Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Scientists & Free-Thinkers


I'm going out on a limb here, inspired by the bravery of several other secular homeschoolers who have come out of the shadows of the ranks of christian-homeschoolers, to admit my godlessness to those who would listen.

Both my husband and I are of a non-religious persuasion. For my husband, I would say science and fact rule his life; for me, nature. It's just incredulous to me that there are still so many people who believe the medieval superstition that is religion. I'm not seeking to offend anyone, though I know I invariably shall, but I feel this so strongly down to my core--it's unfathomable to me that there could be some almighty grandfather sitting somewhere beyond the clouds.

We teach our boys about this Earth, space, nature, evolution, science and the scientific method. Our schooling revolves around science and history, a unit I put together myself, beginning with the Big Bang, and proceeding through Earth's many eons and eras, and thoroughly discussing abiogenesis, and the evolution of life of Earth. This will carry us for several years as I instill in the boys an profound knowledge of our Earth, and how it came to exist as it does today.


I do not claim to know the mysteries of the Earth; I do not seek to change the minds of others.  I accept that people need to believe, they need their faith.  But for me, there is another way.  To me, it is clear, that the universe was not created, but that it has always existed, always ebbing and flowing, like the ocean.  In my mind, this is all a chance circumstance, and we can only make the most of life while we are here.  We have one hundred years here, if we're lucky, and to me, the most important thing is to be happy, to live my life to the fullest, and let go of resentment, fear, hate, and other negative emotions that only hold me back.  Maybe it is scary, to think of one's self as so insignificant, to think that there is nothing more for yourself, no reason, no purpose, no eternal safety net after your life's flame had flickered out of existence.  But it is my life's path, and I am upon it.

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