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Is it wrong to consider evangilical atheism a religion?

Pozessed said:
So your opinion on the subject of "evangelical atheists" is greatly the same as urban dictionaries?
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More or less. Evangelical atheism is a condition, not a philosophy. As much as they rag on Bible thumpers, they are nothing more than fundies turned inside out.
 
it's just me said:
Kindergarten just let out, I see. Did you also hear about the evangelical atheists in the 20th century who killed more people than smallpox?
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I have heard of some egotistical dictators who happened to be atheist do that, but that is because they were tyrannical dictators, not because they were atheist.
 
It will never cease to be funny how religious people try to insult atheists by describing not having a religion as a religion. We're so horrible that we're as bad as you! I can't help but think that you don't think this argument through very well.

As always, atheism will continue to be a religion in the same way that not watching football is having a favorite team.
 
No. It's the absence of religion. That being said, it's just as much of a source of irritation as evangelical Protestantism is.
 
it's just me said:
Kindergarten just let out, I see. Did you also hear about the evangelical atheists in the 20th century who killed more people than smallpox?
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No, it sounds like a good joke. What's the punchline?
 
Paschendale said:
It will never cease to be funny how religious people try to insult atheists by describing not having a religion as a religion. We're so horrible that we're as bad as you! I can't help but think that you don't think this argument through very well.

As always, atheism will continue to be a religion in the same way that not watching football is having a favorite team.
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I have wonderful friends, all atheists. One does does have to believe in a god to be nice. To be insulting, yes.
 
SouthernDemocrat said:
That is ridiculous. Does it require faith not to believe in ghosts? Does it require faith not to believe in Santa Claus? Does it require faith to not believe there is a teapot in orbit around the Sun somewhere between Mars and Jupiter?

It requires faith to believe in something to which you cannot empirically show the existence of. In fact, faith by its very definition is the belief in something that does not require faith to reject.
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Sunday Church Assembly. "Gospel" singing. Lectures/"Sermons."

When you cross that line that makes it more than just simply philosophy, yes, ironically it becomes what it tries to mimic. It becomes just another RELIGION.




* “Go to the @SundayAssembly website and what’s the first thing you notice?” tweeted someone calling himself AtheistChris17.
“‘DONATE.’ Like any good church getting money is their goal.”


And, like the many churches that detractors say Sunday Assembly tries to mimic, there’s already been a schism of sorts. New York’s Sunday Assembly split off on its own after becoming frustrated with Jones’ and Evans’ insistence that they not use the word “atheist” to describe themselves, an organizer there said.

Sunday Assembly 'Atheist Church' Provokes Criticism



Great. They'll have many denominations, too! :lol:
 
The godless church concept is the brainchild of Pippa Evans and Sanderson Jones, two British comedians, who identified a gap in the faith market that so far non-believers are flocking to fill. The first Sunday Assembly (as the gatherings are being called) took place in a dilapidated church in London on a cold morning this past January. It went down a treat, apparently, and the movement has gained enough momentum in Britain that the comic duo have since embarked on a "40 dates, 40 nights" tour of the United States raising money to build US congregations so godless Americans can become churchgoers too.

This past Sunday, the groups' inaugural assembly in Los Angeles attracted some 400 people. Similar gatherings across the states have also drawn big crowds, bursting to do all the good stuff religious people do, just without the God stuff.

Atheist 'mega-churches' undermine what atheism's about | Sadhbh Walshe | Comment is free | theguardian.com



As I read, I can't help but feel sadness for these folks. There is a certain poignancy in the way they try to do what religious people do.

I think, unconsciously......they're trying to fill a void.

They thirst. They just don't know it yet.
 
Fiddytree said:
No. It's the absence of religion. That being said, it's just as much of a source of irritation as evangelical Protestantism is.
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It is said....Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Atheists wanting to imitate what religious people do.
There is more to this than meets the eye. It goes deeper, I think.

It could be a longing.
 
tosca1 said:
It is said....Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Atheists wanting to imitate what religious people do.
There is more to this than meets the eye. It goes deeper, I think.

