Atheist Mega Churches

[Sparko]

I've attended Sunday Assemblies irregularly over the past couple of years. I'd say that most people attending grew up Christian, have since become non-believers, and miss the social aspects of church services.

The services loosely mimic church services, by default, in terms of there being a main speaker (who gives a TED-like talk, usually very intellectual on a topic of charity, science, philosophy, or politics) with various songs (pop songs), minor speakers, or readings (inspirational passages or poetry), followed by coffee+biscuits+chat afterward. The services have no religious orientation, and a believing Christian who attended them probably wouldn't feel out of place or under attack. The motto is "live better, help often, wonder more" and the talks focus on how people can improve their lives and the lives of those around them, how they can get involved in helping with charities, and challenge people to think more deeply about philosophical and scientific issues.

I think church services fulfill quite an important social role in the community, and it wasn't until I hadn't been going to church for several years, that I began to realize the importance of social events that are sort of "community for the sake of it" and how church services fulfilled that role. That's sort of the idea of the Sunday Assemblies. In my experience, the singing tends to be a bit cringeworthy, and their choice of random pop songs could be improved I think by at least finding some inspirational songs.

There's no overt religious element to the services of any kind (God doesn't get mentioned)... this has caused problems a couple of times in the US because various attendees wanted the services to be explicitly atheistic and they split off to have their own services. It's not an attempt to "mock" Christianity, and they're not "out to get" you, and it's not "inspired by Satan". It's just people who enjoy intelligent discussion, community, charity, and conversation.

It is a sad and empty gesture. Like blind men looking for a light switch.

[Sparko]

Actually I see nothing wrong with the idea although church is probably not a good term to define the gathering place since church implies worship of a deity, and we know how upset christians get if their terms of definition, like marriage, are used in a different context from their own. Thats not what they do, obviously, they don't worship a deity. Its just about a community gathering of like minded people, humanist, who don't attribute their morality and the like to the supernatural.

Who follow the "formula" of church, even down to the hymns. Right. They want to imitate church. But without God. They want what church offers but without God. It doesn't work that way. Church is about worshiping God, not humanity. Without God, it is just a big sad, back-patting party.

2 Timothy 3:3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

[Sparko]

Hey! Are you implying unicorns AREN'T real?!?!?

only some of them.

[KingsGambit]

I think this just shows that humans crave a sort of community based upon higher ideals. Many people find this in religion; others find it in politics and other things. When people who were previously religious lose their faith, it makes sense to me that they miss that sort of community and may want to look to something like this as a substitute.

[Cow Poke]

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.

On Sunday, the inaugural Sunday Assembly in Los Angeles attracted several hundred people bound by their belief in non-belief. Similar gatherings in San Diego, Nashville, New York and other U.S. cities have drawn hundreds of atheists seeking the camaraderie of a congregation without religion or ritual.

The founders, British duo Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans, are currently on a tongue-in-cheek "40 Dates, 40 Nights" tour around the U.S. and Australia to drum up donations and help launch new Sunday Assemblies. They hope to raise more than $800,000 that will help atheists launch their pop-up congregations around the world. So far, they have raised about $50,000.

They don't bash believers but want to find a new way to meet likeminded people, engage in the community and make their presence more visible in a landscape dominated by faith.

more at https://www.yahoo.com/news/atheist-m...214619648.html

I thought about this in Church this morning .... "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."

'Several hundred people' is a mega-church?

megachurch.jpg

[Cow Poke]

Cowpoke you a roastmaster dude.

Thanks



I think

[mossrose]

I've attended Sunday Assemblies irregularly over the past couple of years. I'd say that most people attending grew up Christian, have since become non-believers, and miss the social aspects of church services.

The services loosely mimic church services, by default, in terms of there being a main speaker (who gives a TED-like talk, usually very intellectual on a topic of charity, science, philosophy, or politics) with various songs (pop songs), minor speakers, or readings (inspirational passages or poetry), followed by coffee+biscuits+chat afterward. The services have no religious orientation, and a believing Christian who attended them probably wouldn't feel out of place or under attack. The motto is "live better, help often, wonder more" and the talks focus on how people can improve their lives and the lives of those around them, how they can get involved in helping with charities, and challenge people to think more deeply about philosophical and scientific issues.

