From a discussion of Original Sin at Table Talk, I blather philosophically:

As part of a spiritual or philosophic practice, I have to say that I personally do not find the idea of sin, that is to say, something in my own nature that is abhorrent to a supernatural other, a useful concept. The idea of gnosis or enlightened meditation or frank self-assessment through reason has been more useful to me.

By constantly examining my own thoughts and actions, I strive to reach a state of enlightened self-interest and as that knowledge grows, I come to see that I am not a lone actor on the stage of my life and that I am, in fact, intrinsically connected to other people and to my environment and that what might at first seem to be the most immediately pleasing to me is actually detrimental to my self-interest. As I continue to explore the farther reaches of my own self-interest, I come, with experience and reason, to see that my initial ideas of "self-interest" are really an illusion, that I am not a separate self, but instead I am part of a larger organism.

I'm that wave in the ocean. Or, as biology is teaching us, I'm part of a family- we've recently learned that the human genome is a very narrow family of genes. There is more genetic diversity in a single group of chimpanzees than there is in all of humanity. We are literally one big family. (By chimpanzee standards, we're practically the Royal Family, we're so inbred.) I don't see that we need a supernatural Übermensch (yeah, I know the Übermensch was supposed to ride above Christian morality and impose his own values, but isn't that just a description of a new god?) to dictate that we should treat all of humanity as family when it's now as clear as the DNA in the hands in front of our faces. (With that in mind, maybe someday we'll come to see much of our history as one, long, particularly bad Thanksgiving dinner, with all the accompanying fighting and fussing over who gets the last pour from the gravy boat.)

We are all family and family takes care of itself. That's a simple biological imperative. Altruism is our nature. Selfishness is nothing more and nothing less than an inability to see beyond one's self. We don't need Grace, we need better teachers or perhaps physicians of wisdom, who can treat and cure the blindness that infects our brothers, sisters and cousins.

1:29:34 PM     leave/read comments []

Bush attacks Iran over captives. The US leader condemns Iran's "inexcusable behaviour" after its capture of 15 British sailors. [BBC News | News Front Page | UK Edition]

OK, how many of you thought what I did when I read the headline? Bombs away?

"Oh no, not another WAR!?!?!"

Update! Sp3ccy gets right to the heart of the matter.

12:38:49 PM     leave/read comments []