VOA常速英语2014--California Sunday Assembly Offers Church for Atheists 美国无神论者的团体活动

California Sunday Assembly Offers Church for Atheists 美国无神论者的团体活动

LOS ANGELES — Growing numbers of Americans have no religious affiliation 1. Some call themselves skeptics or atheists, and others say they are spiritual, not religious.  Now, some are getting involved in a movement called the Sunday Assembly, a sort of church for non-believers.

洛杉矶 — 在美国，越来越多的人不属于任何宗教。其中有些人自称无神论者或怀疑主义者。有些人说，他们有精神寄托，但是不信教。最近部分无神论者开始参与一个运动，称为“星期天聚会”。它有点像不信教的人们的教会。

There is inspirational music, a dramatic poetry reading, and a collection to pay for the rented hall.

这里有激昂的音乐，富有戏剧性的吟诗，还有为支付大厅租金的捐款活动。

The Sunday Assembly movement, which started in Britain last year, has come to Los Angeles, one Sunday each month.  

“星期天聚会运动”去年在英国开始。它已经传播到洛杉矶。每个月举办一次。

Amy Boyle helped set up the Los Angeles Assembly, which she says is godless.

“The organizers do not believe in a personal god, and we realize that most of the people attending do not," she said. "We do not spend a lot of time belaboring 2 that point. We feel like, if that is our starting point, then the next question is what do we do from here?”

安妮-博尔帮助组织洛杉矶的聚会。她说，这种活动不崇拜神灵。“组织者不信奉人格化的神。我们意识到，多数来聚会的人都不信神。我们并不特别强调这一点。我们觉得，不信神是我们的起点。下一个问题是，我们的目的地是哪里？”

Meeting other skeptics is part of the attraction of the once-a-month assembly, says Louise Monaco.

无神论者路易斯-莫纳科说，这个每月一次的聚会一个吸引人的地方是，你可以见到别的怀疑论者。

“Because a lot of people who are atheists and agnostics and skeptics and so forth 3 feel very isolated 4 in the mainstream 5 world, and it is difficult to find a community in which you can speak honestly and openly without expecting some degree of religious condemnation,” she said.

莫纳科说：“在主流世界中，无神论者，不可知论者，怀疑主义者等等这些人感到很孤独。他们很难找到一个社区，可以公开诚实的和别人交流。”

Instead of a Sunday sermon, a visiting professor of secular 6 studies highlights the blessings 7 of disbelief. The Pew Research Center says one in five Americans has no religious affiliation - and one third of those under the age of 30. Professor Phil Zuckerman says many have no need for Sunday meetings.

这位研究非宗教社区的教授凸显了聚会的优点。

皮尤调查中心说，美国人口的五分之一，30岁以下人口的3分之一都不属于任何宗教。非宗教社区研究者菲尔-祖克曼教授说，很多人需要星期天聚会。

“But there is a percentage of people who have walked away from religion who still crave 8 the things that religion provides, other than the supernatural beliefs - like community, things for kids, moral and ethical 9 engagement with the wider community out there, causes for social justice, music,” he said.

他说：“占一定比例的人离弃了宗教。但是他们怀念宗教提供的一些东西。他们怀念的不是超自然的信仰。而是社区感，儿童活动，道德和操守方面的参与，社会正义，还有音乐。”

Members have the chance to volunteer with charities. Some help children with their studies at an inner city housing project.

参加星期天聚会的人可以志愿从事地方慈善活动。有些人在这个住房项目帮助儿童学习。

Organizer Ian Dodd says members of this movement see some value in religion.

“It has been said before, but we are trying to take the best bits of organized religion and just jettison 10 the part that does not work for us.  In a way, we are trying to keep the bathwater while we throw out the baby Jesus,” he said.

组织人伊安-多德说，活动参与者也看到宗教的一些价值。他说：“以前也有人讲过。我们尝试保留宗教组织的精华，扬弃对我们不适用的糟粕。我们把耶稣婴儿抛掉，但是保留洗澡水。”

And create congregations for growing numbers of non-believers.

星期天聚会在为日益增多的无神论者创造集聚活动的场所。