1 in 6 Clergy in Dutch Church Atheist or Agnostic

Short BBC interview with atheist reverend Klaas Hendrikse of the Protestant Church of the Netherlands (PKN)

Related BBC article of 5 August 2011:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14417362

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• klaas
• hendrikse
• christianity
• europe
• holland
• netherlands
• liberal
• progressive
• god
• metaphor
• atheist
• christian
• atheism
• figurative
• jesus
• myth
• socrates

[ZarlanTheGreen]

Oh man.

That guy has come up with a definition for the word god, that is completely divorced from any other definition.

He's essentially an atheist, just that he refuses to give up the word "god", so he uses it for something that any atheist would agree exists. Something that is neither supernatural, nor a being or a force.

Something that is utterly stupid and misleading to label as "god".

...

[doombow666]

Im proud to be Dutch and to live in a secular country

[spiritofbebella]

"It's all nonsense, really" is what he’s actually saying. Yet the man still remains part of some vague Christianity which he finds acutely embarrassing. The absurdity of this is truly Pythonesque - not content with novelty vicars we now have novelty Christianity, the modern play-school for adults. This is the folly of Protestantism where you make the rules up as you go along.

Religion is about faith. When one loses faith one becomes a Dutch pastor.

[DemonLDR]

@Tinomusampa It's the work of the beast? Don't talk rubbish. The guy just decided that he no longer believes in god. Yes, I think his belief is a requirment for his job, but for himself, it's a great thing that he's questioned the existance of god. This means he's finally thinking for himself.

If there were a 'beast', I'm sure he could come up with something better than converting the odd priest. A true beast would torture him and his family. Kinda like God would, but without the lying first

[DemonLDR]

@wimsweden Thats one of my main problems with religion. They constantly tell people that they must behave in a particular way, in order to be happy once they're dead. Children cannot contemplate this sort of this sort of thing, and have no way of showing their own anxieties regarding death. Teaching them to believe is cruel, and in many cases, it robs them of their childhood. Let them be kids, and teach them ABOUT belief when they're mature enough to make an informed decision of their own.

[wimsweden]

@DemonLDR

Fair enough. :-)

I have had some anxiety though about not only giving life to my children, but also death, i.e. having to grapple with an existence that will ultimately come to an end. I had a lot of sleepless nights as a kid thinking about ceasing to exist one day (I never really believed in an afterlife, I guess).

[DemonLDR]

@wimsweden I'm glad we now understand each other.

As for your question, I believe that a family should be honest with one an other. If he asks me why he is here, I will answer by telling him, that his mother and I wanted a baby. He never existed before we made him, so what other valid reason could they be? It's all about the wording, and honesty. There is othing wrong with wanting a child, but once that child is born, you have a duty. A duty which should be based around love and honesty.

[lianghaochen]

wtfzomexperiencebbq did that guy say? that was pure white noise.

[wimsweden]

@DemonLDR

"You're right, I should not have insulted you, so I apologise for that" Thanks.

"Everyone who chooses to have a (planned) baby, does it for selfish reasons." Then I misunderstood your previous comments. I though you were going from an "is" to an "ought".

Would you tell your children you had them for selfish reasons, though, if they asked you?