Atheism starts its megachurch: Is it a religion now?

[rug]

The non-religious Assembly is perhaps the fastest growing church in the world -- and it's coming to a mall near you

Sunday, Sep 22, 2013 06:59 AM EDT
By Katie Engelhart

Organized Atheism is now a franchise.

Yesterday, The Sunday Assembly—the London-based “Atheist Church” that has, since its January launch, been stealing headlines the world over—announced a new “global missionary tour.” In October and November, affiliated Sunday Assemblies will open in 22 cities: in England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, the United States and Australia. “I think this is the moment,” Assembly founder Sanderson Jones told me in an email last week, “when the Sunday Assembly goes from being an interesting phenomenon to becoming a truly global movement.” Structured godlessness is ready for export.

The Assembly has come a long way in eight months: from scrappy East London community venture (motto: “Live Better, Help Often and Wonder More;” method: “part atheist church, part foot-stomping good time”) to the kind of organization that sends out embargoed press releases about global expansion projects. “The 3,000 percent growth rate might make this non-religious Assembly the fastest growing church in the world,” organizers boast.

There’s more to come: In October, the Sunday Assembly (SA) will launch a crowdfunded indiegogo campaign, with the ambitious goal of raising £500,000 (or, about $793,000). This will be followed by a second wave of openings. “ The effort reads as part quixotic hipster start-up, part Southern megachurch.

http://www.salon.com/2013/09/22/atheism_starts_its_megachurch_is_it_a_religion_now/singleton/

[BlueJazz]

1. I'm gonna' start going door to door....like the Mormans. Hi, Have you not heard the good word??

[rug]

4. You can get in on the ground floor with a franchise.

We’ll provide you with videos, marketing support, and all the resources we can muster, while making sure you have the creative space needed to make it your own. So, you can choose the songs, readings and speakers and, more importantly, start building a community.

http://sundayassembly.com/sunday-assembly-everywhere/

[okasha]

11. I prefer Wendy's.

nt

[Ecumenist]

2. Kind of Counterproductive, isn't it? I don't get it...

[elleng]

10. Ditto

[LuvNewcastle]

5. I wonder what the hymns are like.

Are they science based, like maybe "Amazing Space" or "Rock of Eons?" Or maybe they would be a little blasphemous, like "Dawkins Saves" or "How Great I Am." If they're funny enough, I'll buy a CD.

[SecularMotion]

6. I'm sure this will be played

[cbayer]

7. That's hilarious.

As humor seems to be a central theme in some of these congregations, I could well see that happening.

Could be lots of fun!

[rug]

8. Something jazzy.

[bunnies]

9. This is fucking stupid.

An Atheist MegaChurch?! Geezus.

[LostOne4Ever]

12. -_-

Let me sum up my feelings on this succinctly:



How about using that money for something more worthwhile like world hunger or ridding the world of the scourge of brussel sprouts?

[cbayer]

13. Couldn't we focus on zucchini?!?!?! I love brussel sprouts.

[LostOne4Ever]

14. That will work!

I am easy to work with.

[longship]

17. Throw in lutefisk and I'm all-in.

Er, throw out, I should say.

But tuna hot dish should be a staple, just like in Lake Wobegon. The question is: do you serve white or red wine with that? (Some of these questions are ones which should never be asked.) Okay! They'll be both red and white wine. And beer, of course.

Hey! We're talking sacraments here!

BYOS = Bring Your Own Sacraments.

Solves the problem neatly and in an ecumenical style. Perfect!

But I don't know about that guy who always brings martinis.

[okasha]

15. "The scourge of brussels sprouts"

[MellowDem]

16. Atheism isn't a religion...

As much as many theists wish it were so, because then it would supposedly share all the many flaws that religions face and that religious followers hate having to defend, because no one likes intellectual dishonesty and cognitive dissonance.

But no, a group of atheists getting together to do things as a community doesn't change the definition of words.

