And religion does offer benefits of community. Interestingly, the atheists I know, if they get a notion for such fellowship, head on over to the UU church. Of course we all tend to move in the same political circles so everyone sort of knows each other.

I went to the funeral of a friend and fellow activist there (the UU church). Hundreds of people jammed the place, the service had n'ary a religious mention really. It was the best funeral service for an atheist I've ever been to. I see them as a friend to atheists and, at least locally speaking, is a good example of what atheists might consider. The "church" has a great lending library of all sorts of books. From what I understand, it's a place of much enlightened discussion.

Tho' I'm not among those who go to UU (other than that funeral), I do find the concept of what that place is to be appealing. Sort of like our AA forum here at DU. I always enjoy the discussions here. Not only are you guys brilliant, you're hilarious.

Julie

I use "church" liberally here. If you do feel the need to find open-minded people who do not judge any beliefs systems or lack thereof, this is a good place in my area also. I sometimes join them for a "service", which is often something like a hike in the woods. I can deal with that.

Well, that, and all the spooky supernatural stuff. All the ritual, structure, and requirements are what really turn me off. This is the same reason that in my search for "something", I looked into Wicca and other non-traditional beliefs. But they all have rituals that I have no interest in practicing. I am at peace with non-belief now, and I am glad to be free from any structure.

And as to the "hang on" or "enjoy life" that faith supposedly gives, I guess that suggests that a person without faith cannot have a full and enjoyable life. I didn't know that. How do we hang on????

wrong, made up answers...

What makes people think atheists don't have friends???? We go to concerts, plays, movies... and talk about them afterwards. There's no need to get together once a week (except maybe to play cards) and recite ancient rituals and sing alongs interspersed with armchair psychology.

the unanswerable questions. It uses supernatural pap to placate people who cannot cope with the fact that there may not BE answers to those questions.

want to dominate and have a flock, and then those frightened about the fact "that there may not BE answers to those questions." I've avoided religion my entire life because it's too mindless and filled with authoritarians.

And they can't tolerate people that don't agree with them. I've noticed when I reply negatively to religion in GD I get some ignores, for example.

Other than by fantasy and superstition.

Interesting read, though.

"Religion also provides a ready-made social structure, a calendar of activities and events and groups of friends with similar interests. "

So do Wife-Swapping clubs. And you don't have to worry about what the others are wearing...

You can combine the two....

Like The Family did (does) at C Street House!

They cling to their guns and bibles.

I'm so glad he said that outloud. It makes them totally enraged!

The whole quote:

You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them.

And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not.

And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

He was trying (IMO) to say he understood their frustrations and wanted to help them.

Then Faux News and the usual suspects did their usual selective editing, and it came out as a liberal, elitist, anti-god attack on Flyover Country.

could adopt the concept of "answering unanswerable questions"? The whole idea of atheism is facing the unknown rather than making up an answer to cling to in hard times.