Updated: 03/15/05
Copyright: 1989
Renewed: 2004
CHAPTER 25
HUMAN NATURE
Some
ministers, rabbis and priests teach that religion is a basic part of human nature.
Is it? Were the earliest men and women actually religious? Or were they
instead, practical, dealing only with the basics of surviving as a group? What
is the history of religion in a nutshell?
How
about the Clear Thinking philosophy? How long has it been on the scene of
mankind's stage? What is the history of Clear Thinking, or so-called Atheism in
a nutshell? Can we actually know much about the early history of the Clear
Thinking philosophy? Yes. We can know a little. We can also ask this question.
IS IT MORE NATURAL FOR MANKIND TO BELIEVE, OR TO THINK?
The
human animal is well adapted for survival on this planet. Both his physical
structure and mental structure are merged in such a manner, he cannot only
compete with all of the other animals on the planet, but he must be careful
that his superiority doesn't become a handicap. His superiority is such that he
could totally wipe all competitors from the face of the earth. Man has done
just that with many of earth's animals, streams and forests and let us not
forget the oceans. In retrospect, competitors are often found to be
benefactors.
As
an animal, given clean air to breathe, man desires water, food and procreation,
in that order. These come first. Individual and collective survival is followed
by the desire for comfort, which includes heat, shelter and clothing. Out of
these five basic needs and drives come all the rest that man is and does. I
have read of no philosopher or scientist who suggests that man has a sixth
drive. However, I would like to suggest that man Does Have a sixth drive. That
is the great drive to Know, or Curiosity, if you will.
The
prehistoric beginnings of religion can only be guessed at. There are, however,
anthropologists, archeologists and sociologists who have come forward with some
logical explanations of which I will give you my condensed version.
At
first, and for a long time, there was no religion as such. Religion takes its
beginnings from ignorance, a lack of knowledge and a “Desire to Know.” That is,
religion came from trying to explain natural phenomena without scientific
observation and experimentation. Religion draws its appeal from the fear of
death and to a lesser degree, from the fear of hunger, sickness and disasters.
It also appeals to greed, or the hope of getting something for nothing. In
addition, it appeals to the hope for justice, for righting the wrongs suffered
in this life.
In
the early hunting and gathering societies, it is evident from archeological
finds and pictographs that early man considered by eating bear meat one became
bear like. From eating an animal, one partook of the strength, cunning,
swiftness and attributes of that animal. From there it was a short step to
attributing a bear Spirit to the bear, a hawk spirit to the hawk and then to man
and even inanimate objects like lakes, streams, volcanoes, the wind,
lightening, clouds and such.
From
that point on, man began to feed and bribe the spirits hoping for favored
treatment from these whimsical spirits. Soon, some of the old or useless ones
were in charge to make sure no one forgot this or that spirit. Thus, religion
had its small beginning. The man, who took a special interest in telling the
people what the spirits wanted and needed, soon became a powerful man in the
tribe. He also became well fed.
The
growth of religion was certainly different in different places. In the Orient,
what some choose to call religion became a peaceful, simple, slow growth
institution. Wealth was slowly accumulated by this type of institution since it
was only a minor burden on the people and it also performed valuable services
for the people. In the Orient, what some western people call religion, provided
wisdom, counsel and work (paid for by the temples). In some instances, these
Oriental types of institutions became dispensers of justice. That is, it became
the government. So called religion in the Orient also provided education,
science, art, history and kept historical records.
Religion
in the near east, especially Persia, had much the same goals and aims as the
Oriental religions. However, a diversity of religions in the Middle East,
Western and Northern Europe, coupled with weather and population problems, soon
caused clashes one culture and religion with another.
The
battle of the gods began in earnest. This tribe’s god fought against that
tribes' god. The strongest god always won. The cruelest god always seemed to be
the strongest. Thus, emerged the roots of the western religions of today with
their blood sacrifices, their intolerance of other gods and their lists of sins
against their god and his representatives. These mid eastern and western gods
insisted on belief in and obedience to their doctrines. They also insisted on
showing the wrongs of all the other gods, religions and doctrines.
Again,
it seems the most cruel gods won the battle for the minds and bodies of man.
