R. S. Martin Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Maybe this has been posted before. Teresa MacBain, a former Baptist pastor, mentions it in a video made of her so I looked it up. On The Clergy Project website they say: The purpose of The Clergy Project is to provide a safe haven for active and former clergy who do not hold supernatural beliefs. The purpose of this “Public Page” is to announce our existence and to reach out to current and former clergy who want to be a part of the group. My reason for posting this is to help "spread the word" because there must be people out there who could use the support but don't know about it. I'm sure there are also people out there who will do all within their power to abuse it maliciously by all means available to them, for which reason I'm having second thoughts about posting. Yet shouldn't the support of people come first? The Clergy Project is supported by such organizations as Richard Dawkins Foundation and Freedom From Religion Foundation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 Former Minister Jerry DeWitt tells his story at the Johnson County Library. He came out with the Clergy Project, too. His website is Recovering From Religion where he has more resources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akheia Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 He hasn't lost his public speaking skills. Gives off some pre-ripped Ricky Gervais vibes in a nice way. I love the idea of the Clergy Project. As more and more awareness of Christianity's flaws and failings comes into our consciousness, the clergy must be in a really vulnerable place both spiritually and economically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeasabird Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 I cant wait to see within my lifetime this group and more to come like it having thousands of members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted April 26, 2012 Author Share Posted April 26, 2012 He hasn't lost his public speaking skills. Gives off some pre-ripped Ricky Gervais vibes in a nice way. I think some people are natural pastors--they are into helping people with their life problems and they enjoy public speaking. I've wondered how such people find a niche outside religion but it seems this man is making one for himself with his Recovering from Religion organization. Dan Barker does it through similar things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TrueFreedom Posted April 26, 2012 Moderator Share Posted April 26, 2012 I also appreciate what Brian Worley of exminister.org has been trying to do for decades: "Ex-minister is a unique brand of religious skepticism within a non-believing movement. What’s unique is that it genuinely respects and appreciates good religion knowing that society would miss it if it were gone. Skepticism shouldn’t be hostile towards religion. I entered the movement as a former minister. Although I no longer believed the creed, religion is much more than doctrines and dogmas; it’s a cultural phenomena and a way of life for the majority. Rather than fighting religion over metaphysics (study of existence) and epistemology (study of knowledge), I believe we ought to be focusing upon ethics (study of action) with an eye towards goodness. The common good is the intention of religion and secularism when properly focused; lets keep it that way. The dualism of secularism & religion should forge a better world; Ex-minister’s work is to keep them from foolishly dueling." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 He hasn't lost his public speaking skills. Gives off some pre-ripped Ricky Gervais vibes in a nice way. I love the idea of the Clergy Project. As more and more awareness of Christianity's flaws and failings comes into our consciousness, the clergy must be in a really vulnerable place both spiritually and economically. He reminds me of my first pentecostal pastor. He talks like him. Sometimes I wonder about him. I have a hard time believing that he still believes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 I also appreciate what Brian Worley of exminister.org has been trying to do for decades: "Ex-minister is a unique brand of religious skepticism within a non-believing movement. What’s unique is that it genuinely respects and appreciates good religion knowing that society would miss it if it were gone. Skepticism shouldn’t be hostile towards religion. I entered the movement as a former minister. Although I no longer believed the creed, religion is much more than doctrines and dogmas; it’s a cultural phenomena and a way of life for the majority. Rather than fighting religion over metaphysics (study of existence) and epistemology (study of knowledge), I believe we ought to be focusing upon ethics (study of action) with an eye towards goodness. The common good is the intention of religion and secularism when properly focused; lets keep it that way. The dualism of secularism & religion should forge a better world; Ex-minister’s work is to keep them from foolishly dueling." I looked at Ex-minister just now. I see him polarizing the situation with religion being the good guy and secularism being the bad guy. He uses terminology like "hardened secularism" versus "saintly thought values, ethics and morality." He makes it seem like religion is necessary to preserve what is good in society... I wrote a lot more but it seems rather off-topic for this thread so I started a new topic called Secularism Is Not The Bad Guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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