A Manifesto

[bludragon]

My wife the other day asked me if I believed in the afterlife.

I've spent many years reading all sorts of books on philosophy, religion, new age spiritualism, and even magick. I've also spent years pondering and discussing the subject in the company of priests, missionaries, vicars, monks, witches, etc. A pattern did emerge from it:

The afterlife

Comments

[pixelfish]

Thanks for posting this...

[bludragon]

Cheers for that affirmation, Pixel.

This was partially a response to the whole Dawkins/Intelligent Design battle over belief, and partially a response to something my wife has been thinking about a lot lately.

I know why Dawkins and co. are doing what they do: the religious right have galvanised into this terrifying anti-intellectual world view that makes them little better than the murderous Islamist cave-men they're crusading against. Someone needed to speak up for science. The problem is "the God Delusion" argument throws the baby out with the bath water.

Somewhere in all the politics, we've lost sight of the still-present need for a philosophy and belief to give our lives discipline and focus. That's what this is about.

Religions, ultimately, were only useful in providing a start to finding this deeper meaning and perhaps providing you with a crowd of like-minded individuals with whom to pass the time. Past a certain point, the rules become a liability.

Perhaps you're a bit unfair.

[pixelfish]

Not all the religious right is as you portray. Have I ever been anti-intellectual? On the contrary, I'm very intellectual. By the by, what do you think of Obama?

JK

I'm sorry if I ever mistakenly called you religious right.

[bludragon]

A while ago, I might have naively called the Mormons "religious right".

Then I talked with my first Evalengelicals.

The most extreme compound-dwelling Mormon polygamist could never even come close to the sheer myopic hysteria the Evalengelicals are capable of.

JK, you are NOT religious right in the proper definition, mate. Not even close. Mormonism breeds rational followers.

Technically, even from the definitions dating back to the 80's, religious right has been a term reserved for the flock mobilized by Jerry Falwell and his ilk. That has never included the Mormons. (Thank God.)

A young lad

[anonymous]

I can remember a young lad that also avoided his share of religious conversations by telling missionaries, "He's not here." Oddly enough it worked for a while. They could never catch him home because his roommate said the same.

Can you be simultaneously apostate and enlightened?

[bludragon]

You'll also remember on my door I had written "Contemplating the mysteries of God. Enter freely