Skip to main content

Spirituality of the Atheist

Why does the unbeliever baffle so many of the religious? Is it so difficult to accept and appreciate life simply for what it is – with no specific explanation?

How much more mysterious and majestic this universe is without an exegesis! What an incredible lottery we have won! It’s awesome to be part of such unprecedented fortune and to be more than just a pawn in some deity‘s scheme.

Heaven is not a distant place we only experience with our demise. Paradise is here on earth. It is the smell of brewing coffee, newly cut hay or sweet potato pies in the oven. It is the feel of a mimosa flower brushed across the nose, the soothing hum of a purring kitten or in the rush of sledding downhill. Bliss is in the glitter of campfires, in uncontrollable laughter and in the serene land of early morning fog.

Death is merely a natural process in which our bodies nourish that which continues to live. There is no "weeping and gnashing of teeth," no "fire and brimstone," no eternal Hell to suffer in. It can even be the peace or the end of pain that some so desperately seek.

Even so, the dissenter of doctrine lives on. The freethinker is embodied in the eyes, hands and minds of children. The spirit of the sectarian will continue to thrive in those who enjoy life - simply for what it is.

"We gaze up at the same stars, the sky covers us all, the same universe encompasses us. What does it matter what practical system we adopt in our search for the truth? Not by one avenue alone can we arrive at so tremendous a secret."
Symmachus, 384 C.E.

Comments

Ivey said…
Thank you, Brian. I will check it out and appreciate learning anything that furthers my insight into life!
7:55 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fairies (A Poem)

Lacey wings dance from blossom to blossom, So exquisite, yet elusive. Should my hand reach out or my face be seen, They disappear. In slumber, their tiny feet Tickle my nose and lips; But like dreams, they only tarry while I sleep And flee with the opening of eyes. Copyright ©2004 Vivian G. Harriman
3 comments
Read more

An Abnormal Mammogram

As soon as I returned home from a yearly mammogram three weeks ago, my doctor at the VA Hospital called the house. Dr. Balireddy said that my breast films were "inconclusive". As I had been called back into radiology for a repeat series on the right side, it was easy to figure out which hooter appeared suspicious. My physician then informed me that he had already submitted requests for consultations, one for a mammary sonogram (which will be performed this Tuesday) and another with a surgical oncologist (for a biopsy, I guess). My mother was diagnosed early and began treatment for breast cancer a little over a year ago. This blog just might be a good way for me to let folks know what this process is like . . .
2 comments
Read more

How to Embarrass an Intern

On Tuesday, September 5, I underwent a repeat right-side mammogram and mammary sonogram. As noted on previous films, a “faintly visible cluster of microcalcifications is seen in the upper outer quadrant” on breast x-ray. The sonogram showed “no evidence of mass.” So, I had my fingers crossed that the results were good enough to warrant the cancellation of the following week’s surgical consultation. There was no such luck. On September 13 (a hallowed number – only to be superseded by 666), I found myself being screened by a YOUNG surgical intern for a manual breast exam. (This guy couldn’t have been more than 24 years old.) After going through a series of standard medical questions, my hospital apprentice then informed me that he would be getting a female nurse to “chaperone” the physical inspection. I was getting burned out by the seriousness of my potential medical situation and decided it was time for some comic relief. So – using sarcasm concerning the need for a chaperone – I said...
1 comment
Read more