Secular Virtue

I do not believe in a god. I take no stock in religious texts. I do not believe in Heaven or Hell. I believe in humans, nature, and the natural laws of the universe.  Does this make me a bad person? No, I do not think it does.

I put it to you, reader, that for a person to be good and virtuous does not require religion. Morality is formed by cultural acceptance of right and wrong to start with, but for me the most important thing is to do no harm. Those who know me well know that I am a bit rough on the edges, but at my core I strive to be a good person.

My moral code is based on my own life experience and the core belief that we should all cooperate to make our world a better place for those who come after us.  My values developed over the course of my life; influenced by the people in my life, family and friends…those I love and respect.  I read, I watch people and I think. I look back and examine where I have been. The mistakes I have made and that I have witnessed over the course of my life have helped make me a better person.  The beauty of this perspective is it allows me to evolve as a human and to continue to grow.  Prove me wrong with clear evidence and I will accept that and adjust my views accordingly, always maintaining the core values of kindness and cooperation.

I believe that I should be the best human I can be, seek to improve myself and try to make the world a better place, even in the smallest of gestures. I take this approach and do my best to share what I have learned with my own children so that they begin farther along their path than I did on mine.  The world grows ever more complex, but kindness without any prejudice will always have a place.