Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The Present
I don’t know about you, but recently (it’s late May, 2010) I’m feeling like the wheels are falling off this wagon (oil spills, inept government, scandals, politics, climate change, economic collapse, Wall Street, more scandals, etc.). I’m going to take a break from reading the papers and listening to the news…
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Text of message to: Robert Wright: The Evolution of God. Little, Brown and Company, 2009
April 30, 2010
Robert-
I decided to read your book after seeing you interviewed on "Bill Moyers Journal" on PBS. While I'm a scientist and think of myself as being guided by rational thoughts I have been "studying" religion since first going to college in 1968. Since then I have been wondering, sometimes out loud, if God exists? Many years ago I decided the answer was "no" and yet I have wondered why the vast majority of people in this world do believe in God. I think I understand that God is within the individual and the evolution of God seems terribly logical to me in the Darwinian sense; as humans' brains, and accordingly their thoughts, evolve with the selective pressures that we experience over the course of our lives. I believe that "being spiritual" is not the same thing as believing in God. I know, probably many people, who either don't believe in God or they are skeptical of God's existence, and yet they would call themselves "spiritual". The problem that I have had is while I don't believe there is a God, I don't seem to have a sense of spirituality either. This is puzzling to me but having read your book I am starting to "figure this out". My thinking about religion has also been shaped in a major way by Joseph Campbell, also interviewed by Moyers, just before his death. I make it a point to listen to some of Campbell's interviews with Moyers, at least once a year. Campbell's books and interviews, as has your book, have given me a profound (note: I rarely use the word "profound") insight into questions I've had about religion and God. Thank you for one of the best books I've ever read. More importantly, thank you for allowing me to learn a good deal about myself. Having just turned 60 the other day I'm starting to feel more comfortable with my conclusions although I will continue to "study" religion and God. You would probably understand that if I am asked: "Is there god or gods" I would answer "yes". If I am asked: "Is there God" I would answer "no". My next search is to understand why I don’t seem be spiritual. Your book has helped me to start sorting this out. Many thanks!
Regards,
Andy McDonough
mcdonoan@shu.edu
Robert-
I decided to read your book after seeing you interviewed on "Bill Moyers Journal" on PBS. While I'm a scientist and think of myself as being guided by rational thoughts I have been "studying" religion since first going to college in 1968. Since then I have been wondering, sometimes out loud, if God exists? Many years ago I decided the answer was "no" and yet I have wondered why the vast majority of people in this world do believe in God. I think I understand that God is within the individual and the evolution of God seems terribly logical to me in the Darwinian sense; as humans' brains, and accordingly their thoughts, evolve with the selective pressures that we experience over the course of our lives. I believe that "being spiritual" is not the same thing as believing in God. I know, probably many people, who either don't believe in God or they are skeptical of God's existence, and yet they would call themselves "spiritual". The problem that I have had is while I don't believe there is a God, I don't seem to have a sense of spirituality either. This is puzzling to me but having read your book I am starting to "figure this out". My thinking about religion has also been shaped in a major way by Joseph Campbell, also interviewed by Moyers, just before his death. I make it a point to listen to some of Campbell's interviews with Moyers, at least once a year. Campbell's books and interviews, as has your book, have given me a profound (note: I rarely use the word "profound") insight into questions I've had about religion and God. Thank you for one of the best books I've ever read. More importantly, thank you for allowing me to learn a good deal about myself. Having just turned 60 the other day I'm starting to feel more comfortable with my conclusions although I will continue to "study" religion and God. You would probably understand that if I am asked: "Is there god or gods" I would answer "yes". If I am asked: "Is there God" I would answer "no". My next search is to understand why I don’t seem be spiritual. Your book has helped me to start sorting this out. Many thanks!
Regards,
Andy McDonough
mcdonoan@shu.edu
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