Tolerance toward "odd balls" can lead to better ideas

Religious Views, by Art Carney

While there are as many ways to envision our human place in the scheme of things as there are people who think seriously about such things, the different scenarios of life are generally divided between the faith-based viewpoints of religion and the fact-based viewpoints of science.

This doesn't mean that scientifically minded people are necessarily atheistic or without faith, but only that they can suspend judgment on such matters and look at the world as if there is no God, or at least as if He is not involved in the mundane affairs concerning mind and matter.

Broadly speaking, it can be said that instead of God, scientists see the laws of physics as being the "authority" that governs the physical energy of the universe, while the laws of evolution are the "authority" that governs the mysterious force that animates the metaphysical realm of being.

In other words, scientists can view both the organic and the inorganic aspects of existence from an objective point of view that is not disrespectful of religious beliefs, but at the same time, the viewpoint allows them to uncover the secrets of nature and apply scientific knowledge to the benefit of humanity.

However, in addition to the two major viewpoints of religion and science, there is another smaller but significant group of independent thinkers who combine the talents and qualities of both communities into their own unique mental structure of fact and faith that permits them to see the world from yet another point of view. Some people in this group are seen as being either innovative or eccentric, but most are thought to be strange, anti-social or just plain crazy. But regardless of how they are perceived, this unorganized and mostly isolated array of individuals is responsible for many of the advancements of humanity.

Like the black sheep of the flock who often discover the ways to greener pastures among the rocks, brambles and thorns that are off the beaten path, these unorthodox odd-balls -- who march to a different drummer -- often have insights that lead to new ideas that may enhance the quality of human life.

But nevertheless, seeing things from a different perspective does not usually yield great benefits, but like the short and thicker beaks of Darwin's finches on the Galapagos Islands, when certain conditions prevail, the thicker beaks can be the difference between life and death -- and likewise, odd ideas can often change human stagnation into progress.

While religious concepts of life unite large numbers of people under a common moral code of behavior that has obvious social benefits, existential-minded people -- who are included in this third group of observers -- see themselves as being masters of their own destiny since they believe there is no outside purpose in life. Their highest good is found in the achievement of those goals and objectives that they themselves deem to be worthy of pursuit.

Existentialists are concerned with their own self-fulfillment through the use of their own mind and heart to determine their own values and to decide for themselves what is worth pursuing in life.

Although some faith-based religions see the existential concept of life as being selfish or self-centered, the fact is that through the use of reason, existentialists see their culture and community as the source of their own individual greatest good. That is to say, in seeking to fulfill their own best interests, existentialists find that cultural institutions sustain the economy, education, politics, technology and religion that make life worth living, and that without our culture, humanity could not exist in a civilized manner.

But our dependence on community does not mean that our "purpose" in life is to devote ourselves entirely toward the good of others, it only means that we cannot live outside of human culture.

To a large extent, any altruistic concern of existentialists for their neighbor or their community is based on reason, as opposed to a religious belief or a devotion to God. Through the proper and sincere use of reason we are able to pursue our own wants and needs in ways that are not detrimental to our culture or our neighbor. The use of reason also reveals that it makes sense to contribute to the health of one's community as a matter of course.

The point of these observations is to encourage free thinkers to be strong in their convictions because different ideas may someday be the salvation of humanity. It would also behoove us well --- both religious and scientific -- to develop a measure of tolerance toward the odd-balls we tend to ridicule or ignore.

Art Carney is a Wasilla resident. He is a frequent contributor to the Religion page.

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