The Separation between State and Religion

In time we will realize that Democracy is the entitlement of individuals to every right that was in its times alloted to kings. The right to speak and decide, to be treated with decency, to serve and be served by people in a State of “love” that is, to serve with one’s work for the development of ‘life’. To belong to the Kingdom of Human Beings without racial, national, social or academic separations. To love and be loved. To die at the service of the whole and be honored in one’s death, for one’s life and work was legitimately valued. To be graceful and grateful. To have the pride and the humility of being One with the Universe, One with every realm of Existence, One with every living and deceased soul. To treat with dignity and be treated with dignity for One is dignified together with All others and Life itself. To walk the path of compassion, not in the sorrow of guilt but in the pride of being. To take responsability for one’s mistakes and sufferings and stand up again and again like a hero and a heroine and face the struggle that is put at one’s feet and in one’s hands. Millions of people, millions and millions of people might take many generations to realize the consciousness of our humaneness but there is no other dignified path for the human being.

The “work” as I conceive it is psychological and political. Psychology is the connection between the different dimensions within one’s self and Politics is the actualization of that consciousness in our practical lives. Religion is the ceremony that binds the connectedness between the individual and the Universe. The separation between religion, politics and science, the arts and sports is, in the sphere of the social, the reflection of the schizophrenia within the individual and the masses. The dialogue between individuality and the "human" belongs to consciousness. The tendency to develop cults resides in the shortcomings we’are finding in life as it is structured today. “Life” has become the private property of a few priviledged who cannot profit from it because as soon as it is appropriated it stops to be “life” or “life-giving”.

We are all the victims of our own invention and each one is called upon to find solutions. The only problem is believing our selves incapable of finding them. We are now free to use all Systems of knowledge objectively, sharing them without imposing our will on each other. To become objective about our lives means to understand that the institutions that govern its experience are critically important. That we are one with the governments, one with the religious activities that mark its pace, that the arena’s in which we move our bodies and the laboratories in which we explore our possibilities are ALL part and parcel of our own personal responsibility. That WE ARE ONE WITH EACH OTHER AND EVERYTHING AROUND US and acknowledge for ourselves a bond of love in conscious responsibility. That we human beings know ourselves part of each other and are willing and able to act on our behalf for the benefit of each and every individual. That we no longer allow governments, industries, universities or any other institution to run along unchecked by the objective principles of humaneness. That we do not allow gurus to abuse their power or governors to steal the taxes and use them to their personal advantage in detriment of the whole. That we do not allow abuse from anyone anywhere because life is too beautiful to do so and that we are willing to stop the rampant crime with the necessary compassion Conscious knowledge is every individual's right. Conscious action is every individual's duty.

Blog Archive

Saturday, 24 April 2010

Grant!

I didn't know one could get a grant to research this sort of things. I could do well with a grant for this research on the separation of state and religion and the chaos we've landed our selves in! In this paper there isn't a sixteenth of what is already in this blog but of course in this blog there is also not a sixteenth on what he researches on technology but his conclusions just barely touch on the problem.

They take a year and get money to write these papers? Is it just privileges within privileges of people in the elite? What if one doesn't have any connections after seventeen years in a cult? Maybe I could get a grant for a seventeen year research on cults!


http://www.unlimitedloveinstitute.org/publications/pdf/TIS664.pdf


Acknowledgement
Support was given by the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University and by the JohnTempleton
Foundation.


Humanism, posthumanism, and compassionate love
StephenG. Post*



abstract
This article considers a special area where pure scientism, separated from humanistic
perspectives, has come to define a perspective broadly termed posthumanism, where the
modification of human nature is too easily embraced as progress. The humanistic response
to this scientism is equally central in this reflection. I offeraperspectiveonthefutilityof
purescientismwithregardtohumanprogressworthyofourdignityashumancreatures.
Iconcludewithanendorsementofthenaturalhumancapacityforcompassionatelove, for
itisstill thediscoveryof whatalreadylieswithinusthatdignifieswhatliesbeforeus.
Ó2009ElsevierLtd. All rightsreserved.

