Journalist writing about atheists who go to church

Castaa · Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:51 pm Post subject:

I spent my entire pre-adult life going to church. I have no desire to return to that ritual even if it was a humanist message.

I'm 36 and exactly half of my life, 18 years, was spent going to church each week or more. It's been 18 years and I've never considered it once in that entire time.

The only scenario I could imagine would be if my girlfriend or wife attended a humanist type service and it was very important to to her.
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Mr_C · Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 4:14 pm Post subject:

I got in touch with journoNYC to follow up with her about the story. It went to print in a few newspapers in late April. She ended up running in a slightly different direction, as far as the type of church goes. Here's a link to the story:
http://tinyurl.com/4na9ku
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JBCuzISaidSo · Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 4:35 pm Post subject:

ApostateLois · Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 8:17 pm Post subject:

I've toyed with the idea of attending a Universalist-Unitarian church (there's one in my town not too far away), just to see what it's like, but I can't find anyone to go with me. Plus, I work on Sundays, so it's kind of hard to go out and do stuff.
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Newman · Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 8:32 pm Post subject:

wow, had not read this topic, and it was incredible to see the responses (not sarcasm) may I ask why some of you answer "my family dont know of me being an Atheist"

curious, I can see age at times, but it sounded like some were beyond the age excuse.

curious
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hillbillyatheist · Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 8:47 pm Post subject:

my dad is a preacher and has talked me into going on occasion. generally though I do not go and have no interest in it.

joshuas3521 · Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 8:56 pm Post subject:

wildsimian · Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 6:55 pm Post subject:

I am an atheist and I will go to church with my elderly Catholic grandmother when I am visiting with her.

I don't have any intention on changing her beliefs, but having me close makes her happy. I enjoy seeing her happy. Beyond that I find the religion interesting in a social/cultural way. Walking into a grand Catholic church is similar to watching a documentary on ancient religions.

It's not something I could do every day, or every Sunday.

Azrael · Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 7:03 pm Post subject:

I still haven't "come out" as an atheist, but my family doesn't go to church that much anymore (only on Easter). I did, however, hear my mother making some comment about going back to church, so I'll let you know how that turns out.
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Newman · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 10:57 am Post subject:

RyanDzundza · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 11:03 am Post subject:

Moloth · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 11:13 am Post subject:

joshuas3521 · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 11:49 am Post subject:

JBCuzISaidSo · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 11:51 am Post subject:

The family thing might be the hardest part of openly admitting that you just do not believe.

I love my Mom to pieces but she is very religious, and after knowing I am a pretty open atheist (humanist, but I don't expect her to know the difference until I tell her what that is) she tends to get "alter call"-ish to me about things now. I went through a situation where I asked for money......something that killed me inside to do and the last asked for was maybe a decade ago......and what happened? She said it was all in God's hands and God wasn't going to let anything happen to HER child......and then made expensive plans to come down to me, 1800 miles south of her, and take me to a villa (not a Hojos!) on Captiva Island for some shelling. Because I needed that instead. After of course reciting to me the story of her latest favorite pastor and his non-belief and how he "found the lawd". (A shit story from the get-go, but I didn't speak that out loud)

Not the cash that I never, ever, ask for. "It's all up to God".

So there is my answer to why it took me, personally, so long to talk to my own family about things. It wasn't going to be heard, and would more than likely change the way things are dealt with when a believer comes across a non-believer, right in their own immediate family.

Too much information? Laughing

Do with it whatever you feel like doing.
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