By Sally Morem
…in the efficacy of physical cause and effect in the development of the universe, not in divine command.
…in a free and open universe, not one that “is a stage” in which “we are merely players.”
…in the self-ordering process of biological evolution, not in special creation.
…that the human sense of self, awareness, forethought—in other words, free will—arises out of many, many layers of self-organizing, interweaving mind processes built up from neuronal firings, not a “soul” implanted by God at conception, detachable at death.
…that cultures and societies are the grandest product of unguided human action, not of human or deistic design.
…that human reason and experience, combined with wisdom and creativity, can enable each and every one of us to contribute to the ongoing development of free, democratic, secular and resourceful societies…
...Without reliance upon any belief in the supernatural.
In summary:
I am under no illusion that the universe is like a human being.
It has no anger, no compassion, no intent at all.
It doesn’t care…
But we do.