Dutch Christian Minister is an atheist, I kid you not!

[Tank]

Dutch rethink Christianity for a doubtful world

The Rev Klaas Hendrikse can offer his congregation little hope of life after death, and he's not the sort of man to sugar the pill.

An imposing figure in black robes and white clerical collar, Mr Hendrikse presides over the Sunday service at the Exodus Church in Gorinchem, central Holland.

It is part of the mainstream Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PKN), and the service is conventional enough, with hymns, readings from the Bible, and the Lord's Prayer. But the message from Mr Hendrikse's sermon seems bleak - "Make the most of life on earth, because it will probably be the only one you get"...

This chap really does have an interesting take on Jesus and Christianity!

[Crow]

Sounds like a Buddhist version of Christianity reading the article. They may as well stop the hymns and prayers, remove the pews, throw the bible out and use the church as a place to discuss the human condition and the world at large using a variety of methods, moving well away from religion verging into philosophy as the teachings in the bible are pretty lame in comparison to many philosophies and even idioms. Their halfway there already.

[Tank]

It's sort of bizarre but likable. Maybe they should adopt the Jefferson Bible?

[Jabbles]

I actually heard an interview about atheist Ministers on CBC radio1, a little while ago. It was pretty interesting hearing the guy, he lost his faith but could not bring himself to tell anyone yet. (voice was altered for interview) He is trying to get into the private work force but at this point he needs the job to support his family. I can't imagine the numbers are high but he said he had been in contact with several others in the same situation.

[Tank]

I actually heard an interview about atheist Ministers on CBC radio1, a little while ago. It was pretty interesting hearing the guy, he lost his faith but could not bring himself to tell anyone yet. (voice was altered for interview) He is trying to get into the private work force but at this point he needs the job to support his family. I can't imagine the numbers are high but he said he had been in contact with several others in the same situation.

I agree the numbers are probably not high, but there are a few and in every congregation they'll be closet atheists and doubters. If all these people actually got up and said what they think I feel that they would be quite surprised to find out how many of them there actually are. And there is one of the reasons that institutionalised superstitions (religions) keep their hold on their followers (slaves).

[Crow]

I assume there may be quite a lot of atheists working within religious organisations; they find solace in the organisation/teachings or like Mother Teresa they initially believed but never found what they were searching for. My old friends dad (he was a vile person from my memory of him) who is still a priest was more agnostic but he fervently believed in the message of Christianity.

I would be interested to know what forms of Christianity are more likely to harbor non-believers within the upper ranks, if I studded theology i know what my dissertation would be on.