[imoldfella]

Go to church, what have you got to lose? With all its problems every church is filled with nice people and I guarantee with a few calls (probably 1) you will find someone that will pick you up and take you. No matter how rural you are, there is a church close by.

[atomical]

This can work up to a point. They are looking for something in return. Your belief, money, or both.

[doughj3]

The church may be looking for those things; the churchgoers, however, not so much.

[atomical]

Q: Would you like to become a member?

A: No thank you. I'm an atheist who is just here for the social interaction and community.

How does this end well?

[sigstoat]

life pro-tip: don't add superfluous details to answers that serve no purpose but to upset the questioner.

A: No, thanks.

will go over a lot better.

[DannyB2]

Better answer: Not right now. I'll pray about it and wait to hear from God.

[tripa]

I actually don't see why it shouldn't. As mentioned above, most churchgoers are nice people, and I can't conceive of anyone throwing the atheist out on grounds of “convert or leave”.

[astura]

That's pretty wishful (or perhaps naïve) thinking. A family member of mine literary hasn't spoken to me in over two decades because I told her I didn't believe in god when I was 12. She asked me out of nowhere, I said no, that was it, I was no longer to be in her life in any capacity. She also tries to meddle in my business telling other people I am not to be trusted because "you can only trust someone who fears god."

Its been my experience that most people who are devout enough to go to church are exactly the "convert or leave" type. Church is a very tribal place.

Not to mention that the type of people who want to spend their time doing church activities are people I find horrifically boring and have ZERO common ground with. May be less so if you're male.

[tripa]

> That's pretty wishful (or perhaps naïve) thinking. A family member of mine literary hasn't spoken to me in over two decades because I told her I didn't believe in god when I was 12. She asked me out of nowhere, I said no, that was it, I was no longer to be in her life in any capacity. She also tries to meddle in my business telling other people I am not to be trusted because "you can only trust someone who fears god."

I'm afraid I'm tempted to dismiss this as anecdote. This is one personal experience. That seems quite personal. That seems far more family-related than church-related.

> Its been my experience that most people who are devout enough to go to church are exactly the "convert or leave" type. Church is a very tribal place.

Not around here. Feels weird to "defend" it, I can't even remember when I actually last attended a service.

> Not to mention that the type of people who want to spend their time doing church activities are people I find horrifically boring and have ZERO common ground with.

Can we agree on the fact this has nothing to do with the initial controversy that churches would be unwelcoming to atheists? This only describes atheists' (well, yours, but you seem to intend to represent a global viewpoint) likely aversion to churches.

> May be less so if you're male.

I wish we didn't live in a world where this came up so often, but ok, now I'm this deep in the debate I will bite: what's this got to do with anything? Personal/local trivia or something deeper?

[Double_a_92]

In that case probably nothing of value was lost.

[lifeformed]

A good one would enthusiastically welcome people like that.

[montecarl]

I belong to one. My wife is a Christian and I am not. They do enthusiastically welcome me, which is consistent with what they should be doing in my opinion. Nobody pressures me to act in any way that I am uncomfortable with and rarely (only when I invite it) does anyone discuss my beliefs with me. I think that this church is unusual; they have a huge focus on being a "family". I would have never gone if not for my wife (it would be awkward), but it is very rewarding to me and I get to meet and befriend people who are very different from who I would meet otherwise (as a scientist/programmer type). It also provides many service opportunities and people to help.

[revscat]

Unitarian-Universalist churches have a lot of atheists.

[brightsize]

The minister at our local UU church IS an atheist.

http://uuspokane.org/WP2/staff/rev-dr-todd-eklof/