There was a time when I lived with the delusion that our world and my all-too-important existence is built on the sure foundation of an omnipotent Being who has the earth’s and my personal best interests at heart.
Life was certain.
When it appeared as though the rug was pulled from underneath my feet, it was framed as a ‘test of character’. Behind the veil lurked a (so-called) benevolent Being who thought it a good idea to throw my life into disarray so that I could learn to depend upon the only certain thing in this universe… Him.
I have vexed at length at how I, and by extension humanity at large, have fallen into this trap of self-delusion and I will not afflict you with my annoyance again.
But here in 2020, at this critical juncture in time, lays yet another culprit of religion, which serves as a major source of our anxiety and which fuels our reactive and fear based response to this ‘unexpected’ crisis:
The need for Certainty.
If we don’t have an answer for the cause of the Big Bang, we invent one. If we don’t have a reason for our existence, we invent one. If we don’t know which job to take, or which person to marry, we look for a sign from above which will absolve us from taking responsibility for our decision. It’s perfectly rational behavior, but it’s flawed.
What would you prefer? Delusional comfort, or truthful reality?
The earth is not conscious and suddenly decided to afflict humanity with a deadly virus that kills the vulnerable and elderly just to make us stop and reflect. That’s just another version of the evil and unsympathetic God(s) that the Religions of the world created.
Eventually all life on the Earth will be extinct. Not because God will renew it, but because of absorption by the Sun in about 7.5 billion years [1], or an asteroid could strike on Earth and end all life, or even sooner, humans will self-destruct.
This universe was not created for you and me. It just is. It exists for its own sake, according to the rules of nature. Nowhere in my Physics textbook do I recall any exceptions made for humanity.
The only certain thing about our existence is… that life is uncertain.
When I asked earlier, what would you prefer, delusional comfort or truthful reality, what did you choose? If you opted for delusional comfort, it would only be a matter of time before reality (not God) would pull the rug from underneath your feet. But if you are wiling to surrender to truthful reality, I believe you’ll be better equipped to embrace this precarious existence with equanimity and peace of mind.
It’s normal to be fearful of uncertainty.
Take your time.
Perhaps this quote from Chögyam Trungpa could be helpful…
“The bad news is, we’re falling through the air without a parachute. The good news is, there’s no ground beneath us.”
~ Chögyam Trungpa
With love,
Image: The Fate of Human Societies, by Pierre F. Lombard - Cape Town 2018.
A homeless man walks out to the edge of a sewerage pipe. A cruise ship passes in the distance.