[rug]

18. It's self-described as a "Church Without God".

http://sandystrachan.wordpress.com/2013/06/28/church-without-god/

Maybe they're religious but not spiritual.

[MellowDem]

19. And?

Have the definitions of words changed as a result? No.

[rug]

20. Well, then, by all means, sign up for a franchise.

[MellowDem]

21. That was a rather irrelevant and snarky response...

[Fumesucker]

22. Great, the fire department and the arson squad could use some megachurch experience around here

I give it six months tops before someone lobs a Molotov cocktail at it.

[edhopper]

23. What is your definition of religion?

It may or may not be depending on how you look at it.
Some might say that people going every week to a sports bar to watch the Packers is a religion.
But it all seems like useless semantics to me. If a group of like minded people wish to come together why do you want to label it?

[rug]

24. That's the headline from the article.

I don't think there can be a religion without some concept of a god.

That said, the Assembly has already acquired some of the accoutrements of a religious organization and is probably already larger than many of the rural fundamentalist churches people are so fond of mocking.

[LostOne4Ever]

25. The title of the article is pretty bad

No where in it is there a single mention of if atheism qualifies as religion (it doesn't).

Im guessing the title was picked by an editor who didn't actually read the article and just wanted people to click on something flame worthy.

When it comes to the definition of religion I prefer the defintion from wikipedia:

[div class="excerpt" style="margin-left:1em; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-radius:0.4615em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]Religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to the supernatural, and to spirituality.[note 1] Many religions have narratives, symbols, and sacred histories that are intended to explain the meaning of life and/or to explain the origin of life or the Universe. From their beliefs about the cosmos and human nature, people derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle

Though, by the wording here, neither atheism or theism, in and of themselves, would count as a religion.

This makes sense to me, as a religion can be either atheistic (like some forms of Buddhism) or theistic. This implies to me that theism/atheism are characteristics of a religion and not religion on their own.

Even using the origin of the word religion, which meant obligation, bond, or reverence, neither theism or atheism really fit. Just because one may believe in the existence of a deity does not mean they treat said deity with any kind of obligation or reverence or that one even has a bond with said deity.

Regardless, the terms religious atheism and atheist "church" makes me want to

[rug]

26. Yeah, it's sensationalizing, which is pretty common on these topics.

In any event, there are different etymologies.

religion (n.) Look up religion at Dictionary.comc.1200, "state of life bound by monastic vows," also "conduct indicating a belief in a divine power," from Anglo-French religiun (11c.), Old French religion "piety, devotion; religious community," and directly from Latin religionem (nominative religio) "respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods; conscientiousness, sense of right, moral obligation; fear of the gods; divine service, religious observance; a religion, a faith, a mode of worship, cult; sanctity, holiness," in Late Latin "monastic life" (5c.).

According to Cicero derived from relegere "go through again" (in reading or in thought), from re- "again" (see re-) + legere "read" (see lecture (n.)). However, popular etymology among the later ancients (Servius, Lactantius, Augustine) and the interpretation of many modern writers connects it with religare "to bind fast" (see rely), via notion of "place an obligation on," or "bond between humans and gods." In that case, the re- would be intensive. Another possible origin is religiens "careful," opposite of negligens. In English, meaning "particular system of faith" is recorded from c.1300; sense of "recognition of and allegiance in manner of life (perceived as justly due) to a higher, unseen power or powers" is from 1530s.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=religion&searchmode=none

[edhopper]

29. As Gilda Radner would say

"Oh, that's different. Never mind."

[JoePhilly]

27. Let's see .... how can I come up with a scheme to fleece the non-religious??

BINGO!!!

Start a MEGA-CHURCH for Atheists!

Its a totally untapped market!!

[WovenGems]

28. NO!

But it does sound a bit like a Monty Python skit. I wonder if they will serve Spam and eggs for breakfast.

Atheism is a religion like abstinence is a sex position.