The Five Stages of Change?
 
1. precontemplation
2. contemplation
3. preparation
4. action
5. maintenance
 
The reason I posted the stages of change is for three main reasons. One is to grasp how much is involved in change which as atheists who are trying to help others move to reason and evidence over faith and indoctrination is important to realize. The change in reason we wish to inspire is not one sided it is morning from self-serving biases and unjustified beliefs to critical thinking and justified true beliefs. It is not one change but a group of consecutive changes. It is not one change and you understand or accept it all but rather a often long path with a new map containing several roads of understanding. This new map is hard to grasp even if shown to us early as it thus seems like it is waiting at the final destination written in a foreign language for there is so much to learn. We may get some understanding along our way even pick up parts of the map or begin to grasp parts of this new language from past travels who have reached the end and now have started to come back to assist others on their way. But to see the entire map of all the reasons to feel strong in atheism and need to reject faith outright more often requires many miles on the path to fully grasp and feel comfortable with this new language of reason and evidence over religious belief and faith it is a life change often as much as it is a thinking change. This should give us who are there, coming back, or far in the journey an ability to see value in having compassion, understanding and empathy for those still struggling or not yet aware. Or at least that is what I try to do even when I challenge their thinking I strive to make it about helping not winning. The second it to realize it is going to take a lot of effort on our part to change but the change is worth it. Third is to realize we should seek others who have gone through the change to help. This is done best by asking them hard questions. 

Kindness Makes a Difference to Humanity

I want to make a difference in the world and try to bring hope and new thinking to others where I can. I also wish to champion kindness as much as challenge and hope as much as doubt. I see it is easier to break others down then help them see a way back up. More than just my disbelief in religion and gods, I hope people get how much I care about humanity and all the different people who are apart of it. We who have come to the realization that there is no gods and see that religion is just superstition and myths have only left a fake way of life behind the question of what new thinking and way of life happens next is to me the real value we need to ascertain. I do not just wish to not be something negative and untrue, I wish to live something positive and true. This realization has made wish to examine my thinking, my worldview, my behavior, my values/ethics and what I want to make of myself as well as how I manage my interactions with others and what will be my place in this life. I realize I not only want to be different, I want to care and make a difference. Positive Psychology is the scientific study of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive. The field is founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work, and play. Positive psychology is the study of happiness. Psychology has traditionally focused on dysfunction—people with mental illness or other psychological problems—and how to treat it. Positive psychology, in contrast, is a relatively new field that examines how ordinary people can become happier and more fulfilled. http://www.positivepsychology.org/ 


What Is Positive Psychology, and What Is It Not?

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-good-life/200805/what-is-positive-psychology-and-what-is-it-not

New Insights into Authentic Humility

A new book by William Damon and Anne Colby – The Power of Ideals: The Real Story of Moral Choice – explores the nature and uses of authentic humility, along with other essential virtues that support a fulfilling moral life. See a fun and informative educational quiz to illustrate their book’s vision of what authentic humility looks like in real life, at the following link: http://92yondemand.org/humility-quiz Humanism is a philosophical and ethical stance that emphasizes the value and agency of human beings, individually and collectively, and generally prefers critical thinking and evidence (rationalism, empiricism) over established doctrine or faith (fideism). The meaning of the term humanism has fluctuated, according to the successive intellectual movements which have identified with it. Generally, however, humanism refers to a perspective that affirms some notion of human freedom and progress. In modern times, humanist movements are typically aligned with secularism, and today “Humanism” typically refers to a non-theistic life stance centred on human agency, and looking to science instead of religious dogma in order to understand the world. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanism


According to  Fred Edwords at the American Humanist Association

The sort of answer you get to the question “What is humanism?” depends on the sort of humanist you ask! The word “humanism” has a number of meanings. And because authors and speakers often don’t clarify which meaning they intend, those trying to explain humanism can easily become a source of confusion. Fortunately, each meaning of the word constitutes a different type of humanism—the different types being easily separated and defined by the use of appropriate adjectives. So it is relatively easy to summarize the varieties of humanism in this way. Read more at: http://americanhumanist.org/humanism/what_is_humanism – Fred Edwords, born 1948, in San Diego, California, is a longtime agnostic or ignostic humanist leader in Washington DC. Let’s Discuss Humanism: https://damienmarieathope.com/2015/07/25/lets-discuss-humanism/