It could be a longing.
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Not in my case.
 
zyzygy said:
Not in my case.
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I was referring to those atheists who want to do what religious people do, as described in the article.

Out of curiousity....do you attend atheist church assemblies?
 
tosca1 said:
The godless church concept is the brainchild of Pippa Evans and Sanderson Jones, two British comedians, who identified a gap in the faith market that so far non-believers are flocking to fill. The first Sunday Assembly (as the gatherings are being called) took place in a dilapidated church in London on a cold morning this past January. It went down a treat, apparently, and the movement has gained enough momentum in Britain that the comic duo have since embarked on a "40 dates, 40 nights" tour of the United States raising money to build US congregations so godless Americans can become churchgoers too.

This past Sunday, the groups' inaugural assembly in Los Angeles attracted some 400 people. Similar gatherings across the states have also drawn big crowds, bursting to do all the good stuff religious people do, just without the God stuff.

Atheist 'mega-churches' undermine what atheism's about | Sadhbh Walshe | Comment is free | theguardian.com



As I read, I can't help but feel sadness for these folks. There is a certain poignancy in the way they try to do what religious people do.

I think, unconsciously......they're trying to fill a void.

They thirst. They just don't know it yet.
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Or it could be your wishful thinking.
 
Manc Skipper said:
Or it could be your wishful thinking.
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Could be.


But with the numbers flocking to church assemblies (trying to imitate religious people)....chances are there are some that are trying to fill that void. Fellow-Christians, especially those who'd strayed away from God (like me), will understand what I mean about that VOID.

God works in mysterious ways. For all we know....some of these folks are already being called by God....and are on their way to finding or coming back to Him.
 
Two English comedians isn't a movement, and where are the flocks? Not in Britain. More wishful thinking.
 
From a strict definition standpoint Atheism isn't a religion because they don't worship (ok, maybe that dead british guy). Its as simple as that.

It is immensely clear, however that some embrace and repeat dogma and ultimately have faith in their view of what science is. The believe that science will eventually be able to eject the god of the gaps because the gap has increasingly been narrowed by science. However, it is a leap of faith to believe that science will ultimately be able to reduce the gap to 0. These atheists are easily identified by their belief that science itself is an authority i.e if science doesn't endorse it, then it can't be true

Dogma and faith. Definitely getting into religious territory based on a looser definition:

Religion | Define Religion at Dictionary.com

a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects:

something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience:
to make a religion of fighting prejudice.
 
TobyOne said:
From a strict definition standpoint Atheism isn't a religion because they don't worship (ok, maybe that dead british guy). Its as simple as that.

It is immensely clear, however that some embrace and repeat dogma and ultimately have faith in their view of what science is. The believe that science will eventually be able to eject the god of the gaps because the gap has increasingly been narrowed by science. However, it is a leap of faith to believe that science will ultimately be able to reduce the gap to 0. These atheists are easily identified by their belief that science itself is an authority i.e if science doesn't endorse it, then it can't be true

Dogma and faith. Definitely getting into religious territory based on a looser definition:

Religion | Define Religion at Dictionary.com

a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects:

something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience:
to make a religion of fighting prejudice.
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Indeed, and where I live we are known to say that college sports is a "religion". It's adherents are just as rabid, just as devoted, and just as adamant as atheists who claim to not have a "religion". Yet they spend a lot of their spare time talking about religion, maybe all of their spare time. If atheism is comparable to not watching sports, the non-sports watchers have made a sport out of bitching about whether or not other people watch sports. And they bitch because the sports watchers might vote for sports related issues. And not only do they not want you to participate in society because of your beliefs, they expect you to affirm and applaud their beliefs.

Someone has pointed out that they have become what they claim we are. It looks that way to me.
 
Manc Skipper said:
Two English comedians isn't a movement, and where are the flocks? Not in Britain. More wishful thinking.
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Did you read those articles at all?
 
