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Offline57-71
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New Church/Religion
    #19119469 - 11/11/13 08:55 AM (10 years, 2 months ago)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/atheist-mega-churches-root-us-world-20845796
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Atheist 'Mega-Churches' Take Root Across US, World
LOS ANGELES November 11, 2013 (AP)
By GILLIAN FLACCUS Associated Press
Associated Press

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.

Jones got the first inkling for the idea while leaving a Christmas carol concert six years ago.

"There was so much about it that I loved, but it's a shame because at the heart of it, it's something I don't believe in," Jones said. "If you think about church, there's very little that's bad. It's singing awesome songs, hearing interesting talks, thinking about improving yourself and helping other people — and doing that in a community with wonderful relationships. What part of that is not to like?"

The movement dovetails with new studies that show an increasing number of Americans are drifting from any religious affiliation.

The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released a study last year that found 20 percent of Americans say they have no religious affiliation, an increase from 15 percent in the last five years. Pew researchers stressed, however, that the category also encompassed majorities of people who said they believed in God but had no ties with organized religion and people who consider themselves "spiritual" but not "religious."

Sunday Assembly — whose motto is Live Better, Help Often, Wonder More — taps into that universe of people who left their faith but now miss the community church provided, said Phil Zuckerman, a professor of secular studies at Pitzer College in Claremont.

It also plays into a feeling among some atheists that they should make themselves more visible. For example, last December, an atheist in Santa Monica created an uproar — and triggered a lawsuit — when he set up a godless display amid Christian nativity scenes that were part of a beloved, decades-old tradition.

"In the U.S., there's a little bit of a feeling that if you're not religious, you're not patriotic. I think a lot of secular people say, 'Hey, wait a minute. We are charitable, we are good people, we're good parents and we are just as good citizens as you and we're going to start a church to prove it," said Zuckerman. "It's still a minority, but there's enough of them now."




Well, at least they seem to starting out with some civil ideology (refer to bolded in article). I doubt it will last long though, and then the anti-religious crowd will want to take over and preach their rabid hatred. Sooner or later someone will want to fund a university program to turn out atheist preachers. Now won't that be special.


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InvisibleIcelander
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Re: New Church/Religion [Re: 57-71]
    #19119491 - 11/11/13 09:01 AM (10 years, 2 months ago)

He said Pew. :haha:


--------------------
"Don't believe everything you think". -Anom.

" All that lives was born to die"-Anom.

With much wisdom comes much sorrow,
The more knowledge, the more grief.
Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC


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Offline57-71
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Re: New Church/Religion [Re: Icelander]
    #19121348 - 11/11/13 03:49 PM (10 years, 2 months ago)

Quote:

Icelander said:
He said Pew. :haha:




Yes, there is definitely a stink about it. :whoo:


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Offline57-71
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Re: New Church/Religion [Re: 57-71]
    #19123570 - 11/11/13 09:35 PM (10 years, 2 months ago)

I'm now thinking that this move to start the label "church" is motivated by a desire to ultimately obtain a tax free status from the state.


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