5. Compassionateloveandthehumangood
Wearebombardedbyofferstoenhanceusashumanbeings. Botox, anabolicsteroids, humangrowthhormonetomake
ourchildrenalittletaller,andthedubiouspromisesofafountainofyouthdallareforsalebutnoneaddtodignityoradeeper
happiness. Letusinsteadfocusourattentionnotontheexternalvesselofourbodiesbutonthecapacityforagenerouslove
thatalreadylieswithinuswaitingonlytobemorefullyunveiledandengaged. Withoutthislove, wearepoorevenifwedo
notknowit. Withthislovewegrowindignityandhappiness[35,36]. Inthegivingof self liesthediscoveryof adeeperand
happier self. Herelies theperennial truththat unites all thegreat religions. Andherelies theinner coreof human
enhancementanddignity, whichhasnothingtodowithbiotechnological tinkering.
Thereis, Ibelieve, amoreimportantwayofthinkingaboutthekindofhumancreatureswearethantheposthumanists
haveallowed. Ourdignityrestsnotingadgetsandbiotechnologicalwizardry. Rather, ourdignityashumanbeingsisalready
ourstoclaimwhenwetreatanotherpersonwithloveandjustice, andwhenwemanifestvirtuesasvariedasperseverance,
faith, courage, forgiveness, gratitude, commitment, humility, integrity, andhope. Theexpressionsofthewaysoflove, from
celebrationandattentivelistening, tocreativityandhelping, toloyaltyandrespect, areallattheveryheartofhumandignity.
Loyal friendship, aconcernfortheneedy, andtheworrywehaveoverawaywardchildwhoisnotnecessarilyourownare
whatmakeuscreaturesofdignityandgrace.
Granted, wearelessacculturatedtospeakingof dignitythanweareof rights, autonomy, andequality, but weneed
suchanidea. Nothingelsewill do. Etymologically, theEnglishwordderives fromtheLatindignitas, meaninghonor,
elevation, andworthiness. Thisdignitydoesnot flowfrom‘‘futureshock’’ opportunitiestomodifyandenhancehuman
natureinfundamental ways. Dignitymight best berealizedbyexpandingthemodernideaof lovefromthenarrow
domainof thenearest anddearest toall humanity, andtherebydiscoveringapoliticsof loveinthemodeof Gandhi or
Kingor Farmer. Rather thanfreeourselves of biological constraints inamisplacedeffort totranscendhumanness by
technology, letusre-emphasizealovethatdoesjustice. Butletususeeverytechniqueofsciencetobetterunderstandhow
toraisecaringchildren, howtolovewiselyandeffectively, howtoharvesttheneurologicalconnectionbetweengivingand
delight.
Asforthechangesposthumanistsseek, newevilsmaybemoreperilousthanoldones. Touseananalogy, wearelikethe
sailorwhoclimbsashighonthemastasonecaninordertorisehighabovethewatersofnature, butonlytoseetheboat
capsizeunderourweighttippingthemastintothewavesbelow[25]. Howcanwepresumethatthebravenewworldwillbe
abetterworld?Itwillonlybebetterifitisworldofloveandjustice, andthesearethingsthatliewithinourheartsandminds
ascurrentlyconstituted. Asforthetwoculturesofscienceandhumanities, humanismmustguidescience, andrestrainit, whilemaintainingour
focusontheultimatesourceofhumandignityandenhancement:thelovethatlieswithinusandthatperhapsevenshapes
theuniverse[26].
Intheartofcompassion, muchofthetribalismthatwidensthegulfbetweenSnow’s‘‘twocultures’’ canbeameliorated.
Humanbeingsarepsychologicallyorientedtogroupidentity,andeasilyfallintoattitudesof‘‘them’’versus‘‘us.’’Thiselement
ofevolutionarypsychologycanbeovercome,Ibelieve,when‘‘we’’uniteinacommonefforttosolvethemostsignificantrisks
tothehumanfuture. Oneriskissurelytheunwiseuseofsciencetomodifythecontoursofnatureandofhumannature. In
confrontingsuchperils, wecanperhapsgrowinagreaterappreciationandloveforthosewhoapproachtheseperilsfrom
aperspectivedifferentthanourown.
Acknowledgement
