I occasionally go through bouts of depression and self-loathing, and in those selfish, wallowing moments I usually reflect on the timeless questions such as "what's the meaning of it all" and " why are we here". Being a person who depends on logic and science to explain most things, I have a hard time clinging to blind faith and religion in these moments. That's not to say that I'm not spiritual, but I don't believe that any one church, sect or religion "has it right'. I think it's incredibly arrogant and illogical to believe that you or your church or your religion know "the truth". The Bible, the Qur'an, the Book of Mormon, etc. are books written by men. Even if they were inspired by a deity, they went through the filter of human thought and experience, and can't help but be biased by that filter. I believe that anyone who blindly follows such teachings without rational thought and analysis and a fair bit of skepticism is being cowardly or at the least is shirking responsibility for their own life. (As a result of my beliefs, I don't talk about religion with others much).
Happy thoughts!
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All true re: teachings. Besides, if there were deities (and in my experience, there seem to be) what do they have to do with human morality and spirituality? They probably have their own existences tied to this world or solar system or ecosystem or whatever and have about as much interest in us as the sand on Cannon Beach. The complete lack of favoritism in war, plague, fire, storm, etc. as far as one religious group or another seems to suggest not that some god or gods work in mysterious ways, but that human beings are trying to get the attention of powers that have little or no interest in them whether they sacrifice or not, pray or not, or die for a cause or not. (There's probably a shaggy dog story that could be arranged with cause or not and cosmonaut. Anyway.)
Depression plays not-so-funny tricks with people sometimes. Something in the chemistry says, if it doesn't have a clearly defined purpose, then what's the point? Things don't have to have a point to be valuable. Art, for example. :-) Sometimes it's hard to conceive of an individual's life as a work of art, but it is. Always a work in progress. Always the potential to do/be something really kewl over the next hill, or be there for the next graduation, when a child or grandchild dons the cap and gown and receives their diploma.
But then, I'm ridiculously optimistic. Don't mind me.
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