I think church services fulfill quite an important social role in the community, and it wasn't until I hadn't been going to church for several years, that I began to realize the importance of social events that are sort of "community for the sake of it" and how church services fulfilled that role. That's sort of the idea of the Sunday Assemblies. In my experience, the singing tends to be a bit cringeworthy, and their choice of random pop songs could be improved I think by at least finding some inspirational songs.

There's no overt religious element to the services of any kind (God doesn't get mentioned)... this has caused problems a couple of times in the US because various attendees wanted the services to be explicitly atheistic and they split off to have their own services. It's not an attempt to "mock" Christianity, and they're not "out to get" you, and it's not "inspired by Satan". It's just people who enjoy intelligent discussion, community, charity, and conversation.

Like I said. You could probably go to a Warren or Osteen type of church and get the same thing.

Of course it's inspired by Satan. All false faiths are, and this is simply another counterfeit religion.

[Cow Poke]

It's not an attempt to "mock" Christianity, and they're not "out to get" you, and it's not "inspired by Satan". It's just people who enjoy intelligent discussion, community, charity, and conversation.

Well, sure, that's what they say.

[Starlight]

I've attended Sunday Assemblies irregularly over the past couple of years. I'd say that most people attending grew up Christian, have since become non-believers, and miss the social aspects of church services.

The services loosely mimic church services, by default, in terms of there being a main speaker (who gives a TED-like talk, usually very intellectual on a topic of charity, science, philosophy, or politics) with various songs (pop songs), minor speakers, or readings (inspirational passages or poetry), followed by coffee+biscuits+chat afterward. The services have no religious orientation, and a believing Christian who attended them probably wouldn't feel out of place or under attack. The motto is "live better, help often, wonder more" and the talks focus on how people can improve their lives and the lives of those around them, how they can get involved in helping with charities, and challenge people to think more deeply about philosophical and scientific issues.

I think church services fulfill quite an important social role in the community, and it wasn't until I hadn't been going to church for several years, that I began to realize the importance of social events that are sort of "community for the sake of it" and how church services fulfilled that role. That's sort of the idea of the Sunday Assemblies. In my experience, the singing tends to be a bit cringeworthy, and their choice of random pop songs could be improved I think by at least finding some inspirational songs.

There's no overt religious element to the services of any kind (God doesn't get mentioned)... this has caused problems a couple of times in the US because various attendees wanted the services to be explicitly atheistic and they split off to have their own services. It's not an attempt to "mock" Christianity, and they're not "out to get" you, and it's not "inspired by Satan". It's just people who enjoy intelligent discussion, community, charity, and conversation.

[rogue06]

They got thrown off the ark 'cause they snored.

They were turned away cuz the horse quota was already full.

[TheWall]

Cowpoke you a roastmaster dude.

[Cow Poke]

Actually I see nothing wrong with the idea although church is probably not a good term to define the gathering place since church implies worship of a deity,

Probably not, but they'll call it what they'll call it.

and we know how upset christians get if their terms of definition, like marriage, are used in a different context from their own.

Well, actually, it wasn't just a "Christian" definition - it was a societal and legal one, as well.

Thats not what they do, obviously, they don't worship a deity. Its just about a community gathering of like minded people, humanist, who don't attribute their morality and the like to the supernatural.

Yeah, a bunch of lost people playing church.

[thewriteranon]

Hey! Are you implying unicorns AREN'T real?!?!?

They got thrown off the ark 'cause they snored.

[JimL]

Actually I see nothing wrong with the idea although church is probably not a good term to define the gathering place since church implies worship of a deity, and we know how upset christians get if their terms of definition, like marriage, are used in a different context from their own. Thats not what they do, obviously, they don't worship a deity. Its just about a community gathering of like minded people, humanist, who don't attribute their morality and the like to the supernatural.

[Teallaura]

When you think about it, a lot of atheists are just as centered around God as Christians are. They spend their entire lives obsessed with religion, while denying God. They lecture about religion, write books, hang out on theology forums like this, and now even start churches. They are desperate for God yet can't admit it. So they hang around the outside of the camp, trying to imitate religion, while having sour grapes about the whole thing.

When I dont believe in something I just ignore it. I dont hang around UFO or Bigfoot forums, or write books about them, or start clubs that deny UFOs or Bigfoot.


how many anti-unicornists do you see?

Hey! Are you implying unicorns AREN'T real?!?!?