The Eleventh Commandment

One can make a case for the existence of a higher form of higher
intelligence or life, but it's another thing altogether for a mere human
to attempt to explain the purpose of the creation.

By definition, a monkey cannot explain Beethoven, and a human cannot
understand or comprehend a "God", whatever name He (or She) is given.

The purpose of "The Poor Man's Philosophy" (especially the first fifteen
posts, from "The Beginning" to "The End of the Beginning")  has never
been to explain or understand the nature of the higher being.

The purpose of the philosophy has always been to look at the universe
that was created around us, and search it for clues and laws to help us
better understand the universe around us, and to better understand the
nature of Man.

And the purpose of that search is to help us live more peacefully together,
to allow each of us to more fully reach our own potential, and to give each
of us the satisfaction of a fulfilling life lived well.

All the talk about "the arational mind" or "universal morality" or
"the implicit if" in the earlier posts are about another way of looking
at the human condition and the world around us.

Similarly, for centuries, Religions have provided comfort, purpose,
meaning, and morality in the lives of millions.  At the same time,
Religions have also sparked conflict, wars, and suffering as millions
also sought to impose their version of "God's Will" on others.

"Poor Man's Philosophy" has always felt that each individual has the
right to choose the religion (or not) that inspires them, but does not
have the right for force others to agree with that choice.

The Jewish and Christian religions have "The Ten Commandants" as
a bastion of their morality.  It's a great moral guide.  And I'm a Christian.
But I wish we had an eleventh commandment..."Thou shalt not force
thy Religion on others".

How different the world would be if all Religions had those eight words
as one of their guiding principles.  How much death, suffering, and
misery would have been eliminated in generations past?  How much
would be eliminated this year?

Is it too much to ask of a Religion?  Is it too much to ask of you?  Is
it too late to ask the question, or should we start asking it now?