Contradicting the Standard Stereotypes of Emotions and Reason

There are certain stereotypes and common misconceptions about the relationship between cognition and affect. For example, it is common for people to say things that imply:

  • that their emotions and reason are often in conflict with each other,
  • that emotion and reason function independently of each other,
  • that it is possible to be an emotional person (and hence do little reasoning),
  • that it is possible to be a rational person (and hence experience little emotion)
  • that rational persons are cold, mechanical, and lack such desirable traits as compassion and sympathy,
  • that emotional persons are lively, energetic, and colorful (though they are poor reasoners or do not follow their reasoning when making decisions),
  • In this view one must give up the possibility of a rich emotional life if one decides to become a rational person,
  • Likewise, one must give up rationality if one is to live life as a passionate, highly motivated person would.

These ways of talking do not, in my view, make sense of who and what we are. Rather they support a myth that is an albatross on all our thinking about who and what we are. They lead us away from realizing that there is thinking that underlies our emotions and the emotions that drive our thinking. They lead us to think of thought and emotion as if they were oil and water, rather than inseparable constituents of human cognition. They lead us to think that there is nothing we can do to control our emotional life, when in fact there is much we can do. Ref

Emotion and Perception: The Role of Affective Information By Jonathan R. Zadra and Gerald L. Clore

Visual perception and emotion are traditionally considered separate domains of study. In this article, however, we review research showing them to be less separable that usually assumed. In fact, emotions routinely affect how and what we see. Fear, for example, can affect low-level visual processes, sad moods can alter susceptibility to visual illusions, and goal-directed desires can change the apparent size of goal-relevant objects. In addition, the layout of the physical environment, including the apparent steepness of a hill and the distance to the ground from a balcony can both be affected by emotional states. We propose that emotions provide embodied information about the costs and benefits of anticipated action, information that can be used automatically and immediately, circumventing the need for cogitating on the possible consequences of potential actions. Emotions thus provide a strong motivating influence on how the environment is perceived. Ref

Everyone loves ethics, “You” love ethics just like everyone does in relation to themselves, “you” love ethics (you are happy for others to treat you ethically). Maybe, you like many of us, can miss this ontology of social interaction which makes everyone love ethics, and how this fact is not just a morality fact but also just a fact of our being a social animal: we love ethics towards themselves so we just need the rationalism and humanism to sometimes grasp the need to extend this to others as we are just a different “them” and they too are just a different “me” (a human being).

Ethics are the standard used to support and respect rights, the value of rights is the person, that a high standard of ethics wishes to adhere to. A good person helps themselves, yet a great person my friend is found when one helps others. I am saying all one must be to be good is done to themselves, Whereas, the fullness of good, to the level of or state of greatness, happens when one helps others. Kindness is hard at times, as it often requires a death of my ego to allow the life of my potential for empathy and care.

Being mean is easy. I wish to do what can be hard; kindness. Being mean is easy it takes nothing but loss of control, which I am still too often prone to falling into. That said I would like to strive to be kind even it is not extended to me as I don’t want to just follow my weakness I wish to champion my strength, as I wish to more than just not lousing control I wish to be the one in control exhibiting if I can live up to it an example of bravery. This bravery is not out of bravado but the flushing of negative in a heart set free, to me the fact that I strive a young life of profound unkindness almost ruined me forever. I want to be more than the pain that made me or the abuse and unkindness that all but unsaved me. I could be the nothing or the everything if I choose, what was done it out of my control but what I do is not just in my control, it is as if I have all my life been lost if an attitude of attack but now with axiology, humanism and rationalism on a quest like gilded Knights of long ago to perjure a beloved treasure.

