hedging our bets

  Being an atheist is nothing more than an absence of accountability. If there is no higher power to answer to you just get to do whatever you please. That is my assessment of that. I watched several programs about life after death and what others believe that may be. A portion of that program did contain a talk with an avowed atheist. Penn, of Penn and Teller fame. He proclaims that there is nothing more to death than dying. That's it, that's all there is. His concern was missing something in this life. That is what he said. By being concerned with the afterlife, with what may follow this life, altering your decisions to comply with religious beliefs you may miss something. I heard that as, I just want to do what I want to do. Sounds like a dismissal of accountability to me. It takes supreme confidence or blissful ignorance to live with that attitude. I will not judge which it is, I believe that judgement isn't up to me.

  To be fair however I also think that each of us hedge our bet just a bit. A great deal of that stems from the roots of our raising. Just how devout and pious where those that raised you? As they used to say did you have the fear of God put into you? That was the generally accepted way when I was growing up, you were expected to be just a little bit afraid. Today it is all about praise, convincing that power that you love him/her or whatever you conceive God to be. Nothing to be afraid of, you can screw up all you want as long as you admit it, ask to be forgiven, and offer enough praise. You are forgiven and start with a clean slate. It's a bit different from what I was taught, I could be struck down at any moment! It was even in my evening prayer; Now I lay me down to sleep. Are children being taught that prayer today? It is the hedging of the bet that we call "reformation" or "denomination." You can't do this, or you shouldn't do that defines the boundaries of piety. Simply redefine the boundary and the door is open to continued life. A new interpretation of the directives. Presently it appears to be anything short of a complete denial will suffice. 

 The real question the majority of us have is what will happen after I die. Where do I go? I believe there is a life after this one. I have written about all of this several times and so far, haven't changed my mind about how I feel. Our soul is pure energy. That's what it is and as such can neither be created nor destroyed, only converted from one form to another. That's science 101. I also believe that energy will be aware of the change. During that program I watched about life after death there were interviews with those that had a near death experience. The majority of those interviewed recounted the same experience, eerily similar in fact. They were much too similar to be chance. They also interviewed a Doctor, a neurosurgeon, that has been conducting research into all of that. He is convinced that the energy continues beyond clinical death. His only question being, for how long. That he didn't know. All in all, compelling testimony and scientific research. 

  Is there a gatekeeper? Do our actions in this life effect the transformation of our energy in the next life? Those that believe in reincarnation certainly think that is the case, those that believe in heaven and hell believe it effects the decision made by a higher authority. I believe wholeheartedly that there has to be something directing all of this. The universe is certainly an ordered thing, it isn't just happening at random. There is a definite order to everything. Defining that order is what we call Physics. We are being told to trust the science; physics is the science of life! Is there an alien entity controlling all of what mankind is and does? Are we just a big experiment started by some alien entity that is now sitting back and watching to simply observe? There are some who think that is the case. It is a possibility. I am not convinced it is a certainty.

  All religious belief contains the expectation of reward. That's the point. Whether that reward is received on a personal level, or to benefit the entire society or civilization, that is the point. We are accountable for what will transpire in the future. It's an attempt to be in control. We have progressed to the point where we now feel like we can control the planet! We proclaim that global warming is the result of man. We also claim we can save the planet. I'm amazed at the arrogance of man. This earth is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old. We also think man has been here for about 6 million years. That's about 1.333% of the time. If we use 1760 as the start of the industrial revolution, we are now saying we are destroying the planet in just 263 years' time! Yeah, that's pretty arrogant I'd say. All the natural disasters that have occurred didn't get that done but we will. And we insist on all of this for a simple reason, an expectation of a reward. We will live. We are even planning our escape should we fail to save this planet. You could say we are hedging our bet just a bit. 

 At the heart of all this there is the desire to live on. There just has to be more to life than this. It would all seem useless, a waste of time without that. What's the point? If I'm here to simply do for others, what are the others here to do? I must serve some purpose and I will be rewarded for that. As to whether I get that choice or not, the choice of purpose, I can't say for sure. I'm leaning toward, I do not. I think I am assigned at birth, by gender and purpose. The reward for fulfilling that purpose? Well, I like to think it will be awareness. Knowing the answer has always given me comfort. I've found I can endure just about anything if I know why. Why is the big question and the answer is serenity. I'm thinking that is the reward. Define that any way you please. For me it will be, I know, and I told you so.