Church offers sanctuary for freethinkers

Mike Aus of Houston Oasis poses for a portrait at the Cullen Sculpture Garden, Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, in Houston. ( Michael Paulsen / Houston Chronicle ) Mike Aus of Houston Oasis poses for a portrait at the Cullen Sculpture Garden, Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, in Houston. ( Michael Paulsen / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Michael Paulsen, Staff Photo: Michael Paulsen, Staff Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Church offers sanctuary for freethinkers 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

What is a former pastor and church planter to do after publicly declaring that he's an atheist? Mike Aus started another church.

Aus, along with several other atheists, freethinkers and secular humanists in Houston, launched Houston Oasis, a community grounded in reason rather than revelation, celebrating the human experience as opposed to any deity. The first of these Sunday morning gatherings was held in early September and featured live music by local artists, personal testimonies, a message and time for fellowship.

Last May, Aus came out as an atheist on MSNBC's Chris Hayes show, saying that he'd long had doubts about his faith and beliefs, but never abandoned the idea that Christianity provided for basic human needs for support and community.

"Regardless of theological orientation, there is some kind of deeply ingrained basic human need for community," Aus said. "Homo sapiens are a tribal species that need support from others, that cannot be denied."

As Aus struggled with his beliefs and came to deny the existence of God, he initially found support from other ecclesiastics in the Clergy Project, an online fellowship for pastors and church leaders who now find their previously held beliefs untenable. After he officially left Christianity and the pastorate, Aus saw a need to start something new for people who wanted a community of care and common cause in which belief "is irrelevant," he said.

While Houston Oasis may look, sound and act like a traditional church, it is fundamentally different, reaching out to the growing population of religiously non-affiliated "nones" who are leaving established religion in droves.

According to a Pew Forum report released this month, one-in-five adults have no religious affiliation. Of these, there are some 13 million self-described atheists and agnostics, which is nearly 6 percent of the American population.

Still, the report said that these "nones" agree that religious organizations have positive effects on society, with nearly 8 in 10 unaffiliated adults saying they bring people together, strengthen community bonds and play important roles in society.

More Information Houston Oasis When: 10:30 a.m. Sundays Where: Norris Conference Center, 9990 Richmond (intersection of Richmond and Briarpark) Information: www.houstonoasis.org

Houston Oasis had 40 people at its first service and organizers say its audience is growing.

"We are a secular alternative to traditional churches, where people can find that same sense of community and involvement without requiring anyone to believe in supernatural concepts or entities," said Vic Wang, a member of Houston Oasis. "Instead, we talk about real-world principles based on reason, not tradition, and supported by evidence, not scripture or revelation."

Still, the project is not without its challenges and skeptics - even from other atheists. Anthony Pinn, professor at Rice University and outspoken African-American atheist, believes that while it is important to give people an opportunity like Houston Oasis, there are drawbacks to such an initiative.

"It mirrors what folks can get within religious communities," he said. "The challenge is to be truly distinctive from what we left. We need to be, and do, something that distinguishes us from our theistic counterparts."

Teresa MacBain, a fellow graduate of the Clergy Project who came out at the American Atheists national convention around the same time as Aus, thinks a congregation for non-believers and religious cynics can be confusing.

"Although I can't denounce the idea, I think it blurs the lines," MacBain said.

Knowing the diversity of the humanist populace, Aus expected some backlash on the project. He asked detractors to understand that Houston Oasis is filling one niche, and that he understands it is not a fix-all.

For her part, MacBain hopes the Oasis will fill a need for Houston's secular population, but she said, "being an atheist, I am naturally skeptical."

Read more of Ken Chitwood blog, Sacred Duty, at houstonbelief.com. Write to him at ken.chitwood@hotmail.com.