I see now, as one who was to often as a child not shown kindness, that life’s journey is made wealthy by the added a human behavioral health resource treasure, a wellspring of renewing, which in found in kindness. I wish to be so strung I have no fear of looking weak and instead show others what a life now bent on helping can really be, when I am brave in my kindness. Anyone can be kind to the kind even a madman but to be sure-footed to travail and be the better person is a gift I give to myself as I am going to do my best to make the world I would be proud to tell others about. It is not a meaningful argument to say well some disagree wanting the freedom to be untrustworthy, unsafe, and not free to all employees or the public with good adherence to high valued behaviors. The fact that there are thieves mean nothing in relation to the unethics of stealing.

Societies, all of them even anarchist ones except for maybe some version of anarcho-primitivism, will hold an ethic even if it is as simple as the principle of non-aggression. Which is enforced if it is violated. It is enforcing a societal ethic expectation or a universal ethical standard, So, again we all love ethics in how others treat us, people only want it confused so much, when and if it requires them to apply ethics to others. But again this is a self-beneficial as theirs is a connection too good and well being.

Grasping ethics to me involves a reconnecting of it to the ontology of humans in the social moral train they cannot escape “We are Moral responsible beings. This fact is more important hen some preserve; it requires our personal as well as social advancement to succeed. Could we not succeed? Sure we can fail but what good is that and even if we do succumb to unethics, hell we seem bent on doing such at times. However, we are doing so at our own emotional pearl, then just a thing that is some ethic behavioral gift one gives to others. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hot-thought/201006/ethical-thinking-should-be-rational-and-emotional

I try not to believe everything I think and only believe deeply in things with some amount of valid and reliable, reason and evidence. Moreover, I strive to stay in an open relationship with the truth thus be open to new truth. I try to be multicultural but never confuse this to be cultural relativism.

Some commit the error of assuming that the multiculturalist position necessarily implies an attitude of cultural relativism, or is subsumed under it. Observe the thinking of one of the most prominent advocates of multiculturalism: Canada’s Will Kymlicka. He includes under this heading all approaches which maintain that there are certain claims made by ethnic / cultural groups which are in keeping with the liberal principles of freedom and equality, and which justify granting certain special rights to minorities. Thus multiculturalism “in contrast to communitarianism“ does not stand in opposition to liberalism; rather, a liberal order is a condition of multiculturalism’s very existence. So Kymlicka terms his position “liberal culturalism.” The multiculturalist calls for certain group rights as complementary to the liberal order that until now has borne the stamp of the white, middle-aged, heterosexual male with no disabilities. But the liberal order claims universal “not relative“ validity. Hence the multiculturalist advocates a monistic or pluralistic world view, not one of cultural relativism! Ref

Individualism or Collectivism?

Rather than a collectivist which I do favore over individualism, I value the inbetween of mutualism thinking. I do see a point in not losing one’s rightful individualism in complete group emotion to the point this is one’s identity as only a group seems less than a helpful universal standard but also we are not being helpful in exclusionary individualism denying our group connectedness and support. I am thus in the land between some collectivist ideals but understanding or appreciate the understanding even if in a group am always an individual. not as a attitude but as this is how I actually think we are: the ontologically of social environment and the responding psychology and biology.

To me, when I refer to a muralist seeing that the group is not an individual neather is one only able to concern themselves with themselves and thrive to wellbeing past survive or selfishness of only irritating ones self to the limits of individualism with always be a respite of one that only hold a self understanding to navigate the world a non-individualism structure at the core of most societies, that one can get outside of mentally but not really internationally with the requirements social living with other humans in a society, something we have been doing thought not always very well and often keep going back to the limit of flushing of everyone including ones self actions have emotional consequences and often emotional consequences bring phical problems in us and other in which we inter relate.

Rationalism and Humanism?

According to Psychology Wiki: Rationalism, also known as the rationalist movement, is a philosophical doctrine that asserts that the truth can best be discovered by reason and factual analysis, rather than faith, dogma or religious teaching. Rationalism has some similarities in ideology and intent to humanism and atheism, in that it aims to provide a framework for social and philosophical discourse outside of religious or supernatural beliefs; however, rationalism differs from both of these, in that:

“As its name suggests, humanism is centered on the dignity and worth of people. While rationalism is a key component of humanism, there is also a strong ethical component in humanism that rationalism does not require directly but towards thinking. As a result, being a rationalist does not necessarily mean being a humanist.”

