Atheist Temple

[Ahanu]

On the Huffington Post, I read a short article saying an Atheist temple is planned to be erected in the UK:

Atheists have long criticised devout followers of faith. But now it seems Atheism is stealing from that very religious tradition by erecting a temple of worship.

Author Alain de Botton announced plans to build an Atheist temple in the U.K., reports DeZeen magazine.

A collaboration with Tom Greenall Architects, the structure will be built in the heart of London.

Dedicated to the idea of perspective, the black tower will scale 46 meters (150 ft), with each centimeter honoring earth's age of 4.6 billion years, notes Wired.

But a place of worship isn't the only attribute from organized religion that Atheists can benefit from, says de Botton. In his newly released book "Religion For Atheists," the author points to design, art and community to inspire and attract a following.

Though de Botton has yet to announce a final date for opening the temple, he hopes to create a network of such buildings across the U.K., according to ArtsInfo.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/25/atheists-temple_n_1231848.html?ref=religion

What texts would be read in this future temple housing non-believers? To all Atheists: Would you attend a local temple? What texts would you want read there? Would the temple have a priest-like speaker during gatherings? If they discover Earth to be 4.7 billion years old, will they add another centimeter to this temple's height? (^_^)

 

[Vajradhara]

On the Huffington Post, I read a short article saying an Atheist temple is planned to be erected in the UK:



Atheist Temple: Nonbelievers To Get Place Of 'Worship' In UK

What texts would be read in this future temple housing non-believers? To all Atheists: Would you attend a local temple? What texts would you want read there? Would the temple have a priest-like speaker during gatherings? If they discover Earth to be 4.7 billion years old, will they add another centimeter to this temple's height? (^_^)

i already do, it's called the Natural History Museum

metta,

~v

 

[seattlegal]

We are gathered together here today to in reverence to the silence of god in god's non-existance?

Hmmmm.....

three marks of existence

The Three marks of existence, within Buddhism, are three characteristics (Pali: tilakkhaṇa; Sanskrit: trilakṣaṇa) shared by all sentient beings, namely: impermanence (anicca); suffering or unsatisfactoriness (dukkha); non-self (anattā).
​

 

[radarmark]

"In emptiness there is no form, no sensation, no discrimination, no conditioning, and no awareness.
There is no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind.
There is no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no texture, no phenomenon.
There is no eye-element and so on up to no mind-element and also up to no element of mental awareness.
There is no ignorance and no elimination of ignorance and so on up to no aging and death and no elimination of aging and death.
Likewise, there is no suffering, origin, cessation, or path; there is no wisdom, no attainment, and even no non-attainment."

The Sutra of No-thing (Heart Sutra) kinda-sorta fits the bill.

 

[seattlegal]

"In emptiness there is no form, no sensation, no discrimination, no conditioning, and no awareness.
There is no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind.
There is no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no texture, no phenomenon.
There is no eye-element and so on up to no mind-element and also up to no element of mental awareness.
There is no ignorance and no elimination of ignorance and so on up to no aging and death and no elimination of aging and death.
Likewise, there is no suffering, origin, cessation, or path; there is no wisdom, no attainment, and even no non-attainment."

The Sutra of No-thing (Heart Sutra) kinda-sorta fits the bill.

http://www.interfaith.org/forum/buddhist-philosophy-719.html

 

[radarmark]

Whitehead and Buddhism

Try this which looks at buddhism from the viewpoint of process philosophy. Or this which looks at process philosophy form the Buddhist viewpoint.

The metaphysics of Buddhist experience and the Whiteheadian encounter

 

[Ahanu]

i already do, it's called the Natural History Museum

metta,

~v

So do you organize with other atheists on a weekly basis at the Natural History Museum? Or are you suggesting the Natural History Museum strikes you with an awe and wonder a theist would have when reading sacred scripture in his (or her) temple?

 

[Ahanu]

"In emptiness there is no form, no sensation, no discrimination, no conditioning, and no awareness.
There is no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind.
There is no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no texture, no phenomenon.
There is no eye-element and so on up to no mind-element and also up to no element of mental awareness.
There is no ignorance and no elimination of ignorance and so on up to no aging and death and no elimination of aging and death.
Likewise, there is no suffering, origin, cessation, or path; there is no wisdom, no attainment, and even no non-attainment."

The Sutra of No-thing (Heart Sutra) kinda-sorta fits the bill.

Yeah, "kinda-sorta." I can see how knowing nothingness awaits us after death would "fit the bill." I think that is what you're saying. How about Epicurus? On Nature? Maybe some Darwin too.

 

[radarmark]

As the Greek sage said: “The condition and characteristic of a philosopher is, that he expects all hurt and benefit from himself. The marks of a proficient are, that he censures no one, praises no one, blames no one, accuses no one, says nothing concerning himself as being anybody, or knowing anything: when he is, in any instance, hindered or restrained, he accuses himself; and, if he is praised, he secretly laughs at the person who praises him; and, if he is censured, he makes no defense.” (Sorry for the paternalism, but the Greeks were like that, you know.) That is Epictetus not Epicurus (my preference).

Hericlitus' or Mill's On Nature? (Like the former more).

Darwin or Prigogine (either works).

We can make this happen!

 

[Vajradhara]

So do you organize with other atheists on a weekly basis at the Natural History Museum? Or are you suggesting the Natural History Museum strikes you with an awe and wonder a theist would have when reading sacred scripture in his (or her) temple?

the second bit though, i confess, i cannot say what sort of aw and wonder a theist may experience.

there is grandeur, majesty and mystery in the natural world without any deities involved, imo.

metta,

~v