1/27/12

Atheist Temples

This looks like a tower in which you'd imprison a princess for 100 years, but it's supposed to be a temple to atheism--or more precisely, a temple to science and nature.  More about Alain de Botton's proposal here.  His new book, Religion for Atheists, says religion offers people many needed things, and atheists shouldn't give them up.  We need temples, special days on the calendar, networks that facilitate charity, etc. The leading "new" atheists seem to loathe him (here and here), but I think this is pretty much a matter of taste.  They don't like temples and special days on the calendar, but some of us godless folk do.  Here's de Botton talking about "Atheism 2.0" (the type with temples and holidays).

1 comment:

ianbargain said...

I thought temples to science and nature were called museums. Anyway, Alain - congrats on your upcoming templeton prize.