A Religion for the Non Religious

[Catholic_Lady]

You said this same thing on your first post here, but the "eye towards a greater future provided by an outside agent" is exactly what he's NOT saying lol.

I said it is reminiscent of that kind of approach, in that he talks of things that are out of our control, and of consciousness as some sort of continuum, and that there is "no reason to think [it] doesn’t extend upwards forever."  He establishes his 'atheist credentials' at the start, but then descends into a discussion that gets mired in a kind of "what might be out there" thinking that seems counter to his stated desire to find meaning in the here and now.  For a moment he will appear to be discussing the human mind using simple analogies, then he talks about reaching the next rung of consciousness, then admits that it might require millions of years of evolution and then switches back to using analogies, except this time they're muddled and confusing.  Like I said in my first response, the post is in desperate need of a full review and re-write.  He could make it much shorter and more focused and not wander as much, and I might get what the main point is.

Keep in mind that an "outside agent" can be a lot of things, and doesn't need to be a god.  Many people limit themselves while blaming "circumstance" for their poor quality-of-life.  I only compare it to a religious outlook because that is what he seems to be aiming for with his title and introduction.  Had he not made religion and atheism themes in the beginning, I wouldn't have made the connection.  He'd still need a complete re-write to get his point across, though.

Thanks for the clarification!