what I think

When I am spiritual but not religious, in decision-making I am identical to an atheist. Whatever I think is my guide. Here are my filters.

Follow your heart- What exactly does this mean? Go by my instinct? Go by my feelings? It is very difficult for me to see how you could make a decision of any consequence when you act on something as arbitrary as how I feel. Without principles and values it is like going to a physician because I am feeling miserable and having him/her say, “I sense it might be this. Let’s do surgery on Monday.”

Do what you wish, as long as it doesn’t harm someone else- What is harm? Does this mean it is not good for another? Then what is good? How do you decide this? What if your actions harm you? Is it wrong to hurt yourself on purpose? Without standards I have no idea how you can make a decision on what is harmful.

Do what is legal- What is legal? Based on the law. What do you base the laws on? Principles and values. Who decides the principles and values? Do we ask the lawmakers to follow their heart? Do we ask them to decide based on what doesn’t hurt someone else?

It is an illusion to think we can have any order and meaning in public life without standards and principles as benchmarks. How can we live in community if whatever I think is my guide?