atoms. The mistake is to suppose that it is nothing but a collection of atoms. Such a claim is as
ridiculous as asserting that a Beethoven symphony is nothing but a collection of notes or that a
Dickens novel is nothing but a collection of words.Paul Davies, physicist (1983)One studies all of the processes, reads all the available literature, appreciates the wondrous
complexity of the human psyche without reference to a potential metaphysical designer, and one still has
to say that there is something fundamentally ineffable, something inexplicably blessed, something
unfathomably deep about the feelings you have for your children-about the feeling I felt a moment ago
when my 17-month-old daughter came into the office to say hello. Of course, empiricism is the way to go.
But even given all its staggering achievements and potential, it's limited in what it can do. It seems that to
hold only to that is to tie oneself to an article of faith more limited than any narrow theological
fundamentalism.
And I want to hold to my claim that naturalism as a complete outlook on life is self-defeating. It seems
to say that the universe is indifferent, and we are part of the universe, yet we are not indifferent. The
universe knows nothing about love, and we are part of the universe, yet we love and seek to be loved. The
universe doesn't care if we live or die, we are part of the universe, yet we would rather live through
tomorrow than die tomorrow. Sure, all these human sentiments can be taken to pieces in a lab, labeled,
and written up in the journals. But why humans should behave in a way so at odds with the universe they
live in would, I suspect, remain a mystery.
But I also noted how much we agree in terms of general outlook-which doesn't surprise me. Like you, I
know that even if I am successful at making a small part of the world better, the general trend is in the
direction of oblivion. People are self-destructive-I think of overfed Americans watching three hours of
TV a day; of corrupt African governments starving their people, who then slaughter one another in ethnic
and tribal conflict; of mindless reproduction in spite of poverty; of poor use of water, etc. And I know that
if we don't kill ourselves off, or if some power greater than us doesn't intervene, then eventually the sun
will burn out.
This may sound strange coming from a Christian, but I would also prefer that there weren't an afterlife.
But I know that an empirical study would show that the overwhelming majority of people who have lived
and who live now, regardless of religious affiliation, have a sense that there is something to come after
this life. Most of the time since I've been a Christian (since 1981) I have been generally indifferent to the
concept of heaven. I'm not sure that's a good thing, though, and I know a lot of Christians would wonder if
a person who doesn't care about the possibility of heaven really could be a Christian. I guess my
explanation is that I owe everything worthwhile in my life to Christianity, and that's good enough.
Now Bad Religion is back in the asphalted jungle that is Southern California. Have a great time at the
gigs. Tell the punkers in the crowd I said hello!
Best,
Preston
Dear Preston,