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I have been out of church for over 10 years so I am no new atheist. It amazes me you Yanks seem to know sooo much about anonymous posters ion the interwebz.
Rituals are a complete waste of time. One can have a naming ceremony w/o the garbage church offers for newborns. This is a tradition that needs to end as it adds zero value to the kid.
The only good ritual is a sundowner.
It is ironic that most chistenings I attended, after the service, copious quantities of alcohol are imbibed. So why not just get wasted as that is really what it is about?
The churchy parts add no value to the celebration and the showing off of the newling to family and friends. The average parent does not need to promise to raise a child correctly, it is human instinct to do so.
If religious practices stood out as an example to every one else, then this argument would be moot. Yet we all know, religious or not, outside of the church setting it is 6 of one and a half dozen of the other.
From my experience, it is the religious folk that beat the crap out of their kids at the mall or other public places.
Atheists and theists have a need for rituals and traditions. Maybe you are the exception to the rule. However, living without traditions or rituals must be awfully boring.
Here is an Atheist church in England. These folks have the same needs as theists.
Religion only survives as it perpetuates dependence on non scientific methods and group think that leads you nowhere fast.
I bet religion does a lot of good for a lot of people.
If you go to the Judaism and Islam forum, you can talk with seemingly very intelligent fundamentalists who take great comfort in the literal truth their religion teaches. For example, here is one thread of me talking with a devout Muslim.
Other people don't seem to be all that consumed by their religion but they pull it out when they are having difficulties in their life, like the popular poem 'Footprints" describes.
By the way, that poem inspired a song, which was used in the following very emotional performance on Britian's Got Talent. Can you watch it and not get emotional?
Atheists and theists have a need for rituals and traditions. Maybe you are the exception to the rule. However, living without traditions or rituals must be awfully boring.
Here is an Atheist church in England. These folks have the same needs
I dunno what this has to do what I said. How do you know if my life is boring or not?
If I live another 10 years, I know my heathen spawn will not be doing chistenings but we sure will have a parties. You really need to learn not to project; this seems to be a problem with theists.
I dunno what this has to do what I said. How do you know if my life is boring or not?
If I live another 10 years, I know my heathen spawn will not be doing chistenings but we sure will have a parties. You really need to learn not to project; this seems to be a problem with theists.
Atheism is a very appropriate direction. However, there is such a thing as early atheism and mature atheism. I respectfully submit you are still on your journey.
Atheism is a very appropriate direction. However, there is such a thing as early atheism and mature atheism. I respectfully submit you are still on your journey.
I respectfully submit you are pulling this out of your nether regions...
The Church of Christ folk are really very into this and will do anything to get you dunked asap before the kool-aid wears off. My buddy converted at a Friday night youth meeting and then they immediately went to the Church to baptize him before he could change his mind.
So after he was Baptized he could no longer decide whether he wanted to follow that religion or not? Must be a MUCH different form than I am familiar with.
So after he was Baptized he could no longer decide whether he wanted to follow that religion or not? Must be a MUCH different form than I am familiar with.
Which "Church of Christ" do you refer to?
He did break away and is now a rededicated theist but not sure what brand he follows these days. The CoC was pretty much like what you have state side from what I have read of their practices, women sit separate from men, no musical instruments. This was in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and I have not encountered them here in SA.
One of my GF went there and she attended a college in the US back in the late 70s, some sort of finishing school. I only attended one service other than the youth stuff which was in the same church before we went to a house for tea and cookies.
He did break away and is now a rededicated theist but not sure what brand he follows these days. The CoC was pretty much like what you have state side from what I have read of their practices, women sit separate from men, no musical instruments. This was in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and I have not encountered them here in SA.
One of my GF went there and she attended a college in the US back in the late 70s, some sort of finishing school. I only attended one service other than the youth stuff which was in the same church before we went to a house for tea and cookies.
I'm not a believer, but I attend church with my parents. Our denomination practices infant baptism. Now that I'm older and wiser, the whole thing looks to me like some sort of bizarre fascist ceremony. When a couple in the church has a baby, they get brought in front of the whole congregation, the pastor smiles and comments on what a beautiful baby it is, makes the parents publicly affirm that they will raise him/her to be a good Christian, and then the pastor sprinkles water on its head and says that its now a member of the "Covenant Family" or whatever.
Does this seem weird to anyone else?
These are the images that come to my mind:
If those are the images that come to you then I'm a bit worried. I'm a somewhat spiritual person and I don't claim to have the answers, but it seems a very innocent practice to me.
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