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Persons with no formal, organized religion include Agnostics, Atheists, Deists, freethinkers, humanists, secularists, etc. Their numbers are growing in Europe, North America, and other places. With the collapse of Communism in the USSR, the total numbers worldwide dropped precipitously and are now increasing.
Well, to be honest Goldie Rule, (which I am on occasion) I was just throwing a bone. I of course was being my ushhhual sarcastic self. Seemed Luminous wanted more fight than I was giving.
I'm really not sure I can vomit out the answers that Luminous wants right now as I am a wee bit exhausted of the "atheist church or not fight" lol
I'd rather just lie my way through this one and entertain me self.
Don't act so defensive Poppy... I don't want to fight with you, just find out if atheism allows you to be adequately involved with your community or not. Obviously some theists don't meet with their community every Sunday. Doesn't matter. I'm just wondering if you don't think it'd be better to continue the tradition of closeness in the community. I mean, atheists still meet with their co-workers and such... but the neighbors might be more important.
It's just a method to retain and have a healthy community... I simply wanted to discuss the atheists' grand mistakes.
Don't act so defensive Poppy... I don't want to fight with you, just find out if atheism allows you to be adequately involved with your community or not. Obviously some theists don't meet with their community every Sunday. Doesn't matter. I'm just wondering if you don't think it'd be better to continue the tradition of closeness in the community. I mean, atheists still meet with their co-workers and such... but the neighbors might be more important.
It's just a method to retain and have a healthy community... I simply wanted to discuss the atheists' grand mistakes.
Well, lol, of course we have made many mistakes but since we aren't usually organized the grand ones aren't as exciting. And, I'm sorry for the defensiveness. We can't really claim the grand ones because they are individual concepts, but I do realize there are casualties associated with everything. I do feel we are all connected, so I try to keep that in me mind. We don't share a core set of values, each person has their own so uniting us is odd. IMO. It's like uniting all people who don't believe in large corporations, it's the only common thing they share.
I can only speak for myself but I am very active in my community. It's just not as a representative of atheism which is what you're looking for I think. I do know there are atheist charities - Atheist Volunteers Also a lot of non religiously defined orgs.
There are tons to do within the community that aren't religiously affiliated that I do. I don't feel lacking in that area. I'm a member of our community club house and hang with the peeps swimming, etc, I'm a member of the Red Cross, and work often with the Humane Society and give to charity whenever I grocery shop. 1/2 my family is military, and I help build homes when I have time, with all faiths and non faiths though, not just other atheists. I go for nightly walks around the area and talk with me neighbors. I don't feel left out, nor do I feel lacking. So, I'm not sure what to tell you.
My kid did get shunned recently by a hard core Christian homeschooling family. They can't play with him anymore because of how I don't believe, that sucked. Good Friday leaves me a bit bored. lol I think my non belief only hinders my Sunday morning on a personal level. I'm usually doing something, just not gathering in a building with like minds, not that that wouldn't be a nice thing.
They do have Unitarian Churches for anyone to go regardless of faith I believe.
I will tell you the truth. People raised without religion (agnostic, athiest, religously labled but not really, etc) will find themselves at a vulnerable point or two during their life, usually as a teen or young adult, and those are the folks that are usually "converting", because religion (something NEW to them) seems like an easy answer especailly when you are love-bombed or guilt-tripped by people in your life. But if you follow up on it long term it doesn't usually last.
We didn't raise our kids with religion and this is exactly what happened to our eldest. I wasn't concerned because I was active in church and youth groups in high school/college myself even though I never bought into any of it. She took it more seriously and was more seriously hurt by the realization it was so much BS. It was her choice to make going both ways though, I stayed out of it. But there was one point when she was being pressured by several non-denom christian freinds when I wished that we had raised her in the Catholic faith like my in laws wanted just so she would have had a "shield" of sorts against that sort of evangelizing. The catholic kids seem to have an easier time of it, especially when thay aren't really all that catholic . I know many adults who are agnostic but still carry the catholic lable.
Agnostics have a understanding that God is real , though the witness of other people , so if God is not dealing with them directly , then it is best to put God in a box and make Him as small as they can ....
Agnostics have a understanding that God is real , though the witness of other people , so if God is not dealing with them directly , then it is best to put God in a box and make Him as small as they can ....
We do? Please explain youself. I'm agnostic and have no such understanding at all.
Agnostics have a understanding that God is real , though the witness of other people , so if God is not dealing with them directly , then it is best to put God in a box and make Him as small as they can ....
What do these ideas of yours have to do with retaining future generations in agnostic truth?
This human being, right here, has only one understanding about the MegaSuperNatural, and that is that Agnosticism is true. the witness of other people isn't very realiable nor consistent.
Let's not get all psycho-analytical on us... How big do you make the Buddha? Take out that log off yer eye!
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We can't really claim the grand ones because they are individual concepts, but I do realize there are casualties associated with everything. I do feel we are all connected, so I try to keep that in me mind. We don't share a core set of values, each person has their own so uniting us is odd. IMO. It's like uniting all people who don't believe in large corporations, it's the only common thing they share. 
