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Have a weekly gathering, much like a religious church, wherein one of the members gives a short talk, call it a sermon, about something from a science journal. In addition, there would be a weekly collection that would be donated to a deserving charity in the field of science (cancer research, etc.).
Church
is nice for the social and community building aspects, but as an atheist, the actual service is something of a waste of time. I'd like to be able to participate (and gain from) an organization like a church, just without the religion and I think the Church of Science fills the gap nicely.
Scientastics
another solution [JesusHChrist, Dec 27 2005, last modified Dec 28 2005]
Royal Institution of Great Britain
http://www.rigb.org/
Science for the public [hazel, Dec 30 2005]
Cafe Scientifique
http://www.cafescientifique.org/
Coffee, muffins and quantum physics [hazel, Dec 30 2005]
The Humanist Society
http://www.humanist-society.org/
Explicitly trying to be a nontheistic church. "Celebrants" are their version of priests. [jutta, Jan 21 2006]
Halfbakery: Canonise Charles Darwin
Canonise Charles Darwin
A rephrasing of what (I think) might be the same sentiment. [zen_tom, Sep 07 2009]
The "Brights"
http://en.wikipedia...ki/Brights_movement
The pro-reason anti-religion [wbeaty, Sep 11 2009]
The Ethical Society of St. Louis
http://www.ethicalstl.org/
"A welcoming home for Humanists." [Jim Bob of Merriam Park, Sep 14 2009]
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Most definently *not* scientology, nor christian scientists. Those people are just whackos. |
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There have been groups meeting to discuss science like this since they first recognized science as something distinct from witchcraft and alchemy. Nothing new here. |
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And if you don't like the religion, join the Elks or something. |
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This is enough to make one repudiate science and go live as a hermit. |
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Seems valid to me. As a church it operates with tax benefits, too, at least in the US. |
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Perhaps you can have services that host lectures on scientific topics. |
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I feel a seperate group will leave this church and start their own: Filosophy church. I'm torn in two which to attend. |
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You need to declare a bible, or pen a manifesto at the very least. Don't forget to send a couple robots to my house around dinner time. I think those are required to qualify for the tax break. |
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Probably you ought to name it the Church of Half-Bakery, in honor of this wonderful website, and for the fact that the very appeal of science is that it is in fact always half-baked and never complete. I hate the convenience of "meaningful answers" about life. Science is just the opposite; it makes you have to think about stuff and get a headache! Perhaps this is why it never sold well as a "religion". |
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Still, "Church of Science" has a nice paradoxical/oxymoronic sound to it. |
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only good if it has a Pope (can it be me?), bishops,
inquisition etc. and confession box where you go to admit
in secrecy that you really don't believe in the General
Theory of Relativity - "Go away my child and recite your
gravitational equations 200 hundred times" Disbelievers are
excommunicated and set to work as valets, parking suvs in
the gigantic church car lots of born again Christians. |
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I thought for sure some AAAS member would say their group meets weekly. I'll bet some do. |
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Is this the same thing as Mensa? |
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This idea could change the world for the better + and I’m all for it + but as soon as you start to ritualize science, the real scientists will probably stay home and watch the discovery channel instead of attending. |
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The problem is that scientists by nature are an open-minded bunch, but they usually have niche interests. They’d love to show up for a serminar on their topic of interest, but I can’t see a computer scientist wanting to hear about fungi. |
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How about getting kids interested in science to the point where they take it on with a religious fervor? They’d want to spread the word, donate, and help others, all in the name of objective knowledge, and all without a trip to the church. |
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So if I think I understand this correctly, you are suggesting that you have all of the aspects of church like the singing of songs, the introductions, the offering, dressing up, feeling obligated to be friendly, etc.. but rather than a sermon involving bible scriptures, you would prefer to have a sermon on the periodic table. |
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This is great in theory, however, its the religious aspects of church that make all of those other facets possible. |
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I don't know about that [JScotty] - a decently argued service on game theory, or a treatise on evolutionary evidence for the emergence of altruistic behaviours might get the punters thinking. |
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And if we're looking for a Pope, shouldn't it be Richard Dawkins? |
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He's a bit snappy for my taste, but for the self respecting atheist, you can't go far wrong. |
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I like. Also good for the non-religious, yet non-atheist science fan folk among us. [+] |
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A long time ago I volunteered at rocket club meetings, and it was at least as good for the kids as any church youth group. |
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Largely baked in the form of the Royal Institution, Cafe Scientifique and other public science fora |
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//I volunteered at rocket club meetings// Any other salad leaf-based societies? |
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"Mass" could be held at a particle
accelerator. |
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I think we should retain the singing, but what would we sing? Sinatra would be a good starting point. |
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Finally, a useful reason for having a Church |
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I dig it. A good lecture (many www.TED.com talks)
leave me gently abuzz with "damn, that's RIGHT"
energy. I could see this going down well in
Australia, where there are many community-minded
normal athiests/agnostics who attend church
(occasionally) just for the community. It would have
to have all the church trappings to succeed.
NOTHING new age or modern about its aesthetic! |
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Arrival of the fittest! Give me a frightening facial tattoo and an assigned bride. Quant Suff! |
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This idea is basically a reactionary idea for a "Society for
People Who Don't Believe in Gods". But then you also need
one for people who don't believe in everything else. |
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Organize and hold meetings if you want, but please don't use religious terms to describe what you are doing. You would just be playing into the hands of fundamentalists, who are already trying to blur the distinction between science and religion. It's a two-pronged attack: Some of them are claiming "intelligent design" is really science (and therefore we should teach it in school) while others are saying environmentalism is really a religion (and therefore pro-environment legislation is an unconstitutional "establishment of religion"). |
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except for the donation thing, isn't what you're describing generally referred to as college? |
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Sounds like Unitarians. No? |
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Science doesn't care where it goes. Theoretically. Bad behavior may be rewarded. Good behavior can be punished. Then we all disappear in the big crunch. |
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So this would only suit nihilists and the morally ambidextrous. |
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If you care where you go, you need magical thinking. Then you need to get out the robes and altars. |
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