Meaning vs. Experience

A nice explanation (from an astrophysicist of all people) of a Joseph Campbell quote I read long ago: "People don't want the meaning of life, they want the experience of life." This has always been one of the central truths in life that I can see. From the article:

Spirituality, at its best, points us away from easy codifications when it shows us how to immerse ourselves in the simple, inescapable act of being. Science at its root is also an expression of reverence and awe for the endless varied, resonantly beautiful experience we can find ourselves immersed in. So knowing the meaning of life as encoded in a religious creed on a page or an equation on a blackboard is not the issue. A deeper, richer experience of this one life: that is the issue!

So, can we stop thinking that discussions about science and religion have to focus on who has the best set of facts?

The Campbell quote is in the article. It's nice to see somebody mention him. He doesn't get enough recognition, in my opinion.

Obama Includes Atheists... Again!

I think my sometimes inordinate support of Obama comes from the fact that he is able to say things like this:

There is no doubt that the very nature of faith means that some of our beliefs will never be the same. We read from different texts. We follow different edicts. We subscribe to different accounts of how we came to be here and where we’re going next – and some subscribe to no faith at all...

Amazing. That's the second time he's acknowledged, with respect, the nonbelievers among us. Read the whole post where I got this. It's good.