Search for true path supercedes religion

Although it is easier to believe that God is in charge of the universe, I have come to understand that the process of evolution is the real reason why things are as they are. As I see it now, there was some small aspect of intelligence in the dark void of space that evolved into an unconscious urge to express itself. Perhaps the urge became more urgent, which resulted in the beginning of an emotional force, and eventually, the intelligent urge and the emotional force joined together in a Big Bang explosion of intellectual activity and emotional expression, both of which continue to evolve into ever more meaningful and complex manifestations.

Through the intelligent laws of physics and the emotional fears and desires of life, human beings evolved and acquired the use of reason and the capacity to follow the sage’s advice, “Know thyself.” However, the bulk of humanity is likely to remain in the early stages of meaningful understanding because of conformity to religion and its offer of comfort, hope and security, which is preferable to the anguish, forlornness and despair that is often experienced by individuals who choose to do their own thinking and follow their own path.

Regarding a “right” way to live human life, Lao-Tzu claimed, “There are ways, but the ways are unknown,” and I agree all humans are individual people with different values, priorities and abilities. While human survival and well-being requires us to conform to civil laws, social customs, and the moral dictates of our culture, our personal use of reason, which is the human part of our existence, requires us to pursue our own self-interest.

Errors are inevitable, but learning from our own mistakes is preferable to being misled or disillusioned by other people whose beliefs are mostly irrelevant to us. Ideally, the use of reason is employed in our separate lives when we prioritize our values or decide what we truly believe or which path to follow.

In managing our personal life, the quesion, “Does it make sense to me?” is a reliable guide that may not always be easy or pleasant to follow, but it is always best — as implied by another quote from ancient wisdom, “When the heart cries for what it has lost, the spirit smiles for what it has gained.”

W. Art Carney

Wasilla