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The L.A. group hasn't built anything. They meet in the Musician's Union hall in Hollywood. Which can be rented by anyone. They aren't a church. They're a group of atheists who gather together as a congregation. What was missing in their lives was the chance to get together. They now have that. More power to 'em if it makes for a pleasant morning.
I agree, Dew Drop! If it makes them happy, why not?
The term "Church" is not used here in the religious sense. They are using it in a "post christian" sense, to describe a place where like minded people congregate weekly to sing corporately, hear an inspirational message, be encouraged and encourage on another.
In our society, and in Great Britain where the Sunday Assembly was formed, the place most like this is a church. So in form it is like "church" so "church" is the most useful way to describe what these people do, in a mostly Christian society.
Don't look for meaning where there is none, folks. In this case "church" refers to the assembly of the like minded.
That David Paterson needs to be booted out of the pulpit immediately. He's not qualified to be a pastor, according to the book that he had on his lap. But if he wants to get together with a group of wannabe religious folks and sing about the great cosmic accident? That's their choice.
Tell me Vizio what is that evil book on his lap that upsets you so?
LOS ANGELES (AP) — It looked like a typical Sunday morning at any mega-church. Several hundred people, including families with small children, packed in for more than an hour of rousing music, an inspirational talk and some quiet reflection. The only thing missing was God.
Nearly three dozen gatherings dubbed "atheist mega-churches" by supporters and detractors have sprung up around the U.S. and Australia — with more to come — after finding success in Great Britain earlier this year. The movement fueled by social media and spearheaded by two prominent British comedians is no joke.
I read the article...and I learned something from it.
The way they are organizing it, and doing it...I think it's AWESOME.
I hope they prosper and enjoy! All the best to them!
The person who wrote the article- But that doesn't seem to be what the people who are attending the Sunday Assemblies (at halls, not churches) call them.
It doesn't matter what they call the joint they get together in...that is an insignificant non-issue.
It says they are fellowshipping with others...singing songs...playing games & telling jokes...sharing some food...and discussing civic activities. What could be wrong with any of that?!
It seems like they are enjoying the sense of "togetherness"...digging on associating with people that share the same basic mindset...and are having an overall good time. COOL!!
I'm happy for them...and hope it continues to work out good for all concerned.
Wow, this is weird. Didn't expected this so soon, probably won't last though... Its hard to make a religion, let alone one which doesn't believe itself to be "re". I think they will fall to human stupidity, unless they prepare well... How will they make their children be more than ethical egoistic? They have the religious gene and their population has been growing modeled around religion, but how will they guilt people into donating? How will they attain the same privilege as the religions? It's churches will probably become cults of personality worship, since gods, buddies, and non-existent entities used to fill that void that the religious genes give them won't be there. The atheist assembly movement will probably be abused. What easy tiny book will they use to model their congregation and history and ideas? Will they allow others to define them, the theists will point to a few bad apples and say they are all like that. These atheists are going to need to have debates with the Christians and attend their competitors buildings and study them. A good way to get people to commit is by bodily rituals, what will they come up with? Simple dances? How will they inspire emotional commitment? Hopefully this "Assembly of just People" movement will not really become another false atheist religion cultishly focused on death and self-betterment, like Buddhism or Jainism. If the religious incorporate the Atheists then this Atheist history will go the same way as the Atheist religions in India, which almost fully died out or assimilated back quietly into theist Hindu culture.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — It looked like a typical Sunday morning at any mega-church. Several hundred people, including families with small children, packed in for more than an hour of rousing music, an inspirational talk and some quiet reflection. The only thing missing was God.
Nearly three dozen gatherings dubbed "atheist mega-churches" by supporters and detractors have sprung up around the U.S. and Australia — with more to come — after finding success in Great Britain earlier this year. The movement fueled by social media and spearheaded by two prominent British comedians is no joke.
The only unbelievers I have met who this would appeal to are extroverts, mostly deconverts, who miss the camaraderie and community of church -- which, sometimes, depending on the denomination, has social benefits.
Should an unbeliever attend a "church" consisting of unbelievers they would do the exact same thing that believers do, they would socialize in prescribed ways, encourage one another, and go home feeling like they had been a part of something larger than themselves. God doesn't enter into either type of gathering except in people's fertile imaginations.
It is hard to tell if this phenomenon has legs and will last. Most atheists I have met are not joiners by nature. But as more and more people drift away from theism, it may be that some sort of (ill-advised, IMO) "anti-church" may fill a social need for some. But I would rather see unbelievers active in their communities, in secular charities, and in more specialized groups that meet based around common needs. For example I go twice a month to a meetup of software developers, and monthly to a dinner event for people interested in improving their conversational French. Such things make more sense to me than a failed paradigm like church. It has a more real and practical basis than some vague feelgood impulse. But to each their own.
I don't even attend the local atheists meetup in my community, it strikes me as church-like navel-gazing even though it's mostly social events for like-minded people. It's hard to coalesce around non-belief. It'd be like organizing a meeting of people who don't like broccoli. It's just kind of a thin premise.
The person who wrote the article- But that doesn't seem to be what the people who are attending the Sunday Assemblies (at halls, not churches) call them.
Don't let facts get in the way of a good witch hunt. There's irrational beliefs to rationalize by making up stuff about people different than us!
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What do they worship? 