Hello dear reader, and thanks for the visit to my quiet little corner on the web. I love to dissent on any number of things that I think are bit illogical or just offer an opinion on something I’m passionate about. Today I want to share my journey toward the philosophy of humanism.

Humanism as defined by the American Humanist Association: is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism or other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good.

I arrived at the door of this philosophy over a couple of decades. Having found unconscionable behavior in the conservative ideals of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and not feeling the spirit of any other realms of religion or church I found that my “faith” and “ideals” that were patterned after Christ’s teachings ironically line up with the progressiveness of humanism. The one big difference that humanism has with religion is that there isn’t a need for supreme beings, gods, or supernatural beliefs. The ethical and responsibilities toward my fellow man all mirror the metaphors I studied in church, but without the gut wrenching dogma and fickle judgments provided by millennia of religious worship.

How did I start this journey towards humanism? Step one was leaving the LCMS church in the fall of 2000. I outline that travesty in the Losing my Religion blog. Step two started about 2004 when I began reading the complete works of Kurt Vonnegut and Bill Bryson. It was here in the words of Vonnegut I came upon the concept of humanism and the skeptical hope in Vonnegut’s art. Bryson’s journeys led me to wonders never imagined. Bryson’s non-fiction books like A Short History of Nearly Everything, Mother Tongue, and At Home: A Short History of Private Life reacquainted me to my love of learning and interest in science. This reading was encouraged by my atheist/deist ex-spouse who sang in an Anglican choir at the time. I am very thankful for that encouragement. During this period of about 10 years I devoured novels and classics at a rate of two or three a month. It was great fun. Then politics ruined my perfect job, and a death sent me spiraling down a PTSD black hole.

During the five year darkness from 2013-2018 I got a divorce, finally obtained my Master’s in music education, and began doctoral work as well. My primary research area was education policy. Specifically neoliberalism’s effect on education/music education. This realm of research did not work well in music education. The study of it did not help my mood either. I left those doctoral studies unfinished, but I enjoyed the relationships I made and the knowledge I learned. It also made me more progressive in my political stances as I now understood why my parents and grandparents political party was the source of the warfare with everything I held dear to my heart. Seriously, the Republican Party wants a corporate state where we, the citizen, are the commodity and they are the interest gatherers.

Once free of graduate school and working in my field again I was able to pursue pleasure reading, listening to music, and recentering my philosophy of life. This time my reading centered on biographies of musicians and presidents. As I read these biographies the topic of humanism kept coming up as a theme. The subjects of the biographies were deists, atheists, or agnostics. Their goal was to advance their art or political goals to make the world a better place for all. I finally decided to research the American Humanist Association. I began embracing the ideals, but I still held onto the notion of God, Christ, and religion… Hold that thought for a moment. During this new period I met my wife and her three children. Her youngest boy and I became pretty close in all things sports and geocaching. When he was diagnosed with Budd-Chiari Syndrome and later died at the age of 10 from the disease, all things changed. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21097-budd-chiari-syndrome

When you see a child die and the negligence of that death is on a political system that allows health insurance companies to dictate care; God no longer enters the equation. God was never in the equation to begin with. This death was a man-made disaster. I’ve seen far too much death in my teaching career… no miracles… no amount of prayer… It hasn’t worked. The death of my stepson was a wake up call that religion was a failure in my life that I didn’t need anymore… I shed that coat of many colors and began my walk to Vonnegut’s team. I didn’t join the American Humanist Association then. I didn’t have the money. I did start reflecting on how I would be an ethical humanist. A progressive voice. Devoted to helping improve life as I can from my teaching. Becoming more devoted to science, logic, art, and the experiences life offers. Basically I try to enjoy life now, rather than worrying about earning an afterlife that does not scientifically exist.

Did I abandoned religion? Yes, I did. Will I go to Hell now? I’m not worried about it. The natural conclusion of life is death. The energy of my body will be transformed back into the Earth from which it came. My consciousness will cease to exist other than through works of music I have written, recorded and the documents I have written. People in my family or friends will carry me in their memory for a time and then it will fade away. Just like millions of others over millennia. Do I need a grave or a headstone? I have no need for such salutations. I will be gone, my vessel is of no use sitting in a box or urn. I would prefer to see my carcass freeze dried and the remains placed in the root ball of a young tree. An oak, hickory, or walnut tree as a tribute to the carpenters in my family. Transferring my energy to new life seems like heaven to me. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/a-burial-machine-that-will-freeze-your-corpse-vibrate-it-to-dust-and-turn-it-into-soil

What matters to me now is making this world a better place. I will serve the public. I will dissent with what I think is ludicrous and illogical. I will enjoy the days of this single life I have been given and free my mind of all the garbage religion has crushed me with. I will take in every baseball game I can and enjoy every sound and cheer. I will marvel at the cosmos and its immenseness. I will do a little farting around in the spirit of Kurt Vonnegut. I will hug and spoil my dogs, because that is pure unconditional love. I will appreciate every moment that I existed at the same time as the Dave Matthews Band, Rush, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Styx, Tower of Power, Earth Wind and Fire, Chicago, Sting and The Police, and countless other artists. Finally, I will take in all of this wonder with my wife and our family.

Don’t worry friends. I respect your choice of faith practice. I always will. I came from it. I just found a better way in my opinion, and it feels healthier. Faith is an individual journey, not a group one. By the way, I did join the American Humanist Association and the American with Civil Liberties Union. Now, if I could be a speech writer/researcher on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s team then I will know I have arrived. Progressiveness feels so much better than selfish Conservatism.