Godless community?
Offline Hey guys, this idea came across me yesterday morning as I found my grandmother watching "The View" and they were talking about some community that got together and agreed that they wanted to have their lives regulated by the local church. IE, they want everyone in their community to abide by all these "christian" laws and rules the local church is coming out with. Stuff ranging from how your house should look, to how to raise your kids, to what is acceptable in the bedroom. I didn't see more than a minute or two of the show (I stormed out with rage) but I got thinking, it would be kinda cool if there was an atheist community like this. Not alike in the sense of controlling how you live (it would be just the opposite) but alike in the sense that it was an area where people could get together, form a community in which to live where they all accepted that god is a fairy tale, and that their kids could grow up in an environment free from guilt, fear, or indoctrination of religion. I know there are many other religious groups making news trying to create utopian societies (which I know always fall apart with hatred and bigotry) but it would be cool to see something like this on the news. What do you think? Is there anything like this anywhere? I might like to move there to get away from the madness. (My only side fear is that if we set up a community where we were all concentrated, i'd make if easier for the fundies to suicide bomb us for their god)
- Login to post comments
I think that idea has been kicked around for a bit. Security would be a must in my opinion.
I can't think of many places that would be good for starting a town though...
Im not sure if it would be building a new town from nothing, or moving into an area, forming an orginization, and getting laws passed or something. (Although, i don't see what laws would need to be passed, we wouldn't be trying to restrict anything) Does anyone know how the fundies do it? Do they all just move into a place and say "Ok, we're here en masse, this is our town now. (What do the people who were living their first do if they don't want to be apart of this new community that moved ontop of them?) You cant just move somewhere, set up a theocratic community and fine all the people who disagree with you but were there first. Or can you?
I'm sure you could if it was entirely your private land, something like a resort or condos.
http://www.slate.com/id/2130597/
Really I think the idea would be to simply have a town with mostly non-religious people. I doubt there would be anything that would prevent a church from being put there, but I'm thinking someone would have to own the land to build it.
It might be easier to set up something in the same way a nudest colony would. That or set up something like an atheist ranch or commune. Basically make a small town on a big plot of land, like ABx said.
I say we call it "The Base"
Having lived in two "homeowner's association" communities in the past I could care less weither it was theist or atheist, the idea sickens me that anyone could tell me what color my shutters should be or if I am allowed to do an oil change on my driveway.
I live with my mother in a gated community. Now while safe, what I dont like about it is how nosy everyone is and how everyone knows everyone else's business. It is one big gossip pool here.
I have always been and always be a advocate for privacy. "Safty in numbers" should not come at the cost of losing one's privacy.
"Those who sacrafice freedom for security deserve neither" Benjiman Franklin.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
Well said, Brian. I saw that thing on The View, too, but I'd heard about this months ago, that they were planning it. It's the brainchild of Domino's Pizza founder, Tom Monoghan, or whatever his name is, and however you spell it (it's not worth my time to go find out).
On The View, they pointed out that there are Chinatowns and gay communities, so why should this be any different? I'm not saying it is, but it is getting a little weird that every little group can have its own separist community, don't you think? Not that I wouldn't like living around atheists and agnostics; I'd be more comfortable, but it just seems anti-American somehow, to have these specific communities.
What if a bunch of porn stores open around the community?
I agree that those "Homeowners associations" are a very bad thing.
What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? Porn is leagle, CRIME isnt. If the store owners and patrons are obeying the law I wouldnt care.
Still dont see how a porn shop has to do with the bad idea of sepratist communities. I live in one and I dont like living in a cess pool of gossip, no matter how safe it is.
I like people who mind their own business.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
It was a joke, Brian. I was asking how the community would feel if a bunch of porn shops opened around them. It had nothing to do with whether anything is a crime or not.
Then my wife would spend even more money.
www.garageband.com/artist/abandonmypeace
I agree with you Brian, I would hate to live in one of those communities, but I think an atheist community would be different. They wouldn't try and tell you what you can and can't do, it'd just be a bunch of non believers living together.
Don't underestimate human behaivor, we all have it in us.
Some of the staunchist supporters of censorship and hate crime laws are atheits., not because they are atheist, but because they fall into the same catigory of "Dont offend me" that some theists do.
I think any human is capable of invading my privacy under a givin mindset.
We are not above theists or more moral "just because". Certainly we dont buy into myth or superstition, but we are subject to the same human bodies and chemicals and social pressures.
If such a community were to exist, a "china town" if you will, with a majority of atheists, there would still be your liberal and conservitive variety. There would still be "If you are not doing anything wrong" vs "mind your own business and dont assume guilt".
Utopias dont exist and they wouldnt even if atheists were a majority. The only thing bieng an atheist does that I see for humanity is to get rid of one more excuse to kill over fiction.
It is nice to have contact with atheists and I do wish there were more in my area, but certainly I would not like all atheists "just because" they dont believe in a god. Just like all Christians dont like Pat Robertson "Just because" and just because all Christians dont like Al Sharpton "Just because".
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
I would hate to live in a gated community. I don't want anyone telling me that my welcome mat has to be a certain size.
However, I do live in an orthodox Jewish community. The Dunkin Donuts is Kosher, they don't serve any meat. In fact it was the first community in NJ to get an Eruv, which is some sort of symbolic wall.
I love living here and hope to settle here permanently. I've honestly found that most of the residents here are the nicest, most tolerant people around. There is also a huge academic and arts community in town, due to the fact that it is so close to a large university.
I think the main reason why it's so nice to live here is because there aren't any 'rules' regarding religion. The stores owned by Jews are closed Saturday, but not every single store is required to close for the Sabbath. The DD might be kosher, but there are three other coffee houses that are not. Everyone respects the privacy of everyone else.
Of course, this would be completely different if the temples controlled every aspect of the town. I'm sure they easily could. But they don't.
If god takes life he's an indian giver
And really thats all it comes down to right? If people would leave other people alone and not push there opinions so much then we all might tolerate each other a bit more.
Sounds like a nice place you live in. Im in New Mexico. Crazy catholic bastards.
www.garageband.com/artist/abandonmypeace