X-Message-Number: 26428
From: "" <>
Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 06:03:17 -0400
Subject: True Right Science & Religious Harmony

Science is not "more true" or "more right". There is no truth in science -
only theory and empiricism. 
Theories aren't true. They aren't right. They're simply guesses that
haven't been proven wrong by 
empiricism. Yet. So we should not describe ourselves as dealing with truth
where religions deal with 
- pick an aspersion. 

It doesn't benefit us to do so. It creates needless danger because it can
prompt political opposition 
from religious groups.

And creating danger for yourself and your fellow cryonicists is not true or
right. It's foolhardy and 
counter-productive. It won't publicize cryonics or the scientific basis on
which some cryonicists 
make their choices. It will simply antagonize people who have a lot of
money to pour into 
aggressively irrational reactions.

Therefore:

If you want to live forever, learn about religion, not for purposes of
worship, but for purposes of 
diplomacy. 

Learn what makes religion endure. Learn why Tao Chia - philosophical taoism
- is always cloaked in 
Tao Chiao - religious taoism. Learn why buddhists create devotional
pictures to someone whom, if 
met in the road, they'd immediately kill. Learn how St Patrick conquered
Ireland without raising his 
fist.

Learn how Copernicus, Erasmus, Galileo, Leibniz and Newton cloaked their
rationalism in language 
that could be published without raising the ire of the religous dogmatists
around them.

Learn how to create harmony between your rationalism and the irrationalism
around you. Learn to 
be brave and gentle, not brave and bold. 

Believe, if you will, whatever you like. But hold your tongue until you can
express yourself without 
endangering yourself. Or the others of us on which your future survival may
depend.

Hide in plain sight. Show others the way to rationalism without disputing
them. Read and 
understand Dale Carnegie, Robert Heinlein, Robert Anton Wilson, - stop
reacting and let your intent 
and mode of expressing that intent reinforce achieving your intent.

Then you'll understand how to deal with religion and religionists. And then
you can write 
harmoniously on the relationship between religion and cryonics here, or
anywhere.

FWIW.

Peter Merel.

mail2web - Check your email from the web at
http://mail2web.com/ .

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