If you HAD to go to church - Page 2

The Atheist · 20th April 2009, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by Mister Agenda

I've met plenty of Christians who believe that UFOs are piloted by aliens from another planet or people from the future. They might be heretics, but they aren't atheists. When a person likely to believe in UFOs reads the Bible, he sees them in Ezekiel.

Yeah, but they're not True Christians^TM.

Originally Posted by supercorgi

I think I'd go Wiccan. All that sky-clad business and dancing around trees is strangely compelling.

Yep, I'd go Wicca or Rastafarianism*.

Going by the Rastas and Wiccans I know, I don't think there's much in it - Wiccans get drunk and have sex, Rastas get high and have sex.

*or Anglicanism, which can be anything you want, and therefore either of the above as well, although the numbers of drunk and stoned young women isn't that high.

Tiktaalik · 20th April 2009, 03:29 PM

I was raised Unitarian/atheist. I'm still nominally a member of the UUs as I pay dues to Church of the Larger Fellowship (mail/web based). But I don't generally participate, mostly because 1) the fellowships I've run into lately aren't very community oriented & I don't feel very welcome; and 2) they're still too woo for me.

I've also been to Quaker meetings. If I had to go, I'd go UU/Quaker. UUs are open/welcoming to gays & gay marriage; the Unitarians and Universalists first got together to become a stronger voice for civil rights in 1963 & James Reeb, a UU minister, was beaten to death after a voting rights march in Selma Alabama in 1965 and eulogized by MLK (he was my family's minister); currently the leader of the UUs is African American (Wm. Sinkford); so they have an interesting history.

gentlehorse · 20th April 2009, 05:15 PM

The UU's in this town are a decent enough bunch, though the upstairs service is fraught with woo. All manner of woo... Name it-- But in the basement, where the coffee flows freely, and those possessed of dark labyrinthine minds lurk amidst faded newspapers and dead spiders, out of sight and out of mind (heh, heh), resides... The Forum: a pre-service discussion group. It's just dandy. I can't say I actually go to church as I haven't attended the service in years, but the UU's I've met in The Forum make me feel welcome and don't mind that I leave when the service starts (probably because I chip in for the coffee).

shawmutt · 20th April 2009, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by Mr Clingford

What you guys are saying about the UU is weakening my faith in scepticism. So there are people who are atheists yet believe on UFOs and other kinds of woo. How inconsistent.

Originally Posted by The Atheist

David Icke's an atheist. You're just confusing atheism with rationalism.

I think Mr C's confusing atheism with skepticism. People believe in all kinds of woo woo regardless of their belief in a God or Gods. We have religious people in our church that are active skeptics, and atheists that are trying to proselytize the wonders of homeopathy.

INRM · 22nd April 2009, 11:19 AM

I'd say UU sounds good if I had to go to church.

Kernel Hapablap · 22nd April 2009, 11:25 AM

I'd go to the strictest orthodox church I could find, just out of scientific curiosity. It'd be fun to sew the seeds of doubt among the brainwashed...

Jeff Corey · 22nd April 2009, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Kernel Hapablap

I'd go to the strictest orthodox church I could find, just out of scientific curiosity. It'd be fun to sew the seeds of doubt among the brainwashed...

They might conclude that you were trying to needle them.

ziztur · 22nd April 2009, 01:10 PM

My boyfriend and I who are both atheists and skeptics (of the anti-conspiracy anti-woo variety) decided one Sunday to go to the church down the street just for fun.

We decided that we enjoyed going to different churches and then talking/blogging about the differences that we started doing it every week. I think we've been to 22 so far.

It keeps us connected with what lots of people out there in the world believe. Our favorites were Divine Science and UU, followed by Quaker.

Kernel Hapablap · 22nd April 2009, 01:12 PM

That sounds like some crazy entertainment. Do you have to contain your snickers?

ziztur · 27th April 2009, 09:03 AM

YES, YES WE DO. The best I think was a revival we went to.

My partner has been to several revival services (he was raised Southern Fundamentalist Baptist) but I had never been to one. I honestly had no idea what a "revival" was. I still really don't get it. Instead of having the typical pastor, they had a guest pastor. After baptizing a five year old (can a five year old really understand what it means to be Christian? I felt kind of bad for her - her parents were so proud, and she obviously wanted to please them), a guest pastor came out.

His name is Jim McNiel... He was a whirlwind. He was like a combination of televangelist and street preacher - he even screamed out, "JEEEEEEEEsus!!!" He retold the story of the crucifixion complete with different voices for the different characters - graveling booming voice for Pontius Pilate, magnificent and righteous voice for Jesus. He moved all over the stage, acting out the story as if he were possessed by... umm... I guess the Holy Spirit.

