Just because.
This political season is turning me increasingly bitter as other peoples’ points of view clash with my own on a daily basis. I get a vicarious release through Maher’s rants. My friend Julian tipped me off to the video, and below are his astute comments:
i think it becomes essential that we differentiate “meaning” from projected fantasy – an intelligent and honest search for meaning doesn’t stop at made-up place holders, but rather pushes bravely forward and looks into the meaning of “meaning” as well, as part of the inquiry – it also dares to face the existential abyss, death, meaningless suffering etc.. and in light of that contrast goes deeper into “meaning” – finding perhaps love, generosity, integrity, awareness, truth, beauty, goodness etc as being more deeply meaningful precisely because the made-up place-holder religious fantasies are bankrupt, we all die at the end, millions suffer for no reason and evolution is an imperfect miracle.
is there something spiritual? yes. but it is found in an ever deepening embrace of our humanity, mortality and imperfection, as well as a genuine sense of awe for life itself and the kosmos at large (as revealed by broad scientific method in all four quadrants) – none of this requires the “spiritual” fantasy of afterlife, discarnate beings or a big parental god responsible for the majestic catastrophe around and within us. though many believe these things in ways that seem on the surface to enhance their personalities and actions, i would argue that these beliefs (because of their delusional nature and projection of meaning and sacredness into a non-existent domain) actually cheapen and desacralize human existence – as evidenced by the extreme version of their consequences on the world stage.
we still haven’t grown up.
but lets keep this on track with the real issue, beyond the philosophizing:
george bush believes that god has given him instruction on how to enact foreign policy.
john mccain believes in the transcendent struggle of our time between good and evil against the forces of islamic terrorism. (so do they)
palin thinks the war in iraq is us doing god’s work and that women who are raped or incested should have to pay for their own $1200 “rape kits” to test their claims and should not have the choice of an abortion because she believes life begins at conception and abortion breaks god’s commandment against murder.
all three of these high profile leaders (as well as the Islamic fundamentalist extremist they oppose) find “meaning ” in their metaphysical fantasy faith. but it is a phoney “meaning” and we should not dignify it.
now they have a “right to believe” whatever they would like but a) this has no place in politics and governance and b) our culture needs to wake up and see that these kind of crazy beliefs should actually disqualify someone from having access to the kind of power that the u.s. president has over our lives and history itself….rather than make them (falsely) appear decent, spiritual and patriotic.