The conversion from one god to another was accomplished with the sword and
political power rather than by the appeal of one god's doctrines over another
god's. Mithraism (followed by Christianity) entered the fray late and soon made
great inroads due to their ruthlessness and adaptability. Soon the West and the
Mideast were Mithraized, Christianized and traumatized. Believers in other gods
were soon eradicated, isolated, or kept in servitude.
Counting
the splinter groups among Christians as one, there are now three main classes
of religions in the world. There are the Judao-Christian religions, the Islamic
religions and the Oriental philosophies and religions.
There
is a great clash coming in the west due to religious differences (or
likenesses) between two of these groups. Both have a mandate from their God and
holy books. They are to Save the world for their respective God. For the
concept of "Save" one should read the words Conquer or Subjugate. Our
side is always "God's side” while the other side is always the
"Devil's side.” The world will soon see a great ideological fight and war
between the Judao-Christian religions on the one hand and the Islamic religions
on the other. It will be a bloody world war. It will be a religious war, fought
with religious slogans and religious intents. It will be the good (our side)
against the evil (their side). It will be fought in Europe and may be partly
fought in the United States. In other words, I think we will be invaded at the
least by terrorists and rockets. (Boy! Was I right on that count!)
It
will take about fifteen to twenty years from now (1989) before we are weak
enough and the Islamic world is strong enough to attack. It will begin by the
fundamentalist Islamic countries first terrorizing and/or attacking the other
Islamic countries in order to unify all of the territory from Pakistan and
Indonesia to the Atlantic Ocean in North Africa. It will likely include most of
the Black North African nations. Iran or Pakistan will most likely emerge as
the leader.
The
conquest of those Islamic lands will take about five to ten years from the time
they start. To attack Israel will automatically mean war with the United
States. So, they will attack us, either before, or at the same time, they
attack Israel. Of course, they will have help from some of the communist
countries like China, North Korea and the Arab states in the southern part of
the Soviet Union. Only religion could bring about the kind of wars that we have
been having and will have. There is an alternative! The Clear Thinking
philosophy offers a much more peaceful solution to these wars.
Since
Clear Thinking is not a religion or belief, but rather, the practice of honest
doubt and logical thought, it is most difficult to know much about this
philosophy until historical times. No one will ever know how many billions of
people have held the Clear Thinking philosophy as their philosophy of life.
We
do know one of the symbols of Clear Thought, wisdom and learning has been, and
is, the Snake. Human wisdom, knowledge and the scientific approach to life
have, from very early times, been symbolized by the Snake. The Snake, as an
Oriental symbol of wisdom, seems to have been the antithesis (opposite) of all
the western religions. The Snake opposed what the western religions stood for.
That is, western religions stood for belief, faith and obedience, while the
Oriental Snake stood for the veneration of honest doubt, logical thinking,
scientific knowledge and wisdom.
In
the Bible, the Snake is the personification and bringer of knowledge and
wisdom. The Snake introduced Adam and Eve to the partaking from the Tree of
Knowledge. The western gods, on the other hand, wanted man to remain ignorant
of the philosophies and beliefs of other people. The priests of the western
gods forbade man from learning at the Tree of Knowledge. They demanded
“Innocence” (ignorance) of the Oriental teachings. Could this story be inspired
by the "Bo Tree" under which Buddha also founded his eight fold path
to wisdom? I have been told that the word "Bo," means in one of the
ancient Chinese languages, "Smart, Wise or Wisdom.”
Our
best-known Buddha (a title meaning “Wise man”) was not the first to sit under
the Tree of Knowledge and receive enlightenment. Many other ancient and earlier
Oriental philosophers are also pictured as sitting under a tree with a snake
showing in its branches. In some ancient Sanskrit pictures and writings, more
than four thousand years ago, this tree, pictured with the snake in it, is even
called, "The Tree Of Wisdom, or The Tree of Knowledge.” This Eden story
simply mirrors the age-old conflict between Honest Thinking and Dishonest
Belief.
