Again beauty or ugliness is our perspective. We characterize things as beautiful or ugly. For the creator everything is beautiful, just like for a mother all of their children are beautiful and we don't shame a mother for having an ugly child? Who knows the creator created ugliness for us to appreciate beauty. Sometimes the absence of something makes us appreciate the presence of something. After reading stories of many women on IL, I learned to appreciate my blessings more. I know in US, it is portrayed as either evolution or intelligent design. But I think both are not mutually exclusive. The main objection to Darwin from Christianity is because whether man evolved or man was created by God. While in Hinduism there is no such objection. The creator created the system that is capable of evolving itself, creation and destruction are part of the system. All living beings that are created are bound to die at some point. Similarly species are bound that are created are bound to be destructed or evolve in different forms at times. Creator like a mother is always benevolent. Just as children don't agree with the mother or know her intentions, they blame the mother. So just because we don't know the intentions of the creator doesn't make the creator bad. The capability of a worm to be able to live in an eyeball is in by itself a miracle of God for me. The ability of a person to be able to live in that condition is in by itself a miracle of God for me. The ability of a person with perfect vision criticizing God, while looking at the worm, is in by itself a miracle of God for me. It is interesting that the westerners always find fault in Africa or in India but never find a fault with in their own country. What a boring world it would have been if there was no pain, no ugliness, no evil in the world, etc. I have crows whom I feed everyday. One of them doesn't have one leg. Yet with one leg without any help of Science it is able to live and survive is in by itself a miracle of God to me. Again it is all a matter of perspective. How you look at the world. Some look at Taj Mahal and admire its beauty some criticize it for what ever reasons. There is a talk about repeat ability. Even Science is not repeatable. A medicine works effectively on one person and not on other. A medicine works effectively on one person today but doesn't work effectively tomorrow. Why? My Mom had a by pass surgery in the top most hospital in the world and by surgeons, qualified from the top most universities and who had done hundreds of by pass surgeries. Yet. they couldn't do a successful surgery of my mom. Why? Just for discussion sake, let's say there is God. For discussion let's assume Sun is God. Powerful, helps all living beings, life is not possible without the Sun. So let's say Sun is God. So what's next? How does it help anyone who doesn't believe in God. It is all about self realization. If there is realization, then even a placebo can work. The reason a placebo works is by itself a proof of God. How scientifically a placebo can work? Personally, I don't agree with religion but I believe in God.
So whose experiences I should rely on instead? If I can't, what's the point? Have faith and believe and hope they happen to me?
Why apologetic? Been almost two decades, never felt the need to defend myself.. may be a sub topic... but no time.
What does spirituality mean to you? Is it possible to be spiritual in the absence of religion? I have had plenty of 'Einsteinian pantheism' experiences as Dawkins calls them. I consider them spiritual. On reconciling with the religious underpinnings of our culture & on raising a family as a nonbeliever. My grandfather, being an atheist, passed on his love of mythology to us and I intend to do the same.
JustAnotherGirl, Do you mean moral relativism vs moral realism? (setting aside the matter of God swooping in for the rescue) The problem being that since morals are not facts, an atheist has no means to arrive at objective moral facts? It is a topic for endless debate but I suspect we will be hard pressed to find a moral relativist in reality that can defend the rape a 6 year old. I do see your point though (if that was what you meant). For me, the golden rule was a good starting point to find a personal code that I can live by.