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

well I hope they serve beer and allow smoking
Oh that would be a Pub or bar
This is so contrived
Imagine all the shielas you could pick up

This is so, so
Ah what the hell, an atheist church, nothing more to say

As a Christian I would go, just to preach and troll

Just joking
What ever floats your boat.
People need community, as long as it doesnt get fundamental

I see Pol Pots, Stalins and Maos rising again in these places

reply to post by Krazysh0t

Quoted for truth. Atheism is the other side of a bad penny. To declare definitively that a god exists or doesn't exist is folly.

That's one way of looking at it. I'm an atheist, and I do not declare definitively that an entity that many would likely see as a god, could indeed exist. I do however, deny that entity should be worshipped and deified, just because it falls under the human idea of omniscience and omnipotence. So my atheism isn't as much a declaration of non-existence, as it is a denial of status. Hence, I don't believe in god(s).

It will be interesting to see what the "church" looks like at Christmas.

Even Christmas trees have religious, albeit pagen, wiccan type roots.

Will they celebrate solstice holiday of Christmas (yes I know it is 4 days late)

Will they have Easter egg hunts?

Do they light candles to represent????

Isn't a light of love or belonging a form of sun worship?

Hmmmmmmm, can we sue them for pushing their non-belief on others once they are a recognized "non-religion"?

Klassified
That's one way of looking at it. I'm an atheist, and I do not declare definitively that an entity that many would likely see as a god, could indeed exist. I do however, deny that entity should be worshiped and deified, just because it falls under the human idea of omniscience and omnipotence. So my atheism isn't as much a declaration of non-existence, as it is a denial of status. Hence, I don't believe in god(s).

The term for how you feel is agnostic, that is someone who isn't sure if God does or doesn't exist and doesn't particularly care either way. A sort of meh about religion.

If it looks like religion, smells like religion, walks like religion, then it most probably IS a religion.... Or at least a non-religious lifestyle being organized as one, even if its simply a social club.

reply to post by grandmakdw

The term for how you feel is agnostic, that is someone who isn't sure if God does or doesn't exist and doesn't particularly care either way. A sort of meh about religion.

Well, there's the rub. I am sure there is no God/Goddess. I'm just not qualified to say there is nothing in existence that could be characterized as a deity by others. So yeah, I'm closer to being an atheist-agnostic.

reply to post by Klassified


Well that's the beauty of agnosticism. You can still have an opinion on what you think is the most likely truth based on the knowledge that you have. You just have to understand that even this most likely truth isn't 100% confirmed and you have to be willing to open your mind to new ideas as new information comes to light.

Just because I'm an agnostic, doesn't mean I don't believe in many things that mainstream science dismisses (like ghosts). I just make sure not to get too wrapped up in slanted opinions and biased research and I never maintain the belief that the things in question 100% exist or don't exist. For example, this allows me to have an opinion on the afterlife without having to believe the boring one that atheists believe (that we just stop existing). However, if the atheist belief does become the case, I'm not so wrapped up in my ideology that I'll fight it (like many religious do when presented with glaring contradictions in their belief system). I'll just accept that as the answer (besides in that example I'll be dead and if I cease to exist I won't care anyways).

Morning,

I heard a comedian once say:

Being an agnostic is like saying: "I KNOW Batman is REAL...I JUST don't know who's behind the mask."

-Peace-

note to self

start atheist church
take up tithe
give that money to actual church.
????
Profit


Hmm, I will need some atheist worship music and sermons. (not sure how this is done... Just play a nickleback album i guess. I think that is what atheist like.

Wait are atheist churches tax free.

reply to post by Klassified


What are they officially worshipping?

It looks all soft.

reply to post by Klassified


I left religion because of religious antics. Consequently, it is because of these religious antics that I left atheism.

Churches, stickers, Darwin fishes, t-shirts, books, the dogmatism—all pertaining to "atheism", which apparently isn't a religion according to atheists, but an 'ism' that is promoted and sold nonetheless.

-ism |ɪz(ə)m|
noun informal, chiefly derogatory
a distinctive practice, system, or philosophy, typically a political ideology or an artistic movement: of all the isms, fascism is the most repressive.

It isn't the "without God" part that scares me, it is the 'ism' part that we should worry about.

reply to post by overratedpatriotism


To be honest, as a christian, I went to an atheist sermon once... But we called it PHYS 2002-2. I didn't get much sleep back during those days. It was a dark time indeed.

The preacher would always speak of a dark time known as the finals (an atheist version of the rapture I assume) Where those worthy would be taken to a better place and the rest... left behind.

Morning,

I see a number of people commenting: "So, THAT'S an atheist?" or "That's what they are like."
No...and I have no clue where you lived or what you've gone through to get such an opinion.
THAT group is no more representative of atheists than Charles Manson is representative of the Christians or Lysergic Acid Diethylamide.
That said, I have no clue where the knuckle draggers in the clip live from but remain thankful I am no where near there.

-Peace-

Hahahaha!!!!

It is so epic to see how people are easily fooled. Let me explain.

First, from somewhere, religions appear. Initially (most of them) have a good purpose (respect others, don't do harm, etc). Then, it gets corrupted and starts "shifting direction" slowly towards war and abuse, in such way that people still think the initial purpose keeps up. Then, when distrust appears, they build an opposite to it, in this case Atheist Churches. And the same thing happens until a new change is needed.

And it is everywhere like that, but people don't understand that they can easily be fooled in both opposite choices.

A good example is smoking. For many years, everyone liked to smoke. At the beginning cigarettes were relatively safe, tobacco being not very harmful. Slowly companies added highly toxic ingredients (some from the worst toxic wastes). People kept smoking and new people started smoking too. Then, visible problems started and people began wanting to stop smoking. So the nicotine patches/inhalers appeared. But these don't help you stop smoking, they replace them. So, in the end, both are used non stop, even though they are still a way to trick people in paying continuously for either.

minkmouse
reply to post by Klassified

 

Bring on the fundamentalist atheist, let's shake it up!

Hmm. How come you got a picture of my cat? i smell a conspiracy!

Just when you think you've seen all the absurdity that humans can offer, something new pops up.

What a massive waste of human endeavour.

Eryiedes
Morning,

I heard a comedian once say:

Being an agnostic is like saying: "I KNOW Batman is REAL...I JUST don't know who's behind the mask."

-Peace-

Not really if people were more honest with themselves just about everyone would fall into an agnostic category. If a Christian has doubts they would definitely be in the agnostic category. Gnostic and agnostic is just descriptive of the certainty level. There are those on either side who require varying degrees of evidence to sway their stance. Think of agnostic as another word for skeptical. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence Gnostics think that requirement has been met.

corvuscorrax
reply to post by Klassified

 

Heh, I figured people claimed atheism as an excuse NOT to go to church.

Pretty hysterical.

Because of course folks could not actually choose a stance of "God is not real"? Don't get me wrong, I am not an atheist, but I am not a Christian either. Indeed I don't walk any of the Abrahamic faiths paths.

Grimpachi
Not really

Yes, really...I REALLY did see a comedian and that REALLY was the joke they made.
I was not suggesting the joke be taken as fact.
This is why my post began with: "A comedian once said-" and not "This I know for fact-"
I was only kidding.

-Peace-

Kinda leaves me thinking they are hypocrites, aren't they becoming everything they hate about christians. In a few generations time this will be just another christian like hate breathing profiteering group of sheep looking for someone to lead them. Yep sounds like a religion to me.