Science as a Religion

Science is not a religion. It's just not. Science is information about what is. That information is constantly updating and is often balancing out extremes. As a Libra, I appreciate that about science.

Initial information is often quickly balanced by opposing information from the same method of inquiry. While religion's guidelines are absolute, science merely tells us what is, but it isn't static. What is, in one way, is often quickly balanced out by information that shows "what is" from another angle.

Religion's nature is to provide guidelines as to what is right and wrong, how to live pleasingly to something outside ourselves. Science is not a greater power to which humans must bend the knee for approval. Science is merely information to which free individuals can choose to listen. And, smart individuals wait for the balance in information to present itself.

When you hear the autistic screeching, "Follow the science!", you should translate that to "Shame, shame, shame!" in your head.

I must follow nothing. I must bow to nothing. I must bend my knee to nothing other than that which I choose to submit myself.

The information provided by science is just information. It is incomplete and constantly updating. So, when information comes out and someone says, "This is what 'we' must do with that information", science stops being what you are listening to, instead you are now listening to a moral collectivist tell you what you have to do with your life.

The lack of self-awareness, as I listen to science worshippers, is astonishing to me. I hear, in one breathe, assured and vehement disgust for religion as the source of all that's wrong with the world and, in the very next, I'm being told what I must do based on their moral reaction to the information. Religion isn't the problem, being forced to live according to it is. And, science worshippers are the very thing they claim to hate in the religious. They are, like the religious, dogmatically and absolutely assured they're right and that everyone should be forced to live according to their deity.

What any of us do with information is a matter of morality.

Take our current COVID situation. The early science, which is still updating, suggested to us that this virus is harder for humans to fight off and spreads quickly. That's the information. That's all science provided.

Science did not tell us to be socially distant. Science didn't tell us to wear masks. Science didn't demand from us the shut down of the economy. Science merely told us about what is. And, science is also, now, telling us about what is the problem with how those in power over us chose to respond to the early information.

So when you hear someone say, "Wear a mask, follow the science." Tell them to shut the fuck up if, for any reason, you don't want to wear a mask. Because when you decide to argue the point, what you quickly get to is "Well, I guess I'm just more compassionate." Or, "We have to care about grandma", "We're all in this together", or "You don't have a right to put someone else's life at risk". But, all of that is a personal philosophy, ethic, and morality, not science.

Maybe you are more compassionate, or maybe you're misled and/or haven't given enough thought to the consequence of handling this the way we have in people's lives which also demands some compassion. But, it doesn't matter if you're more compassionate than me. That's your standard of goodness and I don't have to submit to it because you're not my judge.

I'm very happy to let grandma wear a mask if she doesn't want to take the risk. That's my morality. I'd never go out and glare at grandma for trying to protect herself. But, because my morality is live and let live, if grandma gets all up in my face being a cranky ol' bitty because I'm not following her moral world view, she's gonna wish she hadn't when I'm done responding.

You might think we're all in this together. I don't. I'm an individual and I see the negative consequences of how "we've" responded to the science. I see the silliness of some of the measures like following arrows on a grocery store floor as if that somehow really stops the spread of the virus when it increases my exposure by keeping me in the store twice as long as I would be if I were just free to go in and go right to the isles where I know my grocery items are. I have a mind of my own and I know how to use it, and some of what you're telling me must be done is something my mind questions and I come to a different conclusion. 

And, where are "you" (in this "we") for the local business owners losing their livelihood and dreams? Where are "you" for the people committing suicide from the mental unrest they've experienced due to social distancing. Where are "you" for the people who have real health issues that are now going unattended because they've been scared into staying away from doctor's offices that are at bare-bones staffing because they're scared too? Where are "you" in that "we". Fuck you, is where you are. "We" are not in this together. I'm in this with the people I know and love, the people I'm naturally responsible for and so are you. But, even if you want to view it as "We're in this together", that's your philosophy, not mine.

Last, but certainly not least, I don't have a right to put someone else's life at risk? M'kay. Let's look at that for a hot minute. Let's consider the death rate stats from the common flu and/or even the cold. People die from those. So, what? Should I social distance myself and wear a mask every time I'm sick?Because every sickness can be a killer. As soon as you know you're not feeling well, following your morality, Bitch, you better be home for the duration and I don't care about whether you lose your job or have a really hard time emotionally coping because you've caught everything going around all winter long. You said "we" don't have a right to put someone else's life at risk so, if that's "our" morality, I'm gonna make sure I'm right there reminding you of it when I see you being a hypocrite.

Or, maybe, we just let people take care of themselves. Maybe, if someone doesn't want to risk getting what's going around, that person takes responsibility for their own precautions. That way, "we" don't create an entire society of anxious, OCD level paranoia by morally boxing ourselves into an impossible corner of existence. People get sick and die, that's part of life and we're not going to wipe that reality out this side of the new heaven and new earth. That's my philosophy. You don't have to share it, but I also don't have to share yours.

What I do with the information provided by science is my business and my decision, not yours. I'm not bending my knee to your morality so, go ahead, strip me down, ring your bell, and screech, "Shame, shame, shame." You'll find me boldly and unrepentantly walking through the streets with my head held high and my tits out, blowing kisses to the crowd every time your bell chimes. 

I'm not scared of looking bad in your eyes.