In late June, it seemed like the atheists were all the rage in the national media. No less than three separate stories covered the atheists’ search for God and the fascination with religion (at least in its external aspects). It made for truly fascinating reading that at times bordered on the perplexing.
On June 22, CNN ran a piece on atheists in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a veritable religious wasteland, who meet on Sundays in a “rapt conversation” led by a “chaplain.” Described as a “church without God,” the poor souls are experiencing “Sunday school for atheists” at these “atheist services” and “atheist congregations.”
On June 24, the New York Times reported that in Baton Rouge the godless ones meet on Sundays to experience “exhortations to service.” There is “swinging and light swaying” at the “atheist service,” complete with an “impassioned sermon” led by a “hard-line atheist.”
On the front page of the June 25 “Metro” section in the Washington Post, there was a story about an “atheist” who started every day on his “knees” where he “lowers his forehead to the floor and prays to God.” But was he really praying? “In a sense.” Which means, not really. Yet he spoke about “God” and his “conversion,” even attributing it to a “miracle.” We also learn about “secular chaplains” at major universities and a British book titled Religion for Atheists.
Atheists say they reject God. It would be more accurate to say they try to reject God. Which is why atheists are really agnostics in a hurry.
Notice how they not only appropriate the lexicon of Christianity, they even choose Sundays for their “services.” Why not Mondays? Why do they need a “chaplain”? What’s with the “swaying”? Do they have second collections? Why are there no books called Atheism for the Religious?
If someone were served a jelly donut without the jelly, he would feel robbed. Atheists feel robbed, too. Fortunately, it’s not too late to put the jelly back. Now that would be something to sway about.
