A Critique of God

http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=70390909

Found on the site “Ethical Atheists”. It claims to be the only anthology that is a critique of the exsistence of God (the book, not the site).

I thought I’d give it a read, or at least, try to squeeze it in in my already buzzy, and full, reading list. It deserves to be there. All people’s views are relevant, even if we don’t happen to agree. By the same token, I don’t think they would object to me responding to some of their views. Heck, I might even learn something about myself along the way.

I am. I am in many respects an insignificant part of the universe. I
accept that. I acccept that without remorse or sadness because there are
many things about living that I enjoy and cherish and love whether I am
the center of the universe or not, whether I am a significant aspect of the
universe or not, whether I “have” a purpose in the universe assigned by
God or not. Any significance to be found in life will not be found, except
illusorily, in relating myself to the universe as a whole–to the imagined
grand design of the universe–but in making the best I can with what I
have and with what I can develop cooperatively with others who love man
and mankind. My life feels impoverished and insignificant not when I
cannot relate it meaningfully to the universe as a whole but when I cannot
take some of my life, and some of the universe, into my hands and make
art out of them.

This is something that I at first found difficult. I’ve always wanted to leave a significant part of me behind, be it a memory, or an interesting gravestone, but always an enduring legacy. I have also thought myself to “have a place” in the universe, as though I was destined to change it, to make a difference.

This, of course, is Arrogance. There is no two ways about it. I know that, and yet, I suppose, I’ have made peace with myself. Mostly because a person who thought they were insulting me once said that I had “the Arrogance to Interfere”. Having thought about that, it’s true. In a situation where you are meant to be able to get involved with people, you need a form of Arrogance as a sheild (I am aware that there are also counter-arguments to this).

MRC, however, doesn’t want to leave anything behind. She is quite happy to live a sensible, quiet, and happy life. I found this a difficult concept, and I see it mirrored in this paragraph. I think that this requires more thought.

Black Xanthus