We Are All Connected

I am a recovering alcoholic, dry for over two years now. I am also an atheist. (I prefer to call myself a non-theist, which I consider to be an atheist but atheism is not my religion. Non-thesim has already been taken, though. See Wikipedia.) This presents a problem as Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs require faith in an undefined Higher Power. It is usually a conventional (e.g. Christian) god, but need not be. I have accepted as my Higher Power the wisdom of the AA (or other 12-step) group.

I have been trying to reconcile this acceptance of a Higher Power and with my understanding of an atheist universe. Many people think that a punishing God is required to enforce "good" behavior, that people will be selfish, if not sociopathic, without the threat of punishment. There is no god in my universe, so I am good simply because I choose to be. I have faults and failings, to be sure, but I do the best I can. If I am wrong, and upon my death I appear before some god, saint, gatekeeper, judge or whatever, I can stand tall and proud and say "I did my best."

I am very comfortable with this belief. I have stopped my searching and readings of philosophy and religion.

But still I felt a gap, a disconnect, between a strictly physical universe and my spiritual well-being. In my first treatment session, "spiritual" was defined as my sense of values, of right and wrong. I accepted that and have built upon it.

I know that what I sew, so I shall reap; that what goes around, comes around. It is not some cosmic force, not some karmic law. It is just that people (and other critters) are usually nicer to folks that are nice to them. There is nothing special going on here.

The following may be my hymn that pulls it all together. I think I can set this issue aside and work on living a Good Life. It came from www.symphonyofscience.com Thanks for reading,