Theophonos

The only thing I's really watch out for is that some of the people there seem to have very flexible ideas about what atheism is.

Just a quick search finds many who say they are atheist but "spiritual". A closer look at some pages and you'll find people that say:

religion - none atheist
beliefs, spiritual beings - god, demons, angels
beliefs, spiritual concepts - UFOs, ESP, astrology, etc......

Sorry, but in my book that ain't an atheist. To me that's like claiming you are a christian but saying you don't believe jesus existed. :huh:

truthie

Ha! The URL was changed. Now it is The Free Thinker's Match Maker.

Motto: Personal ads for atheists, agnostics and other freethinkers.

T.

truthie

:banghead:

Tell me about it, I have looked at secularity and freethinker's match maker and I have no doubt in my mind that the organizers know that there are a number of people who do not match the category, but are included regardless.
Why?
I have no idea. I would never use those sites, they just confuse me, they claim to be for atheist and agnostics and you encounter loads of religious people and theists, Buddhists, Neopagans, Christians, Jews, New Agers and so on.

To the point that the sites look more like Interfaith Match Makers and not for non-theists at all.

T.

Opera Nut

Go trolling at your local Unitarian-Universalist congregation. Lots of discussion groups--U-Us love to discuss things to death. Plenty of atheists, agnostics, secular humanists, and the occasional pagan thrown in.

If they are Christians, they will undoubtedly be in a liberal Christian church, NOT in the Unitarians.

U-Us tend to be the church for people who want to socialize on Sunday morning, but can't take Christianity(or Judaism or whatever). Worshipping the coffeepot is part of the routine.

I met my honey at a large urban U-U church and we've been happily shacked up for ten years now......much to my shock and amazement.

:thumbs:

Where to find your nearest bunch?

www.uua.org

truthie

Sounds interesting...but still looks like an Interfaith Church to me, sad, now that UU is turning more towards theism and becoming less tolerant towards non-theism.

Plus, I could not stand being involved in religious-spiritual (relating to the supernatural) activities in any way or form.

Anyway, there are others who like it, and that is fine with me. If it is someone's cup of tea, good for them.

T.

Talking Rain

Yeah, I have noticed this, and it disappoints me. :down: But, oh well, I think it is worth a shot. Maybe if more of us real atheists storm the site we will swamp all the pretenders.

Corona688

This is news to me. What is happening?

EverLastingGodStopper

While I still recommend Secularity because I personally know people on it and using it, I went ahead and checked out Freethinker's MatchMaker.

I asked them if their site was current, they replied just a short time later:
I thanked them for the fast reply.

Opera Nut

The Unitarian-Universalist church is NOT Christian. There are some in the U-U church who are trying to push them in a Christian direction, and they are not having much luck as far as I can tell. To me, trying to push the Unitarians to be more Christian is kinda like being a Log Cabin Republican or Gay Republican -- "Why Bother?"

I always felt really stupid standing up and mouthing The Apostles' Creed in regular churches, and was never urged to do anything I did not believe in in a UU church.

If you read the U-U Statement of Principles, it says NOTHING about Christianity except in the context of "wisdom traditions", and it does NOT require anybody to worship Jesus or do anything normally considered Christian. There are no creed-based tests of faith. It's pretty much a secular humanist manifesto.

QUOTE:
We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote

The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.
Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.

The Purposes of the Unitarian Universalist Association

The Unitarian Universalist Association shall devote its resources to and exercise its corporate powers for religious, educational and humanitarian purposes. The primary purpose of the Association is to serve the needs of its member congregations, organize new congregations, extend and strengthen Unitarian Universalist institutions and implement its principles.

The Association declares and affirms its special responsibility, and that of its member societies and organizations, to promote the full participation of persons in all of its and their activities and in the full range of human endeavor without regard to race, color, sex, disability, affectional or sexual orientation, age, or national origin and without requiring adherence to any particular interpretation of religion or to any particular religious belief or creed.

Nothing herein shall be deemed to infringe upon the individual freedom of belief which is inherent in the Universalist and Unitarian heritages or to conflict with any statement of purpose, covenant, or bond of union used by any society unless such is used as a creedal test.
UNQUOTE (from the UUA website)

Also, all Congregations are different. The most conservative congregation I have attended actually read from the OT and called it "Ancient Wisdom".
I was shocked and so was everybody else I knew that visited there. Also, everybody I know who has ever visited there said it was the coldest, most unfriendly Unitarian congregation they had ever seen. It was in a rich part of town, for whatever that's worth. I do not know anybody from the greater U-U community who would go back to that church.

There is nothing supernatural about the place. There are no prayers or invocations of God, no crosses, no Jesus. There are readings and silent mediations. I got married 20 years ago in a large Unitarian church. I told the minister "No prayers during the wedding" and there was absolutely no problem.

I still say it's a good place to go trolling. It is most definitely NOT Christian and not like any other denomination.

truthie

First.
Opera Nut, I did not say that UU churches are becoming more Christian-like, I wrote 'theism'. In other words, theism in general; god/gods, in addition, more religious-like.

UU churches are turning towards theism gradually, Salyed mentions that in the thread “A New Religion for Atheist.�?

Also, a long time ago, I started a thread on that issue, it is called, “Have UU churches turned toward theism?�?



This is an article that relates to the issue, Strained Bedfellows:
Neopagans, New Agers, and "Starchy Humanists" in Unitarian Universalism.


Very interesting and good article, by the way. :thumbs:


T.