I'd say particularly if you're an atheist. I've always been atheist, but fascinated by churches and religions regardless, because no matter what you believe, it's hard to refuse the proof that the ideas themselves are powerful and helps people a lot of the times. Why is that? Best way to find out is to talk and engage with those who have these different ideas, probably where they are the most comfortable.

Doesn't mean you need to forget all the horrible impact it has had too, and how much better humanity would probably be without it, or even continue thinking about ideas how we could finally get rid of it once and for all, without violence.

Also, probably different in different parts of the world, but in many places churches are just purely architecturally/visually beautiful and historically interesting buildings. Some of them have really interesting acoustics too, and organs. Many interesting stuff at churches :)

It's not even just an atheist issue. You have to have spiritual beliefs that values the specific repetitive churche rituals so as not to be bored out of your mind.

Surprised to see this comment strike a nerve with the HN crowd. That was my first thought as well. Religious organizations? No thanks.

If you agree with the entire comment, except just that line, do you upvote or not? I think maybe that's why :) If that line was the only thing in the comment, the reaction would probably have been different.

Well that’s part of the problem. secularism didn’t make an alternative.

Start an atheist club.

Or join some community.

Join a hackerspace I suppose. Technology is a religion anyway.

I always said science is kind of like a religion in a way. Wonder if that's closer or further from some truth than "technology". Interesting perspective nonetheless.

   if [ atheist ] then
      's/joins a religious org/join a service org/'

Similar 'bible studies' => 'torah studies' or 'quran studies' if you're Jewish or Muslim. Just ask if you're unsure of the details.

The great thing about the comment you're replying to is that it has a list of suggestions. So you've got two options: you can get angry that one of them doesn't cater to you, or you could skip that one and look at the others that do.

For what it’s worth, I wasn’t angry.