"Atheist churches" lose members

[Sirona]

Dear forum,

They Tried to Start a Church Without God. For a While, It Worked.

the article linked above describes the phenomenon of atheist "Sunday assemblies" losing members and gives various reasons for this tendency. Please discuss.

 

[Father Heathen]

It's easier to build cohesive communities centered on a common interest than it is a common disinterest.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Maybe it was more fun down at the Water Buffalo Lodge.

 

[sun rise]

The article pointed out this which I think accurately reflects the death of atheist "churches"

“Meeting in a building with the same group of people every week … I don’t think there’s any natural need for that,” ...
...
For many nones, however, their lack of religion is not a strong part of their identity.

 

[Left Coast]

Dear forum,

They Tried to Start a Church Without God. For a While, It Worked.

the article linked above describes the phenomenon of atheist "Sunday assemblies" losing members and gives various reasons for this tendency. Please discuss.

I considered attending my local Sunday Assembly, but I'll be honest: when I looked online, all the folks in their pictures were older white people. It looked like a typical Episcopal congregation. The lack of diversity and people my age turned me off.

The article also makes an interesting point about trying to attend church after your belief in God goes away. I've attended a very progressive, LGBT friendly Methodist church with my partner since we've been together, but honestly even with their incredibly open, social justice-oriented message that I often agree with, without being a theist I'm left feeling like, why am I going through these motions? Isn't there a better metaphorical vehicle for these messages than Christianity or the Bible?

 

[ChristineM]

I never could see the idea taking off, the only commonality is nothing. How do you build a church of nothing.

A much better idea would be a weekly meeting at a bar or football match.

 

[Terry Sampson]

• The article pointed out this which I think accurately reflects the death of atheist "churches"
  “Meeting in a building with the same group of people every week … I don’t think there’s any natural need for that,” ...
  For many nones, however, their lack of religion is not a strong part of their identity.

  • I concur; however, ...
• Note @Jim take a look at the article in the link and see if there's any food for thought that you can chew on.

 

[Father Heathen]

I never could see the idea taking off, the only commonality is nothing. How do you build a church of nothing.

A much better idea would be a weekly meeting at a bar or football match.

If the church and a wet bar and pool hall in the basement, or even tables for board games, etc. then it would probably be more active, but then it would be more like a club than a church. And that's the thing, non religious people can find clubs to fill the void left by leaving their religion/church behind.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I never could see the idea taking off, the only commonality is nothing. How do you build a church of nothing.

A much better idea would be a weekly meeting at a bar or football match.

Well the Church of atheism is more of a statement then anything else.

There are far more interesting organizations i would think.

Like...

The Brights

The National Secular Society

American Atheists

 

[ChristineM]

If the church and a wet bar and pool hall in the basement, or even tables for board games, etc. then it would probably be more active, but then it would be more like a club than a church. And that's the thing, non religious people can find clubs to fill the void left by leaving their religion/church behind.

My dad had a childhood friend that became a vicar. In the 1970s his church began to wane. It got to the stage that he had to arranged with the landlords if the local pubs that he hold his services in the *back* room of the pubs every sunday.

Services held with beer on hand were a great success.

 

[ChristineM]

Well the Church of atheism is more of a statement then anything else.

There are far more interesting organizations i would think.

Like...

The Brights

The National Secular Society

American Atheists

Yes.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I never could see the idea taking off, the only commonality is nothing. How do you build a church of nothing.

A much better idea would be a weekly meeting at a bar or football match.

I'm thinking BBQ or potluck, byob...

 

[ChristineM]

I'm thinking BBQ or potluck, byob...

Yeah, a bbq would work

 

[Shad]

Dear forum,

They Tried to Start a Church Without God. For a While, It Worked.

the article linked above describes the phenomenon of atheist "Sunday assemblies" losing members and gives various reasons for this tendency. Please discuss.

In my view it is silly to unite in a church based on a singular shared point. This was the greatest flaw in the idea and why it failed.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

It's easier to build cohesive communities centered on a common interest than it is a common disinterest.

It's also harder to compel people to come to your meetings when you don't threaten them with eternal torment for skipping them.

 

[Revoltingest]

Dear forum,

They Tried to Start a Church Without God. For a While, It Worked.

the article linked above describes the phenomenon of atheist "Sunday assemblies" losing members and gives various reasons for this tendency. Please discuss.

Our local chapter of the Libertarian Party found a way to keep
interest in meeting alive....meet at a restaurant with a bar.
At least I think it worked....I stopped going. Bunch'o losers, eh.

 

[`mud]

When you've seen the last straw, there's something poking you, in the butt !!

 

[Father Heathen]

I stopped going. Bunch'o losers, eh.

"Damned libertarians. They ruined libertarianism!"

 

[WhyIsThatSo]

Dear forum,

They Tried to Start a Church Without God. For a While, It Worked.

the article linked above describes the phenomenon of atheist "Sunday assemblies" losing members and gives various reasons for this tendency. Please discuss.[/QUOTE

"church" ( ecclesia ) means "called out ones",
and has nothing to do with a building or any kind of "organization".

 

[Stevicus]

An atheist church? It makes me think of the movie The Breakfast Club where they're talking about the physics club. They get together and talk about physics, properties of physics. It's sort of social.