In Germany, 50,000 Children a Year Are Going Through Atheist “Confirmations”

[rug]

July 26, 2016
by Hemant Mehta

If you were going through a religious “Confirmation,” it would requires weeks of religious education, attendance at Mass, Baptism, etc. If you’re a believer, though, it’s a powerful rite of passage.

But what do you do in a nation where religion is growing increasingly unpopular? You work with secular groups and offer non-religious confirmations. It’s a real thing in Germany that 50,000 children a year are going through, courtesy of various secular groups:

Children are usually between the ages of 14 and 18 when they sign up, and the process involves classes over a 20-week period before they formally graduate. The teens are taken on field visits and museum trips, taught ethics and social niceties and given a textbook covering the main topics: ethics, current affairs and climate change.

“The ones who come are interested in further educating themselves on the secular aspects of life,” said Neumann. That doesn’t mean they aren’t taught about religion; but it’s just one of the things in the curriculum, alongside the constitution, tolerance and evolution.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/07/26/in-germany-50000-children-a-year-are-going-through-atheist-confirmations/

http://religionnews.com/2016/07/22/in-germany-secular-confirmation-thrives-again/

[ZombieHorde]

1. Funny. nt

[rug]

3. It's got a curious history.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jugendweihe

[pipoman]

2. Just more evidence that organized atheism is just another religious denomination....

[ZombieHorde]

4. I think it is evidence that atheism is an identity for some people.

Religion is also an identity for some people, but so is fraternity/sorority membership, employment, gender, etc.

[pipoman]

11. No, it is a faith for many...

[ZombieHorde]

16. If I have faith in my family, is my family my religion?

If I have faith that my neighbors won't attack me when I leave my home, is not being attacked by my neighbors my religion?

[cleanhippie]

19. It will be interesting to see if you get a reply.

[pipoman]

25. Every single theory of the origins of man requires faith....every one.

[ZombieHorde]

27. Atheism does not have an origin theory of anything.

What do you think of the questions I asked in my previous reply?

[pipoman]

28. Every atheist has a theory of the origins of man...every religion is a theory of the origins of man.

[ZombieHorde]

33. Not true for some nihilists or children,

but even if your claim was true, they would not have received the theory from their atheism. They would have received the theory from something else, such as science, religion, profound drug experience, etc.

[pipoman]

36. A primary function of religion is an explanation of origin..

This is the most disputed part....most of the morality of religion is practiced more or less by every human...

[ZombieHorde]

40. Again, atheism doesn't have an origin theory.

Atheism doesn't have a moral code either, even though many atheists have moral codes.

[pipoman]

41. So you have no opinion on the origin of man?

Humans have a general moral code that we all adhere to. ..definitely cultural differences in this, mostly defined by prevailing religious beliefs...

[ZombieHorde]

42. I do have an opinion on the origin of humans, but my opinion

does not come from my agnostic atheism. My origin opinion comes from my schooling and articles I have read on the subject.

I personally don't see any evidence that we all adhere to the same moral code. There seems to be a wide variety of moral opinions on abortion, honor killings, war, homosexuality, taxes, circumcision, slavery, and numerous other issues. Even amongst those of the same religion.

[pipoman]

43. Sure it does...if you belonged to a religion your opinion on origin would be

that of the religion. Yeah, there are differences, I view cultural morals as a circle with a torn edge as opposed to a cut edge. Some of the outlying issue have definite variances, most of a given society's morals are codified into their laws....our society is no different. The actual laws of morality are well inside the circle. There are always bits of morality trying to get out of the circle...marijuana, same sex marriage....and other items with a push inward like abortion and police brutality...these are the things which give our societal moral circle a torn edge...the old adage "you can't legislate morality" is really one of the stupidest living memes ever since every bit of our legal code is either partly or entirely legislation based in morality....

[ZombieHorde]

47. What do you think the origin theory of atheism is? nt

[rug]

49. It doesn't have one. In fact it really says nothing at all beyond nonbelief in deity.

[ZombieHorde]

54. I share your view. nt

[pipoman]

53. There have been nonbelievers in every society forever probably...

Atheism as it is known today? I haven't a clue...there is organized atheism now...

Not all nonbelievers take their nonbelief on the road and proslitize...

[ZombieHorde]

56. Atheism is simply the lack of belief in gods.

As a demographic, they are very diverse. They might believe in ghosts or ESP, they might be liberal or conservative, etc. The only thing they have in common is a lack of belief in one thing. It's not a religion, but some are religious. It's not a philosophy, but some love philosophy.

Atheism doesn't have an origin theory. It doesn't have ethics or morality. It doesn't have a lifestyle. At most, atheism is an opinion.

