Is the theism binary the ultimate question? If you had to choose a single word or sentence to define your spiritual, philosophical, or religious beliefs, would you spend it on the name of, or denial of, a god or gods?
Imagine that there is someone who would like to know you, and you have the opportunity to tell that person something meaningful about your beliefs. Consider the possibilities – if you talk about your belief in peaceful resolutions to conflict, you might make an instant connection. If you carry inside your heart a reverence for our natural world, you’ll win me over in a heartbeat.
These are the kinds of beliefs that shape our world.
Last night I had the chance to make some new friends at a dinner where we recognized environmental heroes – people who have devoted years or even decades to protecting great natural places in and around the Salish Sea. To quote Meteor Blades – “ show me what you do, and I’ll tell you what you believe.”
Every awardee, and in fact every person in attendance, easily conveyed what they believe by the fact of their actions over the years. Their beliefs showed in every victory, protecting a special place, educating children, or restoring life once again where it had been gone, and even in efforts that were not successful – yet. I still don’t know whether any of those people profess to believe in any particular deity – but I know what they believe.
I believe we have a sacred duty to protect the less powerful – including people and all the rest of creation. Everywhere I look, I see people who share that vision – telling the world what they believe through their actions.
That word - sacred. It's not copyrighted. Nobody needs official permission to contemplate or speak of what is sacred. Considering the sacred – that which should be revered, and should not be harmed – is an awareness that every person can have if they are open to it. Contemplating the unknowable is a human action that spans the centuries - if you explained the core concept of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle to a smart person in the Neolithic Age, they probably would get it with no problem.
No matter what label someone may attach to their beliefs, every single person in the world has an individual internal construction that tries to make sense of it all. That construction guides their emotions, their actions, and their thoughts, in a unique manner. If a specific religious teaching has a led a person to a path of compassion and understanding, that's fantastic - and I know so many people for whom that has been so.
Every person has their own spiritual journey. And every person, at the end, must take responsibility for themselves - what they believe, and what they do.
So, about that theism binary question. I might get around to deciding what I think about it - some day. Meanwhile, I've got a really big backlog of ideas to explore, about the world, the limits of what we can know, about love, about nature, and about our future.
Love and peace to everyone,