Atheist 'church'?

[Angrboda]

Oxford English dictionary:

noun
a building used for public Christian worship:

Highlighted the words Christian and worship.

The Oxford English Dictionary also gives the following as a definition of the word church:

2. Applied to public places of worship of any religion: as †a. (formerly) to heathen temples, Muslim mosques.
†b. also to the Jewish temple. Obs.
c. In U.S., of late applied to places of meeting and religious exercise of various societies called ‘churches’.

~ OED on CD-ROM

Are you trying to pull a fast one on us? In addition to that, the notes on etymology in the OED make clear that the derivation of the word through its Germanic cognates may not refer to a Christian place of worship, as the related cognates in the New Testament refer to the body of worshippers, not the physical place of worship. I suspect you got your definition from the online edition of the Oxford Dictionary, which is unrelated to the Oxford English Dictionary and is an inferior reference work to the OED. Regardless, you are engaging in a genetic fallacy in presuming that the way a word has been used historically determines how it is used today. If there are non-Christian communities that use the word 'church' to refer to the place they gather, then usage, not history, dictates that the definition now includes places where non-Christians congregate in imitation of the religious institution. To say otherwise is both bad scholarship (appealing to one documented usage while ignoring another equally valid usage) and fallacious reasoning (arguing that a historical condition that no longer holds dictates current conditions).

[Whateverist]

Again, and this'll be the last time I say it on this damn thread, their use of the term "church" is downright retarded.

Umm .. you used the "R" word. Is nothing sacred? Gotta spread the word to end the word.

[Napoléon]

Are you trying to pull a fast one on us?

I knew someone would accuse me of this. Like I didn't read the rest of the fucking page.

2. Applied to public places of worship of any religion: as †a. (formerly) to heathen temples, Muslim mosques.
†b. also to the Jewish temple. Obs.
c. In U.S., of late applied to places of meeting and religious exercise of various societies called ‘churches’.

None of this detracts from my point.
My main point was that the term church defines a religous place of worship. That Christianity is used in every single definition just further highlights this.

In addition to that, the notes on etymology in the OED make clear that the derivation of the word through its Germanic cognates may not refer to a Christian place of worship, as the related cognates in the New Testament refer to the body of worshippers, not the physical place of worship.

Words can be used in multiple contexts. HOLY SHIT. Wow, tell me something else I don't know.

I suspect you got your definition from the online edition of the Oxford Dictionary, which is unrelated to the Oxford English Dictionary and is an inferior reference work to the OED.

I did a quick google search of the term church. That pretty much every definition of the word "church" returns the words worship and has another appropriate religious connotation mentioned (mostly christianity), just further backs up what I've been saying the past several pages.

Regardless, you are engaging in a genetic fallacy in presuming that the way a word has been used historically determines how it is used today. If there are non-Christian communities that use the word 'church' to refer to the place they gather, then usage, not history, dictates that the definition now includes places where non-Christians congregate in imitation of the religious institution. To say otherwise is both bad scholarship (appealing to one documented usage while ignoring another equally valid usage) and fallacious reasoning (arguing that a historical condition that no longer holds dictates current conditions).

In every usage of the term church there is specific mention of worship. Seems to me a bunch of atheists worshipping is a total oxymoron seen as they don't believe in a higher being. I guess we could all sit around worshipping each other, but that would still be pretty retarded wouldn't it. Don't see how my point is invalidated in the slightest.

Yes ofcourse word useage changes over time. This has no say in whether new useage of an old word is stupid and or misleading. The term gay used to mean happy. Then it meant someone who was homosexual. Now the term is used widely as a synonym for "bad" or "shit". For instance I know many people who constantly say "that's gay". Not meaning, "that's homosexual", rather "that's shit". I find this useage of the term completely fucking retarded, as do I find the useage of the term "church" retarded when atheists use it to describe their gatherings.

[Violet]

Lolz. From "what do you think of atheist churches?" To (insert rage comic here) WHAT HAVE YOU GOT AGAINST TRANSGENDERISM?!?!

So... no. You want community, go to UU. That's my take, anyway.

What? I'm confused as all hell.

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Please explain to me how using any definition of the word "Church" in the context these atheists are using it, is anything but an oxymoron. These people are not Christian and they do not worship

Again, and this'll be the last time I say it on this damn thread, their use of the term "church" is downright retarded.

Modern (and largely historical) Church layout/church format:

Rows of people facing a single individual, said individual stating the layout/activities planned for the day/week (including special announcements), followed by a 'sermon'/speech, a snack, and a musical selection oft made up by members of the church (and oft sung along with by further members of the church), finally a prayer (or several prayers) at the conclusion of the church 'main activities'.

There are variations upon this, of course. In this particular variation: the prayer may or may not be a part of the ceremony (I could see its non-theistical application, knowing what the root of *prayer* is (hope)). Extras which may exist in some form or other here include the daycare, schooling, game activities for children, potluck, seasonal ceremonies, multimedia events, and many more.

IF a layout similar to this is semi-adhered to: then a "church" is the most equivocal format for a community get-together, and if the only variation upon this happens to be that there is no prayer to a god or a god in the house? It is a church.... and church has been around a lot longer than 'God'.

ALSO, and the above was only an explanation of why *they* probably used the word 'church' (because it reminds them of modern church)... but a church has always been a community thing, while the only thing making it a house of god would be god's children building the house in honor to him... there is no god in that house, within the walls are only those who may believe in him (however fierce or weak such may be)... and there are many who do not believe in him. Something something culty goodness.

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None of this detracts from my point.
My main point was that the term church defines a religous place of worship. That Christianity is used in every single definition just further highlights this.

Ahh... but it's not used in *every* single definition, is it?

I did a quick google search of the term church. That pretty much every definition of the word "church" returns the words worship and has another appropriate religious connotation mentioned (mostly christianity), just further backs up what I've been saying the past several pages.

Okay, so we've discovered you can read. Now: you tell me if you can think. Culturally, church is associated with christianity... but it was not always that way (predating christianity), and it will not always be that way (outliving christianity). Today, we are looking at a return to the roots of 'church'... a meeting of the people of a community, led by one individual (and assistants), which is designed as part get-together, part announcements, and part a way to organize.

A church is city, on a smaller scale. A church is a nation...

In every usage of the term church there is specific mention of worship. Seems to me a bunch of atheists worshipping is a total oxymoron seen as they don't believe in a higher being. I guess we could all sit around worshipping each other, but that would still be pretty retarded wouldn't it. Don't see how my point is invalidated in the slightest.

Honour given by recognition? I can see many more uses of that than in bowing down/prostrating. There are many things to honor in this world. I don't see how your point has merit in the slightest

Yes ofcourse word useage changes over time. This has no say in whether new useage of an old word is stupid and or misleading. The term gay used to mean happy. Then it meant someone who was homosexual. Now the term is used widely as a synonym for "bad" or "shit". For instance I know many people who constantly say "that's gay". Not meaning, "that's homosexual", rather "that's shit". I find this useage of the term completely fucking retarded, as do I find the useage of the term "church" retarded when atheists use it to describe their gatherings.

Gay swapping from happiness to shittiness is a pretty funny jump XD But then, churches swapping from a community of whatever religious peeps to a community of not religious peeps is... a pretty tiny wobble. Hardly retarded