Atheist mega-churches?

[Silver]

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.

Recently, 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.

“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.“

That impulse, however, has raised the ire of those who have spent years pushing back against the idea that atheism itself is a religion.

“The idea that you’re building an entire organization based on what you don’t believe, to me, sounds like an offense against sensibility,” said Michael Luciano, a self-described atheist who was raised Roman Catholic.

“There’s something not OK with appropriating all of this religious language, imagery and ritual for atheism,” said Luciano, who blogged about the movement at the site policymic.com

http://missoulian.com/lifestyles/faith-a...f887a.html

[Chad32]

I don't like the idea of atheists going to church. It's already accused of being a religion. I understand the need to get together and be with each other, but not in a church.

Maybe that's just me, though.

[Anomalocaris]

Church is an establishment specifically designed and built to subjugate the intellect of the individual to the emotion of the masses and the teachings of some stale doctrine.

Once atheists start going to their own churches I have no doubt atheist community will soon begin to replicate all of the idiotic excesses of Christianity, they would even start to have their own saints whose words it would be ecil to contradict. They too would be hauling like dervishes the approved slogans. They would become a religious community minus a religion.

[CleanShavenJesus]

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[LastPoet]

I thought our gatherings were just baby BBQ's

[MindForgedManacle]

From what I've read, they're neither churches, and certainly not anything like Mega Churches. I live in the Dallas area. BELIEVE ME, I know what a mega church is.

These aren't really my thing though.

[django]

Next thing you know atheists will spread out two by two in short sleeve shirts and ties asking if they could talk to you about nothing.
I do think a church of atheism is a bad, bad idea.