Michael Bérubé shares a long ago conversation he had on the lawn at UVA:
And your soul, he said. You don’t care if you lose your immortal soul in that belief.
Right, here’s the way I look at it, I said. If you’re right about this and I’m wrong, then you and I agree that we have the obligation to treat others as we would have them treat us, but because I believe that we humans just made that up one day, I’m going to Hell for an eternity, and you’re pretty much in the clear. Whereas if I’m right about this and you’re wrong, my beliefs don’t visit any punishments on you. We live, we act as best we can, we die, end of story, except that we hope that maybe some of the good we do on earth will live after us for a little while. And that’s it.
Yep. That’s pretty much it.
PM
Great Berube quote. I hope you visit http://www.phyrangula.org?
PM
Just thanking you again — I read the entire lawn conversation. It is an excellent exposition and very much reflects my own journey.
MB
Thanks, PM. The link I think you’re aiming for is this – Pharyngula. I hadn’t been there in forever – I appreciate the reminder.
PM
It is one of those words I can’t quite ever get the spelling of LOL
I’ve ordered a Berube book; thank you for the quote