Donating = Loving
Bringing you atheist articles and building active godless communities takes hundreds of hours and resources each month. If you find any joy or stimulation at Atheist Republic, please consider becoming a Supporting Member with a recurring monthly donation of your choosing, between a cup of tea and a good dinner.
Log in or create an account to join the discussions on the Atheist Republic forums.
Donating = Loving
Bringing you atheist articles and building active godless communities takes hundreds of hours and resources each month. If you find any joy or stimulation at Atheist Republic, please consider becoming a Supporting Member with a recurring monthly donation of your choosing, between a cup of tea and a good dinner.
Donating = Loving
Bringing you atheist articles and building active godless communities takes hundreds of hours and resources each month. If you find any joy or stimulation at Atheist Republic, please consider becoming a Supporting Member with a recurring monthly donation of your choosing, between a cup of tea and a good dinner.
FREE E-BOOKS
Get the book "Why There Is No God" and one more book for FREE!
Sign up below for the Atheist Republic Newsletter to get the books.
Record Your Message!
Record your voice here for it to be aired on the Atheist Republic Voicemails Podcast.
Send us your views and opinions, your personal stories, messages of support, comments on recent news, or any comments you would like to share about your part of the world.
Note : By clicking record you are allowing us to broadcast your message on any of our platforms.
Affiliate Disclaimer
Links to atheist related books, shirts and movies and other atheism related products are affiliate links.
All proceeds will go to keeping the Atheist Republic website up and running; providing resources, advocacy, community tools and encouragement to atheists all over the world.
I've been to their services. While the doctrine is different than the mainstream churches, the service isn't much different.
Thank you. I was wondering if there was more a focus on shared values and common goals over whether one believed in whatever deity or none at all.
@ Homer
"I was wondering if there was more a focus on shared values and common goals over whether one believed in whatever deity or none at all."
That description covers everything from religion to debate clubs to strip clubs to my favorite football team.
It is basically Christianity lite, with stuff from other religions around the world thrown into the soup.
Thanks. Hoping for a place that stresses their stated principles without getting hung up on forcing some defined image of God, or even if God has to exist.
At the end of the day; it's Santa Claus for adults, just like the other churches. Their version just seems slightly less sadistic than the mainstream version.
So you really didn't get a feel for what is described here?
https://www.uua.org/beliefs/what-we-believe/beliefs/atheist-agnostic
@ Homer
I was persuaded to attend a"gathering",many years ago, several in fact by my then (rather gorgeous girlfriend). I can wholeheartedly endorse Nyar's description of the whole group.
Best I can say it is like been suffocated by a fluffy bunny. Concindentally the nickname I used for my girlfriend.
In person: I have never heard a member of the UU express even the slightest skepticism about the existence of god.
/e:In a way it reminds me of my time in the Libertarian party. While nominally not a religious party; I never heard any speaker express any skepticism about the existence of god, and often they openly endorsed a belief in god.
/e:Now I know that if we go through both groups' literature, it will pay lip service to not weighing in on the matter either way. What I'm saying is that in practice this does not seem to be the case.
@ Homer
"So you really didn't get a feel for what is described here?"
IMO it is just a church that wants to have a public perception on being accommodating to all. IMO it is like the KKK having a monthly "Invite a black over for dinner".
Please understand Homer, that when I encounter churchy stuff like this, I feel no emotional response. I have zero desire to be in such an environment.
@Homer “ Hoping for a place that stresses their stated principles without getting hung up on forcing some defined image of God, or even if God has to exist. ”
Oh yes - a watered down religion is the place to “find” it. Don’t start a self examination of your own belief system and why you’ve drawn your own conclusions AND the quality of evidence for the conclusion. No, that would be “unreasonable”.
Here’s an example - a “personal spiritual experience”. I am a JW at the time it happened. It was for jaw surgery and I was newly married (a year under my belt). After surgery, while recovering at night, I was extremely groggy, relaxed, hardly coherent but could still form thoughts. I would drift out of consciousness, but awaken mentally to the words “take a deep breath”. I’d take a breath, understanding I hadn’t breathed in awhile, and I could feel a hand on my lower foot that was filling me with love. I’d “awake” again to “take a deep breath...”. I don’t know how many times.
Anyway, I was told near the end of my stay that I had received an overdose of morphine (yes - you guys know).
In my mind, filtered through my beliefs, what had occurred and “I knew” was that Jesus sat at the foot of my bed and had me breath through the night. It strengthened my faith.
Oh fuck-a-doodle-dandy!!!! Did I bother to research “morphine overdose” NO. Did I consider that a nurse realizes the med mistake and was assigned to see me through it? NO. Did I even consider I was under the influence of morphine and running my experience through an altered mindset? NO.
It sure made me feel special and protected and loved and close to invisible sky daddy so why would I even THINK about being “rational”.
So you want a group that will validate your beliefs without ever scrutinising them, let alone defining them, or demanding any evidence. I don't wish to be unkind, but you needn't have posted this here.
I'm not wanting a group that validates any beliefs. I'm interested in the group for the principles they advertise, and was looking for opinions from those who had attended. Sadly it looks like the groups advertisement wasn't in line with the experiences of those who did indeed go, so I'll keep that in mind when I try it out.
One of the principles being that they never challenge theistic beliefs with critical scrutiny, as several posters have pointed out.
No offence, but that does seem to mesh neatly with the your own position.
