haunted

I'm not giving up on humanity just yet. I used to be very pessimestig, thinking we would kill eachother off in ten or so years. We can war and be dumb for another century or so, just as long as we don't use doomsday weapons we'll eventaully snuff out idiocy and aim towards propelling our race as man matures.
Humans' primary instinct is to survive; survive for a purpose; advancement. To be rid of anything corrupt, evil, or otherwise un-intelligent obstacles. To pogress as a race, to surive, man has to possess a certain maturity to live and prosper together.
Possible scenario: all anger would be snuffed out via nanotechnology, ridding all anger-induced malevolence as we grow to understand that anger is illogical, ergo a deterrent to our growth.
Man's growth since its post-dawn era has been astounding and will continue numerous times fold. Soon we'll be living in a sfi-fi world full of cool ****.
No more religion, just pure science as it proves much more the logical and benificial. Personal gods, to me, don't exist. We created them and the masses blindly follow, unable to grasp the truth; religion is man -as we are presently- 's laughable attempts at control, understanding, and reason.
Right now man is stuck in a raging stream of growth; a rather shitty one due to corruption, war, drugs abuse, and other deterrents. We have to be smart, and not doom ourselves by destroying our planet or each other.
Concluding my ideal, I think that if everyone does their part in pushing us forward that we'll make it eventually. I have faith in something that gives the universe complex laws to follow and is able see a quark, though I know I won't be around to see it. Most people actually don't care what happens after they die. That's cool, but keep in mind we may grow to be smart enough that our predecessors will find a way to raise us from the dead, or pull us all out of hell.
As reinforcement to my optimism about humanity's advancement, I thought of some facts. People are compassionate. That alone seperates us from most animals, who kill eachother for food and survival. We invented antiseptics on the intentions of bettering ourselves, and have perfected the art of keeping clean. Diseases and all other threats are being eradicated. Modern medicine simply works and saves lives. We want to advance and grow obviously, beacuse it's in our primal nature. It's logical to believe that we'll overcome the biggest threat, ourselves, and become masters of the universe.


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I'll throw in this piece also, I hope it's applicable to this topic.


I don't believe in veganism or vegetarianism as a moral standpoint. Human beings are superior to animals as our intelligence and natural sense of survival levels reign supreme. It's almost a sure bet to say that no type of animal besides humans inhabiting the earth will continue its life-journey into outer space. Humans have a high chance because of our superior brains; we have already predicted the inevitable death of our planet via the sun's growth and; because we can understand that, something an animal could never hope to grasp in a sufficent amount of time, we must harness all aides avaliable. Using animals for food, for the purpose of making us strong enough to grow beyond the planet, is a key resource.
However, the brutality man shows to this precious gift is frightening. We massacre them in numbers and don't stop to think twice. Hopefully man will mature enough to soon end the cruelty and go about it in a respectable manner. People must learn to appreciate animals; realize that without them, we would probably die slowly.
In the near future man will find other ways of food-production via technological advances, and the weight will be lifted a bit. Until then, consume only the meat and animal products you need, and be thankful. Just don't join PETA and devote your life to worshiping the animals that will **** on your face, literally, without thought as to who or what you are, much less what you stand for. Animal rights sufferers and vegans and the like have good intent, but take it out of reality. Animal sacrifices are necessary if humans want to prosper. It's sad and unfair, but the universe is programmed to look over such minor inconveniences.

Simply knowing you're above the barbarism may not seem enough, but it's all anyone can really do until man matures enough to realize its wrongdoing; forcing it simply isn't going to work.

LadyLuck

Well, you have a very different outlook on life, now don't you. You might consider yourself somewhat of a philosopher =P

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=^.^=

haunted

If only I could devote myself to school and pass I might see myself as an intelligent being. Thanks for the comment!

MickinEngland

CHARLIE by Mick
Charlie hated God.
Many years ago in his teens he'd been neutral, but as the years passed he'd looked at all the pain and suffering and destruction in the world and slowly decided he'd be an atheist because there couldn't be a God to let such things happen, and he threw himself into charity work, animal rights and environmental campaigning...
As the years slowly rolled by, his grandparents died, as did his aunts, uncles, and parents,some with painful illnesses,and his coldness towards God turned to sheer hatred.
Then,in his old age his beloved wife fell ill with a terminal illness and he tenderly nursed her for months before she too died.
Broken hearted, he himself died soon after, and found himself face to face with God at the pearly gates, but as God smilingly held out his hand for him to take,Charlie backed away quickly saying - "Don't come near me! Where were you when my gran was riddled with cancer, I sat at her bedside day and night comforting her!
"And when my auntie had a stroke you deserted her too,but i travelled a hundred miles every day to visit her in the nursing home!
"And what about my dad, reduced to an empty shell of a man with Alzheimers, I called round every evening to tend to him,where were you then?
"And my darling wife withered away before my eyes, I saw to her every need in her final months because you weren't there!
"I gave my dying relatives and animals and the planet all the love and caring it was possible for me to give, but you just stood by doing nothing! What did you ever give them?"
And God, still smiling, softly replied- "I gave them you"...
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(Isaiah 6:8 - Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send?..
And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!")

paz

Hey Mick, that was pretty nice. It's a nice thought. I've always thought that the essence of God (if you consider "God" in a more metaphorical sense) is in pure “goodness”. It's in someone’s good actions or simply a sunflower blooming. It's funny...reading this couldn't have come at a better time because my cousin just got into a very bad car accident yesterday. The doctors were telling her it was a miracle she made it out of the car with just a few bruises, let alone survive. When telling me the story of what happened, she kept mentioning the woman that helped her and her little 8 year son get out as the car was burning up. Being the traditional Catholic that my cousin is, I was surprised when she wept as she told me that she believes angels are not some magical spirit with wings, but rather people like that woman. Now THAT is godliness. And it also fits in with what “Haunted” posted...or some of what i think he was trying to say. I for the most part do have faith in humanity as a whole. Sure, there are, for lack of a better word ****ed up sides of our nature, but just look at all the advancement mankind has made throughout history. And when I say advancement, I mean in all levels. Despite the fact that too many detrimental things still exist in society, people have progresed in some ways, in many ways. Aside from all the ignorance, selfishness, hating, killing and so on, I think of things such as that woman who helped save my cousin from the wreck. That woman’s care, compassion, and love for a fellow “brother” is here to stay. I do agree that we strive to survive and not only to survive, but to survive with a purpose!