Many
scholars agree. This Bible story is a myth that grew out of an early clash
between the Oriental philosophies of life and the western concept of their
religious philosophies of Belief and Obedience. The western philosophies
consisted of godly magic and the supernatural interference into the life and
activities of mankind. The Buddhist and Oriental concept is that the world (and
universe) is natural and one's future depends upon man himself and his
attainment of knowledge and the use of wisdom. Since modern western man came
into contact with Buddhism, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,
Buddhism has been called Atheistic by the west. And so it is, but with a
difference. Today, modern Buddhism somewhat accepts reincarnation, while modern
western Atheism, mainly, does not. Some American Atheists do harbor the
reincarnation theory.
The
Snake is the enemy of western religion. The Snake is the enemy of belief and
religious obedience. It is the enemy of all religious gods. The Snake is the
enemy of Jesus. Of course, we are talking about the Snake as a Symbol of Wisdom
and Thinking. And I might add, so is the Bible. The enemy of God, Jesus, Allah,
Mohammed and the western religion's holy books is Symbolized by the Snake. The
Snake, that is to say, wisdom, knowledge, experimentation, honest thinking and
logic is the Enemy of all western religions and gods.
God,
according to the inventors of the Bible, curses the Snake. He curses all the
Snake stands for. He curses knowledge. He curses the wisdom of man and seeks to
substitute a supernatural interference into the lives of man that is nothing
more than belief in and obedience to barbarian concepts and myths. So? Does God
give man a brain and then curse him for using it? Any deceived mind can believe
and obey. But, it takes a high order of mental development to reject the
fictions of belief, learn to think for oneself and have the courage to hunt for
truth. Does God really reward ignorance and punish knowledge and wisdom? YES,
according to the Bible!
The
Snake is the central symbol of all so-called Oriental religions. In the Orient,
knowledge and thinking is revered. Belief is not an original part of the
Oriental culture. It is not an original part of their educational system as it
is in the west. The Snake, in the east, symbolizes knowledge and wisdom, as it
does in the west. However, in the east the Snake symbol is held in high esteem.
In the west, the Snake is looked upon as the enemy. And it is!
Historically,
Clear Thinking is first known to have existed in the Orient. The Chinese are
only now making known some of the early history of their philosophies. The
western world still insists on classifying the Oriental philosophies as
religions. It is highly possible when we first encounter the philosophy of
Clear Thinking in Asia Minor that these philosophies came from China and India,
even as did so much of the math and scientific inventions of that period. The
later Gnostic and Essene writings and philosophies of Asia Minor were attempts
to bring together the forgiveness of sin and salvation concept of the western
religions with the philosophy of knowledge and wisdom of the Orientals. The
hero and mover of the Gnostic and Essene religious’ philosophy was the Spirit
of God called, The Christ (or the Anointed). By using the same logic, which
they used, what they then called "The Christ," we would now call
"The Holy Spirit of God.”
Pythagoras,
of Asia Minor, was much quoted by the learned philosophers and writers of
Greece (both Ionians and later the Dorians). The philosophy of Pythagoras was
Atheistic. He rejected All of the religions of his time and held a position
that could only be called Oriental in nature. His followers even established a
new semi secular religion based on his teachings. They referred to Pythagoras as
the Christ (or the Anointed).
We
do not possess any of the many original writings of Pythagoras. We only possess
the statements and quotes of some Greek, Egyptian and Persian writers who
quoted him on various segments of philosophy, medicine, science and
mathematics. We Do know that he taught reincarnation and advancement in life
through knowledge, experimentations, logical thought and meditation. We know
that he described ancient civilizations, as being able to do things that most
of us would ascribe to gods, science fiction, or wishful thinking. He was a
very reverent man and taught that we should treat animals humanely, and we
should treat the earth as though it were a prized garden.
The
only things we can know for sure about his philosophy is, he rejected belief
and obedience to any and All religion. He insisted on the scientific method of
experimenting, observing and logical thinking as the means of arriving at the
facts of a matter. In other words, he advocated rejection of all Belief and the
use of Honest Doubt, Experimentation and Logical Thinking to arrive at the
truth. There is no better definition of Clear Thinking (or Atheism) than this.
