Why I am an Aletheist

Why I am an Aletheist
10/11/2011

Aletheist: from the Greek, aletheia: n, truth, transparency, confidence. An Aletheist seeks and defends TRUTH. - Dr. Kerry Spackman, http://www.aletheist.com

1.1 Why would I not be an Aletheist? Since Aletheism is devotion to truth (the most reasonable conclusion from the best available evidence), it is is clean of all ideological contamination and bondage to religion, politics, etc.; therefore Aletheism sets me free. what else would I be, but a devotee of truth?

1.2 A more interesting question would be, Why should I be anything other than an Aletheist? Should I believe in something that I cannot show with plain evidence and reason? Should I subject myself to superstitions from bygone centuries? Should I ignore the evidence of nature in favor of some unnatural program of shame and self-denial? Should I even ignore nature entirely, and hope for some divine deus ex machina to save the Earth that I have had part in ruining? No.

1.3 I will not again pretend that answers to modern life can be found in any book from the Bronze Age. I will not pretend that there is a benevolent Father (or Mother) caring for me, when all the evidence says otherwise. I will also not deny that god(s) exist(s), because I cannot conclusively prove this is so. I am sure, as I said, that God cares naught for me, nor for anyone I have thus far encountered.Therefore if God indeed exists, he/she is ineffective upon human life, and thus effectively non-existent. There may as well be no God, as one who does nothing.

1.4 I will not ever again be bound by the “Word of God” that is manifestly the very imperfect  word of men. It is much easier to make sense of a Harry Potter novel than the Bible or the Qur’an. Harry Potter is also much more congenial, and does not threaten me with the sword of Islam or the hellfire of Christianity.

1.5 I will not worship cows with the Hindus either, nor chant mumbo-jumbo with the shamans whose “Earth wisdom”is so popular with urban white people. Most of them get their only exposure to the aboriginal world through National Geographic television, from the comfort of an easy chair. Nor will I indulge myself in angels, fairies, phantoms, ghosties or gheesties of any kind. I do not deny these entities may exist in some form: only that there is no evidence for them, and anyway they are of even less effect than God.

1.6 Buddhism has attracted me in the past, primarily because it is based in human experience (dukkha, suffering) rather than some supposed Revelation of Divine Will. But I can and do meditate without the religious trappings of Buddhism, and anyway have my doubts about reincarnation. So with all due respect, I eschew Buddhism also.

1.7 If I seem tough on religion, it is only because I have suffered it, as the whole human race has suffered it, much too long already. How far could the human race have developed, and how many grievous problems solved, it we had not religion commanding this and prohibiting that? Even without knowing the atrocities of religion, the question of human development without dogma should by itself cause us to look askance at any religious truth claim.

1.8 The human race really needs to grow up. It is time to put away all the goddies and ghosties and turn our attention to that which we can surely know, and that which is marvelous: the revealed truth of Nature.