Atheists find a Sunday-morning connection with other nonbelievers

[rug]

Mike Aus, founder and leader of Houston Oasis, a community for nonbelievers, welcomes people to a Sunday morning gathering that borrows some of the forms of church. RNS photo by Kimberly Winston.

Kimberly Winston | Apr 16, 2013

HOUSTON (RNS) Sunday mornings at Houston Oasis may have the look and feel of a church, but there’s no cross, Bible, hymnal or stained glass depictions of Jesus. There’s also nary a trace of doctrine, dogma or theology.

But the 80 or so attendees at this new weekly gathering for nonbelievers come for many of the same reasons that others pack churches in this heavily Christian corner of the Bible Belt — a sense of community and an uplifting message that will help them tackle the challenges of the coming week, and, maybe, the rest of their lives.

“Just because you don’t believe in God does not mean you do not need to get together in community and draw strength from that,” said Mike Aus, a onetime Lutheran pastor who is now an atheist and founder of Houston Oasis.

“We are open to any message about life as long as no dogmatic claims are made.”

http://www.religionnews.com/2013/04/16/atheists-find-a-sunday-morning-connection-with-other-nonbelievers/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Houston-Oasis/349354078481349

[TlalocW]

1. It will be interesting to see if they last

I've found that it's hard for a group to have cohesion and staying power when it's based on a "negative" - as in not believing in God or (my experience) not having kids (even though we put it in terms of being childfree) because the diversity of the group in terms of subjects of interests is too broad. Most people join a group of people because they're "for something specific" - churches, a bicycling group, quilting bee, etc. I hope they make it, but it will be a challenge.

TlalocW

[rug]

2. If they do, they will have to be explicit about what they stand for.

The more they do, the further they move from simple atheism.

[Warren Stupidity]

6. Ethical humanist societies have lasted for over 100 years and counting.

[TM99]

3. I think this is terrific!

And I agree with both of you.

Decades ago when I was a young atheist, I searched for that community and a shared philosophy of life that did not require a belief in a deity. I found it in Buddhism and never looked back. Not all or even some atheists would even look there and be happy.

Groups that meet like this to have community and sharing are to be applauded. Religion is more than just a belief in fairy tales or diety(s). It is a world-view, a philosophy of morality, and a sense of belonging and togetherness with others of like-mind. It is easier to respect others need for the same if you are a part of it as well.

[rug]

4. We all have a need to seek like-minded others.

[TM99]

5. Indeed. NT

[Phillip McCleod]

7. i am working with a few others on a..

S & M meetup.

motto: that's 'science & math, you perv!'

plan is to hold it on sunday mornings in hopes to miss real-world trolls. so much worse than the online kind. they have odors and breath and uh.. hands that ball into fists. fliers will explicitly state that the meetup is open to *legitimate* scientific and mathematical topics, algebra to zoology..

meaning *nothing* from astology to zombies.

every meetup will have free tutoring sessions, following.

[rug]

8. Keep us posted.

Not to go off on a tangent, but will there be a sine on the door?

[Phillip McCleod]

9. ha HA! see what you did there?

my goodness you'd fit right in. that kinda tangent is not normal. i like the idea of the sine on the door but i'll have to get the other folks to cosine it. i won't Lie to you. this tangent is plane complex!

and multidimensional..

how's your manifold? running smooth i hope?