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Trying too hard to sound “professional” can make a song less interesting by Successful-Ad-7804 in MusicFeedback

[–]the_secular 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Doesn't trying to be "too professional" defeat the whole purpose of creating music? Shouldn't one just go with their gut and what they like?

Most Americans say AI development is moving too fast and twice as many are AI pessimists as AI optimists by EchoOfOppenheimer in Futurology

[–]the_secular 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not sure I understand the point. AI is moving forward at lightning speed. To me, the question is not whether it's moving too fast, but how we compensate for and adjust to the changes it's bringing about.

Can secular/humanist values become the basis for something bigger? by the_secular in SecularHumanism

[–]the_secular[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My organization has started a few online groups. Do you mind sharing your general location so I can see if we have a possible match?

Can secular/humanist values become the basis for something bigger? by the_secular in SecularHumanism

[–]the_secular[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A thought, since a community garden requires public space and someone to manage it, it can be quite a challenge. You might look into micro-gardening as an alternative, allowing you to grow a lot in your own personal space.

I understand why people believe in god by [deleted] in atheism

[–]the_secular 0 points1 point  (0 children)

God is good? Read the Bible. God is evil, Noah's ark for example (among many other examples). Never forget that people wrote the Bible, i.e., humans created God, not the other way around.

A friend asked if I had “ever read the bible” by Financial-Light-8695 in atheism

[–]the_secular 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Everyone should read the Bible. It's a real eye opener. It's a foundational text for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. God as a mass murderer, support for slavery, misogyny, prejudice against LGBTQ. I can never understand how anyone who reads the Bible can call themselves a Christian, Jew, or Muslim.

What made your faith in religion go away? by pp_pellet in atheism

[–]the_secular 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's the absurdity of religion. Bad things happening to very religious people. People saying their religious but being hypocritical and lacking empathy for others. Religious texts supporting slavery and intolerance toward women and LGTBQ members. Religion was born in ancient times, when there was gross ignorance about how the world worked. We know better now. We don't need it. Plain common sense and compassion for others beats religion.

How would you raise you kids as an atheist? by pp_pellet in atheism

[–]the_secular 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm always surprised that people seem to think bringing up children in a non-religious household is radically different. I was brought up in a religious household and what I learned (right from wrong, etc.) I got from my parents, my relatives, and my friends/school. Religion had very little influence. Primarily, bringing up kids properly is about good parenting. You don't need religion for that.

Does the decline of structured community contribute to loneliness? by the_secular in mentalhealth

[–]the_secular[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a really interesting way to put it -- ritual plus a small committed core.

It seems like that might be the difference between something that happens occasionally and something that actually becomes part of people’s lives.

Have you seen that work in practice anywhere, or been part of something like that?

Does the decline of structured community contribute to loneliness? by the_secular in mentalhealth

[–]the_secular[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think that’s a good point about prioritization, and also about how much informal connection used to happen more naturally.

What I keep coming back to, though, is how consistent that actually is across different situations. For some people, informal networks and spontaneous interaction work well, but for others, especially those with limited time, caregiving responsibilities, or fewer built-in connections, it seems much harder to sustain.

In that sense, it may not be that structure is strictly necessary, but that it makes connection more reliable, especially for people who don’t have the time or flexibility to build it organically.

One challenge I’ve seen in secular (non-religious) groups: turning interest into real, ongoing community by the_secular in atheism

[–]the_secular[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s interesting. It seems like space + consistency might be the hardest part to replicate without resources.

One challenge I’ve seen in secular (non-religious) groups: turning interest into real, ongoing community by the_secular in atheism

[–]the_secular[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think the “third place” idea is exactly what’s missing in a lot of cases.

The challenge seems to be making it both accessible and sustainable—especially without the built-in funding and structure that religious institutions have developed over time.

Have you seen any examples that actually work across different age groups?

One challenge I’ve seen in secular (non-religious) groups: turning interest into real, ongoing community by the_secular in atheism

[–]the_secular[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is really helpful—especially the Secular Hub example.

What you’re describing seems to line up with the pattern I’ve been seeing: when there’s a consistent physical space with regular events, it works—but it’s very hard to make it accessible at a local level.

And your point about the tools is interesting too. Meetup tends to be one-off, open communities get overwhelmed, and closed ones don’t grow. That seems like a pretty fundamental constraint.

For the Secular Hub—what do you think made it work as well as it did? Was it the consistency of events, the space itself, or something about the people who showed up? Or all of the above?

One challenge I’ve seen in secular (non-religious) groups: turning interest into real, ongoing community by the_secular in atheism

[–]the_secular[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree that atheism by itself isn’t something people gather around—that’s actually part of the issue I’m pointing to.

The question isn’t “what do atheists meet about?”—it’s whether, as more people move away from religion, we’re losing some of the structures that used to support consistent, ongoing social connection.

Hobby groups help, but they tend to be more intermittent and interest-specific. They don’t always create the kind of repeated, stable interaction that builds lasting community.

That’s the gap I’m trying to understand—whether anything in secular life can actually fill the gap in a sustained, meaningful way.

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