religion, spirituality, and other sorts of mysticism are, for better or for worse, pretty much lost on me. i just don't buy it. i had a brief pre-adolescent affair with the christian pentecostal denomination, but it was one of those infatuations where beyond three months one either loses themselves or loses the shtick. I lost the latter, along with a bit of dignity and any lingering curiosity.
i also have an unfounded, vague, pop-psychology-type belief that because nothing non-empirically-based was drilled into my belief structure as a child, my worldview is now somehow hardwired to exclude anything that transcends the physical world. i'm even a bit suspicious of electricity, as i never really bothered to learn its ins and outs and basically take its omnipotence in my life on faith.
with that said, i'm still kind of angling to join the religious society of friends (quakers). wiki claims that a person can be one and be an agnostic or atheist, but i'm afraid they're damn liars. the meetings in my area pretty clearly cite jesus of nazareth as the source of the core "inner light" belief that i was hoping to interpret as my faith in my own brilliance. and, it would be a pain to have to go to meetings, even the awesome-sounding unstructured and totally egalitarian ones.
anyway, while i'm deciding, i thought it couldn't hurt to prostheletize a bit. look at how great these tennents are:
Helping others who are in need in whatever ways are open to us.
Supporting causes consistent with Quaker values.
Making economic choices that contribute to the fair sharing of world resources.
Questioning the myths and generalities often used to justify deprivation, punishment, and other human misery.
Avoiding support of war or the seeds of war.
Speaking truth to power, even when truth may not be welcome.
Embracing a style of life that promotes a healthy planet—supporting environmentally sound behavior.
Participating positively in public affairs.
Choosing to affirm in legal proceedings, rather than to swear an oath, which implies part-time truth telling.