Philos,
the Greek, is the first known modern western Clear Thinker whose writings have
been preserved in part. Like Pythagoras, he rejected all known religions, all
beliefs and all holy books. He described the path to knowledge to be one in
which investigation, experimentation and logical thought were to be used. He
decried the myths of religion as little more than old wives’ tales, or at best,
a garbled account of some well-hidden truth. He is reported by others as having
translated ancient records that described ancient scientific inventions,
advanced medicine and machinery that could do all sorts of laborsaving
activities. He is even quoted as having described what we would call airplanes
and underwater boats that the ancients used.
Well,
the western religions soon dominated the area and belief replaced scientific
thought. The knowledge of the ancients in West and Middle Asia was lost and
destroyed. Today, our archeologists and historians have found a great deal of
evidence that science had advanced by leaps and bounds prior to and during the
days surrounding Pythagoras. Under the philosophies that rejected religion and
belief, it has been proven; electricity was in an advanced experimental stage
at the very least. They had astronomy, use of modern surgery, telescopes,
calculators, machines, medicines, science in many fields and even powered
flights were written about.
How
was all of this knowledge lost? Fanatical western hoards of religious tribes
and nations swept the area several times and destroyed libraries, universities,
books, equipment, monuments, cities, teachers, scholars and anything else that
bore witness, or spoke against their faith, belief, religion and ignorance. The
Snake was on the run. This can happen again anytime we allow religion and
belief to dominate our society.
By
the time Hellenism arose under Alexander the Great, western religions had once
again gained the upper hand and all of these advances in knowledge were now
thought, and taught, to be myths and old wives’ tales. Superstition (religious
belief) replaced science and the advanced knowledge died. Many western
religions began to flourish. Belief won that round.
But
Clear Thinking in the west was not dead. It simply remained the property of a
few who sat and thought alone, or who met in secret to learn from each other.
As long as there is Truth, there will be some who seek it.
It
is not until the beginning of the western Renaissance of the fourteenth and
fifteenth centuries that we find open Clear Thinking making itself felt in
writings. Spinoza solidified the movement up in the 17th century. He
explained that the word “God” was merely a name for the power and force of the
universe. He compiled and added to the Clear Thinking philosophy of life that
the church now calls Atheism. The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Free
Masons were basically Clear Thinkers. Sometimes they called themselves, Deists.
Outwardly, for their own protection, they claimed to be religious. Their
diaries, letters to one another and their writings show they worked and
suffered for the same principles that Clear Thinkers hold today.
Voltaire
and the Encyclopedists were Clear Thinkers. From that time on the woods are
full of outstanding Clear Thinkers, or Deists as they called themselves. The
founders of the United States were Deists, for which you can be thankful and
from whom you now reap the benefits. Let's not lose it - again!
In
the Orient, where philosophy developed instead of religion, we see by their
history, they did not have the bloody religious wars and continual disruptions
that dominated the history of the west. They had their wars, but they were not
of the passionate nature that characterizes the religious wars of the west. The
Mongols, who fought the Chinese for hundreds of years, were believers in local
spirits and gods. They were believers, and thus. conquered for their own
religion and for booty. All religions love booty.
When
the west went to the east as colonizers, they brought their religions and began
at once to teach the Orientals to believe instead of think. Faced with this new
religion and new concept, the Orientals were divided against themselves. They
were soon fighting their own people under the leadership of these western men
of faith and belief. The colonizers used religion and drugs to subdue the
people and to make themselves rich. Religion has always been a very useful tool
to gain wealth, property and power (as has drugs). The colonizers almost
destroyed the Chinese nation and China suffers even today from the barbarism of
these religious men of faith and belief. Is it any wonder that the Chinese do
not trust the west and our promises? For shame!
Buddhism
and Confucianism (and their ancient roots) are not religions, at least as they
were for the first two or more thousand years. They are basically Clear
Thinking Systems of ethics, justice, government and philosophies of life. If
you think a great moral, reverent and naturalistic educational system cannot
exist and be Atheistic, then count the billions of Hindus, Buddhists and
Confucians - living and dead.
China
did not even have a word in their major languages for religions. They simply
called them "superstitions." What we call their religion, they called
their "Systems of Ethics and Education.” Taking care of the land and their
animals were as much a part of their ethical system as prayer is to the
Christian religion. Reverence for nature and thankfulness for life is
symbolized by their monuments, pageants and holidays. They gave thanks by
offering a few grains of rice, or a few crumbs of food back to Mother Earth.
