The world, the universe, is a wondrous place.
It is far vaster, more complex and more varied
than our minds can grasp. The timescales over
which it has developed are also mind-boggling,
the means by which it happened are stunning.
There is so much to learn, so much to know and
experience, there are so many mysteries to solve,
and every solution uncovers new mysteries.
Vast
billions of potential human beings never had
the chance of life. Because of the large spontaneous
abortion rate (up to 50%), and the billions
of potential conceptions which never happened
throughout the history of life, there are so
many people who never were, and never had a
chance to wonder at the stars, to feel the wind
or sun, to love and laugh. So many potential
species never emerged into the light
of existence, thanks to the workings of natural
selection. Every minute of our lives is an enormous
privilege.
And yet many people want more! They want
there to be some great controlling entity beyond
this universe, even though they have barely
yet scratched the surface of the universe itself.
They want to live forever, as though living
at all isn't amazing enough. And so, in order
to satisfy these desires, they worship god (or
gods), they believe simplistic bronze-age myths
which, in comparison to the realities of the
universe, are like a child's first reader in
comparison to the complete works of Shakespeare
and Encylopaedia Britannica combined. They satisfy
themselves with "God did it" answers, which
are vacuous in comparison to complex truth,
and which are based on non-evidence and flawed
logic. While most such people are moderate,
decent and caring (like most people of all beliefs
and none), some of them hate and kill each other
because their unprovable myths don't agree with
one another! I don't get it.
I am an atheist, a
Humanist, and,
to use a recently-coined expression, a
Bright. I care
for life, people and the truth; and see no reason,
justification or need to indulge in unproven
and almost certainly false supernatural beliefs.
Demonstrable reality is more than I will ever
fully understand, and more astounding than anything
invented by primitive human minds.
This webspace is where I will give some of
my thoughts, ideas and reactions to life, just
in case anyone is interested!