Well that's hardly a surprise, a group that claims to unify people with opposing viewpoints, by not challenging them. It strikes me as a slick piece of marketing, but doomed to fail, unless you hold a belief you can't properly evidence, and would prefer not to examine critically.
Sheldon,
Everything spiritual isn't about asserting or challenging a set of beliefs. I'm learning some personalities have trouble perceiving the concept.
And it appears someone here did indeed find a group in line with the advertisement, so I guess that's more of a YMMV thing.
Hahahahaha, oh fuck - Jesus fuckin’Christ!!!’ Hahahahaha! THIS deserves ridicule!!!!
“ Everything spiritual isn't about asserting or challenging a set of beliefs.”
YOU are right because everything “spiritual” is “imagination” and unspecific. The “spiritual” doesn’t work (its opposed) to “what is real” and tests for reality ... so why “challenge”????
It’s a word used to invoke warm fuzzy brain chemical release... wouldn’t want to mess with your “fix”.
“I'm learning some personalities have trouble perceiving the concept.”
I perceive the concept just fine. I understand it’s use, meaning, description, “root” and how it evolved.
I also acknowledged “how you use it” however your “use”, like “your deity”, is your’s alone and not common. You may make an “onion and peanut butter” sandwich BUT don’t try to insist that it is a common “menu” choice.
Here’s a use of the word - have fun reading it....
(Uhummm ***clears throat****)
Only by Jehovah’s faithful and secret slave can we nourish ourselves by eating the spiritual food prepared lovingly for the sheep.
Seriously, by memory - a thought held and understood by Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Pic of JW talk snapped from a JW site)
Is your brain twisting trying to put “meaning” and trying to understand their use of language?
Peanut butter and onion sandwich lover!!!!
Attachments
Attach Image/Video?:
I'm talking about the concept of spiritual (non supernatural kind) fellowship without being concerned over other's assertions of supernatural things. I'm saying some may have issue with perceiving the concept.
Others may indeed understand and have issue with people working to achieve that concept in general. And others may have many different takes on the concept.
@Homer...
I'm talking about the concept of spiritual (non supernatural kind) fellowship without being concerned over other's assertions of supernatural things. I'm saying some may have issue with perceiving the concept.”
Jesus fuckin Christ!!!! You sound just like the Fuckin’ JWs!!!!! What you wrote makes NO SENSE but too YOU! Don’t you get that?!?!? FUCK!
Then why not hang out at a coffee shop with some friends? Or join a chess club? Or start a “movie watching” group?
YOU are looking for a “secular” religion?!?!?!!!!! Hahahahahaha
Make your fuckin’ sandwich at home or open your own restaurant ....
Edited to add: there is a scientific explanation for liking the smell...
Homer - you like the smell of your own farts so much you can’t get your head out of your ass!!!
AND edited to add add add (cause I forgot):
“ I'm saying some may have issue with perceiving the concept.”
Who, specifically is the “some”? Me, David or Sheldon, since we’ve been the ones (unless
I missed someone) who have been engaging you on this “spiritual” topic???
Or is the “someone” an invisible lurker who isn’t interacting with you in this physical forum...
Apparently what I wrote does make enough sense to get a profanity laced reaction.
Homer - at least my “profanity” laced communication didn’t need to be “explained” and “qualified”....
AND you still are avoiding ... you like the dark and tight spots, eh?!!!
Not sure what I'm avoiding. Looks like a buncha angst over JW experiences combined with judgement over me looking for spiritual fellowship with people regardless of their belief or disbelief.
@ Homer
"Apparently what I wrote does make enough sense to get a profanity laced reaction."
You deserve it this time for such muddy thinking.
"I'm talking about the concept of spiritual (non supernatural kind) fellowship without being concerned over other's assertions of supernatural things."
How the fuck can you have a spiritual relationship without invoking the supernatural? Because you have failed miserably in separating the two. In fact, they come out of the same chum bucket.
If you can have a soul, I can have a spiritual relationship without invoking the supernatural.
AVOID much?!?!?
...”if”.... no one said YOU couldn’t have a fuckin
“Spiritual” relationship without “supernatural”
Some people call their “blow up dolls” WIVES
Just because you can do it, doesn’t “mean” fuck all to “common” understanding and meaning.
Lol, you went through a whole diatribe about words having multiple meanings. Apparently you believe in two different types of souls but those types of souls can't relate between each other.
Still diverting!!!
It’s your vague use of “words” and lack of clear communication that I have an issue with.
As I say to my boys
“You can have the greatest idea or concept in the world, BUT if you can’t communicate it, it doesn’t mean shit”.
This principle applies to the spoken and written.
You do realize, right, that dictionaries describe how words are commonly used; the context of use; the history and evolution of the “word” used?
And as “words” evolve, language changes - usually, in a more precise manner?
Maybe you don’t understand that basic concept...whatever.
Enjoy your “spirituality that feeds your soul”
No one is saying “you can’t” ...you are just a very poor communicator! Oh, and language, communication, precision of thought is KEY to reality based thinking.
This whole string, especially since the Gattaca reference, has been about the concept of nonsupernatural spirituality, with even with you and Dave helping out adding your views on a nonsupernatural soul. The nonsupernatural souls you both describe is indeed capable of fellowship.
Not sure how much more clear the communication needs to be.
Homer is still playing the fruit game.
@ Homer
"If you can have a soul, I can have a spiritual relationship without invoking the supernatural."
Prove a "soul" is real.
You already described yours!
In this thread!
Why do I need to prove something YOU described to be real?
Pages