LOS ANGELES (AP) – It looked like a typical Sunday morning at any mega-church on Nov. 10. The only thing missing was God.
Nearly 36 gatherings, dubbed “atheist mega-churches” by supporters and detractors, have sprung up around the U.S. and Australia, also finding success in Great Britain earlier this year.
The Nov. 10 inaugural Sunday Assembly in Los Angeles attracted several hundred people, including families with small children, for more than an hour of rousing music, an inspirational talk and some quiet reflection, bound by their belief in non-belief.
Similar gatherings in San Diego, Nashville, New York and other U.S. cities have drawn hundreds of atheists seeking the camaraderie of a congregation without religion or ritual.
