[extropy-chat] On co-opting religion for >human ends

[John Calvin]

I am neither scientist, nor scholar, nor author.  Sometimes I have
difficulty putting a framework around the thoughts thoughts in my
mind, giving the reference and painting them with pretty words to
share with the world.  I say this now to ask for forgiveness if what
follows makes no sense.

I would not choose to create a Religion, and within that word I
include the trappings of dogma and ritual.  I would instead choose to
create a mythology of sorts, stories by which we might pass along new
values and ideas.

We ought to explore the world with a sound science.  Yet, could we
still not color the world with a beautiful mythology?  Science, to let
us find the facts; to explain the what, how, when, and where of the
world.  In our mythology we can give the world it's why's.   Science
to be the map that lets us find the mountain, and mythology to remind
us why we climb it.

I would rewrite the story of John Henry.   Instead of poor John Henry
beating the machine and dying at the end, I would have him learn to
operate and repair the machine, for he knows that by doing so he will
have more time to write poetry which is something he has always wanted
to do.

We don't have to be "New Agey" about it, we can clearly state that
these are only stories, but stories meant to convey a point.  We do
need something however, since sound bites are obviously not enough to
portray >H properly to the masses.  We need something that will
capture the minds of children, and the children within us all, and
show >H to be about grand possibilities for us all.  We need to write
the future friendly movies.  Todays children need to grow up reading
the Brothers Simm, and read stories about how bright a future we can
have.  We need something with which we can combat the negative memes
of old religions, on their own turf.

Take a moment, think about any fairy tales you read as a child, think
about how they might be recast to portray >H in a positive light.