Ex Religious Discussion Group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExReligiousDiscussion/

My reflections: excellent talk by Joe, with discussion and interaction Moderated by Les from Vic Humanists.

Fascinating to meet ex religious people from other than my own "ex SDA" background.
There was an interesting diversity re experiences and views, some, including myself are repelled by the word "spiritual" others not. It annoys me that secular "spiritual support" falls under exactly that label but I don't have another suggestion ATM. I'm good with the concept of awe etc, lots of great stuff in the talk. I will ask for a text version if there is one.

Sitting in a circle was interesting, felt a bit like AA ( at least as I have seen it represented in media). I guess it is similar in terms of giving up something that is bad for you yet different somehow. I am not addicted to religion or the gods and have no need to be supported off the "addiction". It was excellent to hear other people's views.

I don't think I personally need " ex religious support", I have been out of religion for almost a decade and am fine with this. I do think it is excellent to get networked and be able to point out resources etc. Perhaps it is time to expand various ex religious groups from simply ex SDA, ex JW, ex Jewish, ex Muslim etc and all work together?

I think there is a huge shortage of information and support for ex religious people, for non religious people in "spiritual care" etc. During the meeting I was pondering this and also the idea of those in what Ryan Bell calls the in between spaces or perhaps described by Kathy Escobar as a faith shift, ie less religious or differently religious; people who do not fit in a church but are not fully ex religious.Where do seventh day Adventists go if they reject Ellen White for example? or if they do not hold to the official young earth creation as the official church stance does?

Perhaps an ex religious group can have various networking opportunities  for support, information sharing, activism etc ?

( Side note, I heard that sanitarium pays tax in NZ, I will have to check sources in case I have mislead people. Humble pie on standby) 





https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExReligiousDiscussion/

Comment from Lara Kaput:

Flow ...
Today at the meet-up were former members of the Catholics, Evangelicals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jewish Orthodox, Mormons, Muslims, and Seventh Day Adventists. Plus the husband of a Scientologist and (shock horror): current Atheists.
We enjoyed morning tea together, and afterwards, lunch and more chatting.

Joe took us through reflecting on one’s life decisions and behaviors and awe-inspiring, irreligious, outdoors. I learned a new term, ‘flow’, describing when you’re so immersed in something you’re enjoying that you don’t notice the time fly by. And that summed it up.
The highlight for me during the morning break was when we chatted about our similarities and differences.
I also enjoyed hearing about the revocation of tax benefits for Sanitarium in New Zealand.

... condemned already

Massive cross erected in town square in Eltham Victoria.

Four local churches have banded together to fund a huge cross that has now been erected in the town square. It has part of a bible text and an announcement of a friday church service.

 

Good Friday Combined Service: 

The Session agreed to accept an invitation to join with three other churches (Eltham Baptist, The Vine Baptist Hurstbridge, and Southern Cross Community Church) for a combined service on Good Friday. There is a cross up in the Town Square advertising the service. This is a great way to show Christian unity and witness in our community. Limited seating available, please arrive early.  Eltham Town Square 9:30am.

Elthampc.com.au/  (source)















Quite a turnout !

Quiet statement. No talking, just a couple of words from ... their text selection. ie ...condemned already.

Ok I messed up the spelling, oh and should tuck shirt in next time.

Myself and one of the churchgoers. Nice guy, very well educated, not a science denier, not an fundamentalist, not a bigot. We had a fabulous chat.

Short Video (shows part of the crowd and some of the singing)



Sponsoring churches are : 

Eltham Presbyterian Church 

Vinebaptist - Eltham and Hurstbridge Churches 

Southern Cross Community church

Appendix: the header of the cross starts with :  John 3:16 , the text itself continues.

For God so loved the world

that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is

condemned already.

Of particular concern is the Eltham Baptist's homophobic stance,
- see their statement marriage-plebiscite-resources/

See the especially revolting  Stewart's Talk

Local council link Nillumbik Council 

Did the council vote on this? Did they get money for it? The cross was apparently sponsored by the churches, ie not paid for by ratepayers. Contact Councillors and let me know. my twitter handle is @retep57 my email is veitch57@gmail.com 

This story is still developing, updates soon, this post will be modified as things change.

MY concerns are threefold:

1: Religious symbols in the public square ( literally in this case ).
2: Council advocating for this, in this case the Mayor Peter Clarke according to the Presbyterian church website. ( still researching - did Councillors vote? - unknown : was it by mayoral fiat? 
3: at least one of the churches is openly homophobic - see Eltham Baptist the vine video  - "Stewart's talk " 
 
( scribblings - The local paper is following story, is asking their readers to comment ( dv leader ) link coming . local and federal members  aware of this. ( Vicki , Jenny - no comment atm ) some people likely to attend the service who don't approve.. I have meetings / chat sessions in the pipeline with representatives from all these church groups. Don was there, quick hello, seems like a nice guy, will meet again for longer discussion)

Inside the scots church

http://www.thestirrer.com.au/inside-the-scots-church/

Peter Veitch is a former fundamentalist Christian who now describes himself as a “proudly evolved atheist”. He made his own quiet protest inside the Scots Church on Wednesday. This is his story.

