Journal Stargoat's Journal: Atheist church 5
There is no Atheist Church. Atheists, by the very definition, will not go to a building nor join a community dedicated to the worship of God. But churches do a great deal more than just worship God. A church community supports its members. Food is distributed to the needy and other services are provided as well. Priests visit the ill and in general follow and encourage the Corporal Works of Mercy.
I have come to the conclusion that the non-religious activities of a church are important, indeed vital, for a community in a non-government intensive republic. Further, I have come to the conclusion that individuals belonging to a church are better off than individuals who do not belong to a church. This better off includes belonging to a supporting community as well as having the sense of belonging to a community which creates definition for the individual outside of the individual.
I have come to the conclusion that the non-religious activities of a church are important, indeed vital, for a community in a non-government intensive republic. Further, I have come to the conclusion that individuals belonging to a church are better off than individuals who do not belong to a church. This better off includes belonging to a supporting community as well as having the sense of belonging to a community which creates definition for the individual outside of the individual.
Love (Score:3, Insightful)
Love, Love, Love, Love.
Truth. Truth.
These are substitutes for approaching Absolute Reality, unapproachable directly though limited faculties.
"God" is a substitute, for approaching Absolute Reality. Unfortunately, "God" as reality is frequently compounded in the imagination with personal desires and tribal imperative.
Without love? There is no force, no will to resist the self. The small love leads to the great Love. Even Atheists who begin this with love, may come closer to Absolute Reality, than a "religious" practitioner, trapped in theologies, customs and self-interest.
Do something for another. An atheist who does this is a thousand times holier than the believer who prays fervently to be saved, himself.
Atheist Church (Score:2)
Not quite true [atheistsunited.org]. These guys have been a real thorn in the side of the Boy Scouts of America, for one.
Unitarian Universalists (Score:2)
They don't have dogma, they don't have much that unites them other than a respect for people in general. They have atheist "pastors", among those with other beliefs. Here's a wikipedia [wikipedia.org] and a link to their main site [uua.org] to save a bit of googling.
Re: (Score:2)