I’m an atheist, well that’s very obvious. But atheism is neither a philosophical position nor a world view. So then, what’s my stand?
In the resent event that causes my dissolution with secular humanism here in the Philippines, I don’t think this philosophy fit my position. Personally, I think that it’s better; you see as an atheist, I really don’t have any agenda. Agenda always shows up when a person is connected with a certain worldview.
I also don’t need a creed or certain rules to live by. I don’t need Poch Suzara’s Code of Living for atheists and Paul Kurtz affirmations of Humanism which can be found inside every front cover of his Free Inquiry magazine, just as I don’t need the Apostle’s Creed and the 135 Jewish laws.
As an atheist, I don’t need to follow Sartre, Russell, Nietzsche, Dawkins, Dennett, Harris, Hitchens and Kurtz. They are not saints; they are susceptible to errors like you and me. They are not infallible authorities and I can question their position and challenge it if I can. Atheism is fueled by free inquiry and free inquiry is about “knowing” not “imposing”.
Philosophies can be corrupted. I believe Mr. Paul Kurtz has a positive vision when he created this “Secular Humanism”, yet as membership grew corrosion sets in. We cannot stop people with personal schema. Sooner or later they will insert their seed like weeds in an orchard, destroying the orchard’s beauty as it grow. Secular Humanism is non-religious but secular humanism in the Philippines became a haven for bigots and anti-religion. I doubt if anything positive will come out of it.
So now I have to find something better…and while contemplating I have decided that instead of finding a replacement, it’s better to create your own philosophy. As Sally Brown said (You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown) My Own Philosophy…So now I’m a proud adherent of the philosophy according to “Sam I Am”. It’s really fun to create a philosophy base on some cartoon or TV character like The Philosophy According to 24 or The Philosophy According to Star Wars.
So what’s this “Sam I Am” philosophy all about? It’s about Green Eggs and Ham. The rule is simple…just like Murphy’s Law. The more you hate something, the more you’ll love it once you’ve tasted it. That’s why I never said that “I hate religion”. Abhorrence is not the same as skepticism. I am more into doubting religious claims and skepticism in the supernatural, but I don’t hate them. I always remember what my friend Mr. Hector Gamboa (M_Y) told me…People who have too much hatred in religion are those people who are really craving for it.
Hate is not an atheist’s arsenal for the search of truth…and I doubt if these hate mongers are really atheists in the first place. I think these people are just depressed theists. Most of them are victims of unhappy childhood and some are now entering their sad twilight years. They label themselves as “atheists”, “freethinkers” or “secular humanists”, flashing it like a badge so that the gods in heaven will pity them for their ignorance and pride. They are afraid of death so they’re challenging their god-belief, hoping for God to response for all the blasphemy they wrote or uttered and hoping for God to forgive them so they will die in peace. This is non-belief according to C.S.Lewis.
That’s the best thing about having no affiliation what so ever. I can always accept or throw out ideas which I see fit or unfit. I can always challenge every belief being peddled in the street.
I am free.
In the resent event that causes my dissolution with secular humanism here in the Philippines, I don’t think this philosophy fit my position. Personally, I think that it’s better; you see as an atheist, I really don’t have any agenda. Agenda always shows up when a person is connected with a certain worldview.
I also don’t need a creed or certain rules to live by. I don’t need Poch Suzara’s Code of Living for atheists and Paul Kurtz affirmations of Humanism which can be found inside every front cover of his Free Inquiry magazine, just as I don’t need the Apostle’s Creed and the 135 Jewish laws.
As an atheist, I don’t need to follow Sartre, Russell, Nietzsche, Dawkins, Dennett, Harris, Hitchens and Kurtz. They are not saints; they are susceptible to errors like you and me. They are not infallible authorities and I can question their position and challenge it if I can. Atheism is fueled by free inquiry and free inquiry is about “knowing” not “imposing”.
Philosophies can be corrupted. I believe Mr. Paul Kurtz has a positive vision when he created this “Secular Humanism”, yet as membership grew corrosion sets in. We cannot stop people with personal schema. Sooner or later they will insert their seed like weeds in an orchard, destroying the orchard’s beauty as it grow. Secular Humanism is non-religious but secular humanism in the Philippines became a haven for bigots and anti-religion. I doubt if anything positive will come out of it.
So now I have to find something better…and while contemplating I have decided that instead of finding a replacement, it’s better to create your own philosophy. As Sally Brown said (You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown) My Own Philosophy…So now I’m a proud adherent of the philosophy according to “Sam I Am”. It’s really fun to create a philosophy base on some cartoon or TV character like The Philosophy According to 24 or The Philosophy According to Star Wars.
So what’s this “Sam I Am” philosophy all about? It’s about Green Eggs and Ham. The rule is simple…just like Murphy’s Law. The more you hate something, the more you’ll love it once you’ve tasted it. That’s why I never said that “I hate religion”. Abhorrence is not the same as skepticism. I am more into doubting religious claims and skepticism in the supernatural, but I don’t hate them. I always remember what my friend Mr. Hector Gamboa (M_Y) told me…People who have too much hatred in religion are those people who are really craving for it.
Hate is not an atheist’s arsenal for the search of truth…and I doubt if these hate mongers are really atheists in the first place. I think these people are just depressed theists. Most of them are victims of unhappy childhood and some are now entering their sad twilight years. They label themselves as “atheists”, “freethinkers” or “secular humanists”, flashing it like a badge so that the gods in heaven will pity them for their ignorance and pride. They are afraid of death so they’re challenging their god-belief, hoping for God to response for all the blasphemy they wrote or uttered and hoping for God to forgive them so they will die in peace. This is non-belief according to C.S.Lewis.
That’s the best thing about having no affiliation what so ever. I can always accept or throw out ideas which I see fit or unfit. I can always challenge every belief being peddled in the street.
I am free.
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