Amit Goswami, Ph.D.

The Issue of Secularism

Secularism is the separation of church and state. In the past this has worked for democracy. State carries out the democratic ideal of bring meaning to everyone in society. The church gives us the ethical canopy under which everyone pursues meaning. Unfortunately, the evolution of scientific materialism puts a monkey wrench in this equilibrium.

In this country, the progressive democrats who are supposed to advance the pursuit of meaning, follow (correctly) the vehicle of creativity for that advancement. But science is supposed to be one of those creative activities that democrats utterly approve. When science advocates a Godless materialism and meaningless existentialism, the democrats get thoroughly confused. Many of these confused democrats seems to be anti-religion even anti-ethics. How then can religious people trust them to be even-handed about religions and religious ethics? Continue reading…

It’s the Worldview, Mr. President

An Open Letter to President Obama

Dear President Obama,

            During president Clinton’s election campaign, the very effective slogan, ”It’s the Economy, Stupid” was coined.   Your slogan, “Change that you can believe in”, although perhaps not as provocative as Clinton’s, was not so entirely bad either.  It worked, didn’t it?  Even so, I think the phrase “It’s the worldview, stupid! ” would have been more relevant.  Please hear me out.

 Now that you are at the helm of the country and have started to institute changes, your changes more and more seem to be a mixed bag of ideas.  Almost everybody that voted for you and still supports you, feels a little unsure if he or she can believe in all of the changes you have begun.  In some of them,yes; but in others, we are not so sure. 

Speaking specifically, the required changes needed are about meaning and values. When you were campaigning, you got that one right Mr. president! When you put programs forward in favor of the middle class, universal health care, education, or green economy, you are unambiguously siding with meaning and values. No confusion there.  But when you side with programs for bailing out the financial investment banks like AIG, are you supporting meaning and values?   Continue reading…