When he got to the part in the story where Jesus was crucified and making death rattles, the preacher held his arms out to the side dramatically, his microphone dangling. and then he screamed,

"AND JESUS SAID!... GLURGLE GLURG Glurg sphttthhhh blarghhh....."

More true words were never spoken.

I could not take it. I began giggling. I tried to hide it. Did that guy REALLY just do that? He did it again...

"JESUS SAID.... slhittttglublee gluuuuurch plitooooo blargh...."

Tears were streaming down my face, I was trying so hard not to laugh out loud. My Guy looked over at me and covered his mouth. We were both shaking in our attempts to not laugh. I looked at the exit sign and thought, "exit exit exit exit exit" to try to stifle my laughter.

"and then he died."

I wonder if the people behind us believed they had discovered two of Satan's minions in their midst.

On the guest cards you fill out and give to the church on your way out we wrote, "Thanks for reaffirming our belief that there is NO god, and that faith is dangerous to the intellect"

Skeptic Ginger · 27th April 2009, 09:12 AM

Quote:

If you HAD to go to church

I'd bring a book.

Piscivore · 27th April 2009, 09:21 AM

Somewhere where they sing like they mean it. So I'm probably with the Marquis.

quarky · 27th April 2009, 09:29 AM

Snake handlers with a rock band that do full immersion babtism would be fun. I like snakes, rock, and swimming.

20th April 2009, 02:07 PM	#41
The Atheist The Grammar Tyrant Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Within smelling distance of the Grammar Death Camps Posts: 13,928	Originally Posted by Mister Agenda I've met plenty of Christians who believe that UFOs are piloted by aliens from another planet or people from the future. They might be heretics, but they aren't atheists. When a person likely to believe in UFOs reads the Bible, he sees them in Ezekiel. Yeah, but they're not True Christians^TM. Originally Posted by supercorgi I think I'd go Wiccan. All that sky-clad business and dancing around trees is strangely compelling. Yep, I'd go Wicca or Rastafarianism. Going by the Rastas and Wiccans I know, I don't think there's much in it - Wiccans get drunk and have sex, Rastas get high and have sex. or Anglicanism, which can be anything you want, and therefore either of the above as well, although the numbers of drunk and stoned young women isn't that high.
	__________________ Jeff Wagg, Communication and Outreach Manager for the James Randi Educational Foundation posted: It is my job to inform other JREF employees about people who wish to do the JREF harm, and you [The Atheist] are one of those.

20th April 2009, 05:15 PM	#43
gentlehorse generally confused Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,131	The UU's in this town are a decent enough bunch, though the upstairs service is fraught with woo. All manner of woo... Name it-- But in the basement, where the coffee flows freely, and those possessed of dark labyrinthine minds lurk amidst faded newspapers and dead spiders, out of sight and out of mind (heh, heh), resides... The Forum: a pre-service discussion group. It's just dandy. I can't say I actually go to church as I haven't attended the service in years, but the UU's I've met in The Forum make me feel welcome and don't mind that I leave when the service starts (probably because I chip in for the coffee).
	__________________ "Oh Holy gravity, the mother of all powers, what you do to us, the children of the stars" pillory "How can the third-person requirements of the scientific method be reconciled with the first-person nature of consciousness?" Win

20th April 2009, 05:23 PM	#44
shawmutt Squirrel Murderer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Greencastle, PA Posts: 1,990	Originally Posted by Mr Clingford What you guys are saying about the UU is weakening my faith in scepticism. So there are people who are atheists yet believe on UFOs and other kinds of woo. How inconsistent. Originally Posted by The Atheist David Icke's an atheist. You're just confusing atheism with rationalism. I think Mr C's confusing atheism with skepticism. People believe in all kinds of woo woo regardless of their belief in a God or Gods. We have religious people in our church that are active skeptics, and atheists that are trying to proselytize the wonders of homeopathy.
	__________________ http://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageGunOwner

22nd April 2009, 11:19 AM	#45
INRM Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 5,490	I'd say UU sounds good if I had to go to church.
INRM Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 5,490

22nd April 2009, 11:25 AM	#46
Kernel Hapablap Scholar Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 85	I'd go to the strictest orthodox church I could find, just out of scientific curiosity. It'd be fun to sew the seeds of doubt among the brainwashed...
Kernel Hapablap Scholar Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 85