Atheism, a disbelief or lack of belief in God, can be on any basis, or none at all, so it doesn’t require rationalism. Furthermore, rationalism does not, in itself, affirm or deny atheism, although it does reject any belief based on faith alone. Historically, many rationalists were not atheists. Presumably, people who are rationalists today generally do not believe that theism can be rationally justified, because modern-day rationalism is strongly correlated with atheism. As a result, most—if not all—prominent rationalists today, including scientists such as Richard Dawkins and activists such as Sanal Edamaruku are atheists. Ref Or lesser prominent is Damien Marie AtHope who champions rationalism, atheism and humanism.

Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development

Level 1 – Pre-conventional morality:

At the pre-conventional level (most nine-year-olds and younger, some over nine), we don’t have a personal code of morality. Instead, our moral code is shaped by the standards of adults and the consequences of following or breaking their rules. Authority is outside the individual and reasoning is based on the physical consequences of actions.

  • Stage 1. Obedience and Punishment Orientation. The child/individual is good in order to avoid being punished. If a person is punished, they must have done wrong.
  • Stage 2. Individualism and Exchange. At this stage children recognize that there is not just one right view that is handed down by the authorities. Different individuals have different viewpoints.

Level 2 – Conventional morality:

At the conventional level (most adolescents and adults), we begin to internalize the moral standards of valued adult role models. Authority is internalized but not questioned and reasoning is based on the norms of the group to which the person belongs.

  • Stage 3. Good Interpersonal Relationships. The child/individual is good in order to be seen as being a good person by others. Therefore, answers relate to the approval of others.
  • Stage 4. Maintaining the Social Order. The child/individual becomes aware of the wider rules of society so judgments concern obeying the rules in order to uphold the law and to avoid guilt.

Level 3 – Post-conventional morality:

Individual judgment is based on self-chosen principles, and moral reasoning is based on individual rights and justice. According to Kohlberg this level of moral reasoning is as far as most people get. Only 10-15% are capable of the kind of abstract thinking necessary for stage 5 or 6 (post-conventional morality). That is to say most people take their moral views from those around them and only a minority think through ethical principles for themselves.

  • Stage 5. Social Contract and Individual Rights. The child/individual becomes aware that while rules/laws might exist for the good of the greatest number, there are times when they will work against the interest of particular individuals. The issues are not always clear cut. For example, in Heinz’s dilemma the protection of life is more important than breaking the law against stealing.
  • Stage 6. Universal Principles. People at this stage have developed their own set of moral guidelines which may or may not fit the law. The principles apply to everyone. E.g. human rights, justice and equality. The person will be prepared to act to defend these principles even if it means going against the rest of society in the process and having to pay the consequences of disapproval and or imprisonment. Kohlberg doubted few people reached this stage.

Problems with Kohlberg’s Methods

  1. The dilemmas are artificial (i.e. they lack ecological validity)

Most of the dilemmas are unfamiliar to most people (Rosen, 1980). For example, it is all very well in the Heinz dilemma asking subjects whether Heinz should steal the drug to save his wife. However Kohlberg’s subjects were aged between 10 and 16. They have never been married, and never been placed in a situation remotely like the one in the story. How should they know whether Heinz should steal the drug?

  1. The sample is biased

According to Gilligan (1977), because Kohlberg’s theory was based on an all-male sample, the stages reflect a male definition of morality (it’s androcentric). Mens’ morality is based on abstract principles of law and justice, while womens’ is based on principles of compassion and care. Further, the gender bias issue raised by Gilligan is a reminded of the significant gender debate still present in psychology, which when ignored, can have a large impact on the results obtained through psychological research.

