WOTM: The More
In looking at the con...versions of Ayaan and Goff, I see a common thread that divides people like me (us?), from believers of all kinds. Enjoy!
Okay, now I literally don't have time to write anything more. Thank you all for your continues support. It means everything to me. I'm so grateful for you help. Stay safe, my friends. And have a great Newtonmas. I'll see you back here New Years Eve! B
Comments (8)
I'm a lapsed WOTM watcher (not as bad as a lapsed Catholic, I guess) and only watched this today. Credit where it's due: Pat Condell made this point before going off the racist, bigotted deep-end: That spirituality can have very positive effects, for both the believer and society. It can give comfort and can inspire a person to do great works (art, music, architecture, Albert Schwietzer, etc). But then when you conflate this with religion, everything goes haywire. Conflating spirituality with religion is like a pet store that gives away a free rattlesnake with every bunny rabbit. I don't need a belief in a "More" (Dudley or Sir Thomas). But someone who does? OK for them. The trouble really starts when a big enough group of people decide to belive the same unverifiable magic together. Then others who do not believe as they do become something "other."
What a great line there at the end! I might steel that. 😬
Looking forward to this one going public, as I have one particular friend to whom I want to send it.
You saw it went live last week, right? BTW, I don't mind you sending the link to friends/family, etc... before it goes live on YouTube. That's kinda one of the perks, right? Thanks for not assuming though. Very thoughtful.
Ultimately, I think both Goff and Ali are conning themselves more than anyone else.
I went through a “spiritual period” in my deconstruction, after letting go of the Christian god. I wasn’t able to let go of the idea of something “more” for a good 8-10 years. I eventually outgrew that emotional need as well, although I still find some comfort in Buddhist & & Taoist practices. I have no need to delude myself into creating my own personal version of god, nor the need to seek emotional salve of a fantasy, because I know there are legitimate psychological therapies available.
I give this video a 10.
In other words, that reality is what it is… doesn't comfort Ayaan's and Goff's short mortality, their fear of their death, no longer existing, being… nothing. "Better the hard truth, I say, than the comforting fantasy. And in the final tolling it often turns out that the facts are more comforting than the fantasy." —Carl Sagan