<< This is an example of how the e-mail "chain letter" idea could help. If
the email is about memes and meta memes, then by definition it will spread
the holy writ of the CoV, plus if we include some sort of feedback, it will
allow study of how a meme actually travels. I would be interested in
implementing this idea if others would be willing to help (feedback, and
distribution). What does everyone think?
>>
This is a piece that I composed a while back. I think this may be what
you have in mind and it was inspired by my reading of CoV. I distributed it
in the AOL atheism section. It got a little bit of response, but died a
pretty quick death.
It is critical of religion. Some more religious types that responded
thought that it advocated atheism, although when I composed it I had only
intended a critique of religion and only intended to advocate a rejection of
some of what I considered to be the excesses of religion. Though I am still
an atheist (actually an agnostic-atheist if you like hair-splitting) my
attitudes toward religion since I composed this have shifted from condemning
to merely critical.
Perhaps some editing, tone changing, and a different audience could
ressurect this and put it to good use. I would be interested to hear
anyone's thoughts on this.
-Jake
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A PIECE OF THOUGHT CONTAGION
A) COPY THIS AND PASS IT ON TO SOMEONE ELSE; this is necessary to
overcome the highly evovled evangelizing of Christianity and other religions.
This is an exercise in *conscious memetics*. We are playing catch-up.
These ideas are still forming and evolving. Be resposible. Think carefully
and consult others before editing. If you are unsure, don't. If you do,
choose every word carefully, for consistency, clarity and brevity. E-mail
updates to the person from whom you recieved this information packet.
B) When editing or spreading this information, examine your motives for
this activity. They are MOTIVES OF CONCERN FOR THE LONG TERM HEALTH AND
SURVIVAL OF THE LEGACY OF HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS. NOT ANGER OVER PERSONAL
INJUSTICES YOU MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED OR PERCIEVED AT THE HANDS OF
RELIGIONISTS. Love your neighbor as some religionists do, but do not adopt
the delusions behind their sentiment. Remember instead *The Prisoner's
Dillema*. Optimism for the future that is yet to be, is an acceptable (and
perhaps necessary) form of "faith" even for the most hardened skeptic;
"faith" that is delusion should be cofronted.
C) This list is a confrontation; the kind of confrontation that a
concerned family member displays to a drug-dependant child, sibling, parent
or spouse.
1) Eternal souls - focus on the "afterlife" weakens people's commitment to
this life (the only one there is). This misplaced attention leads people to
be less concerned about the fate of humanity, and more interested in gaining
their place in a fictitious heaven. It also can make people undisciplined
about confronting injustice, putting off responsiblity for its correction to
"God" and the "afterlife".
2) Avoiding responsibility - by making "God" the source of all morality,
people give up their responsibilities to make genuine and creative
contributions to improve the social and moral condition of humanity. It
reduces humans to only following the rules instead of contributing to them.
Our fragile place and time in the universe requires much more of us.
3) Suppression of scientific understanding - Evolution vs. Creation Myth.
Galileo vs. Catholic earth centrism.
4) Fundamentalism and Holy Wars.
5) Original sin - Don't advocate an uncritical view of ourselves and our
species, only a realistic and hopeful one based in humanistic values. Humans
individually are not images of perfection, but putting the burden of
original sin on the human condition limits the potential of individuals and
the species. How could we be sinful if we were not capable of developing a
system of morality in the first place? This capability says a lot about the
potential and promise of our species. However, if we credit morals to "God"
instead of their true source, we rob ourselves of that promise.
6) The end of things - Focussing on an imminent end to the world drains
energy, time, and resources from solving human issues that could protect our
legacy for thousands of years to come.
7) Distorting perceptions of time - by viewing the last 5-6 thousand years
as the only time there is, religion blinds its followers from the vision
necessary to set the long term goals that could protect the legacy of human
consciousness from extinction.
(please correct any mispellings or grammatical errors)
*******<<<<<<<end>>>>>>>*******