Atheist ‘mega-churches’ take root across US, world

Atheist ‘mega-churches’ take root across US, world

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It looked like a typical Sunday morning at any mega-church. Several hundred people, including families with small children, packed in for more than an hour of rousing music, an inspirational talk and some quiet reflection. The only thing missing was God.

Nearly three dozen gatherings dubbed “atheist mega-churches” by supporters and detractors have sprung up around the U.S. and Australia — with more to come — after finding success in Great Britain earlier this year. The movement fueled by social media and spearheaded by two prominent British comedians is no joke. SOURCE

Here is exactly what I believe; Freedom OF religion and freedom FROM religion.

I have NO issue either way, but I won’t have ANYTHING forced on me, be it Jehovah’s Witnesses and their door to door evangelism or the atheists telling our City Council that they are offended because the Council opens its meetings with a short, non-specific invocation, one that is not *forced* on anyone.

The atheists here in MY part of Texas like to stir it up and make people miserable with their crying and complaining, but I don’t see any of the Christians here in Rowlett telling these atheists that they MUST be believers, or forcing them to PRAY.

If you want to pray, by all means, do so, if you ASK me to join you in prayer, in all probability, I will, just don’t try and force me to join you.

If you choose to be an atheist then that too is your choice, I WILL decline ANY invitation to join you and once again I say; don’t try to force ME into accepting it.

As I said, freedom OF religion and freedom FROM religion, why can’t ALL of these folks just do their thing and leave others alone? Is that too much to ask?

And speaking of *too much to ask*, is it unreasonable to expect the atheists to have a bit of common sense in their arguments?

All too often atheists try to intimidate people with the argument that *A separation of Church and State* is a part of the United States Constitution. I have, on several occasions, demanded that they show me exactly where that passage is in the Constitution and so far, the only retort has been, “You must not be a Constitutional scholar because it IS there, it’s the 1st Amendment.”

It is NOT. The First Amendment reads:

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Once in a while I have had an atheist try to belittle ME over Constitutional issues regarding Church and State telling me that the Second Amendment clearly illustrates that statement. Of course they are then taken to the woodshed because as most people know, the Second Amendment is written regarding the right to keep and bear arms.

Stupidity never wins an argument but a lot of stupid people try.

Seriously, for me it all comes down to leaving me alone and NOT forcing YOUR beliefs off on others, no matter which side of the argument you land on. That attempting to force is exactly what atheists do when they cry and demand that all prayer, even a brief, non-specific invocation be banned from a City Council meeting. No one tells them that they must stand, pray, believe or anything else.

I WILL FIGHT for MY City, State and nation to uphold the Constitution of the United States. OUR First Amendment rights and the free exercise thereof are as sacrosanct as are all other God given rights.