Mark Green's Atheopaganism Blog

Ours is a vision of a better world. So let’s imagine it.

In the world we seek to build, kindness is paramount. None are “Other” or “lesser”, be they queer or disabled or poor or differently colored in skin tone. And those who are unfortunate are helped: our society leaves no one behind, guaranteeing a minimum, livable standard of living in all the ways that matter, including housing, food, clothing, health care and access to transportation and education.

Because we care about one another.

In our world, intellect is valued and thinking and reason are considered to be good things.  Expertise is respected, and all learn to think critically as they grow up.

In our world, the sacredness of the biosphere is not subject to debate. We rely on it, we come from it, and it is to be cared for with the deepest of scientific rigor and reverence. We celebrate its many magnificent creatures, and cast our eyes up to wonder if up there is more Life Up There, among the stars.

Needless to say, we have left fossil fuel production far, far behind.

In our world we celebrate the passing of the seasons, not least because we have a relationship with our food and with food production. We understand that our food comes from the Earth, and we watch for the changes and ritually acknowledge them. Our rites are joyful and happy, most of the time, saving our solemnity for times of sorrow and grief.

Happiness is a value in our world: it is how we measure our society’s success, and meant to be a baseline for human experience. We actively cultivate happiness and wisdom in ourselves and in others, and we appreciate one another for how we help to bring it about. In our world, people will simply be warmer towards one another.

Now, by not exploiting poor labor, this means that consumer goods will be more expensive. So we will have less stuff. In fact, consumption will reduce such that we will come into harmony with our planet’s carrying capacity. But that’s okay, because we do not measure people by their affluence or their accumulated possessions. We judge them by their character, with compassion and understanding to as great an extent as possible. We understand the desire to pile up money or possessions as a pathology, and meet it with both compassion and firm economic rules against too much of such hoarding.

Those who are too damaged, cruel, or sociopathic will be cared for kindly but firmly, ensuring that they are in no position to hurt others.

Our lives will be simpler, and we will spend more of them in contemplation, in enjoyment, in creativity, in exploration, and in celebration.

We will look to one another and see love shining in our eyes. We will look to the Earth and see abundant generosity and miraculous processes that keep us alive.

We will look to the stars and know that, tiny though we are, in this Universe we are unbelievably blessed.