I wrote this on a forum a while back, and when I reread it after so long, I figured it was one of my better pieces of writing that reflects well on my viewpoints pertaining to religion. Take note that this is pretty much a rant, but I still think along these lines. I think if anything the "anger" of the writing was more or less due to the frustration I had with a member of that particular board, as all he would do was quote the bible. It was like the guy couldn't independently think for himself. Anyway, without further ado here's the post.
"The Post"
I think the fundamental problem is that for many people, they need to have some concept that there is a "Reason" for things happening in the world. They want to know "Why" we are here, are what our purpose is. "Why" did grandpa have to die, "Why" do evil things happen, "What" happens after we die?
As far as I'm concerned, these questions are completely irrelevant. Someone once asked me after a friend of mine was killed in a car accident, why they had to die. I simply replied that probability dictated that some poor person's time was up.
I mean statistically speaking, all of us will die. It's just a matter of when, and how(shit even if you could be truly immortal, at some point entropy dictates the breakdown of the universe, by the second law of thermodynamics). Reasons have nothing to do with it. Choices do.
Nature is not driven by some sort of "moral" force, but it simply follows a set of rules as defined by physics, and from there we make our choices. Do I have enough time to pull out in this intersection before the oncoming car approaches? Did I see said car? It's situations like these that largely dictate what the odds of our continuing existence are. You make better choices in life, and in the long haul, your prospects of a long life are improved, BUT they are not guaranteed. Chance is always a factor, and on any given day anyone of us, could make that critical error and thus end our existence.
My thoughts are the same with the aspects on the afterlife. People want to believe that death is not the be-all end all, but I figure it is, or at least I'm assuming it is(I really want to die, and end up in an awesome orgy for all of eternity, but seriously I'm not holding my breath). Honestly, I figure if people lived with the outlook that this existence was the only one they'd ever have, then I'm certain many things we experience such as wars, violence, etc, would not happen with the frequency that they do now. I live as though this is my last day, and as frightening as non-existence can be for a lot of people, I look at death as being a required process for the continuance of all life. If people didn't think that they'd get 72 virgins upon dying, then I'm quite sure that they'd be as willing to die for a cause.
Thirdly, I would not be against religion, if it was legislated that religions were not allowed to actively try to convert young people. People need to decide for themselves on the subject of spirituality, not be brainwashed as children into believing something. Deciding on one's outlook on life should be something that is an act of self-discovery, not one that is forced down the throats of children.
Lastly, as far as atheism is concerned, the fundamental logical flaw is in it's ignoring of a possible albeit infinitely unlikely higher power(or really the assumption of any absolute truth outside of mathematics). Even though it goes against my every instinct with my scientific understanding of physics, it is never the less possible. However, my view is that until a higher power shows itself(as in PROVES its existence conclusively) then my practical views align closely with atheism.
The problem comes down to faith, which is what I find to be illogical. Faith essentially requires the invalidation of rationality, which is why I find atheism flawed, because to disprove the existence of anything, you need to have proof. Without proof you have faith. With faith you have a religion.
"The Post"
I think the fundamental problem is that for many people, they need to have some concept that there is a "Reason" for things happening in the world. They want to know "Why" we are here, are what our purpose is. "Why" did grandpa have to die, "Why" do evil things happen, "What" happens after we die?
As far as I'm concerned, these questions are completely irrelevant. Someone once asked me after a friend of mine was killed in a car accident, why they had to die. I simply replied that probability dictated that some poor person's time was up.
I mean statistically speaking, all of us will die. It's just a matter of when, and how(shit even if you could be truly immortal, at some point entropy dictates the breakdown of the universe, by the second law of thermodynamics). Reasons have nothing to do with it. Choices do.
Nature is not driven by some sort of "moral" force, but it simply follows a set of rules as defined by physics, and from there we make our choices. Do I have enough time to pull out in this intersection before the oncoming car approaches? Did I see said car? It's situations like these that largely dictate what the odds of our continuing existence are. You make better choices in life, and in the long haul, your prospects of a long life are improved, BUT they are not guaranteed. Chance is always a factor, and on any given day anyone of us, could make that critical error and thus end our existence.
My thoughts are the same with the aspects on the afterlife. People want to believe that death is not the be-all end all, but I figure it is, or at least I'm assuming it is(I really want to die, and end up in an awesome orgy for all of eternity, but seriously I'm not holding my breath). Honestly, I figure if people lived with the outlook that this existence was the only one they'd ever have, then I'm certain many things we experience such as wars, violence, etc, would not happen with the frequency that they do now. I live as though this is my last day, and as frightening as non-existence can be for a lot of people, I look at death as being a required process for the continuance of all life. If people didn't think that they'd get 72 virgins upon dying, then I'm quite sure that they'd be as willing to die for a cause.
Thirdly, I would not be against religion, if it was legislated that religions were not allowed to actively try to convert young people. People need to decide for themselves on the subject of spirituality, not be brainwashed as children into believing something. Deciding on one's outlook on life should be something that is an act of self-discovery, not one that is forced down the throats of children.
Lastly, as far as atheism is concerned, the fundamental logical flaw is in it's ignoring of a possible albeit infinitely unlikely higher power(or really the assumption of any absolute truth outside of mathematics). Even though it goes against my every instinct with my scientific understanding of physics, it is never the less possible. However, my view is that until a higher power shows itself(as in PROVES its existence conclusively) then my practical views align closely with atheism.
The problem comes down to faith, which is what I find to be illogical. Faith essentially requires the invalidation of rationality, which is why I find atheism flawed, because to disprove the existence of anything, you need to have proof. Without proof you have faith. With faith you have a religion.