TobyOne said:
It is immensely clear, however that some embrace and repeat dogma and ultimately have faith in their view of what science is. The believe that science will eventually be able to eject the god of the gaps because the gap has increasingly been narrowed by science. However, it is a leap of faith to believe that science will ultimately be able to reduce the gap to 0.
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Speaking of science....that very faith exhibited towards science is reminiscent of religious faith.

There are those who have such faith in science who'd put a wedge between science and God (like as if the two are at war or something).



They failed to see that like everything else that exist....science was ALLOWED to exist for a reason. :)
 
Manc Skipper said:
Two English comedians isn't a movement, and where are the flocks? Not in Britain. More wishful thinking.
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What makes a "flock?"
It could be multitudes.....or it could be any numbers of people gathered together.

Anyway, you're missing the whole point.

Why are some people compelled to imitate what religious people do?



More wishful thinking
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Again? Sounds like you're trying to convince yourself more than anyone.

Why does that come across that somehow you feel threatened? Or troubled by that?


....that you fervently wish it weren't so. :)
 
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tosca1 said:
It is said....Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Atheists wanting to imitate what religious people do.
There is more to this than meets the eye. It goes deeper, I think.

It could be a longing.
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Yeah, a longing for socialization. It's one of the main functions of Church for humans, and one being atheist doesn't mean that they are no longer social creatures. I think it's a bit silly, not going to church is one of the biggest perks of atheism, but whatever. People are free to do what they want.
 
tosca1 said:
Could be.


But with the numbers flocking to church assemblies (trying to imitate religious people)....chances are there are some that are trying to fill that void. Fellow-Christians, especially those who'd strayed away from God (like me), will understand what I mean about that VOID.

God works in mysterious ways. For all we know....some of these folks are already being called by God....and are on their way to finding or coming back to Him.
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I suspect it is ex-Christians who grew up in that environment, and is using it as a social replacement for their childhood environment.

I personally think it's silly .. Just call it a social club, and be done with it.
 
Ikari said:
Yeah, a longing for socialization. It's one of the main functions of Church for humans, and one being atheist doesn't mean that they are no longer social creatures. I think it's a bit silly, not going to church is one of the biggest perks of atheism, but whatever. People are free to do what they want.
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Socialization? Could be.

....but then again, it's not as if atheists don't have the freedom to indulge with a variety of social activities, especially, they're not restricted by religion in any way.


And you're right. How many turned away from Christianity (to be specific, since it's obviously the Christian Sunday Service that they try to mimic), because they got turned off by the rituals, the prayers, the sermons?
How many Christians don't go to church for the same reason?


So, for atheists to want to do what Christians do.....it is much more than just the need to socialize.
 
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RAMOSS said:
I suspect it is ex-Christians who grew up in that environment, and is using it as a social replacement for their childhood environment.

I personally think it's silly .. Just call it a social club, and be done with it.
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A lot of ex-Christians do not have a happy memory of Christianity. Some are very angry and bitter about it.

If one is an ex-Christian, there has to be a reason why that person ended up abandoning his faith.
If one is an ex-Christian chances are, that kind of environment is the last thing he'd want to duplicate.

So the same question still remains.
Why do they feel the need to do what Christians do?
 
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tosca1 said:
A lot of ex-Christians do not have a happy memory of Christianity. Some are very angry and bitter about it.

If one is an ex-Christian, there has to be a reason why that person ended up abandoning his faith.
If one is an ex-Christian chances are, that kind of environment is the last thing he'd want to duplicate.

So the same question still remains.
Why do they feel the need to do what Christians do?
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While a number of them are bitter and angry, others are not. And it's like mac and cheese, comfort food from childhood. It's entirely emotional.

If one is an ex-Christian, it could be the reason they ended up abandoning their faith is they couldn't lie to themselves any more, and they couldn't deal with the bad logic, and lack of evidence for Christian claims. I know a number of ex-Christian atheists in that category, and they think upon their Christian days with a wistfulness.... but they can't make themselves believe nonsense.
 
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