  1. The dilemmas are hypothetical (i.e. they are not real)

In a real situation, what course of action a person takes will have real consequences – and sometimes very unpleasant ones for themselves. Would subjects reason in the same way if they were placed in a real situation? We just don’t know. The fact that Kohlberg’s theory is heavily dependent on an individual’s response to an artificial dilemma brings question to the validity of the results obtained through this research.  People may respond very differently to real life situations that they find themselves in than they do with an artificial dilemma presented to them in the comfort of a research environment.

  1. Poor research design

The way in which Kohlberg carried out his research when constructing this theory may not have been the best way to test whether all children follow the same sequence of stage progression. His research was cross-sectional, meaning that he interviewed children of different ages to see what level of moral development they were at. A better way to see if all children follow the same order through the stages would have been to carry out longitudinal research on the same children. However, longitudinal research on Kohlberg’s theory has since been carried out by Colby et al. (1983) who tested 58 male participants of Kohlberg’s original study. She tested them 6 times in the span of 27 years and found support for Kohlberg’s original conclusion, that we all pass through the stages of moral development in the same order.

Problems with Kohlberg’s Theory

  1. Are there distinct stages of moral development?

Kohlberg claims that there are but the evidence does not always support this conclusion. For example a person who justified a decision on the basis of principled reasoning in one situation (post conventional morality stage 5 or 6) would frequently fall back on conventional reasoning (stage 3 or 4) with another story. In practice it seems that reasoning about right and wrong depends more upon the situation than upon general rules. What is more individuals do not always progress through the stages and Rest (1979) found that one in fourteen actually slipped backwards. The evidence for distinct stages of moral development looks very weak and some would argue that behind the theory is a culturally biased belief in the superiority of American values over those of other cultures and societies.

  1. Does moral judgement match moral behavior?

Kohlberg never claimed that there would be a one to one correspondence between thinking and acting (what we say and what we do) but he does suggest that the two are linked. However, Bee (1994) suggests that we also need to take account of:

  1. a) habits that people have developed over time.
  1. b) whether people see situations as demanding their participation.
  1. c) the costs and benefits of behaving in a particular way.
  1. d) competing motive such as peer pressure, self interest and so on.

Overall Bee points out that moral behavior is only partly a question of moral reasoning. It is also to do with social factors.

  1. Is justice the most fundamental moral principle?

This is Kohlberg’s view. However, Gilligan (1977) suggests that the principle of caring for others is equally important. Furthermore Kohlberg claims that the moral reasoning of males has been often in advance of that of females. Girls are often found to be at stage 3 in Kohlberg’s system (good boy-nice girl orientation) whereas boys are more often found to be at stage 4 (Law and Order orientation). Gilligan replies:

“The very traits that have traditionally defined the goodness of women, their care for and sensitivity to the needs of others, are those that mark them out as deficient in moral development.”

In other words, Gilligan is claiming that there is a sex bias in Kohlberg’s theory. He neglects the feminine voice of compassion, love and non-violence, which is associated with the socialization of girls. Gilligan reached the conclusion that Kohlberg’s theory did not account for the fact that women approach moral problems from an ‘ethics of care’, rather than an ‘ethics of justice’ perspective, which challenges some of the fundamental assumptions of Kohlberg’s theory.

But as I see it both Gilligan as well as Kohlberg is on the right tracts because: Ethical Thinking or Moral Reasoning Should be “Rational AND Emotional.”

Progressive Logic by William J. Kelleher, Ph.D.

Summary: What are the implications of Formal Axiology for assessing the value implications of public policies, laws, and government actions?This can already be seen in the history of Progressive reforms throughout American history. What does the Abolition movement have in common with the anti-child labor movement, the demands for compulsory public education, pro-choice, euthanasia, criminal justice reform, and other public policies considered“progressive”?

Progressive Logic

Shows that the common element is a logic of values which takes as its basic premise that “all persons always deserve positive regard.”From this primary value axiom two “fallacies” and two “enhancements” follow.Value Fallacies:The Ideological Fallacy — to value ideas over persons.The Instrumental Fallacy — to value persons solely for their usefulness.Value Enhancements:The Ideological Enhancement — using ideas to enhance or enrich the lives of persons.The Instrumental Enhancement — using persons to enhance or enrich their lives.These principles of value logic are applied to numerous aspects of American life,culture, and public policies. Ref


“Morality requires both thinking and feeling.”


