We were made for Eden.

We were made for paradise, like deer in the forest ...

Perhaps now we are left the task to heal the planet,
since we were originally given the job to be stewards.
It seems likely that we were "cast out" of Eden because
we were failing that. Now, perhaps, we may try to
rebuild Eden according to our own best ecological
designs.

1. Heal the planet. We need to stop and repair the
damage we are doing now, and reverse the process
to find a more natural balance similar to the way
the world worked before our civilization began
fouling it.

2. Rebuild ecological Eden.
We will need to use the all-encompassing ideas
that guide the philosophy of "deep ecology,"
including as many species in our calculations as
we can, and observing their interactions. Every
species has its place, even some that we might
find inconvenient or undesirable, but another more
important one may be dependent on them. They
survived and evolved, so they have an inherent
right to be here. Only those that are primarily
parasitic or disease vectors, and don't irreplace-
ably support another species may be considered
for elimination.

Our intent is to create the best world possible.
One with the greatest variety and number of
species that we can preserve, from the level of
the bacteria to that of the whales, and everything
in between. Once we have done this, we are fit to
ascend the heavens and design the paradise we
truly desire.

Truth in Religion.

How can you tell a "true" religion
from spurious ones?

1. A true religion must bring out the
best in people, in both personal virtue
and social cohesion, and respect for
individuality.

2. It must offer the highest imaginable
 ideals and morality, preventing the
abuse of the weak, without prescribing
 onerous detail.

3. It must value all people, for their
spiritual potential, and offer opportun-
ities for reformation of character and
growth in virtue.

4. It must not be amenable to manipu-
lation for personal favor, material gain
or exceptional permission.

5. It must allow, without contradiction,
for scientific theory, investigation and
discovery.

6. It must offer a satisfying meaning
for existence and an adaptable way
of life.

7. It must respect the natural balance
and ecology of habitats and home
planets and act with stewardship
and reverence for life.

8. It must not use coercion or oppres-
sion to dominate others, nor allow
violence or captivity as punishment.

In short, a true religion will hold up the
four ideals: truth, freedom, love and
wisdom, as sacred values to be pursued
and expanded to their fullest practical
extent, and seek to eliminate all uses of
threats, lies, slavery and oppression.

God will understand, and if He does not
understand then He is not God.

Why Space?

Why Space?
A few answers to consider:

1. Frontiers to explore - The human species has always had
the urge to see beyond the horizon and go where no one has
gone before.

2. Resources - to mine and build new cities, and develop new
technologies to use them.

3. Vitality or decay, keep our freedom to grow or we will
become decadent.

4. Stepping stone: a launch platform to open the way to the
planets and the stars.

5. Knowledge and discovery: to learn about the laws of
physics, the stars and their inhabitants, and how we can
adapt to live among them.

6. Utopias and Edens, where we can learn to create better
societies and steward world ecologies.

7. Salvation of the human species, in case of global disaster,
we can rescue the survivors and rebuild our civilization.

8. Apotheosis: the good angels are free to roam the heavens,
while the bad angels are confined to the hell they will make
of earth.