Cidersomerset
28th April 2013, 20:48
http://static.bbci.co.uk/frameworks/barlesque/2.44.2/desktop/3.5/img/blq-blocks_grey_alpha.png
What happens at an atheist church?By Brian Wheeler
BBC News Magazine
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/65688000/jpg/_65688547_assembly624attendee.jpg
Harry Cliff gives his science lecture at the Sunday Assembly in a former church
An "atheist church" in North London is proving a big hit with non-believers. Does it
feel a bit like a new religion?Not many sermons include the message that we are all
going to die and there is no afterlife.
But the Sunday Assembly is no ordinary church service.
Launched last month, as a gathering for non-believers, it is, in the words of master
of ceremonies Sanderson Jones, "part foot-stomping show, part atheist church, all
celebration of life".A congregation of more than 300 crowded into the shell of a
deconsecrated church to join the celebration on Sunday morning.Instead of hymns,
the non-faithful get to their feet to sing along to Stevie Wonder and Queen songs.
There is a reading from Alice in Wonderland and a power-point presentation from a
particle physicist, Dr Harry Cliff, who explains the origins of antimatter theory.
It feels like a stand-up comedy show. Jones and co-founder Pippa Evans trade
banter and whip the crowd up like the veterans of the stand-up circuit that they are.
But there are more serious moments.
The theme of the morning is "wonder" - a reaction, explains Jones, to criticism that
atheists lack a sense of it.
So we bow our heads for two minutes of contemplation about the miracle of life
and, in his closing sermon, Jones speaks about how the death of his mother
influenced his own spiritual journey and determination to get the most out of every
second, aware that life is all too brief and nothing comes after it.The audience -
overwhelmingly young, white and middle class - appear excited to be part of
something new and speak of the void they felt on a Sunday morning when they
decided to abandon their Christian faith. Few actively identify themselves as
atheists.
"It's a nice excuse to get together and have a bit of a community spirit but without
the religion aspect," says Jess Bonham, a photographer.
"It's not a church, it's a congregation of unreligious people."
Another attendee, Gintare Karalyte, says: "I think people need that sense of
connectedness because everyone is so singular right now, and to be part of
something, and to feel like you are part of something. That's what people are
craving in the world."
The number of people declaring themselves to be of "no religion" in England and
Wales has increased by more than six million since 2001 to 14.1 million, according
to the latest census. That makes England and Wales two of the most unreligious
nations in the Western world.
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/65683000/jpg/_65683400_bus464getty.jpg
Atheists are getting more vocal, such as this ad campaign on London buses
Figures such as writer Richard Dawkins and comedian Ricky Gervais have made it
fashionable to be more assertive about having a lack of religious faith and to think
about what it means to be an atheist.
His 10 virtues for atheists
And writer Alain De Botton has unveiled a Manifesto for Atheists, listing 10 virtues -
or as the press has already dubbed them "commandments" - for the faithless.
De Botton says he wants to promote overlooked virtues such as resilience and
humour. He came up with the idea in response to a growing sense that being
virtuous had become "a strange and depressing notion", which seems to chime with
the Sunday Assembly's own mantra "live better, help often, wonder more".
He argues for a new breed of secular therapists to take the place of the priesthood
and believes atheism should have its own churches, but adds: "It should never be
called that, because 'atheism' isn't an ideology around which anyone could gather.
Far better to call it something like cultural humanism."There is a concern among
some non-believers that atheism is developing into a religion in its own right, with
its own code of ethics and self-appointed high priests. Jones insists he is not trying
to found a new religion, but some members of his congregation disagree.
"It will become an organised religion. It's inevitable. A belief system will set in.
There will be a structure, an ethical outlook on life," says architect Robbie Harris.
He believes Evans and Jones have "a great responsibility" if the Sunday
Assembly "continues to be as successful as it is now".
"There is a difficulty that it might become cultish and it might become about one
person. You could set yourself up as a charismatic preacher, that's the danger."
Fellow congregation member Sarah Aspinall says: "I think Sanderson should step
back and see himself as a mediator and an enabler, which I think he is obviously
good at, and just bring people up to speak or read."Jones says it is very early days
and future assemblies will be less about him and more about the experiences of
congregation members. He bridles at the suggestion he is starting a cult.
"I don't think I'm a charismatic preacher. I just get very excited about things and
want to share that with people."He says he has been overwhelmed by the public
reaction to the Sunday Assembly and is exploring the possibility of setting up
similar gatherings around the country.
"I wanted to do this because I thought it would be a wonderful thing," he explains.
Watch the Sunday Assembly
The Sunday Assembly certainly did better business than at the evangelical St Jude
and St Paul's Church next door, where about 30 believers gathered to sing gospel
songs and listen to Bible readings. But Bishop Harrison, a Christian preacher for 30
years, says he does not see his new neighbours as a threat, confidently predicting
that their spiritual journey will eventually lead them to God.
"They have got to start from somewhere," he says.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21319945
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most people are looking for something more to life but organised
religion is not it for many ...............
Just realised Giovanni has already posted this !!
Godless Gatherings: Lust for life drives UK atheists to church
uNn-9hw2YCc
Published on 28 Apr 2013
In challenging times many join to the church for solace and support. But in Britain
the great number of atheists has lead to the creation of an essentially new
congregation in which religion is taken out of the equation. RT's Polly Boiko asked
them what drives non-believers to use the House of God anyway?
