You might be surpised to find that this particular atheist doesn’t mind his worldview being referred to as a “religion” overmuch. Of course, there is no worship element and consciousness is solely correlated with physical offal so there’s no “Big Personality” or afterlife (or beforelife, for that matter), but there is every bit as much uplifting joy and awesome wonder to be experienced, and science perhaps provides a (falisifiable and flexible) “text” we can all agree on.
We wake up in this prison (albeit a beautiful planet of a prison) and must choose an explanation for our situation: that is all any religion is, at heart. I have never found any attempt to paint atheism or physicalism as some kind of “default” belief at all convincing since they appear to drown in the quicksand of metaphysics (which physicalism denies!). The explanation which my offal outputs as its “decision” is that dualisms are, ultimately, arbitrary absurdities: either everything is physical or everything is metaphysical - believing in both receives a serious mauling from Ocham’s Razor.
And so I believe in the physical. I believe that I am the most incredible thing in an incredible universe. I am a pattern of ever-changing atoms which somehow has the ability to think. Nothing like me existed for 12 billion years. I am borne of supernovae, I am Made of Stars. Every piece of sensory input I receive has an inexplicable quantum effect on the universe - I am the universe’s way of observing itself. I am vastly more wealthy than almost anyone who has ever lived, or is alive now. I need not fear the diseases, famines or wars which have killed and still kill billions of people. Refreshing potable water is, literally, on tap, and via this very device I am using to communicate with you, halfway around the planet whose most beautiful sights I could visit within hours, I have access to all the knowledge, art and thoughts of the finest minds and most creative geniuses in history.
My life is a wonder; I will live my life in wonder, and wish every bit of that wonder upon others who hold different beliefs.
Heh heh, alas! Another word which has been cruelly misappropriated by history. No Marxist I (actually a Popperian-utilitarian social democrat with anarchist ideals), but what term better expresses that we are all in this together?
For the answer to the question “what if there is a God… and He’s evil?” you have to read the story “God of our Fathers” by Phillip K. Dick in Harlan Ellison’s collection Dangerous Visions. It’s the weirdest, creepiest story in a collection of exceptionally weird, creepy stories.
My take on how to deal with God (should God exist at all, which is not a given) is this:
They say God is just.
They also say that, depending on right or wrong actions or beliefs, you will spend an eternity in paradise or perdition.
You have a finite life.
Any finite number divided by an infinite number is zero. Any finite lifespan is literally nothing compared to infinite punishment or reward.
Deciding reward or punishment based on nothing is arbitrary.
One cannot be simultaneously just and arbitrary.
So either God is just, and Heaven and Hell are a crock, or God is arbitrary, and you have no control over what happens to you.
Either way, there’s no point in worrying about it. You either get what you deserve, which you probably don’t need to be afraid of if you’re being a good doobee, or the afterlife is God’s whim, and your behavior is irrelevant.
Not surprised at all, since I agree. However, I was vaguely worried afterward that you might object to that formulation for the reason you state. Or that you would assume that was my intention. Both of which couldn’t have been further from the truth.
Anyway, I couldn’t agree more with your post and couldn’t have put it nearly so beautifully myself. Thanks again!
Thats assuming the god your culture believes in has a permanent heaven and hell. Hindu culture doesn’t have heaven or hell. I’m pretty sure Zorastarian hell only lasts for 3 days instead of eternity.
This one: Animals make moral decisions The author of that page concludes that since animals can make moral decisions, it is not appropriate to eat them, but his opinions do not change the fact.
This link has been posted before in one of Lekkat’s NDE threads.