Thursday, we’re talking about living life without religious influence. In the last few decades, “no religion” has become the fastest growing religious identification. And yet, many people worry that a life without religion is inherently problematic. How do you deal with death, develop a moral code, or experience transcendence without religion? Phil Zuckerman studies the secular life, and he says it holds virtues that can actually enhance our morality and promote human decency, all without god.

Phil Zuckerman is a professor of sociology and secular studies at Pitzer College in Claremont, California. He’s the author of many books, including his newest, Living the Secular Life

Program begins at 11 AM, repeats at 7 PM, then available via podcast.

Listen live on the net http://radiowest.kuer.org/post/living-secular-life

"many people worry that a life without religion is inherently problematic. How do you deal with death, develop a moral code, or experience transcendence without religion?"

What marvelous day to day answers does religion have? The whole holier than thou attitude of "I get a better exaltation because I'm special" just doesn't put bread on the table today, or help a person not die, or develop greater moral code, or whatever.

Whether we are Agnostic or true believing, life is tough either way. Religiosity doesn't help.

Imagine that! Living a happy, fulfilling, moral life....without believing in an invisible benefactor / tyrannt spirit father that dwells on another planet, and without spending your life telling others they aren't happy unless they bvelieve the same magic as you.

Could it be possible? Is there any real happiness in a life of minding your own business?

Gee, ya think? Yup. Maybe possible.

There will always be people who have insatiable needs to feel like they're better than other people. For some people--very common to mormonism, the only enjoyment they get out of life is thinking that people are jealous of them or that someday they'll get to laugh at people who didn't give a rat's ass about the "true" religion because they'll get to watch those other people be cast down to hell.

That's how they have a fulfilling life. That's what makes them happy. So, yeah, some people need religion. But it's not because religion gives them a moral code. Most religious fundies are the most immoral people I know. Moral people wouldn't treat others the way they do.

We all know those people and most of us have them in our families. That's why those are the ones who are scared shitless to look at the real history and truthiness of TSCC. They have a bigger stake in it. They have more to lose. It's not about losing their families, it's about losing the one thing they have that truly makes them happy--their sense of superiority.

I have a friend who has been a widow 4 times before she was 50.
She never had children.
She's never been a part of any religion.
Her family of origin has all died.

She's one of the calmest happiest people i've known. We've been friends for almost 50 years. I've seen her go through some pretty horrendous things.

In spite of it all, she's not addicted to anything. She leads a pretty balanced life. Creative and tuned into nature is how I would describe her. She doesn't fear death even though she has no idea of what's on the other side. She hasn't become caught up in "having" to believe something, or not.

I would say that she's a good example of one day at a time.

There is no morality in religion.

I don't have any problem living without religion. In fact, I always considered it an imposition, a millstone. Since I've totally rejected it, I've killed and raped exactly the number of people I want to. Zero!

Living without the comfort and guidance of bogus stories? Helping us deal with death by telling us we're not really going to die? Helping us deal with pain and struggles by promising a happy-ever-after-ending in the sky? Helping us be mature and strong by having us beg at the feet of a mythical parent/overlord? No. As far as transcendence goes, I think I've transcended all that make-believe crap. I deal with life by actually dealing with it instead of relying on a pile of useless, childish woo.