Ysabella

Interesting <a href="http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis/web/vortex/display?slug=churchgoing03m&date=20020203" target="_blank">article from Sunday's Seattle Times</a>. Church attendance went up after the attacks, but now as people resume their normal lives, they revert to their normal habit of not attending church.

But I have different thoughts about what people were seeking when they went to church, and whether they found it. I don't think they needed some God so they went to his house, which is kind of how some people see it. Someone who believes in God can always pray, reread the Bible, watch Veggie Tales, etc.

People came together seeking comfort, that much is totally clear. Friends I talked to were at such loose ends that night, feeling so alone. One went to the 24-hour gym, and found lots of other people just standing around, looking for human company. Probably a lot of people who live alone were staying at work late more, or visiting friends more, or lingering at the 24-hour grocery store before going home to an empty apartment.

But there aren't that many places to go, to interact with other people. You could go to a restaurant or museum, but strangers don't really talk to you. Many Americans don't know their neighbors, so they can't go visit them. Certainly if you have kids, taking them with you, you have limited options. A movie might help, but when it's over you come back to reality. But you can take yourself as a single person, or the whole family if you have one, to your church if you know one, and feel like part of a community for a while. And after spending Saturday at the mall or miniature golf course, in company of other humans who don't speak to you much, it might be soothing to go to church, where people welcome you and talk to you and offer fellowship.

There can be some other reasons. Some people may have found they wanted to think about God more, and find church a good place to do so. When I used to attend church, I did loads of good thinking while tuning out the service. Some may have felt that the President encouraged worship, so let's go do that, as good Americans. Some may have felt that in a world of illogical violence, some illogical religion was a good antidote.

But mostly, in thinking about this, I thought people wanted to come together. And I thought that it's kind of sad, the lack of community, the lack of options for coming together, and the way churches are one of the few gathering places left. Look at the Mormons - I could never be one, but sometimes I'm envious of their sense of community. I'm sure there are places where neighbors got together and baked cookies for each other, places where the town has a hall, places where the kids came together for basketball or something and the parents talked to each other. I certainly hope so.

Any suggestions for ways of promoting a sense of community - in a secular fashion? I may be overlooking things people already do, here, so maybe there are some good real-life examples (i.e., theatre, for me, is a great community to be part of). But in modern life, loads of people complain of how hard it is to find friends, how they don't know anyone in their neighborhood. How can we have everyone feel like a part of something, but leave God out of it?

MassAtheist

I think you are exactly right in your analysis - people were seeking community. I spent most of the week at work just talking with people and watching TV. On Sunday, I went to the local UU church. (My in-laws are members and I had been there before, so I knew it wasn't a "praise-the-lawd!" kind of place). I just needed to be with people (and this from an extreme introvert).

So, how do we build a community? The only real pre-requisite is a common interest or belief (most churches have this by definition). I have been rather disappointed with the lack of local atheist organizations. I'm not sure why they don't exist - could be the social stigma, could be lack of interest, I don't know...maybe just lack of leadership/organization.

Anyway, enough rambling. Anyone else have thoughts?

SharonDee

Or it could be that many of us who got out of the religion gig felt that formal atheist groups were too similar to what we just left.

MassAtheist

Just wondering, have you actually been to a "formal atheist" meeting? Personally, I think I would enjoy almost every aspect of a church except for the worship. As a kid, church comprised most of my social life (I met my now wife at church). What is it, in your opinion, about atheist groups that is too similar to religion?

bonduca

The one thing I do miss is the frenzied baking that went on at potluck church suppers. I myself would donate easy items like paper plates and soda, and then show up and eat desserts until I couldn't move. As things stand now, I have been forced to make the bitter choice between my freedom and my sweet tooth.

Perhaps what some people object to about attending an atheist group is feeling that they must fit in in some way, or be subject to the approval of their peers? Though this seems to be part of ANY group, to a certain extent.

[ February 04, 2002: Message edited by: bonduca ]</p>

Ysabella

We always had lots of Jell-O horrors, like Jell-O salad with beets in it. Urgh.

Maybe there's a feeling that atheists aren't sharing a belief, it's more like sharing a lack of a belief?

bonduca

That's quite possible. Until quite recently, the idea of posting to an atheist forum seemed unnecessary to me. As you said, I was not reaffirming a belief, rather, quietly affirming a lack of belief.

Recently, however, I have dropped out of a couple of forums and curtailed one of my social activities due to the strain of constantly having to defend my lack of religious faith, or keep quiet and pass myself off as a theist. Though I never initiated religious discussion, and usually expressed myself as mildly as possible when asked, I still found myself involved in numerous arguments. And, since you mentioned it in your original post, Ysabella, I think this was partly due to the godblessyouorelse fervor that hit after Sept. 11.

Now I have begun to appreciate the importance of being able to express myself freely, and even receive support and advice from others who share similar views. I think I would be much more open to RL get-togethers with like-minded people.

But I could do without the scary Jello creations, thank you very much!!

[ February 05, 2002: Message edited by: bonduca ]</p>