Read the following:
The Western Creed
© by Charles T. Tart
I believe in the material universe as the only and ultimate reality, a universe controlled by fixed physical laws and blind chance.
I affirm that the universe has no creator, no objective purpose, and no objective meaning or destiny.
I maintain that all ideas about God or gods, supernatural beings, prophets and saviors, or other nonphysical beings or forces are superstitions and
delusions. Life and consciousness are totally identical to physical processes, and arose from chance interactions of blind physical forces. Like the
rest of life, my life and consciousness have no objective purpose, meaning, or destiny.
I believe that all judgements, values, and moralities, whether my own or others', are subjective, arising solely from biological determinants,
personal history, and chance. Free will is an illusion. Therefore, the most rational values I can personally live by must be based on the knowledge
that for me what pleases me is Good, what pains me is Bad. Those who please me or help me avoid pain are my friends; those who pain me or keep me from
my pleasures are my enemies. Rationality requires that friends and enemies be used in ways that maximize my pleasure and minimize my pain.
I affirm that churches have no real use other than social support; that there are no objective sins to commit or be forgiven for; that there is no
retribution for sin or reward for virtue other than that which I can arrange, directly or through others. Virtue for me is getting what I want without
being caught and punished by others.
I maintain that the death of the body is the death of the mind. There is no afterlife, and all hope for such is nonsense.
So. How did that make you feel? It made me feel sad because I didnt want it to be true. Something in my heart says that it is not true. My experiences
tell me that it is not the full truth about things. How do you feel?
edit on 20-12-2011 by mandroids because: missing information added.