 

 Ethical Responsibilities of Businesses:

No matter whether you own a small business unit or a multinational company,  your business entails major responsibilities which need to be fulfilled without any compromises.

Crucial responsibilities towards:

  • Shareholders or Owners
  • Customers
  • Employees
  • Government
  • Society and Environment

Let’s discuss them one-by-one.

Shareholders or Owners

The first and most important responsibility of a business should be towards the shareholders or the owners who have invested money. They are eligible for a fair return on the money they have invested. The shareholders expect dividends and appreciation in the value of shares, which depends upon the company’s performance.

Customers

Customers are the most important and valuable assets tor any business organization. A business must supply top-quality goods and services to the customers at reasonable prices. No fake, dishonest and  misleading advertisement should be presented before a potential customer. Also,  there should be proper arrangements to handle customer complaints and requests.

  • Commitment to provide best-quality goods or services
  • The goods / products are fit for the required purposes
  • Customer support post-sales
  • Genuine cost without compromising with quality
  • No fake promises

Employees

A business directly or indirectly depends upon the productivity and work efforts of its employees. Following which, a business organization must provide a fair salary based upon the work and industry standards. An employee also deserves a healthy and safe work environment  with insurance, compensation, and medical benefits in the event of any loss or injury at the workplace.

  • Equal opportunities for all
  • Healthy and safe work environment
  • Comply with Minimum Wage Act
  • Compensation for injury at workplace
  • Insurance and Medical Benefits

Government:

A business setup must comply and follow the guidelines laid by the government. It shouldn’t indulge or follow any unlawful activities and corrupt practices. One should conduct the business in a lawful manner with paying all taxes and duties honestly on time.

  • No illegal trade or manufacturing
  • No violation of state or federal law
  • Fair business practices
  • Fair business audits and taxation

Society and Environment:

A business is a part of the society and hence it should contribute its part towards the welfare of the society. It should generate employment opportunities equally for all, irrespective of their cast, gender or color and promote social and cultural values. A business must also protect the ecological environment of the society without contributing any type of damage like air or water pollution.  http://smallbiz-resources.com/what-are-the-rights-and-responsibilities-of-businesses/


Why care? Because we are Dignity Beings.

Morality: all subjective or all objective?

True Morality Not the Golden Rule…

Real Morality vs. Pseudo Morality

Believe in Good, Humanist Morality?

Natural Morality?

How We Think is as Important as How We Behave.

 

What we don’t understand, we may come to fear. That which you fear, you may come to hate. That which you hate, you may come to wish destroyed it. Thus, you may be compelled to harm, oppress, abuse, and/or kill. So, stop all this by the hard work of being understanding not just hate because someone is different. Blind hate is just as disgusting as blind faith. Mob rule/mob mentality has often involved blind hate. Top 10 Instances Of Mob Mentality

Damien Marie AtHope’s Art

While hallucinogens are associated with shamanism, it is alcohol that is associated with paganism.

The Atheist-Humanist-Leftist Revolutionaries Shows in the prehistory series:

Show one: Prehistory: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” the division of labor, power, rights, and recourses.

Show two: Pre-animism 300,000 years old and animism 100,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”

Show tree: Totemism 50,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”

Show four: Shamanism 30,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”

Show five: Paganism 12,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”

Show six: Emergence of hierarchy, sexism, slavery, and the new male god dominance: Paganism 7,000-5,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” (Capitalism) (World War 0) Elite and their slaves!

