Humanity: Born With The Ability To Do Good And Know Good

[Damien the Leper]

This subject has become quite prominent in my reflections recently as I have been read Greg Epstein's Good Without God. Epstein is the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University.

The deeper that I study humanity and its nature I find a deep sense of hope and compassion standing ready to be embraced and to be poured out on all life. I reject the notion that humans are incapable of being good without God. The idea itself should be rejected outrightly.

As thinking and thought processing and evolving creatures, we humans are fully capable of knowing good and being born with good in us. There is no author of what is good or right. What is good is a natural moral essence that was not created nor shaped by divine influence.

I see my journey out of religious addiction in the same way that we read Plato's Allegory of the Cave. I've had a taste of life outside the confinement and sheltering of damaging cave and I crave more of the freedom, life and reason that is a well spring of refreshing waters and lung rejuvenating air.

What does this have to do with Mormonism?

Mormonism is the vessel by which I was able to be where I'm at now and take the direction I'm pursuing. Mormonism taught me confidence, compassion, charity, doubt and irony. It allowed me to see life through the lens of humanity. It taught me that there is hope in shared human existence. It taught me to pursue justice and mercy. It taught me the value of all life without regard to social, pseudo-moral, and pseudo-ethical marginalizations.

Above all else, it taught me love and to trust my instincts according to the faith that I have in love and humanity.

Mormonism helped me to become a humanist.

Edited March 25, 2012 by Valentinus

[Maidservant]

I agree with you in many ways.

These days when people ask me what my religion is, I say, "Being alive. Being a person." I feel that I have come to this, by my walk in my covenants with my Father, as given by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is what has been shown to me.

I don't feel the need to label myself a humanist or any other label (not saying that you can't enjoy the self-identification)--I'm just human.

I remain in the Church for several reasons. One of them is that I am convinced of Joseph Smith's report of his experience with the Father and the Son in the grove.

Another is that I am willing to continue to serve in visiting teaching and my other callings, and for me, only talking about myself, if I were to lay that down, it would say that I am too good to participate in a faith and human community and do my part and serve others and nurture them in their journey too. (Of course, this kind of opportunity is ubiquitous in everywhere; but still this is what I have before me in my particular life, and it is good for me to continue.)

I also think that even though I might be arriving at some insights that might be liked to the blooming flower (so I say), it would be a mistake for me to cut myself from the stem and the root.

I never want to be outside of my covenant(s). I do not think I am completed learning with that. All my learning thus far has been served to me by my covenant and directly by God, so I don't need to "leave". I just need to be. Besides, for me, God is another person (human), so why would I treat him that way? Leave him?

On the other hand, for example, I am not waiting for the arrival of the Savior. Well, I am and I'm not. But what I mean is, that I am a great believer in the reality that WE are who we are waiting for. God is US. So that is why there will always be God for me, because there is always US. So I see God in faces instead of saying that the sight of human faces means there is no God. You choose to say that there is good without God. That is fine, and I know what you mean. For me, once someone believes in good there is no atheism because God IS good (that which is good and precious and sacred and breathtaking and mysterious and just us!) and good IS God.

So these are just a few of the places I have arrived at.

Anyway, I'm not really saying this at you. These are the nature of (some of) my musings these days. Greater understanding? or deluding myself? I guess time will tell.

[The Nehor]

As thinking and thought processing and evolving creatures, we humans are fully capable of knowing good and being born with good in us. There is no author of what is good or right. What is good is a natural moral essence that was not created nor shaped by divine influence.

Uncreated? Unshaped? Essence? I think you just slipped into a kind of moral pantheism.

[volgadon]

This subject has become quite prominent in my reflections recently as I have been read Greg Epstein's Good Without God. Epstein is the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University.

The deeper that I study humanity and its nature I find a deep sense of hope and compassion standing ready to be embraced and to be poured out on all life. I reject the notion that humans are incapable of being good without God. The idea itself should be rejected outrightly.

As thinking and thought processing and evolving creatures, we humans are fully capable of knowing good and being born with good in us. There is no author of what is good or right. What is good is a natural moral essence that was not created nor shaped by divine influence.

I see my journey out of religious addiction in the same way that we read Plato's Allegory of the Cave. I've had a taste of life outside the confinement and sheltering of damaging cave and I crave more of the freedom, life and reason that is a well spring of refreshing waters and lung rejuvenating air.