They were grateful to their ancestors for passing down to them their "System
of Ethics and Education,” so they light candles to remind themselves of the
great contributions of their ancestors.
A
word needs to be said here about the difference in worship of idols and their
use as symbols of gratitude and communication. All early writing seems to have
begun using pictures and symbols to represent things, ideas and intentions.
When less than ten percent of a population can read or write there is still the
need to communicate, to relate history, to remember, to express one's hopes and
joys, to learn details of life and to learn history, knowledge and wisdom. And
the greatest problem with any knowledge is how do you bridge the gap of several
generations? You can only do it by writing. That is, by using symbols and
images to represent that knowledge. All writing was considered to be Art, thus,
much ancient writing looks like statues and pictures to us.
The
ancients solved this problem by using ceremonies, sculptures, storytellers,
holidays and obligations to be carried out in one's life. So, a candle or
incense is burned to cause one to remember their debt to their ancestors. A
ceremony is conducted to establish the importance of married life and that it
is a community affair. A statue is erected to help people remember the deeds and
importance of past heroes. A horseshoe is tacked over the door to remind
everyone that horses kill and to be careful. Public punishment is used to
remind people to live lawfully. Crumbs are cast out the door to remind people
of their dependence upon nature and on we could go.
The
point here is there is a difference in worshiping something and in remembering
something. The Orientals used many similar symbols as the west. The west most
often used these things to worship their Gods. The Orientals used these things
as writings, to remember. These objects were words in stone and actions, not
necessarily objects of worship, though some of the objects are now worshiped,
thanks to the influence of various beliefs from the west.
Western
religion has introduced into the Orient the belief that there are religious
spirits and gods who offer salvation and other help when magic rites are
performed in the churches and temples. But the Orientals acknowledged no god in
the western sense. Their gods personified the principles and concepts of
making, destroying and sustaining the world and life. The Chinese and Indians
"pay their respects" to their dead ancestors. They worshiped nothing
in the western sense, at least in the original forms of Buddhism and Confucianism.
The
Orientals developed the concept of transmigration of souls. That is, they
believed in reincarnation. They presented this for two main reasons. First,
there were, are, and will be, people who seemed to remember portions of a past
life. Sometimes these memories are told in great and verifiable detail. So they
concluded there was a reincarnation, at least for some people.
Then
second, reincarnation was a perfect rationale for explaining the factor of
justice. Some people are born into poverty, or with disease, or with a dull
mind, or some other personal or environmental disability. These people could
later be born into wealthier families, or with better minds and bodies.
Eventually, all people would have experienced all kinds of lives and would have
had all kinds of opportunities and the lack of them.
Reincarnation
may or may not be a fact. But for certain, it is a more Just scheme of things
than the Christian religion presents. In ethics, philosophy, justice and human
compassion, the Oriental systems shows up the Christian and Jewish systems of
belief for what they are. They are selfish, barbaric, magical, supernatural
concepts of getting Something For Nothing.
It
is difficult to make a flat statement on whether human nature is basically
atheistic or basically religious. But if religion was once an acceptable part
of human nature during our barbaric evolution, it is destined to go the way of
our second stomach and our tail.
Man
does not need anything that hinders his development and growth. Religion and
superstition of all kinds are a hindrance and even a tragedy. If religion and
superstition were once needed, that time is long past. It is time we "Put
away childish things and become men."
Today,
man needs freedom. Man needs freedom to think. Hopefully, by following the
Honest Clear Thinking philosophy, mankind will soon actually become, in the
truest sense, Humankind. It is time to lay aside the chains of superstition and
the whip of belief and faith. It is time to cast aside fear and false guilt and
act like Men. It is time to Think Like Human Beings! It is time to do some
Honest Clear Thinking!
A
child comes into this world eager to learn. There is no doubt about it. A child
is a believer when it first begins to learn. The reason children are believers,
is because they expect only truthfulness and honesty from those around them.
They do not understand the concept of being lied to. They trust those around
them to tell them the truth, to give an honest answer to an honest question.
