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.

[Khandro]

v_e; There is no incongruity there at all, please explain if you think there is, - or are you just sniping from behind the sofa as usual?

[jim360]

Yes, Khandro, but if the cup was a sign that God made it, then that would be an example of God being knowable -- because the cup could only be there through God. My point is then that either God is unknowable, and therefore irrelevant, or knowable and testable.

[naomi24]

Octavius, that’s a 'swathing assumption'.

Khandro, Why is Jim’s assessment illogical? Please explain. If God is unknowable, you wouldn’t recognise any sign he might leave. If you did, he would then to some extent become ‘knowable’. Perfect logic.

[chrisgel]

Octavius - //Quite, but the swathing assumption by atheists on AB R&S is that people with religion ARE educationally subnormal.//

I'm unsure how you get this impression when all I ever see is theists being accused. at most, of being illogical and disingenuous. This is hardly the same as educationally subnormal.
Do you have any examples?

[vetuste_ennemi]

I'm not behind the sofa, Khandro, I'm at work. Not that I'm doing much. Today's biggest challemge is working out how to get the phrase "evidence of abstinence" into a post.

[Octavius]

Chrisgel, am I wrong?

I do apologise and stand corrected - AB religious have educational equivalency with AB atheists.

[atalanta]

My atheism is a negative, not a positive. Not a belief in something, even a belief in an absence of something. It is a total lack of belief. A lack of blinkers, superstition and unthinking acceptance; a lack of disregard for logic; a lack of denial of common sense; a lack of abandonment of reason. I am still waiting, in vain, for someone to offer me proof, to convince me beyond possibility of doubt, of the unreasonableness of my inability to accept dogma, fairy-tales and age-old mistranslations as lucid perfect truth.
Trouble is, atheism can be a lonely path to tread. You have only to buy a few local newspapers to see that the vast majority of social events are organised by and for religion. Fetes, whist-drives, film-shows, talks, excursions, craft-circles, quizzes and many more are organised by church people, on church premises, for church fund-raising. And if I were poor enough to need food distribution, I'd hate to have to go into a church to receive it.

[chrisgel]

Octavius - Of course.
Sometimes people, myself included, say stupid things but it's only words and doesn't really matter in the scheme of things.
Do I think that theists are educationally subnormal? --No
Wilfully ignorant? -- Sometimes.

[Octavius]

Chrisgel - wilfully ignorant? Do you have any examples?

"if I were poor enough to need food distribution, I'd hate to have to go into a church to receive it."

Fair enough, but for the most part (can't speak for all levels of the devout) you would be received and welcomed and treated with equal care and consideration as any other person. In sentiment though I would agree, in my church the ladies who run our village church (its not Priests & Vicars, thats just a myth!) are very lovely but can talk the arse end off a donkey about all things bright and beautiful and Gladys' hip-op etc etc and before you know it you've lost half a day. Still, nobody has choked to death swallowing their pride.

[jomifl]

Atalanta, my wife used to be president of the local branch of the WI which in case some people aren't aware is a secular organisation with no religious affiliations at all. When christmas came around many members thought it would be nice to have a carol service, My wife scandalised them by suggesting that they went to a church of a different denomination for a change. Christian but not the correct kind of christian, don't you just love their tolerant and forgiving natures.

[Clanad]

" Still, nobody has choked to death swallowing their pride..." Brilliant! I'm going to tuck that one away and only admit it wasn't original with me under extreme duress... thanks!

[mikey4444]

Atheism is the "default" position. Its only when you take up a religion does anybody need to come out, or explain yourself.

Thanks goodness us Atheists don't have to explain why we don't believe in a lot of drivel ...what a fag that would be.

[Octavius]

"Brilliant!"

Thank you Chrisgel.

[Octavius]

"Thanks goodness us Atheists don't have to explain why we don't believe in a lot of drivel ...what a fag that would be."

Yes, thank the Lord and Heaveans above, that that doesn't happen...

[vetuste_ennemi]

"I wish I'd said that". "You will, Clanad, you will".

[mikey4444]

But as there isn't a Lord or a Heavens, how can I thank them ?

[Octavius]

You didn't, I did. I think you thanked goodness.... which is of course all around us on AB.

[Khandro]

v_e; "evidence of abstinence" is when you wake up without a hangover and you find you have more money in your wallet than you thought you had.

[naomi24]

Khandro, are you going to answer my question?

[mikey4444]

All this smacks of debating how many angels can dance on the head of a pin !