Third Draft

Nasciove

                Nasciove (Na-SCI-ove) consists of a comprehensive, all-encompassing trinity: Nature, Science and Love.

            Nature represents the forces of the universe, both terrestrial and cosmic, over which people have scant control. Nature, in the Emersonian sense, is awesomely beautiful. It sustains us. But as tsunamis and volcanoes attest, Nature can be destructive. And as distant stars and black holes attest, Nature is indifferent to human beings. All we know for certain is that we come from Nature and we return to Nature when we die. As we are reabsorbed by Nature, we lose our individuation.

            Science represents the attempt to understand Nature, and in understanding it, make it serve the interests of mankind. We can never tame Nature, but we can harness it to clothe us, produce our food and shelter us from inclement weather. While science relies on a rational methodology, it is not inherently ethical. Technology, the reification of science, can build airplanes to transport us but those same airplanes can drop bombs. Science can lead to the invention of chemicals that can cure us ‐ or poison us. Science can enhance or diminish our lives.

            Love is the force that gives meaning to life. Brotherhood, sisterhood, agape (in the Greek sense of altruistic regard), organizes society into civilizations that create social justice and art. Eros allows for individual fulfillment by bringing two together as one. Both agape and eros are necessary components of love.

            Nasciove has no place for dogma or superstition. Myths are merely exemplary stories that try to explain our relationship to the world and to other individuals. People of good will can mitigate sexism, racism, classism, homophobia and many of the other problems that scar society but traditional religion tends to serve as a divisive force. Nasciove, on the other hand, is a unifying impulse that combines respect for Nature (aka the environment) with respect for the minds and hearts of every human being ‐ as well as of animals.

            Praying to Nasciove is futile. No external forces or Beings will intervene on our behalf. To think so is delusory. But we can pause to take stock of our lives and attempt to purify and improve our thoughts and feelings. Nasciove tries to balance rational humanism with poetic spirituality. Through love and respect for others, our lives - while brief in the total scheme of things - can be harmonious and worth the living.