Tuesday, May 2, 2017

HOW I CAN BE A PAGAN ATHEIST AND OTHER MAGICKAL MUSINGS FOR NON-MAGICKAL PEOPLE

I believe that this world and the people in it are all living in both subjective and objective realities. There can be more than one objective reality, supported by empirical facts.  But there are as many subjective realities as there are individual humans. I find no contradiction in believing in all Gods, and no gods at all.  Both can co-exist simultaneously.

I believe in both Creationism and Evolution.  But I'd prefer only evolution be taught in public schools.  I think Numerology can be helpful to many people, but I think mathematics should be a requirement.  I believe in Astrology, but Astronomy is more useful in mundane life.

I am a witch and a multi-dimensional entity, but I am also a human living in a shared reality with other humans. As a witch, operating in other dimensions, I might see where I effect the shared reality through "supernatural" means, but until I can prove that empirically, I wouldn't testify in court on magickal or psychic phenomena.

For many years I was a stone cold atheist.  Of course, during that time I still experienced psychic phenomena.  And it always bothered me a lot.  It didn't fit in with how I wanted the world to be.  So I cannot speak for those that do not believe in anything "supernatural" and have never had an "otherworldly" or psychic experience.

Subjective realities matter only when we try to make everyone else believe as we do.  And in this regard, hard core empiricists can be just as bad as religious zealots.  The difference is that the science based person is willing to accept new evidence and new theories, while the zealot is trapped in an unchanging belief system.

I believe that one day science will explain my psychic and other abilities. I don't know how or when, but I do believe one day it will be accepted for all humans, or perhaps just certain humans.

In many ways, it doesn't matter. Because I am here in this earthly incarnation to experience human existence and this shared reality.  When I can levitate in front of other human beings I will allow scientists to examine me and figure out how other people can duplicate it.  Until then, levitation is a subjective experience, a possible hallucination, a "crazy" belief.

(EDIT: While my personal subjective belief is that some people who do things like mass murder are possessed by evil spirits, or entities, I would not expect a court of law to exonerate that person. Not until there is empirical, scientific proof of possession. However, if the court found the murderer as "possessed" by mental illness, and convicted to a forensic ward, if that murderer wanted to be exorcised by a priest, and that person believed it would heal him, then they should have the right to try it, if a priest was willing.)

It serves no purpose to insist that other people believe as I do.  And in order for me to insist that I be allowed to have the subjective reality that I live in, I must defend other people's right to have their own subjective reality.

But our mutual society must be based on shared reality.  This is why I support an adult's right to treat an illness with prayer, or commit suicide, or try to live on breathe alone, but not a parent's right to do any of those things to their children.  Or to anyone else.

If it were up to me, children wouldn't be introduced to belief systems until they were 12 or 13. Let children start school at 7, and let them learn the empirical, observational, shared-reality first.  And while they are teenagers let them learn how to control their hormones and form strong relationships and the basics of managing a life (budgeting, bookkeeping, keeping house, health routines, etc). When they are 18 they can choose a religion if they want to.

We don't need religion to see what benefits all people.  We don't need religion to be "good" people. (We don't need science to see it either, but we do need science to help us achieve it.  I believe in prayer, but not in place of medical care, or engineering, etc.)

Every person on this planet needs clean air, drinkable water, arable land, health care and treatment for illness and injury.  Every person on this planet needs shelter, most need clothing and shoes for at least part of the year.  And every person needs education on how to survive in this shared reality, this empirical reality. (EDIT: Every person needs emotional support and opportunities to expand and grow, and to have work that is meaningful and contributes to society.)

If you are an adult and you choose to believe in a caste system, or an after-life of torture, or a superiority of one kind of person or another- please, feel free.  But I don't know why any adult would willingly accept a religion based on fear and tyranny. **

(EDIT: A religion that can only survive by ignoring shared reality and indoctrinating children is not a religion of true believers.  It is not a soul exercising free will.  I also don't believe it is right to tell children that "there is no such thing as faeries" or "you will never be able to fly like Superman".  Tell them instead that their is no proof of those things, and that many people do not believe they are real.  Then let them investigate on their own.  One of the most valuable things ever said to me was "It's as easy to learn to fly by jumping off a curb as jumping off a roof."  I think I was about 4 or 5.  I knew that I could fly, and I kept jumping off of things, hoping I would take flight. Thankfully there was an adult around that didn't repeat the "no one can fly" admonishment. There was an adult who let me have my belief in myself, and also knew how to prevent me from hurting myself while I attempted to prove my theory.)

I prefer a diverse world of many subjective realities.  But I want our unity as humans to be based in shared reality, in science.  Far from restricting diversity of subjective reality, I think a science based society opens up more possibilities, more dimensions. There is more room for subjective truth when we all agree on empirical facts.

In Science I Trust, So Mote It Be.

This post is a preface of sorts, for another post I am working on, which I will link to here when I finish it.

**The people standing in front of Planned Parenthood believe in a God that expects them to defend the unborn from "murder".  I find this ironic considering that in their subjective reality the aborted soul would go to Heaven.  But should that child be born with the free will granted to it by its creator, this soul could inadvertently end up being tortured FOREVER in a hell dimension.

Surely in this belief system it would be better to abort all fetuses and ensure that all souls go to Heaven and with God?  (Except the abortionist, who is going to hell anyhow, simply for not believing in this god.)  Why would this god simultaneously want to test souls with free will AND want other souls to take away that free will choice by demanding obedience to that god?