3. How to be a Practical Humanist

-
If you've not read the previous two blogs, please do so now (they are not long, but will help makes sense of this post).

I confessed it. I am a practical humanist. I told God He is insufficient by supplanting Him with me. I told God that all He has done for me is not enough by relying on my own strength and methods. I draw my resources from the prosperity of America and not from provisions of my Father, who knows how to give His children all good things. I satisfy myself with the glories of the physical realm and have no regard for the heavenly. I presume on the grace of God instead of depending on the grace of God. I confuse earthly successes with heavenly blessings.

I live as if God was not necessary.

Here are 10 steps to becoming a practical humanist:

1) Swap out God for another, cheaper, more economic one;
2) Model your new god after anything that works for you—you will worship it when you are alone, mostly;
3) Wear the name of God proudly, but don’t associate yourself or your idol with it;
4) Set your schedule for what works for you—freetime and leisure are yours, be a “play”-er, not a “pray”-er;
5) Live according to your rules, your way. Get out of the house as soon as you can and as often as possible;
6) Don’t let anyone get in your way.
7) Live like an animal. Self gratification is instinctual, so “go for it”;
8) Take it. You deserve it;
9) Bending the truth is fine, if it serves your purposes;
10) If it belongs to you, it is yours. If it belongs to someone else, it is yours.

Popular posts from this blog

The Smooth-flowing Life

-
Image
Legend has it that the astronomer Ptolemy (1st century A.D.) suggested that falling stars were caused by the gods moving in the heavens, thus knocking stars out of their places. Somehow people reasoned that that if the gods were moving, they must be getting close to earth so they would lift their "prayers" or "wishes" (literally, "desires") whenever they saw the stars falling in hopes the gods would notice and grant a favorable answer. But how does one wish on falling star? Once you see it, it's gone before the wish or prayer can be made! The answer is simple: meteor shower. That's how to get your wish. Mrs. Ann Hodges had a wish fall right into her lap. Sort of. In 1954 Mrs. Hodges was sleeping on the couch when a 8 1/2 pound meteorite fell through her house and into her living room where it bounced off the radio and struck her left hip leaving her with a bruise. Not sure what she was wishing, but that's not how to do it. Epictetus hel
Read more

A Reflection in Plato’s “Republic” Book 2

-
Image
Early in Book 2 of Plato’s “Republic,” the discussion turns into the story of a man named Gyges who finds a ring that makes him invisible. Using the powers of the ring, he reports to the court of his king, seduces the queen “and with her help conspired against the king and slew him, and took the kingdom.” What would happen if there were two rings, one worn by an unjust man and the other by a just man? The story attempts to make the case that a just man will act unjustly if given the opportunity to think he is doing right, if only by himself. But what if he doesn’t? What if there was no ring, and what if there was a perfectly unjust man and a perfectly just man and both had everything they needed in life? The unjust man must cover his steps in order to be distinguished and succeed. In the eyes of others, he appears to be just. But what about the just man, who appears to be unjust?    “They will tell you that the just man who is thought unjust will be scourged, racked, bound-will have hi
Read more