Atheist minister starting new secular community

[rug]

16 hours ago

TORONTO — A minister deemed unsuitable by the United Church for declaring herself an atheist is now at the heart of an effort to establish a type of church-style, secular community in Canada.

Gretta Vosper is one of about 10 founding members of Toronto's Oasis Network, believed to be the first of its kind in Canada and due to launch in February.

Oasis communities, which have sprung up in several locations across the United States, are non-faith-based groups that try to draw people together based on five broad-based principles.

Among them are notions that reality is best understood through reason rather than religious insight, and that the world's problems are best addressed by people rather than divine intervention.

http://www.waterloochronicle.ca/news-story/7040243-atheist-minister-starting-new-secular-community/

http://www.peoplearemoreimportant.org/

[TreasonousBastard]

1. There is already a Canadian UU organization, which would be...

largely what she wants. Most UU ministers i know are already atheists. And that's just the tip of the iceberg for godless spirituality.

Why start a whole new community when existing ones are already out there?

[rug]

2. They have their reasons.

HOW IS OASIS DIFFERENT FROM SUNDAY ASSEMBLY?

Houston Oasis and Sunday Assembly broke new ground in organizing intentional multiple generational secular communities. Oasis shares many similarities with Sunday Assembly but our vision for achieving community is somewhat different. Sunday Assembly meets once a month, whereas we meet weekly. We have found that meeting more frequently helps us to achieve our goal of building strong secular communities. Local Oasis communities also have the freedom to decide their own programming and format.

HOW IS OASIS DIFFERENT FROM UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION?

Although we have a lot in common with the Unitarian Universalists Association, we differ in our lack of supernaturalism and spiritualism. We love the inclusiveness of the Unitarians, but our goal is not to offer another outlet for spiritual expression. We find our inspiration in critical thinking, freedom of inquiry and in celebrating the human experience from a thoroughly secular perspective.

http://www.peoplearemoreimportant.org/faq/

Still, it teeters on Blefuscudian.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Why follow when you can lead...

The emperor of the fallen is still an emperor.

(Got that from not only Genesis and Star Trek, but the Democratic Party)

[Orrex]

4. Well, why are there different Christian denominations?

They all read from the same book, no?

Not all atheists respond to the world in the same way, after all. For instance, some feel a need for spirituality, while others do not. The differences are many and varied.

If atheists find fulfillment in associating with others of similar view, then I say more power to them.

[rug]

5. What a refreshing viewpoint.

[Orrex]

6. LOL

I'd say that the pic you posted is about 100% correct.

[AtheistCrusader]

10. This seems a total non-sequitur response to Orrex's point, even if it is funny/true.

[nil desperandum]

7. I'm not quite clear on these concepts

of church like services for people who proclaim to be non-believers....

I'm not interested in attending organized meetings with rituals...I don't get any of that...

Maybe because I'm as bad an atheist as I was a Christian?

I didn't realize there'd be meetings and organizations and such...I prefer not to engage in a "church like" setting.

If they need help understanding reality perhaps they're not quite ready to be non-believers just yet.

[rug]

8. I tend to agree with you.

If you do not have a belief in a god(s), perforce you do not have a need for religions which, at their root, are based on a concept of god(s).

Humanity alone has multitudes of ways of experiening community, joy, awe, solace et cetera. There is no need to create an entity based on mimicry of something that neither exists nor is needed. Let alone meet on a Sunday morning.

[nil desperandum]

9. See that

we can agree on some things, even if we view our earthly existence somewhat differently.

Perhaps it means we can also share politics and a love for country....freedom of and from, what a concept.

Thanks for posting the article it was interesting even if I don't understand the motivation.

[hrmjustin]

11. Good for her!

I am glad she can make a good outcome out of her situation.

It is not fun for a church to defrock clergy but sometimes it has to be done, but I am glad she moved her energies into something she believes in.