Something that came to mind witnessing that shared experience by the adherents.

:-----:

"Vonnegut found another “echo of the Sermon on the Mount” in the work of Mark Twain. In a talk he gave on the hundredth anniversary of the completion of Mark Twain’s “fanciful house in Hartford, Connecticut,” Vonnegut declared himself “a skeptic of the divinity of Christ…confirmed of my skepticism by Mark Twain in my formative years.” He then cited these words of the author as “a profoundly Christian statement, an echo of the Beatitudes:”

:---:

When I find a well-drawn character in fiction or biography, I generally take a warm personal interest in him, for the reason that I have known him before—met him on the river….

:---:

“The river, of course, is life,” Vonnegut said. “Mark Twain is saying what Christ said in so many ways: that he could not help loving anyone in the midst of life.”"

[imagejournal.org]

My brother asked me to be Godfather to his eldest. Couldn't do it. Couldn't stand up in front of all those people and lie. He and his wife were kinda pissed. I think he came to understand my position, but she never liked me, and probably never will. Oh well.

I think the point of life is to support each other, not cut each other down for believing in a philosophy that make them try to be a better person. In this respect, atheists and agnostics can be just as obnoxious and cruel the way religious people can be with their beliefs.

I'm going to my niece's communion in a couple of weeks. I'm supporting her, not religion. I want to be a positive male influence in her life. It would be childish and selfish of me to not attend and not show her my support just because I'm Agnostic and don't support religion or because there are criminal priests or aggression started because of religion.

I completely understand where you're coming from.

In the lions' den.

I like your logic.

"Her memory of my participation will be one of someone who is undeniably a member of the community that loves her." And so it should be - good for you .

I was quite proud of myself when I penned this and still feel it's quite valid. I was the "atheist chaplain" (staff advisor to the student atheist group) at my university. I worked at making godlessness part of the "godview" in the Office of Religious Life.

We live in a world where coexistence is beneficial and can help all come to new understandings, particularly with regard to freethought.

:-----:

"People are =/= to their religion

I am most definitely an infidel in that I have no belief in any god or gods. A person’s individual godview is the most basic right possible that a human being can have. I personally reject Islam, Judaism, and Christianity (among others)…but do not reject Muslims, Jews, and Christians. A person’s religion and religious culture are most predictably based on their family of origin, where they were born (geography), and when they were born (i.e. no Xians pre-Christ).

I stand with all people on the planet willing to work together as a species to live peacefully with each other and our environment. That does not change regardless of the actions of some who think their ‘godview’ justifies any number of horrible acts.

I reject those who use such acts to demonize people who are damned for nothing more than ‘guilt by association.’"

~ LanceThruster

Hey I am a Godparent and became one as an Atheist. It just meant I would help morally guide the child in the absence of a parent.
And as it turned out one parent died young.

I had no problem standing up for that purpose - back on the day - despite the silly costumes on two of us.

Not all parts of religion are without merit.

I'm not so sure I could be so tolerant myself... I know I would not attend a Klan rally no matter what connection I felt with a member or their child? Too much pain and suffering in the world is committed in the name of religion - any religion ...but I am not just an atheist I am an anti-theist. It would be a dilemma for me.

So glad you can all be together for her important event. I know there are others who would never participate in a religious ceremony but this hasn't been an issue for me.

Sweet!

Excellent supportive of family they are tolerant of others that is important