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

Well, this is really just the logical next step in the progression.


I've been saying for a long time that Militant Atheists have pretty much all the hallmarks of religious adherents. Extremist ones, at that. Blind faith in a set of beliefs without proof ("God definitely does not exist" etc), desire and frequent / constant attempts to convert others to their way of thinking, insulting and arguing with those who see the world differently, and so on....


So really, I just see this as the logical next step in their new religion.

reply to post by iwilliam


"The next logical step"?
Only if their goal was to move backwards.
I love how many here are fond of using the term: "Militant Atheists".
They seem to have forgotten that these poor people were originally programmed as "Militant Christians" and y'all had no problem with it then.
Just saying.

-Peace-

I suppose there is an argument for saying why should those who do not believe in a god in any shape or form be denied the social support and community that many who belong to various churches and temples enjoy? So why not?

Although personally I'd just go down the pub ...

I wonder if I would be treated any differently going to an "Atheist" gathering as someone who believes in God(s) than I would be going to a "Christian" gathering as an agnostic/atheist...

If personal interactions are any indication, the attempts to convert the non-believer/believer to the "truth" would be strikingly similar..

ofSamoom
I hope something like this takes off in UK.

There's always the Church of Scientology. But then they believe in these Mind-Thetans that take root in your thoughts and give you those mental blocks that discourages you from doing things. So , in a way, they believe in a spiritual / ethereal / higher plane, but these days they charge you hundreds if not thousands of $$$$ to go on the training courses.

What's the difference between these atheist churches and the old fashioned ones? You're going to end up with exactly the same problems (the judgemental behavior of people) that the regular churches had. The problem wasn't the belief in this spiritual entity called God, it was the actions that other members of the congregation had (hearing people gossiping behind you, having others make derogatory comments about the clothes your family wore "oh my dear, that dress is so 90's, where did you find it?", and then having a holier-than-thou attitude over you if family relatives were divorcing or separating).

This seems to be another stepping stone to attack moral values.

I've always liked the idea of agnostics anonymous.

No faces or names. Just ideas on the scientific universe a deconstruction of existing theory's .

Anonagnostics

However, i suspect thats how the likes of the free masons started "better men make a better world" without a single religion/daeity to mess it up

reply to post by Klassified


I take it they don't sing "God Bless America" in that church, and how can they take money since money says "In God We Trust"? And the All-Seeing Eye of Providence is clearly printed?

Wouldn't that be defeating the purpose? Ah, well, I suppose since God doesn't exist then money doesn't either....do they all just pay by credit card?

Hmm.. my english is bad .. but .. thought athiests dont believe in god ?? Yet they have churches ?

reply to post by Expat888


Evening,

These guys are to atheists in general as Big Foot is to humans.

-Peace-

reply to post by Eryiedes


Do you mean rarely seen except on shaky out of focus video footage.

Grimpachi
reply to post by Eryiedes

 

Do you mean rarely seen except on shaky out of focus video footage.

EXACTLY!
We've heard about them but nobody ever SAW one up close before.

-Peace-

Wow...these peoples minds have already been consumed with religion (more even than religious folk), now they are also wasting their precious free time on opposing religion. You can only feel sorry for them and their obsession.

What's next???

DMFL1133
What's next???

Manuals for creating Atheists to promote what’s called street epistemology.

Mwahahaha

Grimpachi

DMFL1133
What's next???

Manuals for creating Atheists to promote what’s called street epistemology.

Mwahahaha

I just posted in that thread - LOL.

reply to post by Grimpachi

I S&Fed you for that thread. Thanks for posting it here, too.

reply to post by Klassified


Thanks. I love seeing what other people think on issues like these. With the churches if one starts around me I think I will go see what it is really about. No harm no foul if it doesn't agree with me. As far as books on converting people over to my beliefs I just don't have any interest in that sort of thing.

I love discussions on these topics though. The great thing about the internet for me is talking about those things which I learned not to talk about. Religion and politics and especially religious politics. Those subjects can ruin a family get together or night to the bar with friends but here it’s all good.

............

BTW I think it’s hilarious that roles are reversing. I recently authored a thread on worship being held at bars and they were tempting people in with free beer.

So now atheists are going to church and the religious are going to bars on Sunday.

Hahaha……it’s a strange world we live in.

My opinion is that a true atheist is one that does not call themselves atheist or go around professing what they're not...
The same way that if you do not believe in fairies you don't call yourself afairiest.

Very sad.

I think if people want to congregate peacefully without imposing themselves on others that's ok by me. I'm not a believer in the supernatural. All the labels-theist, atheist, believer, non-believer, muslim, christian, ad-nauseam are relative. Atheist is the opposite of theist. A religious person in a typical society anywhere on the planet will at some point congregate or come in contact with a like-minded person/people. If people didn't have to acknowledge each others' thoughts (beliefs) publicly, none of this would matter. Could a person be religious if they were born on a remote island, out in a jungle, with no society as environment? No backdrop, counterpoint, reference of any type-an environmental vacuum for example? I imagine the unexplained natural occurrences like sun, rain, night, day would be attributed to a supernatural entity? Or would it?

My point is, it is still amazing to me that people need to get together with other people that share the same thoughts as related to the supernatural. To willingly label themselves as "Christian" or "Muslim" or similar, and to expect to be treated special, to have special laws, to demand respect for these "thoughts" is pointless. If society can survive in spite of itself a world without beliefs could be a wonderful world.

reply to post by eggman90

My point is, it is still amazing to me that people need to get together with other people that share the same thoughts as related to the supernatural. To willingly label themselves as "Christian" or "Muslim" or similar, and to expect to be treated special, to have special laws, to demand respect for these "thoughts" is pointless. If society can survive in spite of itself a world without beliefs could be a wonderful world.

We are social creatures. It's a part of our instinct for survival. So it's really no surprise we look for like minded people, even in the smallest of things. As long as there are humans, there will be "beliefs". It seems to be a part of our very nature. We look for patterns, and for meaning in those patterns. We look for purpose. A reason to exist, and so on. But yes, a live and let live world, is a desirable goal.