Support wasgivenbytheCenterfor theStudyof LawandReligionat EmoryUniversityandbytheJohnTempleton
Foundation.
References
[1] FrostR. MendingWall. In: UntermeyerL, editor. ModernAmericanpoetry. [1919]. NewYork: Bartleby.com. Availablefrom: ;1999.
[2] Kurzweil R. Theageof spiritual machines:whencomputersexceedhumanintelligence. NewYork:Viking;1999.
[3] HaylesNK. Howwebecomeposthuman:virtual bodiesincybernetics, literatureandinformatics. Chicago:Universityof ChicagoPress;1999.
[4] HabermasJ. Thefutureof humannature. Cambridge:PolityPress;2003.
[5] Kristol W, CohenE, editors. Thefutureisnow:Americaconfrontsthenewgenetics. NewYork:Rowman&Littlefield;2002.
[6] KassLR. Towardamorenatural science:biologyandhumanaffairs. NewYork:FreePress;1985.
[7] KassLR. Availablefrom:;2003[websitenolongeravailable].
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[9] SilverL. RemakingEden:cloningandbeyondinabravenewworld. NewYork:Avon;1997.
[10] Kurzweil R. Theageof spiritual machines:whencomputersexceedhumanintelligence. NewYork:Penguin;1999.
[11] deDuveC. Lifeevolving:molecules, mind, andmeaning. Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress;2002.
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[13] DysonFJ. Imaginedworlds. Cambridge, MA:HarvardUniversityPress;1997.
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[15] NobleDF. Thereligionof technology:thedivinityof manandthespiritof invention. NewYork:Asforthetwoculturesofscienceandhumanities, humanismmustguidescience, andrestrainit, whilemaintainingour
focusontheultimatesourceofhumandignityandenhancement:thelovethatlieswithinusandthatperhapsevenshapes
theuniverse[26].
Intheartofcompassion, muchofthetribalismthatwidensthegulfbetweenSnow’s‘‘twocultures’’ canbeameliorated.
Humanbeingsarepsychologicallyorientedtogroupidentity,andeasilyfallintoattitudesof‘‘them’’versus‘‘us.’’Thiselement
ofevolutionarypsychologycanbeovercome,Ibelieve,when‘‘we’’uniteinacommonefforttosolvethemostsignificantrisks
tothehumanfuture. Oneriskissurelytheunwiseuseofsciencetomodifythecontoursofnatureandofhumannature. In
confrontingsuchperils, wecanperhapsgrowinagreaterappreciationandloveforthosewhoapproachtheseperilsfrom
aperspectivedifferentthanourown.
Acknowledgement
Support wasgivenbytheCenterfor theStudyof LawandReligionat EmoryUniversityandbytheJohnTempleton
Foundation.
References
[1] FrostR. MendingWall. In: UntermeyerL, editor. ModernAmericanpoetry. [1919]. NewYork: Bartleby.com. Availablefrom: ;1999.
[2] Kurzweil R. Theageof spiritual machines:whencomputersexceedhumanintelligence. NewYork:Viking;1999.
[3] HaylesNK. Howwebecomeposthuman:virtual bodiesincybernetics, literatureandinformatics. Chicago:Universityof ChicagoPress;1999.
[4] HabermasJ. Thefutureof humannature. Cambridge:PolityPress;2003.
[5] Kristol W, CohenE, editors. Thefutureisnow:Americaconfrontsthenewgenetics. NewYork:Rowman&Littlefield;2002.
[6] KassLR. Towardamorenatural science:biologyandhumanaffairs. NewYork:FreePress;1985.
[7] KassLR. Availablefrom:;2003[websitenolongeravailable].
[8] StockG. Metaman:themergingof humanandmachinesintoaglobal superorganism. NewYork:Simon&Schuster;1993.
[9] SilverL. RemakingEden:cloningandbeyondinabravenewworld. NewYork:Avon;1997.
[10] Kurzweil R. Theageof spiritual machines:whencomputersexceedhumanintelligence. NewYork:Penguin;1999.
[11] deDuveC. Lifeevolving:molecules, mind, andmeaning. Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress;2002.
[12] HookCC. Transhumanismandposthumanism. In:PostSG, editor. Theencyclopediaofbioethics. 3rded., 5vols..NewYork:MacmillanReference;2004.
p. 2517–20.
