Beliefs

I've been working on this post in my head for a long time. The last post I made about anything religious was over a year ago, in my old blog.

I've taken some time to work on figuring out what it is that I think, feel, and believe. Here's what I've found so far.

1. There's something out there greater than me. Bigger than me. Bigger than everything, or at least bigger than anything science can come up with. This something is what religion likes to call God.
2. This something is the reason I'm here, and is the reason everything is here. There's enough science out there that we have a reasonably good idea of where the earth came from, and how we likely made it out of a puddle of primoridal ooze. But something had to put the energy and gasses there in the first place so that the big bang could happen.
3. There are many things on this earth that simply cannot be explained by science. The ability for memory, complex thought, reasoning, logic, etc.- I don't understand that, and it's unlikely that my own brain will ever be able to fully understand it's function. Also, the concept of innate habits- crying, nursing- things that babies somehow know how to do when they're born. That something is responsible.
4. That something wants us to be happy. It's placed us here on earth, with so many amazing and wonderful things, and it wants us to enjoy and experience them. The goal, then, in life, is to find happiness, and to live it. Also to experience all the things on Earth that we can.
5. Morals and values: It's important to do the right thing- not because someone or some religion or some religious character has told me to do so, but simply because it's the right thing to do for myself and my fellow earthmates. Humans, animals, etc.-- it's rewarding and leads to further happiness.
6. Life after death? Couldn't tell you. Seems like there should be more out there- 70 years, though it seems like a long time, isn't really all that long.

Organized religion: It's a box. Someone telling me that I have to follow these commandments because I won't get into heaven if I don't. It's important to be nice to other people- but for the sake of being nice to them, and it's what I would expect if the roles were reversed. Not because it's what "Jesus would do."

I'm not trying to suggest that people who follow organized religion are wrong- just that they're forced to think inside a box. Organized religions have very strict rules as to beliefs and behaviors, and sometimes there are situations where those absolutes just don't work. I'm not denying the existence of any of the prophets looked to in other religions (Jesus, Muhammad, etc.)- they all seem to have the same idea- Be nice and be happy! Just trying to take a more global approach to religion.

So what I guess I've come up with is, yes, I believe in some concept of a God. I believe that the goal in life is finding happiness, sharing that happiness, and experiencing all that exists on earth. I believe in being honest, kind, respectful of everything, and doing what's right because it's the right thing to do. Show some love, and you'll get some back.