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Atheist church.

Started by Icarus, April 25, 2016, 05:17:52 AM

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Icarus

West Hill United Church in Toronto has a congregation of 100 good people. The church pastor is Gretta Vosper, an ordained minister who believes that God is merely a metaphor for goodness and morality. She has held her position  as pastor since 1997. 

After all these years she is now threatened with the possibility of losing her position as church leader. Her congregation is perfectly happy with her but the church association is questioning her suitability. Vosper's church does not pray or place much stock in the bible. They have few if any religious symbols such as crosses or statues of Jesus. They do emphasize morality as the principal function of the church. 

Tank

If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Recusant

There's an entertaining editorial on Christian Today about this (obnoxious autoplay preaching video at link). One particularly blatant falsehood jumped out at me:

QuotePart of being a Christian is that you don't get to choose which bits of it you like and which you don't.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Waski_the_Squirrel

I've actually thought about this. I'm still involved with a church even though I'm now atheist. I don't care about all their superstition, but I do love the people, the socializing, and the getting together every week. These are people I would never have met outside the church (all ranchers who live WAY out in the middle of nowhere).

Just because we're atheists does not mean we don't hunger for community of the chance to analyze how to be better people.

Firebird

Quote from: Waski_the_Squirrel on April 27, 2016, 02:03:18 AM
I've actually thought about this. I'm still involved with a church even though I'm now atheist. I don't care about all their superstition, but I do love the people, the socializing, and the getting together every week. These are people I would never have met outside the church (all ranchers who live WAY out in the middle of nowhere).

Just because we're atheists does not mean we don't hunger for community of the chance to analyze how to be better people.

That is definitely an issue among the non-believers, the lack of a social structure. I don't know of a good way to fix it, because disbelief in god is really not a good unifying principle on its own 
"Great, replace one book about an abusive, needy asshole with another." - Will (moderator) on replacing hotel Bibles with "Fifty Shades of Grey"

Sandra Craft

Quote from: Firebird on April 27, 2016, 04:13:33 AM
Quote from: Waski_the_Squirrel on April 27, 2016, 02:03:18 AM
I've actually thought about this. I'm still involved with a church even though I'm now atheist. I don't care about all their superstition, but I do love the people, the socializing, and the getting together every week. These are people I would never have met outside the church (all ranchers who live WAY out in the middle of nowhere).

Just because we're atheists does not mean we don't hunger for community of the chance to analyze how to be better people.

That is definitely an issue among the non-believers, the lack of a social structure. I don't know of a good way to fix it, because disbelief in god is really not a good unifying principle on its own

I've mentioned the UU church before, and this is why I like the local one.  Not all UUs are the same, but in this one the social structure is based progressive activism -- you'd have to go to a study group outside regular services to get any god-talk at all.
Sandy

  

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."  Sarah Louise Delany

Tank

Quote from: Waski_the_Squirrel on April 27, 2016, 02:03:18 AM
I've actually thought about this. I'm still involved with a church even though I'm now atheist. I don't care about all their superstition, but I do love the people, the socializing, and the getting together every week. These are people I would never have met outside the church (all ranchers who live WAY out in the middle of nowhere).

Just because we're atheists does not mean we don't hunger for community of the chance to analyze how to be better people.

:frolic: :frolic: :frolic: :frolic: :frolic: :frolic:

Yayyyyy you came back!
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Waski_the_Squirrel

Quote from: Tank on April 27, 2016, 06:53:09 AM
Quote from: Waski_the_Squirrel on April 27, 2016, 02:03:18 AM
I've actually thought about this. I'm still involved with a church even though I'm now atheist. I don't care about all their superstition, but I do love the people, the socializing, and the getting together every week. These are people I would never have met outside the church (all ranchers who live WAY out in the middle of nowhere).

Just because we're atheists does not mean we don't hunger for community of the chance to analyze how to be better people.

:frolic: :frolic: :frolic: :frolic: :frolic: :frolic:

Yayyyyy you came back!

I never left. I tend to post less either when I have nothing intelligent to say or when I'm really busy. Lately, both have been the case.