Good Morning,
A few weeks ago I wrote about the sheer vastness of the universe and how the almost inconceivable distances will make space travel outside of our Solar System, at least with present day technology, nearly impossible. The crux of the letter was to bring us back to the reality that we really should be focusing on how we all get along on this fragile little planet of ours, rather than trying to populate another one. After all “Wherever you go, there you are”, so we would surely take with us the same issues we have here.
Let me be clear, I am not against exploration outside of Earth, as I believe we have reaped many benefits from the 
advances in technology required to accomplish what we have done in space. Mars rover “Curiosity” landing was a phenomenal feat of American engineering acumen and scientific prowess. The very fact that NASA and we as country, could pull it off, speaks volumes of what we can accomplish when given the right stuff. For that I am proud.
So getting along…that is the real trick and history would show it is much harder than dropping a SUV sized rover precisely where you want it on a revolving planet that changes in distance from us between 94.3 and 234 million miles. The rover actually traveled about 352 million miles to get there.
Since Cain killed Abel, or Uugh killed his brother Lugh if you wish, we have found ways of offing each other. Whether it is one of the Seven Deadly Sins (Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride), Territorial Possession or possibly the biggest… Religion, we have managed to keep up the slaughter with no signs of letting up.
Strangely enough, I can pretty much understand the Seven Deadly Sins, as they are intrinsic in our Human Nature along with Territorial Possession being a manifestation of several of them. While the list varies somewhat depending on who is doling it out, the general theme is that these things could get you into hot water, heated by the fires of hell. Well at least that is what I have been told by those who are experts in these matters. I just have to take it on faith, which brings me to Religion.
Why is it with a “Religion” that just because I may believe my spiritual destiny is determined by living a certain way, dressing a certain way, eating a certain way and envisioning my nirvana differently from yours, that I must push/impose those beliefs on others? Is it possibly that I might be unsure enough of my beliefs and therefore need others to agree with my spiritual philosophy just to add credence? And if you don’t agree with me, do I then have the right to kill you for being an unbeliever “Infidel”? Of course I would be sanctioned by “My God” to do this for I am doing it in “God’s Name”.
So who is right and who is wrong? After all it has to be “Black & White” and not 50 shades of gray? We need to know in which ring to throw our hat, and God forbid we throw it in the wrong one. You must choose wisely.
Funny how we can be so sure that our way is the right way and our God is the right God. If we could only pick what is a comfortable fit for us personally and then follow that path without persecution or imposing it on others. There is your “Nirvana” right there.
A “Higher Power”, sure why not, this all had to come from somewhere. The rub for me comes when we try to define it from there and create a “Religion” that controls our lives and expect all others to agree with us. I believe in “Freedom of Religion”, but I do not believe in “Oppression by Religion”. I think my position on this can be summed up with the lyrics from “Imagine”, by John Lennon:
Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
You, you may say
I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world
You, you may say
I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will live as one
Peace,
Love, Dad