"A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."
--Albert Einstein
"Faith is a cop-out. It is intellectual bankruptcy. If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can't be taken on its own merits."
--Dan Barker, former evangelist, author, critic
It is a lamentable pity that one of the greatest scientific minds to have influenced the world and cultural direction would be so uninformed, or if informed, so misunderstanding, confused or perhaps just ignorant of what exactly is religion. It may be true that no religious basis is necessary to dictate ethical behavior, but why? Without religion who is there to say that this is good and that is bad; have sympathy for this person, but not for that, etc. Perhaps education or social ties? Yet who determines which education? which social ties? Perhaps we might entreat Mr. Einstein to ponder an ethical world based on nazi education or mafia social ties. What I am sure Mr. Einstein intends is that ethical behavior be based on putting oneself in the shoes of others, what might be called a moral education, brotherly social ties... all concepts taught explicitly in Christianity and yet even non-Christians recognize as good and wholesome. Perhaps it might then be reasoned that the innate goodness of God is innately in man and that is the true nature of religion. An extremely naive view of religion is to reduce it solely to fear of punishment and hope of reward for it is much more than that. It is the pursuit of perfection in it's entirety, ethical, social, scientific, all-encompassing, complete which thereby precipitates lasting peace and happiness for the world and individuals in it's entirety, ethical, social, scientific, all-encompassing, complete. This is true religion. This is true Christianity and the inadequacy of imperfect people to perpetuate this in their religions or the corruption thereof should not be used as an excuse, especially for those of great intellectual stature, to dismiss it as unscientific for this is truly the definition of either a closed mind or one who refuses to seek truth for fear of its implications. Faith is not a cop-out. It is not intellectual bankruptcy. If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are not conceding that it can't be taken on its own merits, you are merely conceding that you do not as yet fully understand it. This does not mean that one merely gives up trying to solve the riddle it simply means that I do not understand exactly how it works, but it does work and I will continue to fire up my bunsen burner, I will continue to take my samples, run my tests and do my calculations, I will continue until I come to a perfect knowledge. Is this not science? Is this not the exact scientific process? Just because faith is not tested in a laboratory can a truly open, scientific mind honestly dismiss it? As human beings we are not all knowing, we do not have all the answers before us, we are however under obligation to seek them out and this is what makes up the history of the world. One needs only to cast his gaze to the evolution of science for this quest for perfect knowledge to reveal itself and it easily does. How then can a truly honest open minded scientist so easily dismiss religion?
"Atheism is not a philosophy; it is not even a view of the world; it is simply an admission of the obvious. In fact, "atheist" is a term that should not ever exist. No one ever needs to identify himself as a "non astrologer" or a "non-alchemist". We do not have words for people who doubt that Elvis is still alive or that aliens traversed the galaxy only to molest ranchers and their cattle. Atheism is nothing more than the noises reasonable people make in the presence of unjustified religious beliefs. An atheist is simply a person who believes that the 260 million Americans (87 percent of the population) claiming to "never doubt the existence of God" should be obliged to present evidence for his existence-and, indeed, for his BENEVOLENCE, given the relentless destruction of innocent human beings we witness in the world each day."
--Sam Harris, "Letter to a Christian Nation"
Holy cow, I was not aware of the fact that atheists were just as insecure and defensive as most Christians. For atheists and Christians alike, there is no need to be insecure and defensive about your beliefs rather your beliefs should speak for themselves. You are of course obligated to express and share your beliefs with others for if you believe that you are absolutely correct you should feel obliged to help others onto your same path however you should certainly not force others into your religion, be it atheism or any other religion, neither should you oppress or persecute those who, heaven forbid, think differently than you do. I say this however I see by the second half of Mr. Harris' letter that he is rather shamefully misinformed about the nature and character of God and religion and thereby unfit to pass judgement as to his belief in the obvious and condemnation of the unjustified.