[13] DysonFJ. Imaginedworlds. Cambridge, MA:HarvardUniversityPress;1997.
[14] StockG. Redesigninghumans:ourinevitablegeneticfuture. Boston:HoughtonMifflin;2002.
[15] NobleDF. Thereligionof technology:thedivinityof manandthespiritof invention. NewYork:nguin;1997.
[16] GrumanGL. Longevity. In:WeinerPP, editor. Dictionaryof thehistoryof ideas. NewYork:CharlesScribners;1973. p. 88–93.
[17] BeneckeM. In:RubensteinR, editor. Thedreamof eternal life:biomedicine, aging, andimmortality. NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress;2002.
[18] LaneMA, IngramDK, RothGS. Theserioussearchforananti-agingpill. ScientificAmerican2002;Aug:36–41.
[19] MasoroEJ. Caloricrestriction’seffectsonaging:opportunitiesforresearchonhumanimplications. JournalofGerontology2001;SeriesA(SpecialIssue
1):56A.
[20] MillerRA. Extendinglife:scientificprospectsandpolitical obstacles. MilbankQuarterly2002;80:155–74.
[21] NationalInstituteonAging. Actionplanforagingresearch:strategicplanforfiscalyears2001–2005. Washington, DC:U.S. DepartmentofHealthand
HumanServices;2001.
[22] BaconF. ThenewAtlantis. In:VickersB, editor. FrancisBacon:acriticaleditionofthemajorworks. Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress;1996. p. 457–89.
[23] OlshanskySJ, CarnesBA. Thequestforimmortality:scienceatthefrontiersof aging. NewYork:W.W. Norton;2001.
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[25] NiebuhrR. Thenatureanddestinyof man. NewYork:CharlesScribnersSons;1941.
[26] PostSG, editor. Theencyclopediaof bioethics. 3rded., 5Vols. NewYork:Macmillan;2004.
[27] SwiftJ. Gulliver’stravels. GardenCity, NY:Doubleday;1945. 1727original.
[28] PostSG. ThemoralchallengeofAlzheimerdisease:ethical issuesfromdiagnosistodying. Baltimore, MD:TheJohnsHopkinsUniversityPress;2000.
[29] JuengstET, BinstockRH, MehlmanM, PostSG. Thesocialimplicationsofgenuineanti-aginginterventions:theneedforpublicdialogue. Science2003;
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[32] KassLR. L’chaimanditslimits:whynotimmortality?FirstThings2001;13:17–24.
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[35] See.
[36] PostSG. Unlimitedlove:altruism, compassion, andservice. Philadelphia:TempletonFoundationPress;2003.
StephenG. PostisProfessorofPreventiveMedicineandDirectoroftheCenterforMedicalHumanities, CompassionateCare, andBioethicsatStonyBrook
University. Hewaspreviously(1988–2008)ProfessorofPhilosophy, ReligiousStudies, andFamilyMedicineintheSchoolofMedicine, CaseWesternReserve
University, andSeniorResearchScholarattheBecketInstituteofSt. Hugh’sCollege, OxfordUniversity. PostisaSeniorFellowintheCenterfortheStudyof
LawandReligionatEmoryUniversity, andaDistinguishedSeniorAdvisorforthePositivePsychologyCenterattheUniversityofPennsylvania. Hisresearch
hasbeensupportedbytheNationalInstitutesofHealthandtheNationalEndowmentfortheHumanities. Hisbook, TheMoralChallengeofAlzheimerDisease:
Ethical IssuesfromDiagnosistoDying[28]waswidelyinfluential. Hehascontributednumerousstudiespertainingtodementiaontopicssuchasgenetic
testing, anti-agingtechnologies, andhospicecare.In1994, PostwaselectedaHastingsCenterFellow, andaSeniorScholarintheKennedyInstituteofEthics
at GeorgetownUniversity. Post co-foundedtheBioethicsNetworkof Ohio. Heservedaseditor-in-chief of thedefinitivereferenceworkinthefieldof
bioethics, thethirdeditionofthefive-volumeEncyclopediaofBioethics[12]. Postisaleaderinthestudyofaltruism, compassion, andloveintheintegrative
contextofscientificresearch, healthcaredeliveryandoutcomes, philosophy, andreligiousthought.
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