Dear Readers,
In one of his recent and, as ever, compelling ‘Unthinkable’ columns, Joe Humphreys (April 22nd Opinion) rightly stressed the sentiment of many individuals and the wider society, regarding the absence of a convincing narrative that offers hope for our future.
He fondly reminisced about his childhood when the universal narrative revolved around the concept that ‘God loves you’. This idea, however, no longer resonates as a believable truth for many within our Western society.
Against all odds and possibly hard to believe, I propose that the solution to restore a clear narrative might lay in reverting back to an enhanced, emancipating interpretation of the belief in a kind-hearted deity.
This evolved narrative should dismiss the repressive aspects often connected with institutionalised religion of old, such as firm assertions of irrefutable truth, power hierarchies, domination and a burdensome focus on laws, guilt and repercussion. It should reminisce about the fundamental teachings of Jesus Christ that centered on love, individual worth, and the virtues of mercy and forgiveness. These core beliefs could be balanced with wisdom from other esteemed religious customs, including respect for animals and our environment.
As we delve deeper into the cosmic vastness of our universe, from galaxies to clusters of galaxies, and the intricacies of how life operates, we should become increasingly cautious about dismissing the likelihood of an affectionate intelligence maintaining the universe – something that the human intellect, I believe, deeply wishes to acknowledge.
Let’s not label it as the ‘opium of the people’, but rather perceive it as a beacon of light in the prevailing darkness.
Challenging, perhaps, and yet surely worth contemplating.
Yours sincerely,
Martin Clynes, Clontarf, Dublin 3