By Donald B. Ardell – March 21, 2010
In the latest issue of Free Inquiry Magazine (February/
March 2010, Volume 30 Number 2), Paul Kurtz asserts that the promise of eternal
salvation is the single most important hope religion affords believers. The
evidence for immortality of the soul, Kurtz asserts, is totally insufficient,
based entirely on wishful thinking.
Kurtz favors a stance by skeptics and other non-theists that
challenges (in a nice way, of course) the belief in immortality. He believes it
would be healthy for society to expose the supernatural promise of eternal life
as a false hope. Far better would
be a message that "death is the end for everyone - the believer and
nonbeliever, the commander of armies and the lowly soldier, the dedicated
teacher and the beginning student, the moral idealist and the profligate
hedonist."
A change of this nature in the American populace would be a
big shift, given the famous (infamous?) religiosity of Americans. Is this kind of dramatic change
possible?
It seems the answer might be "Yes," given the fact
that a majority of Americans profess a great respect for science. (Source: The
Pew Forum report.) An appreciation of the prospects for changing attitudes
about eternal salvation might begin with an understanding of the basics
dynamics of the process of change itself.
According to Webster, change is "to become different,
to pass from one phase to another, to undergo transformation and
transition." This is what happens in life, we change as do all organisms -
the economy changes, society changes, our needs, preferences and desires change
- almost everything changes and very little stays the same.
Yet, despite the fact that it happens all the time, change
entails much stress. This is as true today as in the past - there is no reason
to expect this fact to change any time soon. Futurists and others who write
about these things believe the rate of change in years to come will be at a
faster rate than before. We live
in a global information age; many workers are running faster to stay in the
same place, like Alice in her fictional Wonderland. Only now the nature of the
change for many is not so wonderful, because too few have learned to welcome,
manage and turn this change phenomenon to their advantage.
Consider this: The amount of information generated from 1960
to 1985 equaled what had previously taken five thousand years; further, this
doubling occurred again in the last fifteen years! The current estimate is that
the next doubling will occur in five years - hold on to your hat!
Fortunately, we are not powerless in the face of rapid
change. We can all take more control of change. Leland Kaiser, one of my former
professors when I was studying for a doctorate in the late seventies, said,
"Don't wait for the future, invent it now."
That is what Kurtz wants us to do - and I'm all for it. In "Exuberant Skepticism"
(Prometheus Books, 2010), the issue of false hopes versus science and realistic
possibilities for quality of life are explored.
"Exuberant Skepticism" is synonymous with REAL
(reason, exuberance and liberty) wellness. While Dr. Kurtz does not write about
fitness and nutrition, he is a powerful advocate for a wellness lifestyle and a
model practitioner of such disciplined choices. "Exuberant
Skepticism" is a guidebook for mental health, a positive philosophy and an
explicit call by a New Enlightenment, one that begins with an appreciation of
the nature and heroes of the original Enlightenment. We need such a movement
today at least as much as it was needed in the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries when it came to fruition. We need what Kurtz terms emancipation from
enslavement by prejudices, idols and avoidable errors, countless examples of
which he describes in the 230 pages of this fine book.
In "Exuberant Skepticism," editor John R. Shook
offers seventeen of Kurtz's writings on the two interrelated themes, all tied
to reason, science, doubt, common sense and respect for the natural world and
opposition to claims based on revelation, holy books and other forms of fraud,
quackery and superstition. Themes of moral responsibility, the nature of
reliable knowledge, myths, widespread ignorance, paranormal claims and
religious worldviews are assessed. These and other critiques are linked to
contemporary politics, ethics and paths to meaning, purpose and the pursuit of
the good life.
Kurtz is at his entertaining and educational best when
describing and dissecting the preposterous but unyielding claims for dogmas and
traditions of blind faith. The skeptical strategies provided for contending
with irrationalities through science and reason are invaluable elements of REAL
wellness and deserve careful study and wise application. This book will most
appeal to those who already embrace REAL wellness and the elements of exuberant
skepticism that Kurtz describes. However, the main beneficiaries of the work
would be the believers in one or more of the following topics, addressed with
reference to the evidence - or lack thereof, that undermines each:
* Life after death.
* Miracles.
* Creationism.
*
Communications with the dead.
* UFO visitations and the like.
*
Parapsychology.
* Astrology.
* Sacred literature.
* The science of
religion.
* All things transcendental.
* Alas, these are the least
likely readers. A pity.
This book offers much insight into the thinking of a
wonderful man. It is well edited and in many ways a comprehensive call not to
arms but to thoughtful reeducation of an entire population. I recommend
"Exuberant Skepticism" as a primer on the intellectual component of a
positive lifestyle oriented to the highest possible quality of life. Is this a
good idea or what?
Be well. Look on the exuberant, skeptical and bright side of
life.
Don Ardell is the Well Infidel. He favors evidence over faith, reason over revelation and
meaning and purpose over spirituality. His enthusiasm for reason, exuberance and liberty are reflected in his
books (14), newsletter (525 editions of a weekly report) and lectures across
North America and a dozen other countries.