Atheism and monasticism?

[Alex K]

Monastic systems are, by design, supposed to collect food / clothing / $$$ from ordinary people (householders, in Buddhist terminology) so that a subclass of people can be exempted from having to earn a living in order to devote themselves to the pursuit of disciplined learning and transmission of esoteric knowledge. The motivation for a religion to have a monastic order is really not much different from why Christianity has seminaries that churn out pastors / priests. This is also a special class that doesn't have to earn a normal living.

I remember once that a pastor I sat under expressed frustration that people didn't spent more time in Bible study and prayer, to the detriment of their faith. I suggested to him that maybe he had gotten a little out of touch with the laity because he gets PAID to do little else day in and out, aside from writing a couple of sermons per week and visiting the sick as needed. It's easy but tone-deaf to tell people they should spend a minimum of one hour daily "in the Word". Most people work too many hours for too little $$, get too little rest, and have too many demands on their limited time (wife, kids) and frankly find watching TV more relaxing than a contrived devotional. Don't shoot me, I said, I'm just the messenger.

So ... if you want to be a "monk" you're going to have to convince a bunch of people to finance you. Atheism wouldn't do that because it has nothing to perpetuate. You can learn 100% of atheist dogma in like 15 seconds. Out and done.

That's not how the catholic monasteries I know operate, though. They may own some land that supports them, but they usually produce and sell stuff, operate hotels and convention centers, and the members work. They are pretty independent from the Vatican as well.