The Triumph Of Reason Over Religion



"The Cosmos is within us. We are made of star stuff. We are a way for the Cosmos to know itself." - Carl Sagan

The atoms in our bodies
were created in exploding stars


Who can forget the measured, poetic presentation of Carl Sagan when in Cosmos (1980) he first explained to a wrapped world of television viewers the fantastic fact that we are star stuff? (Scroll down to watch the video.)

Previously existing stars had blown apart to produce some of the elements from which our human bodies are composed. More of our elemental atoms were the product of a second generation of stars accumulating that same star stuff and in their explosive deaths compressed those lighter elements further along the atomic table to produce all of the remaining heavier atoms essential for our existence.
 

When we finally learned the truth, the Chaldean inspired myth of Genesis 2 claiming that God formed man from the dust of the ground was exposed as a simplistic fairy story.


We expected that our star stuff origin was the climax to Carl's wondrous story; but we were wrong. What followed was a concept so exceptional that it seared into our minds as it dawned upon us that we humans carry a responsibility that is as heavy as the entire Universe. For the unknowing stardust that formed our atoms, evolved on Earth over a period of billions of years, until in geologically recent time the human mind developed and the Universe gave birth to its ultimate gift of consciousness. Through consciousness we humans came to know ourselves and through the exercise of that consciousness we came to know the Universe. Because we are star stuff, the Universe came to know itself.

We are the conscious mind of the Universe. Because we have reason the Universe has reason. Because we have morality the Universe has morality. We are responsible for the mind, the reason and the morality of the Universe.

We frail mortals stand in the place of God bearing an awesome responsibility.

Religion

Religion evolved in primitive ages when humans lacked knowledge about the lightning strikes and other terrifying acts of nature. Religion was the science of ancient times because it sought to explain nature and the Universe. But its teachings were the invention of men who were ignorant of the powerful science that we now possess.

There is no substantive difference between the tens of thousands of religions that have ever been, because they all, including Christadelphianism, are based upon a foundation of humans feeding the gullibility of their fellows with forged holy books, invented ritual and empty promises. Their incredible power to entrap the human mind is born of their ability to tell people what they want to hear. When people hear a palliative message like that they lock onto it with a "faith" that is stronger than steel. It matters not that the religion is engulfed in illogical, circular reasoning. The complete lack of rational, credible verification to support the belief and the overwhelming body of evidence against means nothing to the believing brain.

God speaks to us with a deafening silence. He demonstrates his being in ways that are indistinguishable from his non-existence. The towering heights of his morality are exemplified in the genocide and rape of innocent Canaanites, the stoning of women, the burning of witches and the human sacrifice of his own child. His promise of eternal life is a beguiling lie that fools billions.

This was understandable in bygone ages when dark ignorance was upon the face of our planet. But there is no excuse for a faith based religion now that human knowledge has grown exponentially and we know from whence the very atoms in our bodies originated.

Our Responsibility to the Universe

We stand on a distant shore of the Cosmos, but we are privileged to look into its very heart. We gaze backwards in time towards its birth as we view light and radio beams that have taken billions of years to reach our telescopes. We would be failing our stardust origins if we chose superstitious faith based religion to supplant the evidence of our senses and of our brilliant scientists who have unravelled these things for us.  

We children of star stuff must not be fooled. We were not formed of the dust of the ground. Our elements were forged when Super Nova exploded with monumental power. It was not Christ who died for us; it was Stars that died that we might live. We should grasp the awesome responsibility that our Universe has gifted to us and give our all in fulfilling our responsibilities.

We have been called to be the conscious mind of the Universe. We must choose enlightenment as our guide and admirable morality as our creed. Above all we should choose reason over superstition as we advance the purpose of the Universe towards its ultimate and as yet unknown goal.