Some African children are taught and they believe it, that they must have their
bodies cut and scarred before they can be considered adults or warriors. Some
of the little girls believe they must go through painful initiation rites
before they can marry and be a woman.
Some
children are taught there is a Santa Claus who brings them toys, Easter Bunnies
who bring them candy and Tooth Fairies who leave a dollar under their pillow in
exchange for a baby tooth. (It used to be a dime. Will it one day be a credit
card?)
Other
children are taught there is a God in the sky who needs prayer and begging in
order for him to do nice things for the child. Some are taught a Devil will get
them when they die if they are bad little boys and girls and do not believe in
Jesus.
Some
are taught it is necessary to thank nature for their food. Some children carry
a crumb to an altar in the house, or throw some grain out the door. Others are
taught to fold their hands, bow their heads, close their eyes and repeat a
memorized poem and call it prayer.
Yes,
children are Believers. It is therefore, extremely important that we, who are
adults, tell our children the Truth about life, religion and philosophy, as
they are able to understand. And having had a hand in raising seven children, I
can tell you, they understand more and faster than you would guess. It is Very
important that we, ourselves, know about these things and that we deal honestly
with all people, even children.
Honestly
finding the truth of a matter is the ability to measure one thing against
another, to relate one claim against other claims, to relate a claim against
the known facts of science, morals and common sense. The person with the widest
experience and most liberal knowledge is better equipped to evaluate. The
ability to evaluate is called Thinking or Wisdom.
It
is, therefore, tremendously important to give our children a wide range of
experience and knowledge so they may have this background in order to honestly
think and evaluate life and the things around them. The more ignorant a person
is, that is, the less knowledge and experience he has, the less able that
person is to honestly evaluate, to separate truth from fiction and to think.
Ignorance
produces Belief! Belief produces Hostility, fear and guilt. Knowledge produces
wise, healthy and useful men and women who can make this a better world for all
of us, and for our children, and their children. Think About It!
The
ignorant native who believes his god lives in a tree may never have his belief
challenged. If a god who lives in the storm clouds has just zapped his god who
lives in the tree, then he must be challenged. Therefore, the storm god must be
more powerful and more worthy of the native's worship. So, he changes religion,
beliefs and gods.
This book could be the
lightning, which strikes your tree.
Don't
be like the native and just switch beliefs. Instead, examine the claim that
there may not be a religious god, as described in holy books and by holy men.
You may suddenly discover you are a truly Free moral agent. You are capable of
making moral and ethical decisions. You are a full and complete person. You are
free!
Almost
any thinking person could make better moral and ethical judgments about their
own life and happiness than has the God of the Bible. Our present human nature
may be the early development of a divine nature. In other words, We may be Baby
Gods in training. After all, character must be developed and if the gods have
character, it didn't just happen. Character cannot be decreed or created. It
must be grown and developed in the fields of life.
Character
is based upon free will and freedom to act. Freedom to act is also freedom to
make mistakes. You are developing your character with every decision you make
and every action you take, good or bad. You are capable of making sound, honest
judgment in dealing with your fellow men that are themselves capable of doing
the same. Even the Bible promises that we will become Godlike if we fulfill
certain requirements here on earth. One of those requirements is to become
Christ like. I assume that means we must develop the right character. So, that
is what human nature is trying to become. Human nature is moving toward Honesty
and Justice as must have been the case with the Gods, if there be any.
So?
Is human nature basically religious and based on belief, or is it based on
Thinking? My personal opinion is that human nature is Learning To Think, thanks
to our dedicated men and women in all branches of science and human relations.
Human nature and thinking are progressing (in many people) and even believers
should be thankful for those who have dedicated their lives to searching out
the truth in all these areas. As such, we all need to learn to think instead of
believing. We must learn to Honestly Doubt the wild claims of government and
religion. Believing and obeying the inhumane church teachings is detrimental
and harmful to man, because it keeps us from so much which is good and forces
upon us so much which is bad.
HUMAN NATURE IS ALL WE HAVE!
LET US USE IT WISELY!
THINK ABOUT IT!
IT IS GOOD!
A FACT!
NOW
GO
