I wish there were an Atheist Learning Center near the holy ground zero

[Philosoraptor]

I think a little education about non-belief might be a good thing in this world that is so full of religious extremists who would kill you because you worship a different way than they do.

I can dream can't I?

[LAGC]

1. Hear, hear.

A little less religion in the world would go a long way towards healing.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. Anybody stoping you?

[Fumesucker]

3. The thing that atheist congregations lack..

Beyond a catechism, dogma, congregation and so forth is a collection plate.

There's a church on practically every other street corner in my little red state hell, despite living in this community for twenty years now I have not the slightest idea where I might go in order to specifically meet with fellow atheists.

Atheists make Democrats look like a school of herring when it comes to being difficult to herd.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. As an atheist myself, I can't imagine why I'd want to organize.

If I wanted the whole social scene, community centers and shit, I'd join a church.

[Fumesucker]

13. I think that was my point..

Atheism is as much an organizing principle as not collecting stamps is an organizing principle.

On the other hand being around large numbers of theists in full-on worship mode gives me a mild case of the heebie-jeebies so I wouldn't join a church to get the community center, etc..

That leaves a remarkable paucity of options here in southeast Jesustan.

[Ezlivin]

4. The entire universe is an Atheist Learning Center

It's those who believe in invisible super friends that need ticky-tacky "houses of worship."

Let 'em have a few square meters of ground; we've got parsecs of space.

[LAGC]

5. I wonder if Richard Dawkins could organize a fund raiser like he did for Haiti relief.

Get a bunch of atheists to donate and buy up land RIGHT across from ground zero (not 2 whole city blocks away like the proposed Muslim center), even better: erect it right where St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church used to be before it was demolished by the collapsed trade center buildings.

Wouldn't that be sweet justice?

[Ignis]

6. Not exactly, but these might be considered close:

http://www.shsny.org/
http://www.centerforinquiry.net/nyc

A few rounds of funding, and they might be able to set up shop nearby. :D

[Matariki]

7. The issues are far more complex than religious extremism.

That's the easy answer to what motivates anger in the middle east. US foreign policy holds more accurate answers.

It's simplistic to think that everything would be peachy if everyone ditched religion and/or embraced a particular religion.

[customerserviceguy]

8. Will the strip joints do?

Just kidding, but I know what you mean. Religion is a proximate cause of what happened on 9/11.

[coffeenap]

9. Is there a public school nearby?

There ya go! :)

[aquart]

10. Ground Zero is no more holy than any other cemetery.

[Old Troop]

12. Start one.

[TayTay]

14. Does the Stock Market count?

[mike r]

15. We also need a place for John Travolta & Tom Cruise to worship

Is there a Religious Technology Center there?

[tnlefty]

16. Heh, heh...

yes, you can dream and I will join you in that dream.

[The Straight Story]

17. Hell, people will kill you for any number of reasons - but religion is an easy scapegoat

or are you saying the only people in history who killed folks did so for religious reasons?

I would tend to think it was, and still is, over money and power - which has nothing to do with beliefs but with greed.

Those who worship money have done a lot more harm than anyone else.

[MineralMan]

18. Nothing to stop you from building one. Go for it.

Start raising funds. You can count on me for a small donation...all I can afford just now.

[Philosoraptor]

20. I assume it would be bombed and burned down within a week.

[TheKentuckian]

19. Fine by me, the absence of religion is covered by free expression

[guardian]

21. So start one.

or contribute some money to someone who will.