Religious people fear and anethematise non-believers. And yet most follow death cults. That is, they focus on the wonders awaiting them in Heaven, instead of making the most of the lives they have been given on this beautiful planet, so abundant with opportunities, interest, fun and pleasure
This suits the Establishment. The message is, “We and our rich friends are going to rob you, exploit you, kill you in wars, control you and punish disobedience . But don’t fret – think of the joys of the next life, when you will live forever in unending ecstasy, free of the hardships and stress on Earth. Just render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s plus an extra bribe or two to his agents and friends, and you will be fine. Think of the long term!”
People have been falling for this for thousands of years. Humans crave authority. No matter if it is corrupt authority. Thus, those of us who like independence and the pleasure of thinking for ourselves get a bad press, but arguably enjoy life more than others. Join us!
Hi! It’s Caesar. I forgot to say that if you don’t do what you are told there is always Hell. Read Dante. It’s pretty hot down there, and you burn forever. I arranged for Epicureans to be included among those destined for the burning, firey furnace, but they still pop up, complaining about the way I rule. Why can’t people just do what they’re told and put up with it?
Hey, Caesar, it’s Epicurus. Surprised? Just back from the dead.
You tell your bishops to call us atheists. No one mentioned atheism. For all I know there is a prime mover who caused the Big Bang. Scientists will eventually tell us whether that is right or not. But in the meantime, I think it is silly to pray to gods on Mount Olympus who are mainly interested in internal politicking and seducing the goddesses. They really don’t interest themselves in human life, so if you are expecting Zeus to wake you up if the battery on your alarm clock gives out, then you have a disappointment awaiting you.
As for Hell, Hell isn’t a place, it is a frame of mind, frequently caused by the policies of government, bad parenting, simple incompetence in life, or the machinations of your greedy friends. Gods have nothing to do with itd, although luck and fate have a big role to play
Email from Caesar:
You are making fun of me. That is unacceptable. Religion is important for public order and should be taken seriously and solemnly, using archaic words. in any case, if you were Caesar you would want a religion to back you up , too. Thinking for yourself, as you call it, is a recipe for chaos.
Reply from Epicurus:
All we want is a pleasant life, where people treat each other with kindness and respect, a healthy and fulfilling life that isn’t constantly threatened by war and economic turmoil, and where corporations serve the people, not themselves. Where fear is not uppermost in the mind on Man, and generosity and good manners are valued.
You can make a start by publicly financing elections and making it illegal to have private contributions from any source whatsoever. That would make the playing field level and restore democracy.
Reply from Caesar:
Are you joking? How do suppose I got here? And what has democracy got to do with it? This is what happens when you get people 2,300 years old trying to tell us how to run the world. Get real!
I must admit that Caesar has a way with words, e.g.: “Get real!”
Although Epicurus has good lines, too: “Hey, Caesar, it’s Epicurus.”
I know there were substantive issues but their swinging lingo really is soooo cool. I fully expected Epicurus to holler out to Caesar: “Hey! Dude, get rid of those Praetorian thugs so we can talk.”
Neuro-Scientist (female at last) to Caesar and Epicurus, and rhanrott.
Into the mixture of misinformed pessimism, unrealistic optimism and the usual megalomania associated with malignant emperors, I wish to add a touch of 21st century reductionism. Using brain imaging techniques , scientists have observed a number of changes in the brain, particularly in the parietal lobe. This happens during subjects’ religious practices, such as prayer etc. In this part of the brain there is a particular small area which is developed more in ‘religious’ people than in non religious people..
Ah! I hear you say. That area has developed because people become religious rather than having been born with brains that make them more religious. May be, maybe not. We are still left with the fact that brains are ‘set’ to mediate spirituality. There will be some evolutionary advantage to this. It is found that those with a religious faith are healthier both physically and mentally, and not merely because they are usually involved with supportive groups of people.
Sadly, as you intimate, power hungry men (usually) have used this inbuilt spiritually to their advantage.
I wrote on the dangers of death cults here:
http://societyofepicurus.com/the-perils-of-alienation/
It’s a very prevalent problem and has been through history. Maybe our brains are wired to seek an escape from suffering through religious imagery or any other imagery available, so culture eventually just sanctions an outlet for this strong tendency.
“God does not die when we cease to believe in a personal deity; but we die on the day when our lives cease to be illuminated by the steady radiance, renewed daily, of a WONDER which is beyond all reason. ”
Quote from Dag Hammarskjold (1905-1961). Secretary General of the UN.
Epicurus evidently experienced this ‘wonder’ and so do I … Perhaps that is enough. I agree with Hiram, however, that religion per se may be the panacea for our suffering and existential angst.