Editor AVA May 16, 2005
I want to express how much I appreciate the AVA, particularly for publishing discourse concerning religion.
It has been my belief that religion is the bane of humankind, and that the idea of heaven has created a hell on earth. Once we evolved an ego, the inability to accept death has been the primary reason our species created a God or Goddess (in our own image, of course), that would have the power to control the unknown. It has been an incredibly useful tool of preachers and politicians to control society.
I will always remember Arthur C. Clark’s book, The Fountains of Paradise. It tells the story of human’s first contact with an artifact from an alien culture; a solar powered satellite that receives and sends radio signals. The world holds its breath for the first broadcast from the alien computer onboard the satellite. After listening to all the human broadcasts for three months it responds with a question…“Unable to decipher difference between Beatle mania, Football and Religion. Please Explain.”
Thanks again for the anti-religious refrain. It gets very scary when you know you are in a very small minority. We need much more discussion on the freedom from religion.
Karen Leonard
September 2, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Thanks, Karen. I hope the AVA appreciates your support.
I’ve been looking for clarity on a basic feeling I’ve had for a long time; that the fear of death of which you speak has a flip side-the rightful use of consciousness.
For me there is a possibility that exists because of our ability to think and intellectually progress (or not), and I wonder if this translates to the “free will” issue as religious folks understand it.
Yes, I fear physical death, but each moment in my life is much more controlled by my fear of living an unfulfilled life.
I think we are wasting the opportunity (mission?) of our species, whether we call that opportunity God’s creation or the possibilty of humankind, and I bemoan anyone who is a literalist, either as a religious fanatic or a spiritually devoid physical scientist.
As for being religious myself, I’m far too busy trying to be closer to God to indulge myself in such a narrow and self-serving enterprise.
September 2, 2007 at 10:59 pm
First, let me say I love your “handle”, noahlusions.
You have brought up an interesting idea/conflict. I think one of the travasties of a belief in an afterlife is that instead of living as fully and consciously as you can, religion drives you out of the present with the goal not being in the Now-but in the afterlife. Thus, consciousness almost becomes the enemy if it means accepting anything outside the “box” of beliefs that will get you to heaven. Thus the freedom to kill or greatly inhibit others who have a different box than you do. And even more unfathomable, the worship of the “unconscious” , as being “innocent” and therefore more worthy. Such as the rather aggressive religious movement to protect the unborn and people in comas.
September 4, 2007 at 7:04 am
I love that phrase, “a different box.” It’s so apt; can I steal it?
How hard is it to allow all these boxes to coexist?
It’s like raising children; no matter what you do, no matter who you are being, they grow up to be themselves and by that fact you are intrinsically on the outside (in a different box). My kids simply call me weird, and I strain to figure out a way to erase the weirdness quotient. But I know it ain’t never gonna happen. I guess the best I could hope for is to allow my weirdness to be…easier said than done.
But, if I could do that, maybe I could let other people be and stop judging them, and let all these different boxes coexist. Hmmm…nah.
September 4, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Perhaps the phrase ” in a cage” might be more appropriate. Phillip Wylie said; ” we make a prison of our own minds, we are convicted by our own convictions”.
But you are right- the only way to bring about equality without conformity is to create a government that not only protects freedom to believe in flying-purple-people-eaters, but also - and equally important- prevents any form of belief becoming Institutionalized. No swearing in on the bible for any legal matter, prohibitions on mentioning God while in public service. Remove the “one nation under God” from our pledge of a Allegiance. I think that is a necessary start if we are to pretend we are the nation of the Free.
November 8, 2007 at 5:36 am
My mom and I have had many discussions on this subject. As I grow older, and hopefully wiser, I find that what I believe in and what I disbelieve in, change. If you were to ask me if I believed in god when I was 10, I would have said yes to you, even though I really didn’t. As a child growing up in a Presbyterian church, I had this uncomfortable feeling in the back of my mind. I had no idea what it meant or why it was there. At this age one does not know how to listen/understand that little voice in your head.
If you were to ask me if I believed in God at 20, I would have told you yes and no, or that I was agnostic. Most people do not know what an agnostic is. At this time in my life I would still go to church with my grandmother occasionally, but by this time that little uncomfortable feeling in the back of my mind had spread to my entire body. I found myself crawling in my own skin for the entire hour or so. I just couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there. As a young adult I could hear that little voice in my head, but I was too arrogant to listen. I think that most people in their mid-teens to mid-twenties make the decision to BELIEVE or NOT to believe. This is what I have observed in my friends and family. I found myself being envious and sort of lost, feeling left out. I was told by my religious friends and family that I felt this way because I would not except the savior in my heart. They took it upon themselves to show me the way. No matter how hard they tried, that voice in my head would not go away. I tried to ignore it, but I could not. I tried to suppress it, it just got stronger. I was “SAVED” on one occasion by my grandparents ( which really reinforced my inner voice). I married a “good Christian” woman who turned out to be very immoral. There have been many occasions that were meant to show me the way . All of those occasions did show me a lot, just not the things that were intended by others.
Now that I am in my Thirties I will tell you quickly and with confidence; NO, I do not believe in god. I now listen to that inner voice and find that it tells me that I am my own person and that I have faith in myself. I don’t need to believe in something (god) to feel safe. I do not fear death, I know that I will die some day. I know that after I die that I will no longer exist. I am fine with that. What I care about is how my family and my children will remember me. This is the reason that I live my life morally and try to be a good person. Not because the bible tells me I will be rewarded after death. I will not live my life in fear of hell or heaven. The cost of that prize is just too high for me.