Where Are All the Naturalists?

I just see life so totally differently since encountering naturalism 3 months ago… because I’ve been given something to replace all my old structures of thinking, I have total freedom to explore what is, as opposed to trying to apply a system of belief to everything around me. It’s breathtaking, astounding, incredible and emancipating all rolled into one. But will anyone around me listen? NO. That is depressing. My kids are too young to understand what I’m saying, my husband is too busy, my friends are all so caught up with their own systems of belief that it seems like an extra burden to listen to my ‘awakening’… where are all the naturalists?

– Alice

Compassion In Action

Hi everyone,

Yes, since July 2007 when I found out about CCFW and so on, it’s been quite amazing the changes. It was steep and shocking at first, but even now things are still clicking and changing in my attitudes due to the implications of NFWism. I find that I can put myself in other people's shoes so easily – to the point where I don’t need any explanation; because I understand NFWism I can say, what ever has caused this person to end up at this position – they couldn’t have done it any other way. This allows me to have compassion for their position and take steps to ‘cause’ them to do otherwise – rather than dwell on this morally, judgmentally or look to punish them in any way. It’s quite amazing.

When everyone around me has looked away disgusted, I can remain and be a voice of reason and support – causing the ‘accused’ to tentatively feel understood, accepted, validated and able to feel the remorse and move on, whilst the rest of the group look around with confusion – not quite understanding how I’ve been able to create this situation. I am able to take a strong leadership role. Everyone is in a position of ‘guilt’ at some point or another and they begin to see that they can turn to you at this time, and you can be trusted to accept and validate them and also assist them to find a better path.

I can only hope that over time, people will start to question why and accept the wisdom of NFWism. At times I am exasperated with my husband and simply say in frustrated tones – ‘I just wish you understood NFWism and then we could get so much further along here!’ I’ve already told everyone I know about NFWism, to not much effect – they all just look at me like I’m a fanatic mad woman and then carry on with their day… so I’ve taken to more covert measures in the hope that in time they will begin to see the wisdom in the implications of NFWism through my continued persistence with stating them, along with the reasoning and reasoned arguments for the way I think, due to NFWism.

– Alice

Accepting What Is

Hi L--,

It’s interesting as I’ve been looking for a cause for my situation for years and years… although now I’m happier in my life, I do this much less so (used to be obsessive compulsive about it – but that’s another story). As S-says, it is really difficult to know exactly why we do the things we do or feel the things we do. I suppose some of it is tied up with childhood patterning and genetics as well as the rest. One of the things that understanding NFWism has caused me to be able to do is to accept what is; as what is, is how it’s meant to be, as things couldn’t have been any other way. This fact of being able to accept what is, has also been a key cause of my ability to overcome some of my problems, and I’ve been able to gain a sense of inner peace and contentment due to this ability to accept what is and not wish things were somehow different. This to me (presently) is an important and significant implication of NFWism. I think it’s possible that others would agree.

Of course it has been said before, but when we stop ‘believing’ in free will, we don’t suddenly totally change in our abilities to make choices – which strikes me therefore that it is an absurd argument from FWists – that some how ceasing to believe will mean less power or control!

In fact, as I now understand much more clearly and true way that the universe works I am much better equiped to make choices and take decisions now that I was when I was under the illusion of free will. Realizing the deception of free will allows us to see through and make much more informed choices and decisions about life and assist others to do the same.

-- Alice

The Causal Web

I totally agree with you regarding naturalism vs. atheism. I feel very much the same. I love naturalism and all its intricacies. It’s very simple really, but has such broad reaching implications that penetrate all of our thinking and understanding of the world. I’ve felt so much more confident in the last 5 months since encountering naturalism – I can see clearly where other people are confused or lost in imagination with their thinking. I can see how their ‘supernatural’ thinking is impacting on their life situation through the causal web of actions based on ‘fantasy’ thinking. It’s fine to have fantasy thinking, as long as you are aware that it is fantasy, but so many people are struggling to find answers, meaning and understanding and use the strangest explanations for why things occur. There’s no wonder so many people are confused when they are acting on ideas that are simply non-existent and then wonder why things aren’t working out. You see people with glazed eyes – they’ve given up trying to understand and put most things down to mystical events happening elsewhere. Since accepting naturalism, I can usually see where the cause must come from, even if I don’t know what it is. When you understand the causal web, you know something in the web must have caused the situation and so it must make logical and reasonable sense why we are where we are. There is no other force or unknown quantity causing things to happen – such as evil, or god, or fate, or bad luck.

-- Alice