Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Religion
Related: About this forumIn the Bible Belt, Offering Atheists a Spiritual Home
Jerry DeWitt, a former Pentecostal preacher, led a secular service Sunday in Baton Rouge, La. Many atheists miss a sense of belonging, he said.
Published: June 23, 2013
By DAVE THIER
BATON ROUGE, La. It would have been easy to mistake what was happening in a hotel ballroom here for a religious service. All the things that might be associated with one were present Sunday: 80 people drawn by a common conviction. Exhortations to service. Singing and light swaying. An impassioned sermon.
There was just no mention of God.
Billed as Louisianas first atheist service and titled Joie de Vivre: To Delight in Being Alive, it was presided over by Jerry DeWitt, a small, charismatic man dressed all in black with slick, shiny hair.
Oh, its going to be so hard to not say, Can I get an amen? he said with a smile, warning people that this was going to be more like church than they might expect. I want you to feel comfortable singing. And I want you to feel comfortable clapping your hands. Im going to ask you to silence your cellphones, but Im not going to ask you to turn them off. Because I want you to post.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/us/in-the-bible-belt-offering-atheists-a-spiritual-home.html?_r=0
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
3 replies, 779 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (2)
ReplyReply to this post
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
In the Bible Belt, Offering Atheists a Spiritual Home (Original Post)
rug
Jun 2013
OP
cbayer
(146,218 posts)1. This is a fascinating trend and I'm not sure what to make of it.
While it certainly doesn't hold any appeal to many, it does to some.
Some people live in areas where the main centers of socialization are churches and bars. If neither is your kind of place, I can see how this might serve a purpose.
BlueJazz
(25,348 posts)2. If they were to to accept my ass then their so-called group really sucks.
aka: Marx
Manifestor_of_Light
(21,046 posts)3. I thought that's what UU churches are for.
Lots of atheists, agnostics, pagan and the questioning at UU churches. People who want a social life without God.
Impossible to have in rural areas, at least where I live.