3. The Canon of Secular Paganism

Holding unfounded beliefs in the pursuit of rational, ethical, humane goals is a healthy and laudable reaction to the often arbitrary and chaotic universe we inhabit and differs from magical thinking in that it is a rational decision to accept un-provabile or even disprovable altruistic ideals as axiomatic in the hope that these ideals will flourish and become a de facto reality if enough people choose to treat them as real.

These ideals include(but are not limited to):

Reverence and respect for the natural world, for knowledge, history, life, humanity and science.

Generosity, charity, sharing, cooperation, loyalty, community and helping.

Patience, tolerance, compassion, mercy, peace and equity

Diligence, industriousness,  persistance

Kindness, creativity, imagination, wonder and joy

Love

Hope

That humans are basically good.

That the tiny pockets of natural organization of complex matter have an exponential advantage over the astronomically larger universe of chaotic entropy.

That doing what is right and good is an end in itself.

That when you have a limited number of choices you should choose the one that will do the most good.

That when you have a limited number of options you should choose the one that will do the least harm.

Even the most skeptical Atheists will frequently profess to believe in right and wrong, in justice, human rights, freedom, liberty and humanity: All inventions of conscience, all things that (like Santa Claus) only exist if you believe in them.

 

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