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PaperclipPerfector  11mo ago (text post)   4917 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for January 12, 2025

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

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To follow on from rockbier1218's excellent question and the responses below, does anyone have experience or advice with joining a church as an atheist (or more generally, how I might get more community in my life?)?

I'm looking to get more community in my life, and the two realistic ways I can see to get it is either through church or through some sort of interest group. I've largely ruled out the second since I don't really share interests with the people in my area and most of these groups end up pretty transient in my experience. I do have a friend that would likely introduce me to their church if I asked, I just want to think it through before broaching the question.

To be honest I think I would have a happier life if I had the capability for religious belief. The below thread was quite thought-provoking, but ultimately I don't think I can convince myself out of materialism and this really isn't the sort of thing that it's possible to force, even if I don't have any issues with the orthopraxy.

Is it heretical to be interested in religion only for the material benefits? I'm not sure, perhaps this is the cross that I have to bear.

I had similar thoughts as you a while back. And I have decided against it. Although I do not lack community as much as you seem to. Personally, if you do not think you are capable of belief I think you shouldn't go there. Or at least not with the idea of it being permanent.

You may ask you friend to show it to you. But make it clear you are probably not gonna be religious. And may be you may find some folks who you befriend and then you do stuff with them outside of church?

I have attended a theological seminar instead of church. By the way it was majority atheist I think. It was very interesting. As a life long atheist I learned a lot about Church, faith, bible etc. But it had no affect on my faith. And in some cases the beliefs of religious people felt so alien to me. I learned that even though I usually agreed with them broadly, the reasoning or something felt a little off.

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