The Will of God

One of the things I like most about this view is the emphasis on human autonomy, particularly "the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape" to one's own life. I passionately believe everyone has the right to define notions of 'truth' and 'value' for themselves. This, it should be understood, does not equate to a belief that everyone's truth is of equal worth: I am entitled to believe that my truth is one worth having (and must logically do so, otherwise there would be little point in my having it in the first place) and am entitled to attempt to persuade others of this truth, providing that they show themselves open to persuasion.

This element of the statement is also clearly intended to rebut the so-called 'deterministic' theologies: the idea (put very simply) that God has some sort of a plan for humankind. It is worth noting that, at least in the Christian context, this idea is both quite widespread and deeply problematic. The conflict between conceptions of free will and humankind's ability to choose salvation (through good works inspired by faith in Christ) and suggestions that the number and identity of those to be 'saved' is predetermined by God has played itself out throughout the history of that particular religion. St. Augustine, for example, was apparently persuaded of the 'determined' idea by the story of a man who had lived a life of exemplary piety for many years, only to be supposedly damned by the purchase of a dancing girl (third century euphemism for prostitute) on his eightieth birthday: the conclusion to be drawn is supposedly that he was therefore always damned and that "the truth will out".

I have always found such ideas deeply repellent and would like to think that there are people who would call themselves Christian who would support me on this. Nevertheless, the idea that "God is working His purpose out" and that "God has called me to some definite service" remain strong elements of Christian thinking and ones which deeply puzzle and trouble me. I can see how these ideas don't necessarily lead one to the extreme position of St. Augustine: it is after all possible to adopt perhaps a view that God has a plan that we are free to reject. Yet I still find the idea that there is one (or even a variety of alternative) best ways to live life that have been chosen for us by some higher being problematic.

And one more thing....

Forgot to say for anyone who finds the idea of spiritual humanism appealing, explanation/more info can be found here : http://www.spiritualhumanism.org/what.htm

Spiritual Humanism

Recently, I've come across something called spiritual humanism and find it in some ways quite attractive, so I think that's where I'm going to start my blogging.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union propounds the following as a “minimum statement” for humanists everywhere.

"Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality."

It is clear that, on this view, ethics and not metaphysics are the key to humanist response. Indeed, the definition seems to affirm the right of each individual to develop their own metaphysical system, within the limits of a rejection of theism and supernaturalism.

Ethically, the position seems linked to humanitarianism and an emphasis on respect for human life and dignity on the grounds of rationality. This does not (as some have claimed) entail an acceptance of speciesism, in which humanity is regarded as being ethically more superior than other creatures. Rather, it posits that, as human beings are capable of rationalizing their pain, through feeling emotions such as anger and betrayal as a result of it, such pain causes cumulatively greater harm than if one (for instance) injured a pigeon. That is to say that, whilst it may be true to say that the pigeon feels pain, there is no evidence to suggest that pigeons rationalise in the same way that humans do. There may be other animals (such as dolphins, for instance) who are just as capable of these processes yet the essential point is that human life and dignity ought to be protected because of their clear ability to rationalise in this way.

So that explains the "humanist" aspect of things. The spiritual element, in as far as I can tell from my reading, comes from the combination of this ethical emphasis on personal fulfilment and self-determination with a form of naturalism; (not naturism, which is entirely different!) that is a form of spiritual wonder at the force of nature and the acceptance of being in "an unscripted drama" where the very impermanence of our human existence leads us to value it all the more. Naturalists claim that one must seek to face the realities of death, suffering and pain unflinchingly; as mere "facts of life", without any 'metaphysical comfort blanket' to help us. We are called to create meaning for ourselves, using our own capacities, in a world made all the more beautiful by our finite existence, seeking to live every moment 'as if it were the last'.

Beginnings

Perhaps like many people, I have always felt a sense of the spiritual in my life. I have always, deep down, been convinced that there is something more to life; that there are ultimate and truthful answers to some very big questions.

I have tried numerous different philosophies and religions in pursuit of these answers: from an atheistic philosophy based on the simple enjoyment of life (to be found, at least in my reading, in the works of the thinker Albert Camus) through buddhism, hinduism and even satanism. In seeking to understand each of these ways of thinking about the world, I feel as if I have gathered many different insights and elements which might come together to provide some answers.

I hope to chronicle my journey towards those answers in this blog. It may not be very enlightening, either for me or for anyone who chooses to read it, but I'm secretly hoping that by putting my thoughts and ideas into written form, I can arrive at something which will give me a coherent picture of the world.

By publishing my thoughts in a blog, I would like to invite whoever may be out there and inclined to read this to comment on my thoughts: my hope is that there may be someone reading this who feels they have the answers to some of the questions I ask or may simply be seeking to answer the same questions and have a different "take" to the one I've presented. Whoever you are, whatever your views, please feel free to share them here with me and I hope that together we can move towards an enlightened understanding of the world.