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XIV. New Age The challenge I
face in my effort to fashion a perception of reality that is in agreement with actuality
is an enormous one. The existence of discovery is finite while the existence of mystery may be infinite. Generations that have
come before provide help. Through mathematics of the physical sciences, such as chemistry,
and physics, I learn to see patterns of order in the chaos of complex dynamic
systems of matter and energy in the known universe. Application of an understanding of
these patterns of order to solving the problems of everyday life has begun to liberate humanity from
the ignorance and arrogance of past ages and allowed much of humanity to enjoy a standard of
living and a way of life of unparalleled luxury and convenience. As truth and knowledge continues to expand exponentially with the development of computer technology, a body of scientific evidence continues to accumulate in support of the theory that all we observe in the universe around us may have originated in the advent of a big bang. As discovery has expanded and mystery has receded, some have questioned the need for myth and fantasy traditionally offered as an explanation for the existence of one totality. In the heady rush of intoxicating science, some have declared god dead or seen organized religion as a dying institution. Some see atheism as the wave of the future. Some atheistic negativists have a disbelief in or denial of the existence of god. These atheistic negativists have a disbelief in or denial of the existence of god within the context of their existence within one totality. A disbelief in or denial of the existence of god is therefore equivalent to a belief in or affirmation of the existence of a godless totality. The existence of discovery is insufficient to verify that the idea of the existence of a godless totality is true. Therefore the idea of the existence of a godless totality is a myth about the existence of one totality. Some atheistic negativists believe that a myth about the existence of a godless totality is the truth about the existence of one totality. Some atheistic negativists believe the lie that myth is truth. The truth is that myth is myth. The existence of discovery and the existence of mystery make possible an infinite number, diversity and variety of myths about the existence of one totality. Therefore out of an infinite number, diversity and variety of myths about the existence of one totality made possible by the existence of discovery and mystery, some atheistic negativists make an arbitrary choice to believe in the pessimistic myth about the existence of a godless totality, and have faith that combining a belief in this pessimistic myth about the existence of a godless totality with knowledge of truth about the existence of discovery is the best way of making up their minds about the existence of one totality. If some atheistic negativists combine belief in the myth about the existence of no god with knowledge of truth about the existence of discovery and have faith that this is the best way of making up their minds about the existence of one totality, then they have assembled all of the necessary ingredients to start a religion based on a myth about the existence of a godless totality that may be sorted into the Atheism category. Religion begins when somebody decides the best way to make up ones' mind about the existence of one totality has been found and goes about the business of sharing that way with others. If this somebody is a war lord, then sharing religion with others may be expected to involve use of military force, and refusal on the part of the many to submit to the authority of religious leaders may be treated as an act of open rebellion. If this somebody is not a war lord then sharing religion with others may involve nothing more serious than a simple act of communication. Religious leaders often claim that believers are required by a deity or deities to have faith that the way of making up ones' mind about the existence of one totality offered by their religion is the best way to make up ones' mind about the existence of one totality. Some while lacking faith may learn enough about a particular religion to be able to make a show of faith; do business with others of the same faith; and or avoid being targeted for execution by a war lord. Tribes are often self organized around a particular religion. Since abandoning the religion of the tribe may result in a significant loss of income and business opportunities, any attempt on the part of an outsider to persuade a tribe member to abandon the religion of the tribe may be expected to be met with failure. Religion explains the world to self and orients self towards the world and is often so deeply engrained within the physiology of the brain, and the structure of a community and or society that any alternate model seems foreign, strange, wrong, and difficult to grasp, and or imagine. The study of religions is important in as much as understanding communities of faithful believers self organized around religious belief is important; because they are a part of our world and we deal with them in our every day lives. A religion may be atheistic in as much as some atheistic negativists may claim to have found the best way to make up ones' mind about the existence of one totality and go about the business of sharing this way with others. Some atheistic negativists have made up their minds that only things scientists can find, and only things theories predict exist, until proven otherwise; and they go about the business of sharing this way of making up their minds with others. As if things come into existence by being found by scientists or being predicted by theories.