What happens at an atheist church?By Brian Wheeler
BBC News Magazine
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/65688000/jpg/_65688547_assembly624attendee.jpg
Harry Cliff gives his science lecture at the Sunday Assembly in a former church
An "atheist church" in North London is proving a big hit with non-believers. Does it
feel a bit like a new religion?Not many sermons include the message that we are all
going to die and there is no afterlife.
But the Sunday Assembly is no ordinary church service.
Launched last month, as a gathering for non-believers, it is, in the words of master
of ceremonies Sanderson Jones, "part foot-stomping show, part atheist church, all
celebration of life".A congregation of more than 300 crowded into the shell of a
deconsecrated church to join the celebration on Sunday morning.Instead of hymns,
the non-faithful get to their feet to sing along to Stevie Wonder and Queen songs.
There is a reading from Alice in Wonderland and a power-point presentation from a
particle physicist, Dr Harry Cliff, who explains the origins of antimatter theory.
It feels like a stand-up comedy show. Jones and co-founder Pippa Evans trade
banter and whip the crowd up like the veterans of the stand-up circuit that they are.
But there are more serious moments.
The theme of the morning is "wonder" - a reaction, explains Jones, to criticism that
atheists lack a sense of it.
So we bow our heads for two minutes of contemplation about the miracle of life
and, in his closing sermon, Jones speaks about how the death of his mother
influenced his own spiritual journey and determination to get the most out of every
second, aware that life is all too brief and nothing comes after it.The audience -
overwhelmingly young, white and middle class - appear excited to be part of
something new and speak of the void they felt on a Sunday morning when they
decided to abandon their Christian faith. Few actively identify themselves as
atheists.
"It's a nice excuse to get together and have a bit of a community spirit but without
the religion aspect," says Jess Bonham, a photographer.
"It's not a church, it's a congregation of unreligious people."
Another attendee, Gintare Karalyte, says: "I think people need that sense of
connectedness because everyone is so singular right now, and to be part of
something, and to feel like you are part of something. That's what people are
craving in the world."
The number of people declaring themselves to be of "no religion" in England and
Wales has increased by more than six million since 2001 to 14.1 million, according
to the latest census. That makes England and Wales two of the most unreligious
nations in the Western world.
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/65683000/jpg/_65683400_bus464getty.jpg
Atheists are getting more vocal, such as this ad campaign on London buses
Figures such as writer Richard Dawkins and comedian Ricky Gervais have made it
fashionable to be more assertive about having a lack of religious faith and to think
about what it means to be an atheist.
His 10 virtues for atheists
And writer Alain De Botton has unveiled a Manifesto for Atheists, listing 10 virtues -
or as the press has already dubbed them "commandments" - for the faithless.
De Botton says he wants to promote overlooked virtues such as resilience and
humour. He came up with the idea in response to a growing sense that being
virtuous had become "a strange and depressing notion", which seems to chime with
the Sunday Assembly's own mantra "live better, help often, wonder more".
He argues for a new breed of secular therapists to take the place of the priesthood
and believes atheism should have its own churches, but adds: "It should never be
called that, because 'atheism' isn't an ideology around which anyone could gather.
Far better to call it something like cultural humanism."There is a concern among
some non-believers that atheism is developing into a religion in its own right, with
its own code of ethics and self-appointed high priests. Jones insists he is not trying
to found a new religion, but some members of his congregation disagree.
"It will become an organised religion. It's inevitable. A belief system will set in.
There will be a structure, an ethical outlook on life," says architect Robbie Harris.
He believes Evans and Jones have "a great responsibility" if the Sunday
Assembly "continues to be as successful as it is now".
"There is a difficulty that it might become cultish and it might become about one
person. You could set yourself up as a charismatic preacher, that's the danger."
Fellow congregation member Sarah Aspinall says: "I think Sanderson should step
back and see himself as a mediator and an enabler, which I think he is obviously
good at, and just bring people up to speak or read."Jones says it is very early days
and future assemblies will be less about him and more about the experiences of
congregation members. He bridles at the suggestion he is starting a cult.
"I don't think I'm a charismatic preacher. I just get very excited about things and
want to share that with people."He says he has been overwhelmed by the public
reaction to the Sunday Assembly and is exploring the possibility of setting up
similar gatherings around the country.
"I wanted to do this because I thought it would be a wonderful thing," he explains.
Watch the Sunday Assembly
The Sunday Assembly certainly did better business than at the evangelical St Jude
and St Paul's Church next door, where about 30 believers gathered to sing gospel
songs and listen to Bible readings. But Bishop Harrison, a Christian preacher for 30
years, says he does not see his new neighbours as a threat, confidently predicting
that their spiritual journey will eventually lead them to God.
"They have got to start from somewhere," he says.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21319945
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most people are looking for something more to life but organised
religion is not it for many ...............
Just realised Giovanni has already posted this !!
Godless Gatherings: Lust for life drives UK atheists to church
uNn-9hw2YCc
Published on 28 Apr 2013
In challenging times many join to the church for solace and support. But in Britain
the great number of atheists has lead to the creation of an essentially new
congregation in which religion is taken out of the equation. RT's Polly Boiko asked
them what drives non-believers to use the House of God anyway?