religion without communities?
One of the main functions of religion is the satisfy the fundamental human need for belonging and produce an emotion of elevation. Jaakko Wallenius proposes Epicureanism as a “new”, rational religion on his blog
My reponse was:
Christianity (as Buddhism and Islam, too) started out with dropping out into alternative communities and has continued to satisfy the fundamental human need for belonging. Epicureans did have their small communities for 800 years (300 BCE-500 CE) but 21st century Epicureans do not have functioning (NON-virtual) communities, the minimum necessary condition to fulfill the role (=satisfy the need) of a religion. (Democratic/meritocratic egalitarianism does work very well WITHIN closed communities and I do not think that Eism would ever aim at establishing itself as a state religion.)
How about starting a NON-virtual Epicurean community, gather experience, share its learnings?
The discussion on Facebook might produce new insights:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Epicurus/79493658728
Friendship reduces stress and prolongs life
Science proves Epicureans to be right about the immense value of friendship: some baboons groom their buddies for long lives.
Female chacma baboons that maintain close, lasting friendships live considerably longer than their peers who switch companions more frequently, a new study finds in ScienceNews
Are you still “wandering around in all directions”?
Are you still one of those who are “wandering around in all directions, roaming here and there, looking for a path in life, competing in their natural gifts, striving for honors, seeking with all their effort night and day to rise to the top, to win great power”?
Or have you started noticing “nature barking out her one demand, that pain be kept away, divorced from body, so that, free from care, free from fear, she may derive enjoyment in her mind from a sense of pleasure?”
Lucretius: On the Nature of of Things, Translated by Ian Johnston, 2010, Book II, lines 8-19 and 23-27
Still part of that strange race?
Are you still “part of that strange race of people aptly described as spending their lives doing things they detest to make money they don’t want to buy things they don’t need to impress people they dislike.” (Emile Gauvreau)
or
do you prefer to satisfy your needs in ways that are congruent with your value system?
Like, for instance, a consequently practicing Christian, Buddhist or Humanist or … Epicurean?
Epicureanism is more like science than religion
“There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, [and] science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win because it works.” said Stephen Hawking in an interview with Diane Sawyer of ABC News.
Hawking used the words “because it works”, rather than “because it is true”. Determination of “truth” in any other way would require an ultimate authority, and ultimate authority is religion’s game.
In this context Epicureanism is more like science than religion: it did work for the decent, rational and reasonable middle class of the Roman Empire for 800 years just as well as it does for us today.
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