All that some atheistic negativists have accomplished by coming to this "rational default
position" is to settle on a pessimistic myth about the existence of one
totality. The existence of discovery and the existence of mystery make possible an infinite number, diversity and variety of myths
about the existence of one totality. The so called "rational default position" is nothing
but an arbitrary choice of one pessimistic myth out of an infinite number,
diversity and variety of myths about the existence of one totality. If the so called "rational default
position" is nothing but an arbitrary choice; and it is; then why choose to be a
Pessi-Mystic? Why not choose to be an Opti-Mystic? Out of an infinite number,
diversity, and variety of myths about the existence of one totality made possible by the existence of discovery and mystery
why
not choose to believe in the one myth that enables us to have the highest esteem
of the existence of one totality; until proven otherwise? In the presence of evidence in the form of the universe; and until proven otherwise the rational default position a Pessi-Mystic adopts is a belief in a myth about the existence of only things scientists can find; and only things theories predict. In the presence of evidence in the form of the universe; and until proven otherwise the rational default position an Opti-Mystic adopts is a belief in a myth about the existence of; things scientists can find; things theories predict; and everything else that enables us to have the highest esteem of the existence of one totality. Both of these positions are representative of conclusions arrived at by logically valid inductive inference from the presence of evidence in the form of the universe; and therefore are both logically valid possibilities. How do I choose between these and an infinite number, diversity and variety of others myths about the existence of one totality made possible by the existence of discovery and mystery? I
turn to a second definition of the word valid to make a choice between these two
and an infinite number, diversity and variety of other myths about the existence
of one totality made possible by the existence of discovery and mystery. Another definition for the word valid is: producing the desired results. Our optimistic thoughts, beliefs, and expectations about
the existence of one totality are believed by scientists
to improve our various health behaviors,
our immune functions, and our biochemical functions in ways that make our bodies more resistant to illness and better able
to recover from existing disease. If the desired results are happiness, improved
health and improved health related behaviors, then a default position that leads to
optimistic thoughts, beliefs and expectations about the existence of one
totality is more valid and
a default position that leads to pessimistic thoughts, beliefs and expectations
about the existence of one totality is less valid or even invalid. A
capacity to produce happiness, improved
health and improved health related behaviors; is the basis for choosing a belief in the one myth that enables me;
to have the most optimistic thoughts, beliefs and
expectations about the
existence
of one totality; and is the basis for not choosing a
belief in all other myths about
the existence of one totality made possible by the
existence of discovery and mystery.
It is on the basis; of producing the most optimistic thoughts, beliefs and
expectations about
the existence
of one totality; that I suggest belief in this one myth to others. We live in a new age of ideology with new truths and new myths: Our
ancestors were not privileged to have. The measure of the perfection of any given model of the existence of one totality is its' ability to best satisfy my need and aspiration to achieve and maintain health and happiness. By this measure for me to bring my model of the existence of one totality to a state of perfection is; to build and use a foundation of truth and knowledge of theory based on scientifically reproducible discovery; to produce a standard of conduct that is most likely to result in the most powerful physiological responses of health possible; and to build and use a framework of the most optimistic myth and fantasy based on the existence of discovery and mystery to produce powerful emotional responses of joy, faith, and love and thereby to balance powerful emotional responses of sorrow, fear and anger that follow from the discovery of the impending disease and death of my seed body. I devote energy, space, and time towards the accomplishment of the goal of reaching this perfection and teaching others how to do so by use of the many examples contained within the text of this House of Ideology Manifesto. It is all about the process of moving from point A to point B: moving from being an Agnostic to being a Believer. I teach by example.
Since we are all members of the human species; and we are all self in the same body-consuming
biosphere; it is logical for me to think, believe, and expect that what works for me may
work for others as well. I start with an examination of the foundation of truth and
knowledge of theory that I build within
my own mind. I shall analyze the emotional responses that truth and knowledge of
theory produce in
my mind. I shall use my knowledge of the limits imposed by truth and knowledge
of theory to determine what is possible and what is not
possible within the realm of myth and fantasy. Based on what is possible
within the realm of myth and fantasy I shall build a most optimistic framework of myth
and fantasy about the existence of one totality that when thought, believed, and expected to be true produces in my mind powerful emotional responses of joy, faith, and love. I shall devote
energy, space, and time to the most optimistic thoughts, beliefs, and expectations
about the existence of one totality that follow from my
framework of myth and fantasy; and I will think, believe, and expect that
my framework of myth and fantasy is true so as to produce
powerful emotional responses of joy, faith, and love. However, I will not claim
to know that my framework of myth and fantasy is true. By
combining a framework of myth and fantasy that produces powerful emotional
responses of joy, faith, and love with a foundation of truth and knowledge of
theory based
on scientifically reproducible discovery that produces powerful emotional responses of sorrow, fear, and
anger, I intend to produce a balance of emotional forces in my mind and thereby
achieve and maintain a state of happiness. In the process, I shall take my love
of healthy, agnostic,
positivistic, nationalistic, spiritization of the existence of one totality to its’ logical extreme. I
will converge upon a model of the existence of one totality that best produces
health and happiness. I will then summarize and
determine whether I have met my original objectives. |
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