Archbishop of Canterbury labels atheism as trendy

http://www.nationalpost.com/m/blog....coolness-of-atheism’-archbishop&s=Opinion

http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.o...ishop-rowan-and-frank-skinner-in-conversation

 

Wow! I've never been referred to as trendy before.

*Does the iconic travolta dance and goes shopping to Ikea*

 

Sigh... some people are just beyond help.

Also, is "trendy" still the word to use? I thought it went out of fashion at least half a decade ago.

 

well, that's kind of petty and dismissive.

 

Yeah, I thought it was a pretty petty statement too, especially since he's confusing an increase in popularity with a fashionable craze. The "dog bites man/man bites dog" analogy was pretty good, though I fear I took that to mean that the church has always been very outspoken and people are more interested in vocal atheism because it is a change. Besides which most of the attempts to make religion cool to appeal to younger people have been downright embarrassing.

 

Why is he trying so hard anyway? He still keeps his pimp stick to smack the ass of the choir boy with. :/

 

I can't stand that man. IMHO he is an idiot.

 

You can't dismiss religious views, oh no, that's disrespectful. But you can dismiss atheism all you like. Makes me sad.

 

The man is a complete buffoon.

I think it's rather insulting to suggest atheism is a fashion. I think why it is gaining in popularity is due to that fact we can now prove many of the claims made by religion to be false and people aren't as gullible as they used to be.

Organised religion to me is just a protection racket selling afterlife insurance.

Go get a proper job Rowan.

 

I often wonder how many atheist or agnostic members of the clergy are stuck in their position, no belief in god left but with no other marketable job skills.

 

Probably fewer than you imagine, given that prior bachelor's degree is a prerequisite to even get most seminaries talking to you; also, many people who go into priesthood do so around late twenties - early thirties, after having already worked in a professional capacity.

Not that you don't get your fair share of dumbasses anyway, obviously, but they're usually thoroughly educated dumbasses with past work experience. Unfortunately.

 

Church attendance has dropped because the church is no longer the heart of the community. Out of sight out of mind.

 

Can't stand 'em. You can RESPECT an enemy like the pope, but not those spineless little...

 

Ecuse me, I am not 'trendy' Educated and open minded more like. Screw you for saying that, Rowan.

 

I agree, and I wonder if we as a society are missing something as a result.

I'm not religious, and I certainly don't think that people should attend church if they don't believe. But I've been thinking lately that we have lost a part of the 'social glue' which binds communities together. Could a secular equivalent be found?

I think we're seeing a similar thing with the demise of the local pub. Round my way everyone just seems to mix with their own friends and family because the traditional meeting places are disappearing or not being attended. We're becoming more and more socially isolated.

Thoughts anyone?

 

Pint of Black Sheep?

 

Good points. I remember with fondness the sense of community that existed in the church I went to as a young lad. You really felt part of something - not in a spiritual way (or at least, I didn't at that age) but in a social way.

That's true. But as good as they can be, social/sports clubs are minority interests. It would be nice to have something that brouight the majority of us together in some way like the church used to.