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| Volume 25 Number 10 October 2023 |
Page 10 |
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| Volume 25 Number 10 October 2023 |
Page 10 |
An Atheist Worship Service
Robert Johnson
A Sunday Assembly? You might think I am writing about a worship assembly. Perhaps, but not your typical worship assembly. This assembly is for atheists. The group, which has offshoots in various countries, including the United States, was started as a joke by two British comedians. One of the founders said how he basically enjoyed Christian worship, except for the God talk. So, why not have a similar opportunity to sing, laugh and feel a sense of togetherness and purpose? It is ironic that, after years of denying atheism was its own religion, it is now advocating a religious type of experience, including taking up a collection at the end (“Atheist ‘Mega Churches’”).
Why would such a group find an audience when a real relationship with God in Christ offers genuine peace, love and meaning for today and for eternity? It most likely coincides with more and more people, when asked about their religious preference, identify themselves as none. People who leave organized religion may claim to be spiritual instead of religious, but they still want some positive feelings and experiences like they encountered while part of a religious group.
There are many substitutes to true faith in which people engage to get good feelings about their lives. New Testament worship should be a positive experience, offering a relationship with God, forgiveness through Christ and fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ. It truly does reinforce to us that we are important, made in the image of God, counted precious in His sight and have more hope than for just today – eternal life, too.
What is life without eternity? Obviously, even atheists are looking for more than just existence. The desire to find some meaning and purpose beyond today is built into us by God. He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set the thought of eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). While God gave us feelings, feelings alone cannot satisfy this inner longing for eternity. One can move from one experience to another, but each is only short-lived. On the other hand, if there is no God, and if we are nothing more than accidents in an accidental universe, what is the point? You come into existence, you go through the days of your life and then pass into nothingness. If one asks, “Is that all there is?” it should be followed by another question, “What if there is more?”
Truth has been a casualty of our culture. Truth is viewed as whatever feelings validate one’s life experiences. As feelings change, so does one’s perception of what is true. However, there are certain truths that can’t be denied. Jumping off a cliff has the truth of gravity with which to contend. One who flies wants aerodynamic principles and solid engineering standards applied to the airplane in which he flies. We can’t live without objective truth, but it should be truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Perhaps people leave God because they don’t know how much He loves them or how much God cares, and don’t see His love in us who are to be light to the world (Matthew 5:13-16). Better than an atheistic substitute for faith, better than running from one emotion to the next, is living for what truly satisfies, finding real purpose and meaning in life, and finding something beyond today that lasts forever. “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:9-11 ESV).
Works Cited
“Atheist ‘Mega Churches’ Look for Non-Believers.” USA Today. 10 Nov 2013. 20 Sep 2023. <https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/10/atheist-mega- churches/3489967/>.
