Consider the Possibilities
I think people are much more moderate than we would be led to believe by the media and other typical sources of information. As pointed out frequently by Atheist Revolution, it’s unsettling that we seem to have made a hard shift towards theocracy in the U.S lately particularly on the “right”. But even on the “left” there seems to be more than just a nod towards religion, as if neglecting that support would spell doom. I used to call myself a Republican (and a Baptist), but now I find that these types of labels are not only misleading, but are woefully indequate in describing my values and beliefs. Just because I was “born that way” doesn’t mean that it’s the way things really are.
Atheists are frequently characterized as having ZERO belief in a ”higher” power… by definition. I guess if I had to rate my degree of belief on a scale from 0 to 100 (0 = atheist, 100 = completely devout), I am currently around a 1. I reserve that last tick of uncertainty for the general wonder of the universe and the mechanism that brought it into existence (wow, huh?). What I reject completely is the notion of an active, personal deity that observes, responds, directs or cares about us mammals. So, does that make me more of an agnostic? That just seems to be a cop out… but am I “allowed” to be an atheist even though I can’t explain the origin of the universe? There is quite a bit to explore on this topic, and it may be that this blog is more for me than the rest of the world, but maybe it will be my catharsis.
As I sit writing this, listening to Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major shuffle in after Sara Bareilles “Love Song” on iTunes, enjoying my iced tea, thinking about where we are in human history, it makes me a little melancholy. Of the six billion of us wandering the planet now, the majority of us spend time paying homage to myths and superstition, and yet there are so many worthy pursuits outside of organized religion. Use your money to feed the hungry, not build garish mega-churches. Use your energy to do something for the people you love that makes them happy and builds stronger relationships. Use your time enriching your mind and body, not learning ancient, contradictory, bizarre stories about early man and his paranoias and primitive explanations of the world.
Get outside yourself and learn about the people that are around you, not just in your backyard or your place of worship… we have more in common than you think, and it’s not your “God”. Please don’t spend time trying to convince me that you know “the way”. I am not one to try to change anyone’s mind, but if you find that your mind is changing, then I’m glad you paused for a minute to a least consider the possibilities.
Great post and thanks for the link. I wish more people would stop to consider the possibilities. There certainly is a human tendency to surround ourselves with like-minded individuals and rarely stray outside our bubbles. I tend to think that part of our task while we are among the living involves making our own meaning and that whatever purpose we might find along the way is in the journey rather than the destination. Meaning probably lies more in the questions we ask rather than the answers.
Hey Consider,
answered you on bad-astronomy blog. Nice sentiments above. e-mail me if you wish — I’m an atheist. Score zero. The golden rule is one of my mottos. The main one however is the negative golden rule. Don’t do unto others as you would not want others to do unto you.
have a great 08, your friend forrest
Ah, the Golden Rule — my favorite. I’ll certainly be writing on that… far more powerful than the ten commandments — supercedes most of them in fact. I like the Negative Golden Rule. Very nice.
Hey Hugh,
Are you the store keeper here? If so I’ll keep my eyes on this blog;
if not, thanks for the compliment above.
vjack, if you’re still around, also nice sentiments above.
Many years ago, about the same time I became an atheist, I also decided to become a vegetarian– because I don’t think I need to take an animal life to keep my own, besides I think the diet is equally as healthy if not maybe more. No moral judgment as an atheist, only a personal choice. In fact I support religions around the world; there beliefs don’t mater much to me as long as they promote, and do good works/ deeds for all of humanity.
your friend forrest
That’s me… glad to have you aboard forrest. I’m just getting the hang of this blogging thing and haven’t even kicked off the training wheels yet.
It doesn’t bother me to eat animals… there are many days that I happen not to, but I find them delicious and nutritious. There seems to be quite a bit of interesting evidence for meat being the fuel for our large brains in an evolutionary sense.
Religion concerns me, not so much faith, but the religious practices of many that are counter to their own teachings. To truly envision a world free from religion… ah. Nirvana.
Hugh,
Nirvana it may be.
Sophisticated moral training (different perspectives of it) is not available in this country as classes until college and then it is only an elective. A primarily atheist society like China and maybe Russia, currently have classes in values of laws and social systems of morality. I think we would have to do a similar thing in the West some day, with alternative perspectives, to wean us off religion once we can make a good enough case for general science, cosmology, quantum theory, etc.(which they’re currently doing a poor job of). Evolution, I think, is the only one of the well-known theories that has lots of evidence to support it and makes logical sense that I support.
I believe there needs to be better laws, constitutional interpretations, or ammendments in this country as far as the separation of church and state, but it doesn’t seem like it will happen soon. Any religion that promotes good deeds throughout the world, other than just teaching their religion, however, can’t be too bad it would seem. It would be nice though if more people were sophisticated– but I don’t think in general in this country we’re headed in the right direction right now but it might change relatively quickly once better scientific perspectives/ theories become clearer in high school text books and a new generation starts thinking more clearly. Science must make sense to the common man or religion will be his alternative.
your friend forrest
i was just using google and i saw this post, i know its old but it loved it, its how i feel about everything, im a scientist and i can prove the universe, without the use of a god, but i try to have an open mind till it proves me wrong, sorry for my bad english, im a spanish speaker, and also ive been always atheist, we are all born that way, theres no christian, jewish, muslin kids, only children of relgious parents
EXCELLENT POST!
BYE
Thank you SO much for your feedback. Europeans seem to come into the world so much more enlightened. I have not read that post in a while… I like what I said, although my use of English could have been better.
I’m glad to know that people are still finding these articles and occasionally finding value in them. I feel a little more optimistic about the world right now. I see much more activity around non-belief and looking at the world more objectively. I saw an interview with Stephen Hawking last week and was thrilled to hear him be far more outspoken than in the past. The thesis of his new book is exactly what you said: we don’t need God to have a universe. I would argue that having God makes the universe worse all the way around… Sam Harris and others have written on that topic.
Thanks again, Maria. I think your English is excellent.