Home TEN COMMANDMENTS (or letting reason prevail in the name of civility) 1. Question religion. Throughout our evolution, religion has been an important part of the visceral glue that has held our tribes together and enabled them to thrive. However, the beauty of religion repeatedly has been perverted by some into forms of irrational dogmatism that are inherently divisive and provide the fuel that fires the barbarism of war and hatred. Question all beliefs to assure that they are intellectually true to your own wisdom. 2. Question patriotism. Likewise, the visceral voices tell us to bond together to fight those who threaten our tribe or nation. And, likewise, these drives, once important to our successful evolution, now too frequently lead to blind behavior that wantonly destroys creation and harms the innocent before reason prevails. Question the voices that call you to abandon reason in the guise of patriotic loyalty. 3. Consume as little as joyously possible. Strive to be joyous. Consumption of food and shelter and many of the varied amenities of life may facilitate your struggle for comfort and happiness. But ceaselessly question that which you are tempted to acquire to assure that it truly contributes to this end in the context of responsibility to yourself and to the greater society. 4. Produce no more children than you can reasonably care for. Children may be an important part of our joy. But bearing children when not prepared spiritually, emotionally, or materially, is a form of child abuse. Irresponsible procreation hurts children, society, those who engage in this indulgence, and the ecosystems that provide our sustenance and make our lives worth living. Question the desire to breed without reason. 5. Practice temperance and know the difference between use and abuse. Everything has its appropriate time and place. It is our human duty to seek balance in our search for joy and wisdom. Use your own wisdom when exploring the various paths to happiness to assure that you do not harm others or yourself. Question the temptations proffered by others. 6. Pursue justice. The first reason for establishing the U.S. Constitution, as listed in the Preamble, is the promotion of justice. Justice, in its many forms, is the foundation of any civilized society. Justice is fairness rooted on the principle of equality for all under the rule of the law. It means that the punishment must fit the crime. Seek justice for the welfare of people and for all life. 7. Seek and honor the truth. The honoring of contracts of all types is the foundation for a successful society and a successful life. Success, defined in terms of the joyous struggle to achieve fulfillment in life, is contingent upon honoring truth, whether it be in science, art, philosophy, or spirituality. Honor truth starting with your own word. 8. Defy bigotry. We should strive for a performance based meritocracy in all of our social organizations, not only because it is the most just and fair, but because all other systems will be less efficient, less productive, and will inevitably result in exacerbating social tensions between groups. Avoid the poisoned reasoning of prejudice that calls us to discriminate based on factors unrelated to the task at hand. 9. Do not harm innocent Life. There are times when we harm others in order to protect ourselves. And there are times when we must take life in order to provide food and sustenance. Harm only the enemy and to degree possible revere all life relative to its level of awareness of the organism. Kill only when it is the last reasonable recourse. Question brutality to all life. 10. Work for a sustainable balance for all life including humanity. Poverty is not an inherent human condition. It is the result of foolish behavior that disrupts the balances of the natural world that makes our lives worth living. Just as we strive to be joyous, we should include in our understanding of holistic joy, the welfare of all other forms of life and the ecological balances necessary to sustain it. We are all in this together and no one is an island. What one person does inevitably affects the welfare of others. Strive to make the effects positive.