Atheist ‘Church’ Launches In Usa

[naomi24]

Atheists – what do you think of this? Do you feel the need for a sense of community - or to 'Come Out' as an atheist?

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/global-mission-atheist-church-launches-in-usa-8708733.html

Personally, I abhor the way in which this appears to be emulating Christianity. These people don't speak for me.

[vetuste_ennemi]

Some of us may be both, Khandro.

[Khandro]

jim;// ..... God for whom there is no evidence for existence//
Absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence. [i]Thinks; 'Quite good that Khandro!'[i]

[jim360]

Absence of Evidence can be evidence of absence, actually -- it's conditional on how likely it would be that there would be evidence, and how likely what you are seeking is to be real. Those are judgment calls, to be sure. But you may as well stop trying that argument because it's demonstrably rubbish in about two lines of working.

[modeller]

// love it...atheists now have other atheists to argue with!//

Yes argue, joke, socialise and discuss, as opposed to a single blind belief in myths , legends and an invisible deity.

[andy-hughes]

douglas - "I heard the bearded one interviewed on PM a few weeks ago. It all came across as another Mumsnet style organisation for people who just HAVE to be saying something about nothing in particular to anyone who'll listen."

I'd like to file that under 'I wish I'd written that!'.

[andy-hughes]

As a long-tern atheist, I find the notion that anyone wants to join some organisation of like-minded non-believers rather bizarre.

Why would you want to talk to others about something you don't believe in - it rather defeats the object in my view, plus i do not require this 'safety in numbers' attitude either.

It's like people who make Tv programmes where they are interviewed about being married but celebate - who cares!!!

[Khandro]

andy; //Why would you want to talk to others about something you don't believe in //
My dear, on R&S they never cease!

[andy-hughes]

Khandro - a fair point, but chatting away in a website with others is a long way from making the effort to go somewhere specific to do it - I have better things to do - I suspect most atheists do.

[naomi24]

missnemesis,// I believe a person's faith to be their own choice and do not think it is my right to proselytize to them one way or the other.//

So whose right is it? Or should no one have the right to condemn that which is clearly utterly morally wrong? And what about the millions of people who have no choice? If no one has the right to object, who is going to speak for them?

Think on this – and then tell me it’s wrong to criticise religion.

First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.
Martin Niemöller


Khandro, //Thinks; 'Quite good that Khandro!'//

Think again. That quote you patted yourself on the back for should be more appropriately attributed to Carl Sagan – an atheist. Ironic that. ;o)

[woofgang]

are you saying that religious never help or support people of other religions Naomi? because that is demonstrably wrong.

[naomi24]

Woofgang, what a strange question. Whatever gave you that idea?

[missnemesis]

///So whose right is it?///

Well quite clearly yourself and others on AB believe it to be yours/theirs naomi24.

I just think that users who are of a religious persuasion should be free to express/share/converse about their beliefs just as freely as anyone else on any other topic; without being jumped upon from a great height by those who happen to disagree.

[chrisgel]

Woofgang - //are you saying that religious never help or support people of other religions Naomi?//
Not that anyone has said so that I can see but that begs the question - Are you saying then that only the religious do this?

[Octavius]

Well thats a good question in itself Chrisgel, although slightly twisted to victim mentality there.

Do atheists help or support people of (other) religion(s) ?

[naomi24]

missnemesis, no - not mine – everyone has the right to speak out against injustice.

Your complaint is a recurrent one, and in an effort to help, I’ve suggested more than once that the religious ignore any challenges they might encounter here and talk amongst themselves. Having said that, whilst they are perfectly at liberty to ignore what they see as negative input, they are not at liberty to demand that other people shut up simply because they think religion should be beyond criticism. (Do you see? A perfect example of what I spoke about earlier - religion attempting to impose its will on others).

You might like to note (or perhaps you’d rather not) that the religious challenge atheists here just as you are challenging me – but at the risk of speaking for others, I’m sure they are as happy with that as I am. I’m well aware that criticism – and more - is quite acceptable (and that’s putting it mildly) the other way around. ;o)

[naomi24]

Chris, since I’d just posted a poem about speaking out to protect other people, I couldn’t actually see where Woofgang was coming from with that question.

Octavius, //Do atheists help or support people of (other) religion(s) ? //

You're right. I said it was a strange question. Perhaps Woofgang can explain what she means by 'other religions'.

[Octavius]

"Why would you want to talk to others about something you don't believe in"

Interesting point Andy!

[missnemesis]

///(Do you see? A perfect example of what I spoke about earlier - religion attempting to impose its will on others).///

Naomi24 If a user decides to post a thread about religion and you feel a compulsion to join in with this already pre-existing post, you are in fact the one imposing your will at that moment not the other way around. Do you see?

[joko]

it depends on what they actually intent to do with it once the initial novelty and publicity has worn off i suppose.

many often cite the positives of Christianity - the good deeds the missionaries, the helping of others, community spirit etc etc as the best bit about it, and bemoan the fact that without christianity people wouldn't do all those things, as there would be no organised place in which to do it ... so if these people are planning to perform all the positive acts the church do - and basically be 'the church', just with the actual religion bit missing, then it may be a good thing... it would show all those foolish theists that believe it is impossible to be a good person without god.

basically if they are going to be a sort of charity centre/group then ok, no harm in that really, but if they have just set it up just for effect and to gather and laugh at theists, then i cant see the point.

atheists, on the whole, just want religion to disappear... we want it gone as we believe it has no place in our lives or society any more - so joining a group that's whole purpose is to emulate the church, yet oppose it, is allowing yet more of our lives be taken up by religious dogma and leftovers.