I like churches, some of them anyway. I went in early, sat down, did some bible reading. Looked at the architecture, took a pic or two. Various staff were setting up, photography guys etc. had a very friendly chat with one of them, nice guy. One of the staff asked for my name, I said Peter. We shook hands. He asked if I had a ticket, I said no, and offered to leave. They kindly suggested they’d see if they could squeeze me in. Lovely gesture.

Fascinating watching them set up etc. I was asked if I wouldn’t mind distributing the program, they had about 700 apparently. No problem, happy to help. (amused me slightly that there’s almost 700 programs at ACL with my atheist fingerprints on them). A bunch of interactions, again all pleasant, I suppose they thought I was one of them.

I’m really a very introverted quiet person, I was planning on standing outside the church to hold a sign “Keep Religion Out of Politics” that another member of progressive atheists was bringing in. That explains why Brian, another progressive atheist member was holding two signs! I asked him to bring one in for me to hold.

He sent me a message to say he had arrived, I was in the church, had to put phone on silent otherwise my text tone (Lennon – Imagine No Religion) or my ringtone (Losing My Religion – Rem) might have been awkward.

They started late, intro remarks about “Scots college”, some audience giggles – it’s “Scots church”, then the minister took the podium & welcomed everyone, some goodies about Presbyterians not clapping etc., claps, giggles. Then the featured speaker (Metaxas) took the podium.

I’ve heard more than enough from ACL & him to not want to hear anymore. I thought I’d sneak out quietly but then read the program title  Fearless, Cultivating Courage”. I thought I’d try to build some. My heart was pounding, I thought, oh well why not, I’ve got my progressive atheist sweat shirt around my waist (label inside out). I thought I’d try a one person silent protest, I’m not a fan of the noisy stuff.

Anyway, spur of moment, Metaxas was praying, I put the sweatshirt on and quietly walked to the front and faced them all. “Proudly Evolved Atheist.” I guess they caught on pretty quickly. From the very back – down came my two escorts out. I was delighted that one I had already had a lovely chat earlier, anyway I told him I’d go quietly and was it ok if we waited till the prayer was over.

I think they wanted to take me out a side room, not sure, I asked if I could walk down the centre aisle. Yay no problem, no manhandling either. Quickly walked out in full view. Got part way out then one in the audience loudly said ” Jesus!” Too funny. I considered saying that was blasphemy (I used to be a fundamentalist Christian). Once in the foyer, more friendly chat with my escort out, rather amiable really.

I used to be a Seventh Day Adventist. I still have very close contacts with people in that church. ACL content has been featured on Adventist media. My personal view in the past would have aligned with the general SDA view. There’s a range of views within the church, alas some movement or at least agreement with the ACL type rhetoric. Official stance is Adam and Eve as special creation recently, six day creation week as literally true. SDA academic views often diverge from this, even some academics in the theology depts reject this.

My view on ACL view : I was a fundamentalist Christian. I get that the views and actions generally come from a place of love. My interactions, albeit limited, at the ACL event were all friendly without exception, even when I decided to do the silent protest with atheist sweatshirt on. My escorts were polite and kind. I needed help to break through police lines – from behind! I kindly asked my escort out to speak to the police to let me through. Very helpful. I had been standing behind, a bit trapped in really, didn’t know what to do so stood behind the police line with a victory wave. Silly I guess. The crowd looked like they didn’t know what side I was on. I was recognised by an LGBTI activist which was nice so that cleared it up, i.e. a welcome into the throng.

I get that they mean well, love is good – sure. However sometimes love informed by ignorance and superstition can be harmful, and in practice the loving actions can be received as the precise opposite (e.g. think of loving parents who earnestly pray instead of taking their child to the doctors).

I don’t buy the idea that the ACL and affiliates generally speak in terms of hate speech, yet functionally it would feel like it from the receiving end and that for very good reason. As an extreme example, perhaps Torquemada lovingly burned people to death to spare them eternal flames. While you might flinch at the Spanish Inquisition (you weren’t expecting that) the harsh views currently held by at least some ACL affiliates do in fact lead to jail, beatings, or death of LGBTI humans etc.

I know many current Christians who have views that are not just meant as loving and caring but actually are. The ACL views, most of them I find utterly revolting.

It’s sort of the so called golden rule, ‘do unto others as you want done unto you’. Alas this frame and their rules doesn’t always help others. Perhaps better expressed, do to others what they want done (or don’t do what they do want done). It’s a subtle Frame shift I guess, the 1st allows ” we think you should be straight, our version of Christian, etc” vs the view from the eyes of the other where it’s ” you are or are not a Christian, you might want to marry the person you love regardless of gender… Ok, we will support you, how can we help”