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I know some folks live lives so difficult that they need the hope provided by religions. I would not begrudge them that. I recognize that my life has been easy enough. I've got the wherewithall to deal with what life has brought for so long that I doubt I could even transition to religion should I lose that wherewithal. And professionally I get to play in the promising scientific explorations for alternative explanations of life's extraordinary properties. I'm lucky and won't criticize those whose circumstances make a religious outlook the much more obvious solution.
Still, mine is not your typical 'It's all good" surrender to the mystery approach. On the fringes of religion there are some people who would convert to atheism if they knew more about it and I'm happy to poach for what I think is a virtuous cause. Atheism isn't the first spiritual belief system to do so. To that end here are a few short quotes that moved me this morning:
It will not do to investigate the subject of religion too closely, as it is apt to lead to infidelity.
Abraham Lincoln
Let no more gods or exploiters be served. Let us learn rather to love one another.
Francisco Ferrer
God was invented to explain mystery...When you finally discover how something works... you don't need him anymore. But you need him for other mysteries. So therefore you leave him to create the universe because we haven't figured that out yet... and to explain consciousness....stuff like that.
Richard Feynman
Like many people, I have no religion, and I am just sitting in a small boat drifting with the tide. I live in the doubts of my duty....I think there is dignity in this, just to go on working.
Federico Fellini
