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I do envy the community participation and fellowship that Churches provide. There doesn’t seem to be enough interest among agnostics, atheists, or whatever you would like to label yourself to engage in these activities, at least in my area.

jeffeder 3 Dec 28
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12 comments

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1

You do only get a few real friends who ever you are. Going to church is not the place for a girlfriend for you. I'm single and I get lonely but I would rather be lonely than with the wrong person

exactly

2

I find it more rewarding to go out and do good -- volunteer. I frustrate myself because I don't move well these days but I highly recommend Big Brothers Big Sisters. One of the things that impressed me about them is that they don't push any belief system -- it's all about the individual. I personally also served on a local school board (I met through BBBS).

I think our rampant capitalist extraction economy discourages people from helping each other but I've found if you look there are good folks who will help you help -- including helping yourself.

I agree with you. The most important term for me in that paragraph is extraction economy. For many Americans our twisted use of the term capitalism (BTW. I hope for your sake that living outside the US is a reason for me to envy you but I don't really know) is to acquire as much money as possible from the system while returning as little value as can be managed.

BTW again... I will obviously recommend BBBS. But for anyone else who reads this it doesn't have to be that big a commitment. The nominal signup is only for 8 hrs. per month although truthfully, no one I know acts at that level.
I wasn't trying to push too hard for that choice -- sorry. I personally believe that this is one of those situations that there are as many approaches as there are people involved.

0

No so fast, friend. There are many A/A organization at the local level in many states. I have a list of them, state by state, and I could post it if somebody wants to investigate the issue.

@jeffeder These names may help you; they may be far from you but if you contact them they may provide you with info. on org. near you.

Humanist Association of Canada,
Centre for Inquiry Canada,
Toronto Secular Alliance

@jeffeder But another member of said org. may know / have friends that are nearby....I know several Atheists in my area but they don't wish to belong to any of the A/A local groups....and those who do belong are not my cup of tea.

0

We have games nights, computer games, board games in the midst of long complicated discussions that end in us walking to the beach to await the sunrise. I have been to a church, our stuff is much more fun. On meetup there are get togethers for atheists, secular groups, to be honest, they seem as boring as the religious ones.

0

its all fake

It's fake friends in church or you could stay agnostic

1

Basketball games, monster truck shows, parades......er, not exactly reaching for mutual fellowship and communion, the transcendent, but not intellectually dishonest at least.

0

I think you're right. I don't see this in any area. I live in New York, and you'd think they'd be all over something like this. But they're not. AA groups offer that, but unless you really need it, it seems uncouth to hang out listening to other's problems.
[huffingtonpost.com]

0

I never have trouble feeling part of a community or finding fellowship. Any more than when I was a member of the church. The local bar community, the local nerd community, the local Hispanic community are all things I'm a part of.

I've lost friends and been disowned by family simply because I can't believe in some supernatural fairytail that has no basis in reality. Yeah it hurts but the relationships I've developed since then are even better mainly because it's with people who don't care about our differences and prefer to just enjoy the company of good people.

As to there being no "atheist communities", I wouldn't say there aren't. Problem is there aren't allot of places 28th atheist majorities and in many places people are flat out afraid to come out and say they are atheists. Also being atheist doesn t in any way mean they'd enjoy hanging out. Atheists are very diverse in that in many cases 2 atheists may not have a single thing in common save for their atheism. Christian's and other religious people supposedly dedicate their lives to their beliefs. In atheism it's the opposite. Atheism is a very passive stance. It doesn t immediately mean you will suddenly have very specific interests. It simply means you don't believe in God. Past that atheists don't have any necessarily common views.

1

I totally understand what you mean. My very religious daughter-in-law and my (disappointingly) converted son recently moved to Australia with their two babies, and immediately found a social network through the local church. Every summer in Italy, I see "social-Catholics" chatting and having more fun outside the church than in. But we can't do that. I'm also uncomfortable with joining a club because you don't believe in something (an atheist church? Horrors!).

1

I get you on that one x

3

What about Unitarian Universalist Church? Look up meetups.com for atheist/agnostic groups. Good luck you have friends here.

0

Why do you want to be labeled as a group to be in any form of community participation or social activity? You just do it. Enrol into any social self Help groups.

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