I was reading this easy, about the flaws in the writings of 'New Atheism':

In reaction it merely serves to catalyze a certainty that I've found in my own views, after a lot of struggle: I am an atheist because I personally can't see what difference it would make if there was or was not a transcendent God, in terms of what choices I should make or what moral outlook I should have.

This is leaving aside Judeo-Christian concepts of a personal God, which to me aren't even addressable without finding some evidence of a transcendent God.

Does not everyone, religious or not, search their own heart, mind, and experience to find what is right? Does not even the most specific of religious texts leave immense acres of uncovered ground where you must decide your own path? Is it not up to everyone to open their eyes critically and decide how to live best without hurting other people? Do we not all hear stories and see the experiences of others, and remember our own, and project that learning onto our on future life and the possibilities we choose from?

Human conscience is a leap into the unknown with eyes looking forward at a murkily seen potentiality. That is the wonder of being and becoming, and whatever words people use to describe that experience, religious or not, so far it seems not to matter as to outcome. Things like honesty, compassion, intelligence, and bravery decidedly do.

What matters is that it's a human being doing it, and a human being doing it supported by the billions who have come before and learned a slew of things the hardest way possible. I suppose I don't disbelieve in God, per se, I just don't find him necessary to explain a single instant of my life in comparison to the vivid warm immediate light of human culture.

And in such context, I find God to be a word game, like this essay is a word game. Mere fumbling for communicative framing and metaphorical device. Perhaps I mistake the far for the near, and that tricks me into viewing God as small. I try to keep that in mind, and maybe that's why I end up posting these occasionally to make sure my reasoning is still intact.

Ah well. Until 2011, my atheism goes back undercover.

This is Adobe's fault. GRAR.

Before



After

I'm super excited. I'll be in Portland, OR from 5/26 to 6/5.

The last few days of the trip are to attend the Open Source Bridge Conference, which just looks completely awesome.

Very happy and this will be the first real vacation, non-family, long distance, etc, I've had in a really long time.

(e:James) is going to tag along too, so we'll hopefully paint the town red. James says that the town has the highest per-capita rate of both strippers and micro-breweries in the country, so we should have a lot of fun ^_^

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