What does this have to do with Mormonism?

Mormonism is the vessel by which I was able to be where I'm at now and take the direction I'm pursuing. Mormonism taught me confidence, compassion, charity, doubt and irony. It allowed me to see life through the lens of humanity. It taught me that there is hope in shared human existence. It taught me to pursue justice and mercy. It taught me the value of all life without regard to social, pseudo-moral, and pseudo-ethical marginalizations.

Above all else, it taught me love and to trust my instincts according to the faith that I have in love and humanity.

Mormonism helped me to become a humanist.

Thought provoking as always. I wonder though, have you considered Moroni 7?

It is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night. For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil... And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged. Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil...

The idea of good being a natural moral essence, one that all are born with, is perfectly compatible with LDS teachings. Where we would differ is in ascribing to it a divine source. Not really something that you could prove empirically. A popular Soviet argument against the existence of God was that Gagarin did not see him when travelling through outer space. I'm not saying that your argument is as simplistic as this, I used the example for a bit of a lighter tone, but how can you show that there is no author of what is good or right, or that divine influence did not create nor shape this essence? The core of LDS teachings, at least as I see it, is that we all were created good, but that our actions either increase or decrease this light, this goodness in us. God is the one encouraging us to gain more of this light and to become united with him in his family, enjoying the same light and joy that he has. The atonement is what he gave us to make our repentance efficacious, undoing the ill effects of in and error.

Humanism helped me become active in the church and increase my testimony, it ennobles the teachings of the gospel, imbuing them with greater meaning and purpose.

As a slight digression, this light, this moral essence, bears a similarity to ancient Jewish teachings on the light of creation, which light is the same as God's essence. In one strand of thought, the soul uses this light to see from one end of the world to another, until an angel strikes it at birth, causing forgetfulness. This light though becomes available more and more, depending upon one's degree of righteousness.

[Damien the Leper]

Thought provoking as always. I wonder though, have you considered Moroni 7?

The idea of good being a natural moral essence, one that all are born with, is perfectly compatible with LDS teachings. Where we would differ is in ascribing to it a divine source. Not really something that you could prove empirically. A popular Soviet argument against the existence of God was that Gagarin did not see him when travelling through outer space. I'm not saying that your argument is as simplistic as this, I used the example for a bit of a lighter tone, but how can you show that there is no author of what is good or right, or that divine influence did not create nor shape this essence? The core of LDS teachings, at least as I see it, is that we all were created good, but that our actions either increase or decrease this light, this goodness in us. God is the one encouraging us to gain more of this light and to become united with him in his family, enjoying the same light and joy that he has. The atonement is what he gave us to make our repentance efficacious, undoing the ill effects of in and error.

Humanism helped me become active in the church and increase my testimony, it ennobles the teachings of the gospel, imbuing them with greater meaning and purpose.

As a slight digression, this light, this moral essence, bears a similarity to ancient Jewish teachings on the light of creation, which light is the same as God's essence. In one strand of thought, the soul uses this light to see from one end of the world to another, until an angel strikes it at birth, causing forgetfulness. This light though becomes available more and more, depending upon one's degree of righteousness.

Interesting response. Thanks, Volgadon. I had considered lightly Moroni 7.

I did not mean to impress the idea that I was referencing any form of Faith based mysticism. Let me clarify. Good is natural and uncreated. It simply is. Because we humans are what we are, we can choose not to do the good.

I don't know how many or if any atheists would agree with my position on God. I can't say that God doesn't exist. That would mean that I have a superior knowledge that transcends known reality. I simply say that God is no longer relevant and I no longer believe that I need him. Since turning toward humanism and dropping out of faith, I have felt more emotionally liberated. I no longer see nor feel the need to adhere to laws and rules that were part of cultures and peoples of a time long before myself. Studying these people and their theologies is fascinating. However, their religious practices are relevant only to their adherents. I'm an outsider looking in and choose not to embrace religion. Especially if I no longer feel any emotional or spiritual connections to it and no longer identify with the religion.

What was most troubling when I began the process of my deconversion out of faith is that I so adamant about my Mormon identity and defending that connection. I fought kicking and screaming for it. Then I realized that it was no longer important to me as far as a faith home. My reasons are my own. Whether people agree with my conclusions that have led me to this point are of no worth to me