Just as new heads were said to sprout from the decapitated body of the
Greek Hydra, new religions and offshoots will always emerge from the
remnants of dead religions. Religions not only endure because of childhood
indoctrination, but also because they provide an alluring solution for those
who desire an afterlife, a chance to reunite with their deceased loved ones.
Our fear of our own mortality is the kindling for the roaring inferno of
religious belief.
The Illusion of Human Significance
I now ask you to contemplate how breathtakingly immense this universe —
this vast mosaic of stars — is, and how minuscule humanity is in
comparison; consider the billions of years this universe has endured, and
compare it to the ephemerality of the average human lifespan. A study
published in 2010 by Yale astronomer Peter Dokkum revealed that there
may be as many as 300 sextillion stars, spanning hundreds of billions of
light-years.
300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars.
What is the need for such an expansive universe if our species is the center
of creation? When juxtaposed with the vastness of the cosmos, human
civilization, with its towering concrete structures and bustling masses, is
nothing more than a slightly larger anthill. In the vast cosmic tapestry that is
the universe, mankind is just a single stray thread—a thread that will swiftly
wear away and leave the greater tapestry intact and unaffected.
Furthermore, we must ask why God, an omnipotent, omniscient being,
would be so vain and human-like that he would require the subservience of
humans. Considering the sheer immensity of the universe, what is the
likelihood that the creator gives a damn about who you copulate with, what
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