20th April 2009, 03:29 PM	#42
Tiktaalik Half True Scotsperson Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,991	I was raised Unitarian/atheist. I'm still nominally a member of the UUs as I pay dues to Church of the Larger Fellowship (mail/web based). But I don't generally participate, mostly because 1) the fellowships I've run into lately aren't very community oriented & I don't feel very welcome; and 2) they're still too woo for me. I've also been to Quaker meetings. If I had to go, I'd go UU/Quaker. UUs are open/welcoming to gays & gay marriage; the Unitarians and Universalists first got together to become a stronger voice for civil rights in 1963 & James Reeb, a UU minister, was beaten to death after a voting rights march in Selma Alabama in 1965 and eulogized by MLK (he was my family's minister); currently the leader of the UUs is African American (Wm. Sinkford); so they have an interesting history.

22nd April 2009, 11:47 AM	#47
Jeff Corey New York Skeptic Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 13,795	Originally Posted by Kernel Hapablap I'd go to the strictest orthodox church I could find, just out of scientific curiosity. It'd be fun to sew the seeds of doubt among the brainwashed... They might conclude that you were trying to needle them.

22nd April 2009, 01:10 PM	#48
ziztur Scholar Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Saint Louis, MO Posts: 83	My boyfriend and I who are both atheists and skeptics (of the anti-conspiracy anti-woo variety) decided one Sunday to go to the church down the street just for fun. We decided that we enjoyed going to different churches and then talking/blogging about the differences that we started doing it every week. I think we've been to 22 so far. It keeps us connected with what lots of people out there in the world believe. Our favorites were Divine Science and UU, followed by Quaker.

22nd April 2009, 01:12 PM	#49
Kernel Hapablap Scholar Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 85	That sounds like some crazy entertainment. Do you have to contain your snickers?
Kernel Hapablap Scholar Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 85

27th April 2009, 09:03 AM	#50
ziztur Scholar Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Saint Louis, MO Posts: 83	YES, YES WE DO. The best I think was a revival we went to. My partner has been to several revival services (he was raised Southern Fundamentalist Baptist) but I had never been to one. I honestly had no idea what a "revival" was. I still really don't get it. Instead of having the typical pastor, they had a guest pastor. After baptizing a five year old (can a five year old really understand what it means to be Christian? I felt kind of bad for her - her parents were so proud, and she obviously wanted to please them), a guest pastor came out. His name is Jim McNiel... He was a whirlwind. He was like a combination of televangelist and street preacher - he even screamed out, "JEEEEEEEEsus!!!" He retold the story of the crucifixion complete with different voices for the different characters - graveling booming voice for Pontius Pilate, magnificent and righteous voice for Jesus. He moved all over the stage, acting out the story as if he were possessed by... umm... I guess the Holy Spirit. When he got to the part in the story where Jesus was crucified and making death rattles, the preacher held his arms out to the side dramatically, his microphone dangling. and then he screamed, "AND JESUS SAID!... GLURGLE GLURG Glurg sphttthhhh blarghhh....." More true words were never spoken. I could not take it. I began giggling. I tried to hide it. Did that guy REALLY just do that? He did it again... "JESUS SAID.... slhittttglublee gluuuuurch plitooooo blargh...." Tears were streaming down my face, I was trying so hard not to laugh out loud. My Guy looked over at me and covered his mouth. We were both shaking in our attempts to not laugh. I looked at the exit sign and thought, "exit exit exit exit exit" to try to stifle my laughter. "and then he died." I wonder if the people behind us believed they had discovered two of Satan's minions in their midst. On the guest cards you fill out and give to the church on your way out we wrote, "Thanks for reaffirming our belief that there is NO god, and that faith is dangerous to the intellect"

27th April 2009, 09:12 AM	#51
Skeptic Ginger formerly skeptigirl Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shifting through paradigms Posts: 40,628	Quote: If you HAD to go to church I'd bring a book.
	__________________ (*Tired of continuing to hear the "Democrat Party" repeatedly I've decided to adopt the name, ~~Pubbie Party, Repubs~~ "Republics" and Republic Party in response.)

27th April 2009, 09:21 AM	#52
Piscivore Smelling fishy Join Date: May 2004 Location: Home is wherever I'm with you Posts: 26,484	Somewhere where they sing like they mean it. So I'm probably with the Marquis.
	__________________ Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Take his fish away and tell him he's lucky just to be alive, and he'll figure out how to catch another one for you to take tomorrow. "...untrustworthy obnoxious twerp." - CFLarsen

27th April 2009, 09:29 AM	#53
quarky Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 20,454	Snake handlers with a rock band that do full immersion babtism would be fun. I like snakes, rock, and swimming.
quarky Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 20,454