Show seven: Paganism 5,000 years old: progressed organized religion and the state: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” (Kings and the Rise of the State)

Show eight: Paganism 4,000 years old: Moralistic gods after the rise of Statism and often support Statism/Kings: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” (First Moralistic gods, then the Origin time of Monotheism)

Prehistory: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” the division of labor, power, rights, and recourses: VIDEO

Pre-animism 300,000 years old and animism 100,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”: VIDEO

Totemism 50,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”: VIDEO

Shamanism 30,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism”: VIDEO

Paganism 12,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” (Pre-Capitalism): VIDEO

Paganism 7,000-5,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” (Capitalism) (World War 0) Elite and their slaves: VIEDO

Paganism 5,000 years old: progressed organized religion and the state: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” (Kings and the Rise of the State): VIEDO

Paganism 4,000 years old: related to “Anarchism and Socialism” (First Moralistic gods, then the Origin time of Monotheism): VIEDO

I do not hate simply because I challenge and expose myths or lies any more than others being thought of as loving simply because of the protection and hiding from challenge their favored myths or lies.

The truth is best championed in the sunlight of challenge.

An archaeologist once said to me “Damien religion and culture are very different”

My response, So are you saying that was always that way, such as would you say Native Americans’ cultures are separate from their religions? And do you think it always was the way you believe?

I had said that religion was a cultural product. That is still how I see it and there are other archaeologists that think close to me as well. Gods too are the myths of cultures that did not understand science or the world around them, seeing magic/supernatural everywhere.

I personally think there is a goddess and not enough evidence to support a male god at Çatalhöyük but if there was both a male and female god and goddess then I know the kind of gods they were like Proto-Indo-European mythology.

This series idea was addressed in, Anarchist Teaching as Free Public Education or Free Education in the Public: VIDEO

Our 12 video series: Organized Oppression: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of power (9,000-4,000 years ago), is adapted from: The Complete and Concise History of the Sumerians and Early Bronze Age Mesopotamia (7000-2000 BC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szFjxmY7jQA by “History with Cy

Show #1: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Samarra, Halaf, Ubaid)

Show #2: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Eridu: First City of Power)

Show #3: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Uruk and the First Cities)

Show #4: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (First Kings)

Show #5: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Early Dynastic Period)

Show #6: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (King Lugalzagesi and the First Empire)

Show #7: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Sargon and Akkadian Rule)

Show #8: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Naram-Sin, Post-Akkadian Rule, and the Gutians)

Show #9: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Gudea of Lagash and Utu-hegal)

Show #10: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Third Dynasty of Ur / Neo-Sumerian Empire)

Show #11: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Amorites, Elamites, and the End of an Era)

Show #12: Mesopotamian State Force and the Politics of Power (Aftermath and Legacy of Sumer)

Damien Marie AtHope’s Art

The “Atheist-Humanist-Leftist Revolutionaries”

Cory Johnston ☭ Ⓐ Atheist Leftist @Skepticallefty & I (Damien Marie AtHope) @AthopeMarie (my YouTube & related blog) are working jointly in atheist, antitheist, antireligionist, antifascist, anarchist, socialist, and humanist endeavors in our videos together, generally, every other Saturday.

Why Does Power Bring Responsibility?

Think, how often is it the powerless that start wars, oppress others, or commit genocide? So, I guess the question is to us all, to ask, how can power not carry responsibility in a humanity concept? I know I see the deep ethical responsibility that if there is power their must be a humanistic responsibility of ethical and empathic stewardship of that power. Will I be brave enough to be kind? Will I possess enough courage to be compassionate? Will my valor reach its height of empathy? I as everyone, earns our justified respect by our actions, that are good, ethical, just, protecting, and kind. Do I have enough self-respect to put my love for humanity’s flushing, over being brought down by some of its bad actors? May we all be the ones doing good actions in the world, to help human flourishing.

I create the world I want to live in, striving for flourishing. Which is not a place but a positive potential involvement and promotion; a life of humanist goal precision. To master oneself, also means mastering positive prosocial behaviors needed for human flourishing. I may have lost a god myth as an atheist, but I am happy to tell you, my friend, it is exactly because of that, leaving the mental terrorizer, god belief, that I truly regained my connected ethical as well as kind humanity.

Cory and I will talk about prehistory and theism, addressing the relevance to atheism, anarchism, and socialism.

At the same time as the rise of the male god, 7,000 years ago, there was also the very time there was the rise of violence, war, and clans to kingdoms, then empires, then states. It is all connected back to 7,000 years ago, and it moved across the world.

