One of the problems with the atheist movement is that people likes their rituals. We need to find replacements for prayers and mourning and fellowship. (And no bars don’t count although its certainly a place of worship.) I have noticed a disturbing trend on the left and possibly in some of Thistle’s arguments against science and reason. The left will never win if we don’t use logic and reason in defense of our arguments. We’re never going to levitate the Pentagon. When they want pollution based fission, we argue non polluting fusion and clean energy like solar and wind. When they argue the violent military industrial complex, then we counter with peaceful space expansion which offers just as many boondoggles but far less of a body count directed at the usual brown suspects. Recently, I came across a transhumanist statement of principles that I think could be defined as a secular prayer. I think its pretty cool.
Transhumanist Statement Wednesday, Jul 11 2007
transhumanism 12:03 pm
I have seen a world where death and disease have been defeated by science…
where food, shelter, and clothing is manufactured quickly, and without waste…
where transparency makes violent crime impossible, and authorities accountable…
where people walk on other planets and in endless virtual worlds…
where intelligence and empathy are magnified far beyond present levels…
where the diversity of sentient beings has expanded to unimaginable proportions…
where the risk of human extinction has been reduced to near zero.
I will endeavor to take the fastest safe route to such a future, and direct my present-day energies towards its realization. I will be polite and understanding to skeptics and naysayers. I will thoroughly enjoy my daily life while simultaneously working for a better future. I will work towards that future for the good of all, not just myself, and try my best to maintain an altruistic point of view at all times.