Actually called Atheist Assemblies.....
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=images+for+atheist+church&rlz=1C1EODB_...
Interesting to contrast the humour, banter and laughter at what are often little more than stand-up comedy shows with religious assemblies. Spot the difference?...
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Christians+praying+images&rlz=1C1EODB_...
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Hajj+images&rlz=1C1EODB_enGB540GB562&e...
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=jews+worship+images&rlz=1C1EODB_enGB54...
Many of us in Scotland can't make up our minds. God promises us heaven on Earth, but so does Alex Salmond!..
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=alex+salmond+funny+images&rlz=1C1EODB_...
Mr Alex Salmond was the first nationalist (Scottish National Party) politician to hold the office of First Minister of the Scottish Parliament.
https://www.sundayassembly.com/
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Not much to debate, so I'll pose a question: does this send the wrong message? I know that this is a send-up of traditional churches, but doesn't this make a stronger case for the nimrods who claim that Atheism is a religion? I know that the people who attend this 'church' are in on the joke, but I don't think that matters.
Tzeentch, I used to think the same. There was a fear of becoming exactly that which we are repulsed by.
But...
It just doesn't matter. Satirically speaking, a mock atheist church isn't exactly aligning itself with conventional religious congregational poise. It's actually the antithesis and would speak volumes even if staged as a silent mime. Atheists really don't care about the religious sensitivities because we don't recognize their source as real, and therefore consider any sensitivity towards it falsely conceived. One might even go so far as to seek out treachery towards humanity and identify religion as the evil behind it.
Anyway, it doesn't matter. Even the religiously aligned would see it for exactly what it is rather than attempt to call it a cult or religion. They know when the joke is on them.
@Tzeentch
Sometimes you must show to someone who claims A on you, that his claims do not effect you in any way.
If someone claims that I am gay or something, and I know I am not, do I stop going out with my male friends to not appear gay?
I might do it even more lol, have a laugh:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L-2uYVleKI
I have nothing against peaceful people of like mind seeking fellowship in any fashion. Personally , I don't like large crowds or ritualistic settings. I would prefer a setting like a coffee group or a salon type setting . If I was not the only Atheist in Podunk Kentucky I might start my own. I will eventually rejoin civilization and start one up. Good food , wine , a speaker or performer , civil dialogue every third Saturday at my house.
Dress preference, if any?
If your asking about my salon - ultra casual or less.
Thanks for the responses folks. I put it in the Hub as I wasn't sure it would draw comment, still less debate.
I agree with all the posts.
I think non-believers are exploring ways to congregate which are superstition-free and still seem relevant to all humanity. Hence we have groups of humanists, sceptics, freethinkers, atheists and the groups themselves vary in size and form. Different concepts appeal to different people. It amuses me that some skeptics don't want to join a humanist group - talk about herding cats! For Christ's sake people!! :-)
Humanist groups in the UK do seem to be taking on a sort of format. They generally have a guest speaker talking about science or philosophy. My local group discusses politics too. The discussion groups are very stimulating and we all learn something. Very typical of humanist groups now.
Philanthropy is important too. The image of atheist groups might benefit from that and the activities provide a social setting for people to interact that is relaxed and rewarding. That seems to be the thinking behind one of my favorite associations...
http://www.kcatheists.org/
My local Skeptics-in-the-Pub have have some great speakers. As their Coordinator says, "aim high. A potential speaker can only say no."....
http://glasgow.skepticsinthepub.org/
There are also Brights groups and even their members don't like the name "Brights" which always needs explanation...
http://www.the-brights.net/
Quote: A "bright" (n.) is a person whose worldview is naturalistic (no supernatural and mystical elements).
I wonder if anyone thinks to contact local groups when they're travelling. If you're ever in Scotland, please look up your local group. I think we'd all be very pleased to meet you.
And some good news from Scotland...
http://www.atheismuk.com/2016/04/05/atheism/in-scotland-52-have-no-relig...
nice to know about the 52% from Scotland
You brought up an interesting and debatable topic.
Ugh, sorry Dawkins, that title is NEVER going to catch on, it's so condescending.
Dawkins, Harris and Hitchens have (had) agendas that get my ire up. It's okay to have an opinion but it's a whole other thing to rub someone's nose in it like one would a dog when house training it. I have no desire to house train the religious who enter my home (world) even when they tend to abuse my hospitality. I carry no malice towards them. Empathy? Yep. On the negative side of my world view, I find them to be lesser human beings despite their counter-claims. Keeping to the topic, I would not be in attendance at an atheist event because I consider the topic yesterday's news and of no use to me going forward. The 3 amigos, previously mentioned here, were champions of such stuff because they were, for all their claims otherwise, proud members of a movement no different than that which we know now as the Notzrim.
The term "Bright" was coined by Paul Geisert....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brights_movement
I identify with Richard Dawkins (who seems to be a friend of the last Archbishop of Canterbury) and whose "agenda" is to make very specific attacks on superstition and bad science. I hope I do the same and do it as well and as politely. If one doesn't want one's nose rubbed in excreta, just stop shitting on the carpet :-)
Like Dawkins, I hope I have never shown the least malice towards religionists, we only attack their ideas. That includes the concept of religious faith itself.
As for a "movement" like Notzrim....
http://www.seraia.com/seraiauk/lexicon/Notzrim.htm
Like Dawkins, I leave people to judge for themselves.