Cory Johnston: https://damienmarieathope.com/2021/04/cory-johnston-mind-of-a-skeptical-leftist/?v=32aec8db952d  

The Mind of a Skeptical Leftist (YouTube)

Cory Johnston: Mind of a Skeptical Leftist @Skepticallefty

The Mind of a Skeptical Leftist By Cory Johnston: “Promoting critical thinking, social justice, and left-wing politics by covering current events and talking to a variety of people. Cory Johnston has been thoughtfully talking to people and attempting to promote critical thinking, social justice, and left-wing politics.” http://anchor.fm/skepticalleft

Cory needs our support. We rise by helping each other.

Cory Johnston ☭ Ⓐ @Skepticallefty Evidence-based atheist leftist (he/him) Producer, host, and co-host of 4 podcasts @skeptarchy @skpoliticspod and @AthopeMarie

Damien Marie AtHope (“At Hope”) Axiological Atheist, Anti-theist, Anti-religionist, Secular Humanist. Rationalist, Writer, Artist, Poet, Philosopher, Advocate, Activist, Psychology, and Armchair Archaeology/Anthropology/Historian.

Damien is interested in: Freedom, Liberty, Justice, Equality, Ethics, Humanism, Science, Atheism, Antiteism, Antireligionism, Ignosticism, Left-Libertarianism, Anarchism, Socialism, Mutualism, Axiology, Metaphysics, LGBTQI, Philosophy, Advocacy, Activism, Mental Health, Psychology, Archaeology, Social Work, Sexual Rights, Marriage Rights, Woman’s Rights, Gender Rights, Child Rights, Secular Rights, Race Equality, Ageism/Disability Equality, Etc. And a far-leftist, “Anarcho-Humanist.”

I am not a good fit in the atheist movement that is mostly pro-capitalist, I am anti-capitalist. Mostly pro-skeptic, I am a rationalist not valuing skepticism. Mostly pro-agnostic, I am anti-agnostic. Mostly limited to anti-Abrahamic religions, I am an anti-religionist.

To me, the “male god” seems to have either emerged or become prominent around 7,000 years ago, whereas the now favored monotheism “male god” is more like 4,000 years ago or so. To me, the “female goddess” seems to have either emerged or become prominent around 11,000-10,000 years ago or so, losing the majority of its once prominence around 2,000 years ago due largely to the now favored monotheism “male god” that grow in prominence after 4,000 years ago or so.

My Thought on the Evolution of Gods?

Animal protector deities from old totems/spirit animal beliefs come first to me, 13,000/12,000 years ago, then women as deities 11,000/10,000 years ago, then male gods around 7,000/8,000 years ago. Moralistic gods around 5,000/4,000 years ago, and monotheistic gods around 4,000/3,000 years ago. 

To me, animal gods were likely first related to totemism animals around 13,000 to 12,000 years ago or older. Female as goddesses was next to me, 11,000 to 10,000 years ago or so with the emergence of agriculture. Then male gods come about 8,000 to 7,000 years ago with clan wars.

Gods?
 
“Animism” is needed to begin supernatural thinking.
“Totemism” is needed for supernatural thinking connecting human actions & related to clan/tribe.
“Shamanism” is needed for supernatural thinking to be controllable/changeable by special persons.
 
Together = Gods/paganism

Damien Marie AtHope’s Art

Damien Marie AtHope (Said as “At” “Hope”)/(Autodidact Polymath but not good at math):

Axiological Atheist, Anti-theist, Anti-religionist, Secular Humanist, Rationalist, Writer, Artist, Jeweler, Poet, “autodidact” Philosopher, schooled in Psychology, and “autodidact” Armchair Archaeology/Anthropology/Pre-Historian (Knowledgeable in the range of: 1 million to 5,000/4,000 years ago). I am an anarchist socialist politically. Reasons for or Types of Atheism

My Website, My Blog, & Short-writing or QuotesMy YouTube, Twitter: @AthopeMarie, and My Email: damien.marie.athope@gmail.com

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