Light of mine

Over the last few years I've paid close attention to the atheist movement and the popular proponents that seemed to be it's leaders. Being raised the son of a preacher, who was son of a preacher himself, I felt I knew the faithful side of the argument pretty well. So, I read most of the recent books and watched most of the recent lectures and documentaries from the (new) atheist ministers.

While the arguments presented by John Maynard Smith and Richard Dawkins from the "naturalist" point of view differ with those of Christopher Hitchens "realist" ilk, the total of their argument still has an enormous existential hurdle in the eyes of a man raised as a Methodist.

The study of the structure and motivation of religion, from sources like Robert Wright, who bares the roots of the Semitic belief systems and the Judeo-Christian/Muslim tradition with scientific clarity in his book "The Evolution of God," helped me to my current understanding on such matters.

The point taken from these sources in concert with many other fields and perspectives is simply that it doesn't matter what you believe in, as long as you are compelled to do more right than wrong by the guidelines and morals we've agreed upon throughout history.

The details of individual behavior have become much more evident in our world culture. People will be less surprised by the deceit of others as everybody takes the time to understand the many aspects of humanity.

The result, boiled down to near "talking point" sensibility is that I am what is called a Pantheist. In whatever way you describe what you believe, if it works for you and the greater society, so be it. However, the situation operates in reverse as well. I find absolutely nothing sacred beyond the ability and right of a human being to speak their true feeling about any subject/object they wish to discuss. In short, there's no such thing as blasphemy.

From the perspective of laws, leadership and governance I am a Nontheist. I believe that we are charged with the responsibility of making proper decisions for the stability of life on Earth. Therefore, anyone making allusions to any supernatural force should have their motivations scrutinized.

There have been many lives spent in the quest for understanding the natural world, the philosophy, and the organization of societies. The study and works of all these lives is a major aid in understanding the facts of progress and perpetual change.

Several of the candidates currently running for the office of President of the United States of America have said that they are running because God told them to run. While I understand the feeling of indescribable compulsion to tackle the problems of the world with zest and zeal, this is a time for finding true solutions to real problems for life on Earth. That they are capable of understanding reality is the only reasonable consideration when hiring someone for a job you'd just as soon forget about once the election is over.

If we intend to build a better world for those that follow us here, we must start with caring for what's actually around. We could stand to focus less on things we are compelled to believe in that, perhaps, just don't exist.

If a man's belief system tells him that he has dominion over the animals and the Earth, he'll take responsibility for them last (if then), only addressing critically important issues once they explode into pandemic problems. We could, instead, be the stewards of our one and only life-support system, handing a more stable world to our progeny, and to posterity. This goal requires that we be more educated.

I've described the challenge I have been presented by the world. The evidence of my value to the world will be measured against my actions for review in the history of all future generations, my family's included. My tool is my writing, a volume of critical observation, and popular sloganeering.

I encourage everyone to start a conversation with the world in whatever way suits them (writing/conversing/art/social-media). Take responsibility for your own personal development and the world will improve around you.

"Learn. Relax. Discuss. Stabilize."