Christians getting inside atheist groups. What is Metroplex Atheists(?). Update.
There is a group specifically targeting atheists and it seems atheist groups.
Subscriptions are free.
Alert atheists and atheist groups about this effort by sharing.
Stumbled across this in our local Metroplex Atheist(?) group.
This appeared in my Facebook feed I was trying to find out how I got this item.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1799968767171793/
Then I noticed that one of the sponsors of this even was Metroplext Atheists. See RED ARROW.
It is an Event of The ATheist & Chrisitan Book Club who are “Respectfully Discussing Books from Both Perspectives,” and at this time with “Christian Philosopher Dr. Douglas Groothuis.” The reality is that it is an Evangelical Christian effort.
So I decided that I have better do some investigation, and what I found was an effort that is a clear and stealth danger for atheists and atheist groups.
I am going to give the background info, and then talk about how Metroplex Atheists (?) is going about this event.
Also from the above event page.
Then I found these videos by The Atheist & Christian Book Club and Metroplext Atheists.
In the text below the video is the following with their URLs.
182 views Jan 15, 2024
Our January meeting features author, theoretical chemist, and Christian, Dr. Neil Shenvi discussing his book Why Believe? The Atheist & Christian Book Club is a production of Watchman Fellowship, Inc.
https://www.watchman.org
in conjunction with the Metroplex Atheists of DFW
https://www.metroplexatheists.org
There are several other YouTube videos where Metroplex Atheists is listed, but not all of the videos mention them.
https://www.youtube.com/@atheistchristianbookclub2386/videos
NOTE: In the following video it is the Metroplex Atheists and the Watchman Fellowship listed.
The Atheist & Christian Book Club.
By the way, except for social media, all thinks are saved at the Internet Archive.
Their links
From this Facebook groun you might think it is just a discussion club.
https://www.facebook.com/AtheistChristianBookClub
The address given is in Arlington, Texas. Supposedly it was co-founded with an atheist Bill Kluck.
You can donate to them, the link on their Facebook page leads straight to donating to an Evangelical Group. The Atheist & Christian Book Club is part of their “ministry.”
https://www.watchman.org/store/donations/atheist-christian-book-club-donation
They have this web page.
https://atheistchristianbookclub.com/
However, when you click on the link for the sponsor you get this. Which is an Evangelical Christian website and you are told the following:
Atheist & Christian Book Club is an outreach of Watchman Fellowship promoting respectful dialogue between Christians and skeptics about God.
Want to Join the Club? You can LEARN MORE or RSVP HERE.
The following is from their About Us web page.
Watchman Fellowship is an independent Christian research and apologetics ministry focusing on new religious movements, cults, the occult and the New Age.
David Henke founded Watchman Fellowship in Columbus, Georgia in 1979. Today, Watchman Fellowship has grown to several offices in the United States.
https://www.watchman.org/about-us/
They have these resources to convert atheists to Christianity. It seems it is under development.
https://www.watchman.org/store/atheism/
You can purchase the video “The Atheist Delusion” at this page.
https://www.watchman.org/store/atheism/videos8909/
Their Facebook page has been inactive it seems from 2019.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Watchman-Fellowship/120392148045568
From the Internet Archive we find that they are more upfront as to their purpose.
The topic is “There is a God,” with a book by Antony Flew and about “How the world’s most notorious atheist changed his mind.”
https://web.archive.org/web/20180124064053/http:/atheistchristianbookclub.com/next-meeting
They have an Index of Cults and Religions.
https://www.watchman.org/index-of-cults-and-religions/
They don’t specifically make it clear why it is on the list, whether it is a cult or a relgion, which tends to imply maybe it is a cult.
To get on the list, which is really long, it seems you just have to not be Christian.
Buddhism: World religion based on the spiritual teachings of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha. There are a number of versions or sects of Buddhism generally teaching paths to Nirvana (enlightenment or bliss) though the four noble truths (recognizing existence and source of suffering) and the eightfold path (correct understanding, behavior and meditation). Some variations of Buddhism include traditional Theravada schools of India, Mahayana Buddhism, which became very popular in China and Japan, and Tibetan Buddhism (Lamaism) in Tibet. Two more recent forms that have had great influence in America are Zen and Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism.
This is their entry for American Atheists, Inc.
American Atheists, Inc., Madalyn Murray-O'Hair, Austin, TX: Advocates strict separation of church and state, and actively opposes Christian influence on society. O'Hair and two children disappeared in 1994 with a sizeable portion of the organization's assets. It is now believed they were murdered. Publishes American Atheist magazine.
Atheism in general is listed also.
Atheism: The assertion, to be taken on faith, that there is no God. Some atheists, such as Madalyn Murray-O'Hair, have fought to prevent any recognition of God in public life. See American Atheists, Inc.
Metroplex Atheists(?) and this event.
They have this webpage.
https://www.metroplexatheists.org/
Facebook group.
https://www.facebook.com/MetroplexAtheists
https://www.facebook.com/MetroplexAtheists/upcoming_hosted_events
What is happening here?
It could be that Metroplext Atheists are fairly foolish. However, last time I was talking to them I felt that something was off about them. I find it hard to believe that they don’t understand what the agenda of The watchman is.
I think what the agenda of The Watchmen Fellowship is very clear. They are out to evangelize atheists to convert to Christianity. Given that there are atheists who are ex-fundamantalists and are conflicted in their atheism they are likely successful in recruiting atheists back into Christianity.
There is a thing among atheist to debate endlessly atheism with Christians. This group has figured out that is a way into atheist groups. It is simply stupid and irresponsible to enable their agenda. Though the person doing this might say they aren’t susceptible, someone else might be, and The Watchman Fellowship wouldn’t be putting all this effort into it if they weren’t successful.
UPDATE: The Watchman group is going to exploit their association with the Metroplex Atheists(?) to give them some type of credibility when they approach other groups and individual atheists. The Metroplex Atheists(?) by their reckless actions endangers the entire atheist community.
No atheist group should work with them and if there is an “atheist” group working with them, the atheist community should be alerted.
Alert other atheists groups and individuals, please share this post.