"When I became convinced that the universe is natural, that all the ghosts and gods are myths, there entered into my brain, into my soul, into every drop of my blood the sense, the feeling, the joy of freedom. The walls of my prison crumbled and fell. The dungeon was flooded with light and all the bolts and bars and manacles became dust. I was no longer a servant, a serf, or a slave. There was for me no master in all the wide world, not even in infinite space. I was free--free to think, to express my thoughts--free to live my own ideal, free to live for myself and those I loved, free to use all my faculties, all my senses, free to spread imagination's wings, free to investigate, to guess and dream and hope, free to judge and determine for myself . . . I was free! I stood erect and fearlessly, joyously faced all worlds."
--Robert G. Ingersoll
Mr. Ingersoll speaks of becoming convinced which lead me to reason that he was once a member of some religion. I feel sorrow for anyone who belongs to a religion which imprisons its believers and shackles them in iron manacles dictating to them their thoughts and feelings and actions for this is not religion. Religion is to be free--free to think, to express ones thoughts--free to live ones own ideal, free to live for oneself and those one loves, free to use all ones faculties, all ones senses, free to spread imagination's wings, free to investigate, to guess and dream and hope, free to judge and determine for oneself. The only cautionary is ones own ideal. Religion does not eradicate ones freedom to do anything, however, were one left only to his own ideals where would the world be? Am I just in lying? cheating? stealing? murdering? If these are my own ideals am I justified? Am I justified in the oppression and destruction of others if it sets me "free" and brings me "joy". Of course not, religion does not remove freedom and dictate actions, religion encourages righteous use of freedom and benevolent action. True religion should never force and restrict, men are always free to do as they please. True religion encourages men to free themselves of the petty worldliness of the base and spread their wings and fly on the dreams of hope to a higher, better plain.
"Although the time of death is approaching me, I am not afraid of dying and going to Hell or (what would be considerably worse) going to the popularized version of Heaven. I expect death to be nothingness and, for removing me from all possible fears of death, I am thankful to atheism."
--Isaac Asimov, "On Religiosity," Free Inquiry ††
The world is already in a sad state, how infinitely worse it would be if all believed or expected death to be nothingness. Think of the rise in lying, cheating, stealing, murder and all manner of heinous crime. If all were to ascribe to this absurdity there would be no reason for goodness, love, charity, peace. All would be selfishly united under one philosophy: Me, myself and I. If there is naught but nothingness to come, all I seek is to maximize pleasure and why would I or what would impel me to care for others? The only reason which would remain that may entice one to do "good" is fear of social repercussions. I am afraid to wrongfully accuse you or to lie, cheat, steal or murder to get gain because society will destroy me. Thus my motives for ethical behavior are naught but selfish. And you should society destroy me? Because each person realizes that if I am not halted in my taking advantage of others, what is to stop me taking advantage of you and thus only the strong are satisfied. Thus society unites for each individual to precipitate for himself the most possible happiness. Society hereby is therefore based on fear of punishment or persecution and hope of reward... is not this the very thing Mr. Einstein deplores? True religion should not fear death neither should fear be anywhere contained therein. Is it not death merely a continuation of life in a different form? Is not true religion meant to enhance and improve individuals and precipitously society?
"You do not need the bible to justify love, but no better tool has been invented to justify hate."
--Richard A. Weatherwax
Have you ever read the bible? I have and you obviously haven't read the same one I read.
"Why should I allow that same God to tell me how to raise my kids, who had to drown His own?"
--Bertrand Russell
Do these people even make the tiniest effort to be informed about religion, or at the very least have a correct basic 4 year old understanding of it before dismissing it all and making such idiotic comments?
It seems that there is some heinous, predatory religion out there which has oppressed, persecuted and robbed atheists of their freedom to think and act for themselves. To these great pioneers who have broken free of such oppression and fought their way to freedom I say hooray! Thank God that you have finally gained the freedom to think for yourself, the freedom to be an agent unto yourself, to act for yourself, to choose good or bad. Live free, use all your faculties and senses, spread imagination's wings, investigate, guess, dream, hope. Stand erect and fearlessly, joyously face all worlds. This is true religion, embrace it. Discover truth, find happiness, dream of better things. Open your mind and honestly seek. You will find, then you must follow. This does not imprison, this is not oppression, you will find your freedom and capacity for love and joy and happiness expanded, you will find amazement, wonder, intrigue, you will truly be free and you will truly be as God.
Copyright © 2008 by Layne Cockcroft
All Rights Reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment