Let’s get the God stuff out of the way right now.

As logical, rational people we state that whatever spirituality exists, exists.  Whatever there is, there is.  It is no different from the physical world around us. 

To those of an atheistic/scientific viewpoint we ask why do you find it so difficult to believe in some spiritual existence of life?  You can believe in multi-dimensional space (11 in the latest theory), the strangeness of quantum mechanics but not the clear evidence put before you.  Your bias against it makes you consider the evidence in ways that you do no other physical thing.

To religious people we ask why on this most important issue of our lives are we not allowed to learn?  To grow?  To discover new facts?  In all other areas of our lives we do, but not in this one.  Why?  It doesn’t make sense.  Our great gift of our intelligence, the thing that has allowed us to grow and control our destiny like no animal before us, this has to be discarded if we want to find God?  It goes against common sense.  Why not use the same methods that have us on the edge of understanding the entire universe and all the forces that operate in it? 

And just like the scientists, you too have to actively disregard evidence to retain your present viewpoint.  Your bias against it makes you consider the evidence in ways that you do no other physical thing.  The essences of your religious experiences are very, very real.  It is simply they need a slight re-framing.  Not necessarily a discarding of the past beliefs, more of a growth – like the Jefferson quote.

E.I.C. believes:

o       All evidence indicates that there is a spiritual essence to life.  This can be looked at as two parts; personal and global.  (Although our understanding is extremely limited and this perhaps is more correctly viewed as one – but who truly knows?)  Since in the past the personal essence of life has been called a soul, we will continue with this usage.  Since in the past the global has been called God, we see no reason to attempt to come up with a new word.  Therefore, all evidence indicates that all life has a soul and that there is a God.  We do not claim to know God.  We do not claim to know your soul.

o       There is some type of life after death.  It seems your soul continues.  We do not know the duration or nature, only that all evidence indicates that it exists. 

o       You and I are supposed to be here; there is clearly a flow of life and we are the result.  We are not sinful or imperfect in any way.  We are magnificent.  Given the chance with the right environment and enough time, life on other planets will also progress to a tool-using, intelligent species; ones who will discover the facts of their physical environment, and use this knowledge to shape their environment and to discover their spiritual existence and relationship to God.  Where do we go from here?  Who knows?  We can only follow the truth and be who and what we are.

o       Your life is a gift (in fact all life is a gift).  Compare it with never existing, with nothingness.  Even the act of only taking a breath or two is profound, especially when compared to never existing.

o       The purpose of any animal’s life is its own joy.  The purpose of your life is your own joy.  This joy is hardwired in us.  Joy for humans comes from productive achievement.  It is not a choice.  It is also hardwired in us.  Accomplishing things makes us happy.  You will find joy in accomplishing things – not necessarily big things; all things.  To live a happy and joyous life, do things – clean the house, make dinner, wash the dishes, rake the leaves, take a walk, read a book, volunteer, play with your kids, improve yourself, use your body, use your brain.  The big things will follow the little things but a joyous life comes from the little things.  Small improvements lead to bigger things.  Real joy is found by filling the seconds with accomplishments and with consciously enjoying every moment.

o       The ancient prophets may or may not have spoken for God (you can believe or not, neither choice keeps you from the truth).  But their actual words are unknown and have undergone tremendous change over the years.  In addition they were spoken in a certain context; to people who held certain beliefs and lived in certain ways.  We cannot truly understand how these people thought and lived.  This is the essence of the Jefferson quote.  It is time to change the coat.  This does not mean that the old coat was “bad” or “wrong”.  It fact it was incredibly good; it helped get us to where we are today.  But it is now time to try on a new coat.  Jesus and Muhammad both spoke of an unbrokered kingdom of God - the idea that God was right there in front of each us - clearly visible to those who opened their eyes.  And there was no need for put anyone between you and God.  Not only is there an unbrokered kingdom of God (the spiritual essence of life is clear to anyone who chooses to look - it might not be what you desire or have thought in the past but so what) but from the results of our collective intelligence and knowledge there is an unbrokered kingdom of everything - we have pretty much discovered the truth in about everything (or at least know what direction to go looking for the truth).  It is there for anyone to see.

o       Since there is no way to verify that someone speaks for God, you must view all who say they do with great skepticism.  In fact you should ignore that they say this and look to what they say.  Does it make sense?  Is it logical?  Does it fit in with the reality of the world? 

o       There is a goodness to all life; in fact there is a goodness to all things.  At worst case you can take a completely evolutionist viewpoint and see all life as neutral (we believe you have to actively ignore evidence to attempt to not believe in a spiritual existence of some kind).  But there is definitely no evil to life.

That’s the God part.  Not all that complicated.  Not as weird as you thought, eh?  Don’t need blind faith; the above is known or inferred from facts, not someone’s wishful thinking.  Don’t need to listen to someone else who claims to speak for God.  We can finally combine the head and heart when it comes to religion.  And we are blessed to be the first humans in all time to be able to truly understand our place in the universe and our place with God.