[scscholar]

29. Evolution doesn't require faith!

It only requires facts.

[pipoman]

31. Sure it does...

Simply demonstrating a single instance of a species evolving into a different species....a requirement for evolution to explain the origins of man...

[scscholar]

32. Except that has happened millions of times...

unless you believe a primate couldn't have evolved to us. It is a fact to every thinking person.

[pipoman]

34. One example of a fish evolving into a mammal? A reptile evolving into a bird?

No..there is an element of faith in every theory...you can choose to have faith in science if you wish...go read a science journal from 10...20...50...80...100 years ago...usually good for a laugh...

[PoutrageFatigue]

35. Sorry, but that's bullshit. Science IS. It doesn't require faith or belief to exist.

...

[pipoman]

38. Back to those scientific journals of 1900 and how wrong they are?

I suppose we have all the answers in 2016?

[librarylu]

52. That sounds like a typical

creationist misunderstanding of speciation. Species don't evolve into other species - they split off, usually because populations become separated geographically. Changes occur through mutation and eventually the populations become so different they can no longer interbreed. Then we can say they're different species (rather than just different varieties).

This may help:

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evo_40

Man is another branch of the ape family, descended from a common ancestor. Not much to explain there.

[edhopper]

6. reply is just evidence

that some believers are desperate to equate not accepting the existence of God with believing various fantasies.

[pipoman]

10. That comes from atheists insisting on adamantly pronouncing their own beliefs based in faith.

[edhopper]

12. Who? What?

I know no atheists who do this.

Can you back that up?

Or do you think statements like "there is no evidence for the existence of any deity" an article of faith.

If so;

[rug]

13. Without describing the evidence that would evince a deity, it's nothing more than that.

It's an unsupported talking point, nothing more.

[edhopper]

18. It's been discussed

ad naseum.

Her and everywhere else.

Evidence would be a single iota showing even the slightest influence of a deity on the physical world, any where at any time.

Not accepting a deity because of zero evidence is not an act of faith.

[rug]

20. Its never been described however.

It remains a hollow assertion.

[edhopper]

21. so we are back to a deity

that never does and never has had any effect whatsoever on the physical world. The same one who supposedly created everything, leaving behind no evidence and no reason to even suspect he/she exists?

And I need a leap of faith NOT to believe in it?

[rug]

22. Describe the evidence that would show that.

You're under no compulsion to believe but the lack of evidence argument is the weakest one ot there.

It's fine to disprove paritcular claims but utterly useless to test the concept of a deity.

[edhopper]

23. The issue is

that not accepting this deity for which there is zero evidence is just as much a leap of faith as believing.

That is balderdash.

[rug]

24. You still haven't stated what constitutes evidence.

[pipoman]

26. See 25

[PoutrageFatigue]

37. Um, Atheism means lack of belief..

You don't believe in not believing, you simply don't believe...

[pipoman]

39. So as an atheist you don't have a theory of the origin of man?

[edhopper]

44. Are you saying the human species has an origin

separate from the rest of life on this planet?

[pipoman]

45. I don't know.

[edhopper]

46. There are a great many very good books

about Human Evolution.

[pipoman]

48. Yeah, all require faith.

[edhopper]

50. Oh, I see now

okay, you don't WANT to know. Got it.

[edhopper]

5. A good idea in general

Gives children/teens their own ceremony if they are not religious but still envious of friends who get a "party".

It covers the social aspect of religion.

[rug]

7. It would only be a matter of time they rebelled against this ritual.

"I'm not going to that museum again! It's boring."

[edhopper]

8. I loved going to museums

Last edited Wed Jul 27, 2016, 11:05 PM - Edit history (1)

when I was young.

[stone space]

9. Libraries would have been a treasure to me when I was young. (nt)

[rug]

14. If you were required to go as part of an intiation ceremony, wold you feel the same?

[stone space]

15. Much of the attraction for me is as a place of refuge, where I can study what I want in solitude.

Without anybody else knowing what I am doing.

I've never responded well to planned courses of study. Never really attended classes in college. Never paid much attention in grade school and high school.

I had my own interests.

I don't think that an initiation ceremony would have the same feel.

[rug]

17. Me either. Just on principle.

[LongtimeAZDem]

30. I'm uncomfortable with any ritualism attached to athesim. It's a rational position, nothing more,

and such trappings can only serve to introduce non-rational desires into the process.

[Android3.14]

51. Cool

Reminds me of the UUs.

[rug]

55. I had to look. There are indeed Unitarians in India.

http://www.uupcc.org/partnerships/country/india