Atheist Community/ Atheist Church?

[Athena_Ritashe]

There are some Atheists out there that want to form an "Atheist Church" who want to see Atheists meet up and converse (commune?) together. There are others who see this as pointless because it gives validity to the myth that Atheism is a belief system. Why converse about what you don't believe in?

But Atheists often covert in a sense that they find themselves being ex believers and remember the sense of community found in church/temple/synagogue. Not only that, I know that I find it difficult to find intellectual discussion with friends and family especially since discussion about philosophy, ethics, evolution and other subjects end up relating to religion. if you discuss these with some people you end up in an argument.

For this reason I like the idea of Atheist communities, a place you can go to discuss topics with likeminded people. However, I think such a community should not be seen as a community bound together by belief, but by knowledge or something else. Thoughts?  

[alteregoivy]

I like the idea, too, because honestly church was a whole lot more than indoctrination; it was community, solidarity, sharing... a place to meet like-minded people, to get your head on straight, take a break from the world.

I have a friend who wants to meet new people but doesn't want to go to church. She's not Atheist, bet even she doesn't want to deal with the rest, but does want to community and the opportunity to meet others.

However, there are a few communities out there that have very high Atheist populations: the Skeptic movement is starting to make it big in the US and a few major cities have Skeptical meetings on a regular basis. Not all Skeptics are Atheist, but the kind of critical thinking skepticism promotes tends to lead to more Atheists.

Mensa is another good place to find other Atheists, I think.

Finally, I think if a lot of open Atheists do attend some sort of church, many probably go to the Unitarian church if they have one. Unitarians sort of take the "there is no wrong answer, you have to find your own path" stance towards religion, and that also includes Atheism. More importantly, though, almost all Unitarians are also Humanists. So there's at least that common ground to start from.

The Unitarian service consists of singing and lecture like other churches... but it's more of an informal speech about what some guy thinks and why that works for him, or about someone who moved human rights forward, with discussion at the end. It's actually fairly intellectually enlightening.

Anyway, if you do want to go to church, go to the Unitarian church. That's the next best thing to some sort of Atheist get-together group.  

[LimeIzMyFaveColor]

Could there be a word to substitute church? Because church is more associated with christianity. Mosque for muslims (i think?) Temples for Buddhists.

What do they talk about in the Unitarian churches?
So I can be a Atheist and a Unitarian?  

[G4NTZ]

Hmm, isn't school/collage/university kinda the same as an atheist church? Everyone gathers for discussion and higher education and the higher you go the more you can discuss and debate.  

[In Search of a Dream]

An Atheist Church sounds like an organized religion to someone who has no clue what the word "atheism" means. I like the sound of an Atheist "Community" instead.  

[Le Pere Duchesne]

I see no problem with it. Call it a 'Secular Community Gathering' every sunday, at the same time as church.

Have 'sermons' on humanist values, ethics and morality, allowing a speaker or two from the 'congregation' every week to talk about something that really moves them.

It wouldn't be a church, just in direct competition with churches.

Unless you want to call it the 'Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster' for some lulz. That would add some humor to it, by having a reading from the
FSM bible with a speaker interpreting how that should influence our lives.

If I lived* near some of you I would want to give it a shot.


*lives in Australia, so there is no chance, and there is no point making that sort of thing here, because religion is 'meh' here. People are 'casually' religious, and don't bother wasting time on church.  

[alteregoivy]

LimeIzMyFaveColor

What do they talk about in the Unitarian churches?
So I can be a Atheist and a Unitarian?

Like I said, it's sort of like education in human rights and others' beliefs.

Yup, you can, as long as you're content to let others believe what they want. Some Atheists would be too condescending towards other members of the congregation who have other beliefs to be Unitarian, though.  

[Raticiel]

Atheist's church? Why not, there are many churches. What is church actually? A group, a community of people united and gathered around something. In my country (Poland) it's actually an institution, and a powerful one.
But making it a religion needs dogma. I think. xd  

[LimeIzMyFaveColor]

alteregoivy

LimeIzMyFaveColor

What do they talk about in the Unitarian churches?
So I can be a Atheist and a Unitarian?

Like I said, it's sort of like education in human rights and others' beliefs.

Yup, you can, as long as you're content to let others believe what they want. Some Atheists would be too condescending towards other members of the congregation who have other beliefs to be Unitarian, though.

no i don't really condecscend anybody so i'm fine XD  

[Piroki-chan23]

I think an Atheist church would be great! I would finaly get to have an intelligent conversation about hings like evolution and the big bang with other people who understand it and not just someone who thinks that Darwin tried to kill the church (for the record, he was a minnister) and that the big bang is blasophomy (even if it doesn't say "There is no god").
I am also curious to see exaclty how many other Atheists are in my area. The only other person who I know is an Athesist is a perfect example of the steryotypical Atheist. He was the only other that I knew of in my area untill an incodent where there was going to be a group prayer to support the local footbal team. I said that I was not going to pray and someone told me that they don't belive in God either but was still going to pray (guilt trip method). I'm not certain if there where lieing, but in the end I still had to pray. (How respectful... mad ).
Unfortunately, I live in a small town so even if such a church becomes popular, I would be miles away from one (despite the fact that it seems like there's a Christian church ever 2 feet).  

[In Search of a Dream]

It would be a nice way to lmeet people you know won't judge you. And I'm curious as to how many Atheists there are in my area. That I know of, I there's only one Atheist at my school (my teacher XD).  

[Indie_lullaby]

alteregoivy

I like the idea, too, because honestly church was a whole lot more than indoctrination; it was community, solidarity, sharing... a place to meet like-minded people, to get your head on straight, take a break from the world.

I have a friend who wants to meet new people but doesn't want to go to church. She's not Atheist, bet even she doesn't want to deal with the rest, but does want to community and the opportunity to meet others.

However, there are a few communities out there that have very high Atheist populations: the Skeptic movement is starting to make it big in the US and a few major cities have Skeptical meetings on a regular basis. Not all Skeptics are Atheist, but the kind of critical thinking skepticism promotes tends to lead to more Atheists.

Mensa is another good place to find other Atheists, I think.

Finally, I think if a lot of open Atheists do attend some sort of church, many probably go to the Unitarian church if they have one. Unitarians sort of take the "there is no wrong answer, you have to find your own path" stance towards religion, and that also includes Atheism. More importantly, though, almost all Unitarians are also Humanists. So there's at least that common ground to start from.

The Unitarian service consists of singing and lecture like other churches... but it's more of an informal speech about what some guy thinks and why that works for him, or about someone who moved human rights forward, with discussion at the end. It's actually fairly intellectually enlightening.

Anyway, if you do want to go to church, go to the Unitarian church. That's the next best thing to some sort of Atheist get-together group.

Do you know where these highly-populated areas are? I might make them my new home smile  

[D i v i n i t y]

Lol it would be cool to name it "Atheist Church" but that will just cause so many more ignorant people to be all, "SEE! ATHEISM IS A RELIGION!"  

[LimeIzMyFaveColor]

i heard that vermont had a lot of atheist
idk if that's true

and i doubt you can try in the bible belt  

[Misanthropic Altruist]

LimeIzMyFaveColor

i heard that vermont had a lot of atheist
idk if that's true

and i doubt you can try in the bible belt

It should be done in California. If we can have a Church of Satan, then we can have an atheist community.