Temples for Atheists
 

Alain de Botton plans temples for atheists

‘As religions have always known, a beautiful building is an indispensable part of getting your message across. Books alone won’t do it.’

De Botton argues that you definitely don’t need a god or gods to justify a temple. ‘You can build a temple to anything that’s positive and good. That could mean: a temple to love, friendship, calm or perspective.’


I think that this is a fantastic idea! Just because one is an atheist, that doesn't mean that one doesn't have spiritual needs. Temples can help to satisfy those needs by offering places where lofty ideals are made concrete, and where people may take time out from their busy lives to visit and reflect.


eudaimonia,

Mark

Hiya Mark

Hmmmm, that's interesting. I tend to find the natural world is my temple. :smile:

Squatch

Did Jesus not say something like "Your body is your temple"

He may have done, but what's he got to do with the price of fish? Or atheism for that matter? :D

Saw a TED talk about Atheism that said Atheism could learn something from how religion did things (or something like that). Or was it that it should take what it could use from religion :confused3: and it could be quite ironic if Atheism managed to do what Christianity (as a whole) have yet to accomplish. Honor the true values of Jesus.

And also you could believe in those good values he talked about without believing in him as some kind of god figure. If so that might cut the fish prices down by excluding greed... or make them rise in the name of fairtrade :confused3: and why is it fairtrade only makes the prices rise when it should go both ways making those things that are overpriced drop in value.

Sure, the natural world is my temple too. So is my body. So are buildings. I don't mind having many temples.


eudaimonia,

Mark

I think I would love to go to an Atheists temple, celebrating what there is, instead of celebrating what we believe is, no guilt ridden sermons, no god to cruel to, just being in the now, yes I think I would like that.

Nature would be mine, or good food and good company and drink. Art, music, laughter...why in particular does any group need a 'temple'? Why the need for a particular place. I guess we need places to gather if you do so on a regular basis, but couldn't you just be...anywhere?

What do atheist gather to discuss, and if they don't believe in spiritual matters, or at least god, what spiritual needs, then would they have? Are atheists spiritual? I know atheists but to listen to them, I didnt think they believed in anything spiritual.

Atheism 2.0 http://www.ted.com/talks/alain_de_bo...heism_2_0.html

Because temples could offer a convenient quiet place for reflection, and the architecture and art inside may help to facilitate a change of perspective.

The point here is that temples have symbolic value, and can make great use of human artistic genius to provide a tool for reflection.

There's nothing wrong at all with using nature as one's temple. But this is not either-or. There are many possible temples, and they can all be good.


Not all atheists are spiritual, but I'm a spiritual atheist. Atheists do indeed have spiritual needs. They need the sense that their lives have meaning and purpose. They need to see themselves in different contexts, for instance larger contexts such as the Universe. Atheists need to have concrete reminders of their ideals, virtues, and values, in order to feel what is usually very airy and abstract.

Atheist temples could possibly help meet these needs.


eudaimonia,

Mark