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IFISEEUS
"There are a thousand hacking at the
branches of evil |
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In the sphere of thought, absurdity and perversity remain the masters of the world, and their dominion is suspended only for brief periods. -- Arthur Schopenhauer 8 Major Issues Issue 1. Is the Universe (the cosmos or system of all of reality) set up or structured for me to win by my definition of winning, that is, is it set up for me to get what I really want and need, or do I have to change my deepest desires and needs to match what is offered? Commentary - If it is not set up for us to win by our definition, then we are stuck either trying to get out of it, or--since we are defined as humans by our potential, our needs and desires, a humane purpose and culturally transcendent set of values--fundamentally changing ourselves to being something that we are not. Issue 2. Does the physical universe have its ground of being in intelligence, or does intelligence have its ground of being in the material universe? Which is the greater or prime realm of reality? Spiritual reality, which includes the non-material: intelligence attitude, the humane qualities of love, compassion, romance, kindness, mercy and grace, anger, frustration, knowledge, etc.? Or physical reality consisting of the material universe, energy and matter--that which we can measure with physical equipment? Commentary - Since every belief system must start with something, for this issue there are only 3 options: 1) Physical material existed first and the spiritual realities arose through a series of "happy accidents" as adjuncts and emergent properties of material structure, or 2) Physical material and the spiritual (intelligence) are somehow inseparable and both existed first, or 3) Intelligence existed first and designed and created (projected?) the physical material universe. Issue 3. Given options 2 or 3 above, does the creator care enough about us (his creation) and our unhappy condition to at least communicate with us in a special way (theism) that can be meaningful and effective for a resolution of the human condition? Commentary - A creator that doesn’t care about imminently helping us out and doesn’t offer us a way of resolving the human condition is not worthy of the term “God”. Theism posits a "special" objective revelation of the creator other than nature and self revelation. Atheism means "without theism", and deism posits a creator that is not involved. Deists and agnostics are technically atheists. Issue 4. Does ultimate worth and value lie in the individual, or does it lie in something other, such as in organizations, institutions, sets of laws, etc.? Should individuals serve the organization or should the organization serve individuals? Do organizations derive their value from serving individuals or do individuals derive their value from serving organizations? Commentary - If the ultimate value does not lie in the individual, then there is no foundation for value in anything else. How can an organization have any value outside of serving individuals? Issue 5. Can the creator offer to us equality and peership, or is the creator stuck in the box of relating to us as inferiors? Does the creator offer to us equality and peership, or is the creator too egocentric, too afraid, or too alien to completely share with us those aspects and qualities that would enable us to choose to be equal? Commentary - Equality and peership mean that our worth and value, our needs and desires, our potential and abilities, our rights and privileges are equal. It would mean equality through supremacy, not through inferiority. Issue 6. Is the nature of reality such that love is always a win/win situation, or does love sometimes demand sacrifice? Commentary - Love should not be giving, sacrificing, taking or trading, but should be based around sharing. Issue 7. Is morality related to a "code" or set of laws, or is morality determined by that which increases morale? Commentary - Wasn't Man made to live by inspiration from purpose and values, instead of trying to behave according to a set of rules or law? Issue 8. Is evil a necessary part of reality, i.e, created by the originator, or was evil introduced into experiential reality by some other way? A breakdown of unity? Doing something wrong or a failure to do something? Commentary - If "evil" is necessary to make or contrast with "good", then "evil" is just as good as "good". |
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