Artistic Footprint

This is a continuation of my first page on the topic: The Unknown One

Spirituality is a label for the unknown. It is faith to some, and a hypothesis to others. The unknown always exists; we just haven’t found it yet. Organized religion is a cure for the unknown. This may seem trivial in just one sentence, but consider all the difference that it means. Fate, divinity, entitlement, and personal conscience are polar opposites, and completely different lives are lived. This is not a subject concerning my usual distaste for organized religion, but more of my take on the underlying need for religion. That “hole” that is felt in the absence of god.

Divinity: You begin as a miracle and you are thankful for the life you’ve been in-debted. Immediately you are told the story of where you came from and where you are going. But your entire life is being watched by a divine judge. You understand that you were born a sinner, so you worship, pray, and confess to the almighty so that he will grant you divinity and a place in bliss.

I was born because of a very divine set of circumstances, the timeless chance from when a collection of elements wiggled under their own power, until life began in my mother. Amazing feats accomplished are testament to the desire of life to just be. My life is divine. My home is divine, and I am thankful for the luck to be here. Earth is my bliss, and I hope that one day we will make contact with another lucky planet in the abyss of space.

Altruism: Acts of kindness are reciprocated with more valuable things. The mentality that you are given awards for your deeds can quickly turn into the obvious loophole. Commit an act of goodwill not because of the altruistic nature of the act but for the tasty award afterwards, like a dog begging for a treat.

Faithless people are completely capable of living wholesome, good lives because they understand the repercussions of a good deed. They see the results and as a team of strangers helping each other, they are rewarded by being part of that team that progresses. It’s called human morality.

Entitlement: God has given us the Earth to do with it what we will, and in time Armageddon will come and those worthy will have earned their right to enter heaven. Well your prophecy is right; Armageddon is on its way. It’s called climate change, and it has nothing to do with the decision of a false divinity. Divinity wouldn’t subject such calamitous destruction, only human greed, false sense of entitlement, and lack of appreciation will.

I am at the mercy of Mother Earth. She is untameable and strong willed, and regardless of our impacts, She comes with a reset button. I can be anywhere in the wild and see through unfiltered lenses her beauty, strength, and fragility. Appreciation is not just a kind whisper of thanks for each breath, but to act accordingly to ensure more fills my lungs.

Fate: The idea that we are not in control of our lives has, in my opinion, only startled creationists and made them fear. Firstly, this is a symptom of a lack of trust in their divine chess-player, and secondly, has given the opportunity to invent the concept of “free will” This is a monumental step forwards towards being able to figure things out for yourself, but still carries the taint of a limiting set of rules. god may have a plan for you, but your plan isn’t working. I see a species of humans with 5 senses, and we adore being curious with them. Testing, inventing, and questioning. Organized religion kills this curiosity with its answer to all the things unknown, in an effort to cure our fear of them.

Self Conscious: We are in an amazing time. Unprecedented scientific advances are being made, and I mean that in the sense of: Humans, for the first time ever, are becoming able to make the world around them relative… something to understand. The concepts of ghosts, the supernatural, and the unknown are being questioned. Before we had the means of questioning, we were amazed by the things we could not explain – things as simple as dreams, mirages, and illusions were called magic and miracles. But now our brains have wrapped around them and turned them into fact open for debate should new evidence be found. Self-awareness is a trait experienced by few species. Self-consciousness is only just now being tapped by our species, held back only by pre-defined explanations to curb our fear of the unknown. We have spilled blood sweat and tears for the right to think for ourselves. Whether you are religious or not, at least have the decency to experience curiosity. Never ever take a manuscript or preaching as verbatim.

Atheists are feared. We are seen as people with no direction, no concept of right and wrong, no motivation, and people who have chosen their own doom. I am appalled by the lack of credit we give ourselves. To label someone as imperfect in comparison to an imagined definition of perfectness not only shatters confidence, but is simply a cop-out. We cause destruction and then hide behind the saying “I am only human.” I believe that we should embrace our imperfections as an opportunity to change, to hold ourselves accountable and save ourselves from the concessions made by the false definition of perfect.

The unknown exists, perfect does not.

This is continued in The Unknown 3