Where I’m going to attempt to explain LOTU, the religion for atheists. Check it out. LOTU podcast #1.

I’ve put up a new post on the LOTU blog about why the scientific method is the best way to work out how the world really works. This is for my friends and family who don’t get it.

6 residents showed up for the church of LOTU first meeting in SL » VTOR – Virtual TO Reality

Tdavid came to TPN HQ looking for LOTU and discovered porn! He asks on his blog is there is some connection between LOTU and porn. I did know there were porn channels on the TV unit I bought (part of the package) but I didn’t know someone had turned them on. No connection between porn and lotu but I can tell you that lotu has nothing against sex between consulting consenting adults or pornography made by consulting consenting adults. As long as human rights aren’t being violated, lotu is happy with porn.

Tags: lotu, second life

As you many have noticed, I recently launched a new religion which I’m calling “LOTU”, the Laws Of The Universe. If you missed that news, read this. On January 11, 2007, I held the very first church meeting of LOTU. As befits a 21st century religion, I held it in Second Life at TPN HQ. It wasn’t a huge turnout – about 6 people joined me for the session you hear recorded on this podcast and then another 6 or 7 people turned up later on, and we discussed LOTU into the evening.

To join the LOTU Facebook group (where you’ll be notified of upcoming meetings, etc), go here.
To join the LOTU discussion group, go here.

Stick Figures
“Stretch The Truth” (mp3)
from “Future Classic Exclusives Vol 1″
(Future Classic)

Buy at Inertia Distribution (Australia)
Buy at Amazon
More On This Album

Become part of the G’Day World conversation.

TPN now has a HQ in Second Life! Add “Cameron Switchblade” to your friends (that’s me). I’d be happy to show you around and help you find your SL legs.

If you’re a member of Facebook, you can ADD ME AS A FRIEND and then ADD YOURSELF TO THE G’DAY WORLD GROUP.

You can show your love by buying me stuff from my Amazon wish list.

You might DIGG the show.

Get the TPN version of Particls.

Don’t forget to make use of my new comments line – +613 9016 9699.

You can now buy transcripts of this podcast from Pods In Print.

If you enjoyed this podcast, make sure you don’t miss future episodes by subscribing to our feed and leave us a voice comment!

• Subscribe to TPN::G’day World by Email
• If you use iTunes, click here.
• If you use another aggregator, grab our RSS feed here.
• If you don’t know what I’m talking about, read this description in Wikipedia.

Want to have a front row seat for the start of a new religion? In a thousand years, do you want them to be writing your name in the histories?

Well tonight is your chance. I’m holding the first ever church service for LOTU. As befitting a 21st century religion, the meeting will be held in Second Life at TPN’s virtual HQ. Starting 9pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time.

As you know, over the last year I’ve been working on a book about religion. During this time, while I’ve been debating the subject with people on the show and in person, one of the common arguments I’ve heard for keeping religion is “people need something to believe in”. I used to scoff at this statement. I certainly don’t feel that need. I’m happy with my own assessments of what’s right, what’s wrong, what is true and what is false. However, it struck me recently that perhaps other people aren’t like me. Perhaps they do need help figuring answers to the big questions. Perhaps they would like a place to gather on a regular basis with like-minded people to discuss the subjects of life, the universe and everything. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons religion continues to survive in the 21st century.

Atheism doesn’t have such a place. As an atheist, I don’t have a place where I can gather with other atheists to discuss “the big questions”. And, while this isn’t a problem for me, I got to thinking that perhaps it might be a hurdle for the new atheists, the people who are reading Dawkins and Hitchens and are preparing themselves to let go of superstition and mythology to embrace critical thinking and logic.

Scientific literature, and working scientists, rarely seem to attempt to play the role of answering the big questions either. There are exceptions, such as Carl Sagan, but these are truly the exceptions to the rule. Scientists provide us with the best information they have about how it all works and they leave it up to us to decide what that means to our individual lives.

So… I’ve decided to start a new religion which I’m calling

THE CHURCH OF LOTU.

“LOTU” stands for the “Laws Of The Universe”. The idea is that this religion, this church, will be fully based in science and critical thinking. It will not worship any mythological deity but will respect, and try to interpret, the laws of the universe as delivered to us by the latest scientific research. LOTU will also endorse the United Nations Charter on Human Rights. Unlike every other religion on the planet today, LOTU will not condemn people who do not agree with us to an eternity of torture and vilification. LOTU doesn’t care what you believe. LOTU respects your right to believe whatever makes you feel good. We may disagree with you. We may debate you vigorously. We may even chide you for believing in bronze age mythologies in the 21st century. We will also, however, fight for your right to believe whatever you want.

Yes, I know that the words “religion” and “church” seem to be incongruent with atheism but they need not. Wikipedia define ‘religion’ as:

“A religion is a set of common beliefs and practices generally held by a group of people, often codified as prayer, ritual, and religious law. Religion also encompasses ancestral or cultural traditions, writings, history, and mythology, as well as personal faith and mystic experience. The term “religion” refers to both the personal practices related to communal faith and to group rituals and communication stemming from shared conviction.”

LOTU may well have all of those things. Note there is no mention of a supernatural deity in that description.

Wikipedia defines ‘church’ as:

“A church is an association of people with a common belief system, especially one that is based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.”

LOTU is definitely the first but also, obviously, NOT the second. Christians have always been fond of stealing ideas from older traditions (Easter, Christians, monotheism… hell, even the Jesus story is a rip-off of Mithra), so I feel quite comfortable stealing one of their words.

At the moment, I’m working on writing the “scripture” for LOTU but, as I’ve leaked word of it to a few people over the last week, I thought I should throw the doors open and let those of you who wish to join me in the creation of the first new religion for the 21st century. This is Religion 2.0.

To start with, I’ve created a Facebook group (I know, BOO! HISS!) for us to discuss the idea. I hope a few of you will join me.