This blog is here to kick around development ideas for a book that is currently in the process of being written. The tentative title for the book is
DIY Religion: constructing your own personal religion from the ground up. Any and all ideas, comments, and criticisms are welcome (even from you who have found your perfect place among the more traditional faiths). I have sufficiently convinced myself that I should not waste time in learning about blog craft by putting up with the dismal "What Kind of God Do You Want?" space that I began to dislike immediately after its launch. The title began to drive me insane.
The only religion, that I am familiar with, is usually organized and unattractive to me due to its views on the origin of the universe, people and its lack of flexibility.
ReplyDeleteI guess you could say that I am a confirmed atheist.
The only "faith" I proscribe to is science since that is the only belief system that has reliably delivered useful solutions to the problems that I have faced in life.
Interestesting, I've been doing that very thing for years now, tho it never occurred to me to blog about it, and I really dont take it too seriously.
ReplyDeleteFaith in anything can be a powerful ally in life. Science and spirituality both have potential for amazing things, both constructive and destructive in my opinion. Good food for thoughts Andy. Will enjoy keeping up with the blog!
ReplyDeleteI think I'm with you S. Having grown up essentially athiest, I've actually attempted the religious thing, and it just seems so forced and alien to me. I just don't get it. I don't have an ounce of spirituality in me.
ReplyDeleteAthiests will never be a force in this world. To me the best thing about athiesm is that you don't have to join anything. You can be an athiest in the comfort of your own home, drinking a beer in your underwear.
I'd have to say I come down on the agnostic side, not neccessarily the athiest one.
ReplyDeleteDo I believe in the Flying Spagetti Monster, Pink Unicorns, Jesus as the son of God, Vishnu Destroyer of Worlds, etc... . No, I really don't.
I believe there is a unifying organizing force (no, not that Force) in the universe. It can be seen in its beauty and cleverness in science. We do not understand its rules completely yet, and we are not likely to. Yet the fact that we are here, and can ponder these questions leads me to believe that there is a singular beauty in that which has led to us being here.
Maybe it's magnificent chance. I think it's worth being thankful for. And in awe of, occasionally.
Spirituality and science have a long and compatible relationship. They do not neccessarily need to be at odds.
My Spock-like brain sees them [spirituality and science] diametrically opposed. One creates theories by observation, which are modified as more detailed observations are made. The other filters the data through the theory.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, it doesn't make a hill of beans worth of difference to me, unless somebody tries to legislate their flying spaghetti monster is more powerful than my lack of belief in pastafarianism.
Not like my opinion makes a difference. Athiests are strawmen for the those would warp religion to their advantage.
Though atheism makes sense to so many, for some strange reason religion and a need for explaining the unexplainable is comforting and highly desirable. It always comes back, even in societies where it seems to falter for a generation, or a communist revolution or two. One main point will be: "Hey, if L. Ron Hubbard, Jesus, and Siddhārtha can do it, so can you!" What? You say you feel spiritually connected to Oak trees and feel the need to give thanks every time you see a garden gnome? Incorporate that into your religion. I wouldn't say you're any crazier than a Muslim or Christian or Karate enthusiast!
ReplyDeleteMy this has turned into an interesting thread
ReplyDeleteI started out Christian as a child, turned to Atheist, then moved on to an Agnostic who believes in something and nothing.
Sometimes I believe Cheetos are good and sometimes I dont.
No, I fully understand the desire for religion to make sense of the senseless. To provide order among what appears to be chaos. Believe, me, I know.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the beauty of the entire universe, and our own existance arising from from the multiplication of a handful of non-divine, non-active simple rules that we don't comprehend yet, amazing.
Can we agree there is a difference between organized religion and spirituality? I think they are very different things and agree with D that spirituality and scientific understanding are not mutually exclusive and again, both can be used for both positive and negative agendas. How many souls can we destroy/ save? We do spend as much or more of our scientific resources on new ways to inflict destruction as well as healing and improving societies. Yin Yang, good evil. Despite our claims to be creatures of "higher Intelligence" we still do the same things as ant colonies, but we also feel bad about it sometimes, spiritually. I think that makes a difference but maybe the ants feel bad too sometimes.Not sure. Friday Night Philosophizing in the InnrCircle! I like it.
ReplyDeleteWild wild stuff. I like the idea Andy, and I think every cognitive idividual may do this anyway. Reality is a matter of perspective. The scientific demonstration is a study of us, collectively. The faith is whatever we make up that comforts us, that we may be able to prove to ourselves or others.
ReplyDeleteWe are dynamic and changing so our diy religion should evolve with us.
I can choose stone ground crackers instead of cheetos.
"Can we agree there is a difference between organized religion and spirituality?"
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. In fact, more often than not, people seem to have one without the other.