Firstly, I apologize if there is already a thread on this.
Secondly, I keep seeing articles about these Atheist "Mega-churches" everywhere, and I don't know what I think about them.
On the one hand, I understand why some people want them for the community. I do miss that aspect of church in a way, it is a great way to congregate with local members of your community and discuss things important and relevant to you.
But on the other hand, this seems rather contradictory for me. I could understand a secular book club better or perhaps a secular community that has a weekly gathering over lunch or something. But this movement seems to embrace the "churchy" aspect of it, and I find that rather hypocritical in a sense (at least if I were to participate in it I would see it that way).
For instance, Jerry DeWitt (whom I respect) has helped to start one too. I heard a podcast interview with him where he repeated (over and over and over) the fact that he isn't taking a salary from it and that it isn't about making money like a church does. I got rather annoyed by that because it was a fairly shameless plug to get people to buy his book as a way of supporting him. (Don't get me wrong, I wish the man well and hope his book does well, but this seems far to evangelical to me).
Thoughts?
Secondly, I keep seeing articles about these Atheist "Mega-churches" everywhere, and I don't know what I think about them.
On the one hand, I understand why some people want them for the community. I do miss that aspect of church in a way, it is a great way to congregate with local members of your community and discuss things important and relevant to you.
But on the other hand, this seems rather contradictory for me. I could understand a secular book club better or perhaps a secular community that has a weekly gathering over lunch or something. But this movement seems to embrace the "churchy" aspect of it, and I find that rather hypocritical in a sense (at least if I were to participate in it I would see it that way).
For instance, Jerry DeWitt (whom I respect) has helped to start one too. I heard a podcast interview with him where he repeated (over and over and over) the fact that he isn't taking a salary from it and that it isn't about making money like a church does. I got rather annoyed by that because it was a fairly shameless plug to get people to buy his book as a way of supporting him. (Don't get me wrong, I wish the man well and hope his book does well, but this seems far to evangelical to me).
Thoughts?
![[Image: giphy.gif]](https://media.giphy.com/media/FJovzGlbuoEXm/giphy.gif)
