[extropy-chat] Transhumanism as Religion

[Dirk Bruere]

On 2/17/06, The Avantguardian <avantguardian2020 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> --- Dirk Bruere <dirk.bruere at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Transhumanism, in
> > its incarnation as an
> > imminent apocalyptic meme promising eternal life and
> > heaven on Earth, has
> > every ingredient necessary, and is more firmly based
> > in modern science than
> > any cult/religion I can think of. I'm almost
> > tempted...
>
> Allow me to tempt you further. I'll see your heaven on
> Earth and raise you a diaspora across the stars. I
> have been thinking much along these lines for quite
> some time. Transhumanism is already viewed by the
> masses as some kind of cult. I don't see what there
> would be to lose. I can think of much to gain. Think
> about the potential. A cult based upon empiricism,
> philosophy, and rational optimism where we canonize
> the likes of Plato, Darwin, Neitszche, and Einstein. A
> religion that actually imparted immeninently useful
> truths upon the faithful that were of consequence in
> the HERE AND NOW and not some illusory afterlife.
>
> A seamless blending of ancient wisdom from around the
> world and cutting edge science. After a life time of
> scientific enquiry and spiritual seeking, I literally
> have faith in the potential for humanity to transcend
> its limitations. And why should we not? We alone of
> amongst the creatures of the world have any concept of
> the scope of this vast universe and how little of it
> we have explored. Why would we be able to discern it
> at all, if we were not meant to explore it?
>
> Whether the gods created us in their image or we
> created them in ours, we are nonetheless CREATORS. Why
> should we not then strive to create a future that is
> to our liking and embrace that future? Unless and
> until Fermi's Great Silence is unequivocally broken,
> then we alone are the avatars of the sentient living
> universe. It is time we started acting like the
> godlings we are. To paraphrase the Buddha, "In all of
> heaven and earth, I alone am holy."



That is a very good summary of what is required.
For more on the topic, see my other post.
Care to join the conspiracy?

Dirk
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