In the spirit of the NPR series “This I Believe”, the Antelope Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship decided that we should write our own, share (if so inclined), and discuss as the primary activity for today. It was an engaging discussion, and I found that while my opinions differed from most in the room, I very much enjoyed the perspective and a chance to discuss philosophical issues. I wrote the following:
This I once believed: That the soul and spirit were inventions of the deluded and coerced mind, serving only the powers of oppression and willful ignorance.
This I now believe: that the soul exists, and that it is the part within us that spurs us on to the pursuits most defining of who we are as a people – the drive to explore, create, grow, and progress; that it is the responsibility, indeed, the duty, of the individual to affirm the soul, and to cultivate it for the betterment of oneself and society; that spirituality holds a rightful place in the soul of a balanced individual, justly prompting reflection on oneself, empathy for others, and an abiding tolerance for the world and its diversity of people and ideas.
My morning thoughts on this beautiful spring SUNday.
Beautiful thoughts.
I love NPR’s “This I Believe.” I’m bummed they’re ending the most recent version.
(.