FFRF announces fund to aid nonbelieving clergy

[rug]

May 7, 2012

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is announcing the creation of a special fund to help ministers and priests who want to get out of the pulpit. FFRF, along with the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science, is a primary sponsor of The Clergy Project, created to help ministers, priests, rabbis and other clergy who no longer believe in the supernatural (atheists, agnostics, secular humanists) and are looking for an exit strategy to a secular life.

The Clergy Project started in March 2011 with 52 members, about a dozen of whom were still in the ministry. By early May 2012, the group had grown to more than 223, of whom 56 are still in active ministry. There are currently more than 60 pending applications, indicating that there may be a huge number of secret unbelievers in the pulpits of the world.

Funds donated to The Clergy Project will help meet many needs, including:

Scholarships for educational retraining. It is hard for someone with a divinity degree and a history of preaching to find new employment, especially in today's economy. Without an exit strategy that allows a minister to continue to provide for their family, it is nearly impossible to consider leaving the pulpit.

http://ffrf.org/news/releases/ffrf-announces-fund-to-aid-nonbelieving-clergy/

[safeinOhio]

1. UU churches hire them.

I asked my first UU minister what she thought happened when you die. She said, that is it, it's over.

[dimbear]

2. Former ministers tend to drift into social work, but

their natural aptitude is often in sales. Lots of them do well in real estate and investment counseling.

Fields where what you need to do is convince. It's a relief to have an actual product.

[skepticscott]

3. Next thing you know

PETA will announce a fund to aid meat-eating vegetarians.

[cbayer]

4. I heard a great discussion of this on the radio the other day.

They interviewed the female pastor who left her position and who we have discussed here previously, as well as some others including someone from The Clergy Project.

It is, understandably, difficult to find employment when your resume is basically having been a member of the clergy for your whole life. It sounds like a good project.

Those they interviewed still are motivated to help others, provide compassionate care and guidance, but need to explore ways to do it outside of religious organizations.

I'm not convinced that there are large numbers of people who need their help, but it sounds like a very positive project to help those that do.

Good for the FFRF for pitching in.

[dmallind]

5. Not sure this would be that high on my priority list, but worthwhile in the long term

Certainly I can see the point that such a background is not a ticket to the corporate fast-track, but there are people, atheists included with worse job skills to offer who could use help. Barker's own story may be making this more of a focus than it otherwise might be though, and there's always good PR in converts to the cause from as far into the "other" camp as possible. Nobody wants to hear about the evils of booze and drugs from lifelong clean teetotalers. A fried egg-eyed gaunt toothless wreck has more credibility.