Adam asked:

At the end of the day does any of it matter, is there a right way to be, a way to be that that is more
right than any other, taking for granted that religion is man made, there for there will be no reward
after death, does anything we do in our life matter, as after death it will all be lost anyway??

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Of course it matters. It matters what we do in our life today. It matter to us and it matters to others
alive today. Sometimes what we do will matter when we are dead and not there to care, but it might
still matter to those alive.

Everything matters. If we accept that small things don't matter, like lying, for instance, then it becomes
socially acceptable and things escalate and we don't mind who lies. We will allow it from parents,
teachers and politicians. Surely that matters? We have standards and even if there is no God and no
afterlife, we simply have human standards and we know what they are.

Rachel Browne

Your question contains a number of assumptions. The examination and questioning of the
assumptions that we have taken for granted is fundamental to the development of a sound
philosophical attitude.

Even taking for granted that religion is man-made, does it follow that nothing that we do in life
matters,or that after death it will all be lost? Religions are attempts by humans to come to terms with
aspects of reality. This does not mean that they are worthless. Much that is good in the world,
including much great art, has been inspired by religion. How we live our life, and what we do in life,
matters both to ourselves and others. Religion can make a great difference to how we live and how
we act. That difference is usually, but not always, beneficial. Religion that does not accord with reality
can be counter-productive. A religion that is fully in accord with reality would not be. Is such a religion
possible? I believe it is.

Christianity has been the most productive religion to date, but the Christian explanation of the world,
particularly the explanation of the Christ-event that was forged in the next five Centuries, no longer
resonates with modern thinking. There is a need for a critical re-thinking of the Christ-event. I have
argued elsewhere that:

1. The existence of a self-existent entity — a God — is the best explanation of the existence of the
contingent Cosmos.

2. The only motive for a self-existent entity to act is to enable the production of another entity that is
similar to itself.

3. The self-existent entity cannot directly create an entity that is similar to itself. Any directly created
entity is obviously non-self-existent, and so is dissimilar to the self-existent entity.

4. The only course possible is for the self-existent entity to initiate a process involving
self-organization and self-creation, to enable the possible self-creation of a communal entity that is
similar to the self-existent entity in both creativity and goodness.

5. The stages of the development of the Cosmos to date have the appearance of such a process. The
present human-moral-cultural stage is part of that overall process.

The Thesis on "The Process of the Cosmos" and associated papers are available on my Web Page
at http://www.philosophy.27south.com

Anthony Kelly