax havens, money laundering, and the list could go on. But the worst, is what you just said...

At the same time, people will just start calling atheists religious...

I know I sound like a real cynic on this, but I'm sincerely not opposed to atheists "going public", and having places to gather. As well as coordinate efforts toward the good of themselves and others.

reply to post by Klassified

Hiya boncho. Can you imagine the mess this could turn out to be? 501C3's, doctrinal charters, sectarianism, tax havens, money laundering, and the list could go on. But the worst, is what you just said...

Meh, I think that might actually make me happy. Deep down I'm an absurdist and I find our entire social structure entirely absurd. I want to see an organization called the Flower Hats, and they line the rims of their hats with poppies from Afghanistan, and because they are a non-profit they get tax breaks and loop holes and are even kind enough to "donate" (trade) the rest of the flowers (because they only use the stems you see), to the poor street people looking for such things…

Oh and that organization might just be doing the same thing as others that event exist today, but impossible to justify the same, just like the rest - impossible to justify (Though we fail to admit) something about when you put lipstick on a pig… (From the wise words of cokehead Duchess Palin)

It's no big deall.
It's just another church i will avoid.

you don't have to go to a church building to not believe in God.....

Klassified

Dianec
So what do they talk about (preach about). Most places have a book. I wonder what theirs is.

Well, they don't seem to have a book. Yet.

Hundreds of atheists and atheist-curious packed into a Hollywood auditorium for a boisterous service filled with live music, moments of reflection and an "inspirational talk, " and some stand-up comedy by Jones, the movement's co-founder.

During the service, attendees stomped their feet, clapped their hands and cheered as Jones and Evans led the group through rousing renditions of "Lean on Me," ''Here Comes the Sun" and other hits that took the place of gospel songs. Congregants dissolved into laughter at a get-to-know-you game that involved clapping and slapping the hands of the person next to them and applauded as members of the audience spoke about community service projects they had started in LA.

So altruism, peace, hope, connection, and love without God. They want what religions have with an organized day and hour without the god element. Why the same day I wonder? I mean traditionally Christians celebrate mass on Sundays because it is the day of rest right? If atheist why do anything that keeps with tradition. I guess it isn't as far right as it appears.

This is in no way, shape or form turning Atheism into a religion.

All this is a god-free community gathering place where folks can enjoy one another, have some fun, share some tea and share common ideas and interests.

What's so bad about that?

Does that make all the people going to the movie theater into a religion?
They crowd into the same building and share a similar interest, no?

Here's another article from RT: Non[Mass] Movement ...

As well, here's a video from that article:


From the article:

He told RT at one of the group's London congregations that "I think that, just because you don't believe in God, doesn't mean you don't want to hear really interesting talks, to think about improving yourself, to sing with others and have a cup of tea with them at the end. This is really all the best things about Church, but without the one thing I'm uncomfortable with - which is the religion part."

Granted, the movement borrows from the already tried and true format of the religious institution, but, it's a format that works well in the atmosphere provided.

I'm an Atheist. While I personally have no desire to congregate with other Atheists to celebrate not believing or taking stock in mythologies and superstitions, there are folk that desire like-minded and like-philosophy company and social feedback.

Anyone condemning these folk for desiring to take part in a community, or attempting to label it as something else it would seem lacks the social, philosophical sophistication and lexicon to comprehend or define that many like-minded people, just like any other faith based group of like minded people, tend to enjoy each other's company and companionship.

This reminds me, I got to buy a cross.

boncho

Meh, I think that might actually make me happy. Deep down I'm an absurdist and I find our entire social structure entirely absurd. I want to see an organization called the Flower Hats, and they line the rims of their hats with poppies from Afghanistan, and because they are a non-profit they get tax breaks and loop holes and are even kind enough to "donate" (trade) the rest of the flowers (because they only use the stems you see), to the poor street people looking for such things…

Oh and that organization might just be doing the same thing as others that event exist today, but impossible to justify the same, just like the rest - impossible to justify (Though we fail to admit) something about when you put lipstick on a pig… (From the wise words of cokehead Duchess Palin)

Interestingly and humorous enough along some lines you mention, a UK couple was recently acquitted cleared from a $450,000 charge of drug dealing where they were growing a certain green leafy plant specifically for the purpose of burning it all as a sacrifice to Shiva.

Here's a link to that story

(Apologies to Mods and staff if this is in violation of T&C. It's not my wish or desire to be in violation, and am linking the story as informative material and am in no way promoting substance use, even for sacrifice to gods. If it's deemed offensive and worth removal, such is understandable)