It was the late Christopher Hitchens who first taught me about the inhumanity of Mother Teresa, though I'd watched a lot of clips of his I haven't read his book, The Missionary Position.
What does it mean to be a wretched person? Maybe it means to be someone who feels no greater joy than watching another suffer unto death, just to feel the satisfaction of being there, when in all their desperation and without basic respite, accepting your religion on their deathbed.
By her own accounts she watched nearly 30,000 people come through her doors, and with broken empathy managed to convince them that their suffering only brought them closer to god. I'd like to know how anyone came to the conclusion that this woman was worthy more than anybody else of earning a Nobel peace prize.
The meaning of life is not to be found objectively in reality but subjectively in the answer that you give to reality.
It's like a wonderful violin player going to a remote community. If the player asks for a violin song, the community might not have one, they might have not even seen or heard a violin before so, the player could say "life is empty and without songs" BUT if he looks inside and starts playing... life becomes full of music.
> “Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible.” ― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning
I want to contribute to life by promoting human flourishing, that is my answer and according to this answer, it is quite rational to be an humanist.
> If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
Sun Tzu, <em>The Art of War</em>
Which definition of "faith" are you using?
>> 1. Complete trust or confidence in someone or something
>> 2. Strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof
This is why any discussion of "faith" is confusing - because it has two different meanings, and people conflate the two. It's called equivocation.
Well, yes. We're overly anthropomorphic, hence religion. The Big Bang is just one of many natural explanations people tend to distrust, simply because it isn't an emotionally satisfying story with a person (or person-like character).
I wrote an essay a while back on the psychology of theism. It plays on our need to personify everything. I don't know if anyone else is interested in that sort of thing, but it's here if you are.
The Good Book is a Humanist Bible written by the same author, A.C. Grayling
You could start from here : https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Christian_anarchism
But to summarise very fast, the idea is that the government, and hierarchy in general, is violence, a man can not rule other his brother.
>Government is violence, Christianity is meekness, non-resistance, love. And, therefore, government cannot be Christian, and a man who wishes to be a Christian must not serve government. - Tolstoi
>There are different forms of anarchy and different currents in it. I must, first say very simply what anarchy I have in view. By anarchy I mean first an absolute rejection of violence. - Jacques Ellul
More : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_anarchism
/r/christiananarchism
/r/radicalchristianity
It is also very close to Christian and anarchist pacifism
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/humanism
>humanism
>Line breaks: hu¦man|ism
>Pronunciation: /ˈhjuːmənɪz(ə)m
>noun
>[mass noun]
>A rationalist outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters.
I see nothing here that would prevent a humanist from serving in the military. The nice thing about humanism is there isn't a dogma that needs to be followed; other people don't get to tell you how to be a humanist.
Similar youtube channel that may have inspired this.
I started a humanism group in my area a couple of months ago, when the fantastic prplfox began showing up. What an inspiring story.
I've been looking at this book: I'm Dead, Now What?: Important Information About My Belongings, Business Affairs, and Wishes https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1441317996/
Maybe you can use some of the prompts from the book to help you write out your thoughts. It may be available to download somewhere as well.
Take care.
Yup, I do identify as an agnostic, skeptic, atheist, humanist, buddhist - those are all parts of my personal identity :-) Glad that you are awaiting my research. My book is coming out on July 9, endorsed by a number of prominent notables.