Vfr

Yes, no reason to give up. The business of humanism is 'all our business'

A lot of atheists I run into make their intellect their God. They do not know that academic smarts are not the same as peace smarts. Until they can transcend their ego they will never find the answer (peace) they seek. It is the same for those that think money is all that is standing between them and happiness. So it goes for the ego and intellect based person that is devoid of spiritual values. Always remember...one thing only goes so far with giving a person a good life. Seek balance. Spiritual growth as well as humans are not perfect, but we can all do better at being humane if we try.

See:

http://**********************/jne/fo....php?topic=4.0

There are many flavors of atheists...natural atheists, personal atheists, explicit atheists, implicit atheists weak atheists, strong atheists, discovery atheists, reactionary atheists, indoctrinated atheists and of course the bad ass atheists with attitude aka BAAWA varieties. But the defining characteristic that leads an atheist to peace is whether they are a 'spiritual based atheist' or 'defiance based atheist.''

The business of humanism is 'all our business' if we with to live life at peace. Egocentricity is not good for spiritual work and we need to be open to others ideas and embrace them as nourishment for your growth and sustenance for life - as no one person is god. As a freethinking agnostic I AM FREE to look for truth wherever the road takes me. I discriminate against no one. As such, I study with the Christians, the Buddhists, the Jews, the Muslims, the Taoists and even find truth as I study with the atheists.

When you practice peace promotion with others you will reap inner peace promotion. When you practice destroying others peace, you will reap self destruction of inner peace. I suggest any atheists wishing to find inner peace within their life adopt the creed of the atheists (their version of prepackaged morals) and become secular humanists as a good first start.

The 'informal creed' of atheism.

An Atheist loves his fellow man instead of god. An Atheist believes that heaven is something for which we should work now – here on earth for all men together to enjoy.

An Atheist believes that he can get no help through prayer but that he must find in himself the inner conviction, and strength to meet life, to grapple with it, to subdue it and enjoy it.

An Atheist believes that only in a knowledge of himself and a knowledge of his fellow man can he find the understanding that will help to a life of fulfillment. He seeks to know himself and his fellow man rather than to know a god. An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church.

An Atheist believes that a deed must be done instead of a prayer said.

An Atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death. He wants disease conquered, poverty vanquished, war eliminated. He wants man to understand and love man.

He wants an ethical way of life. He believes that we cannot rely on a god or channel action into prayer nor hope for an end of troubles in a hereafter.

He believes that we are our brother's keepers; and are keepers of our own lives; that we are responsible persons and the job is here and the time is now.”

American Atheists -- Atheism



"The Affirmations of Humanism: A Statement of Principles"

• We are committed to the application of reason and science to the understanding of the universe and to the solving of human problems.

• We deplore efforts to denigrate human intelligence, to seek to explain the world in supernatural terms, and to look outside nature for salvation.

• We believe that scientific discovery and technology can contribute to the betterment of human life.

• We believe in an open and pluralistic society and that democracy is the best guarantee of protecting human rights from authoritarian elites and repressive majorities.

• We are committed to the principle of the separation of church and state.

• We cultivate the arts of negotiation and compromise as a means of resolving differences and achieving mutual understanding.

• We are concerned with securing justice and fairness in society and with eliminating discrimination and intolerance.

• We believe in supporting the disadvantaged and the handicapped so that they will be able to help themselves.

• We attempt to transcend divisive parochial loyalties based on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, and strive to work together for the common good of humanity.

• We want to protect and enhance the earth, to preserve it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless suffering on other species.

• We believe in enjoying life here and now and in developing our creative talents to their fullest.

• We believe in the cultivation of moral excellence.

• We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be allowed to fulfill their aspirations, to express their sexual preferences, to exercise reproductive freedom, to have access to comprehensive and informed health-care, and to die with dignity.

• We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, responsibility. Humanist ethics is amenable to critical, rational guidance. There are normative standards that we discover together. Moral principles are tested by their consequences.

• We are deeply concerned with the moral education of our children. We want to nourish reason and compassion.

• We are engaged by the arts no less than by the sciences.

• We are citizens of the universe and are excited by discoveries still to be made in the cosmos.

• We are skeptical of untested claims to knowledge, and we are open to novel ideas and seek new departures in our thinking.

• We affirm humanism as a realistic alternative to theologies of despair and ideologies of violence and as a source of rich personal significance and genuine satisfaction in the service to others.

• We believe in optimism rather than pessimism, hope rather than despair, learning in the place of dogma, truth instead of ignorance, joy rather than guilt or sin, tolerance in the place of fear, love instead of hatred, compassion over selfishness, beauty instead of ugliness, and reason rather than blind faith or irrationality.

• We believe in the fullest realization of the best and noblest that we are capable of as human beings.

Council for Secular Humanism


Tthere is a great need in the atheist community for a true fellowship or church of sorts to support moral, ethical and right living and to guide them to practice what they preach...truth and humanity.



Take care,


V (Male)

Agnostic Freethinker
Practical Philosopher