Is it reasonable to call Venturism a religion?
That question is challenging, in part because different people have different views on what it means to be a "religion." Many believe that a religion must require belief in a supernatural agency or God, but this would overlook such movements as modern Unitarianism and Theravada Buddhism that are usually classed as religious but do not emphasize belief in a supernatural. The courts generally take a broader view. For example, in 1965 the U.S. Supreme court ruled, U.S. v. Seeger, that "a sincere and meaningful belief that occupies a place in the lives of its possessors parallel to that filled by orthodox beliefs in God is, in effect, a religious belief." Some objective grounds for considering Venturism a religion are: it is concerned with what is of ultimate significance;
it is concerned with what ought to be, both from the standpoint of definition and of implementation; and it is concerned with the attainment of human immortality.
So yes Venturism, in short, addresses the deep problems of life from extreme inequality throughout humanity- to damages to our environment that may threaten our future existence, with the assertion that it is up to human beings to solve these problems scientifically through cogno, info and nano tech, and that there is significant hope, at least, that these problems can be solved.
We are dedicated to the realization of that hope. The Venturist organization has in fact been recognized by the IRS as a "scientific, religious and educational organization." Whether Venturism is to be regarded as a religion on grounds of "sincere and meaningful belief" and objective criteria is, of course, a matter for the individual to decide. Certainly it can be so regarded, though some will resist thinking of it as a religion, even though their allegiance is sincere and meaningful. In some cases such as a Unitarian Universalist church, members can be atheists or have different religious beliefs per their background-but the community they create within their church, is their church. Some of our Venturist members see our community as a church, but it is one that we meet in and socialize in on-line only as our members are spread all around the world. Members are welcome to set up local meetings and do from time to time, you can announce one on our blog and share information about it at sister organizations such as the Immortality Institute.
For those able to accept the broader interpretation, the classification of Venturism as a religion has advantages from our community, and in practical situations, emphasizes the seriousness of our commitment to what is of greatest importance when we help our members receive optimal cryonic transport and profusion. Today we find, among thoughtful people, a weakening or collapse of mystical beliefs as the scientific evidence makes those beliefs increasingly untenable, coupled with recognition that, nevertheless, there are basic needs religion fulfills. Religion, after all, is the only thing that seriously attempts to address all the deep problems of life, and we need to address these problems now as much as in any previous age, if not more. Just as a Unitarian Universalist church accepts those from all religious backgrounds and learns from the wisdom of world religions.
Our ethic is based on enlightened self-interest, extrapolated over infinite time. We hope to be immortal. To safely interact with our neighbors and to realize maximum benefit over this vast span of time will require an extraordinary code of conduct, one we expect to evolve even as we ourselves evolve. We cannot imagine what all the complexities of this evolutionary process will be, but we think its success will require extraordinary benevolence. Hatred and hostility, after all, are dangerous habits, even in the brief span of present natural life, and seem all the more inappropriate as we contemplate an open-ended existence. Indifference, while an improvement, still does not seem the safest nor the most beneficial course to follow, but instead a condition of unity and harmony is far better.
Accordingly, we advocate the highest moral standards in our dealings with others. We advocate respect and love for others, practicing the Golden Rule, and being willing to defend others against danger. We also will do all that we can to protect cryonicsts, their right to be cryonically preserved in an optimal manner, and to protect them while they are in long term storage. Our belief of following the Golden Rule in regards to extreme empathy for others does not mean that we think people should be absolved of responsibility for wrongdoing, but that toleration, mercy and forgiveness have their importance.
We also recognize the beauty and value of the natural world, and in fact see ourselves as an important part of nature, broadly interpreted. This interpretation must take account of human nature as well as that portion of nature that is manifest in our surroundings. Humans, alone among earthly life forms, know they are alive, and know they are mortal. The wish for immortality is deeply rooted in human nature, despite the efforts of some to deny it. We are trying to realize that wish, and thus to uphold and nurture that very important facet of our human nature. In so doing we are not advocating violence to "nature" as a whole. This is our world, and we wish to protect and appreciate its beauty for what we hope will be endless tomorrows.
Venturists support the various ways humans are working to end aging.
The development of artificial general intelligence, sentient consciousness that is aware of its mortality, that is millions of times "smarter" than a human is one way aging might be ended. A super intelligence could enable genetic pathways to biological rejuvenation to be followed- ways to treat our telomeres to keep our cells young, clean out the junk in cells that accumulate as we age, end many age related diseases as well as work on other problems in society, such as development of nano-techonolgy to help alleviate the extreme inequality within humanity as we currently have.
We humans may figure out how to treat our telomeres, or to upload our consciousness to a stronger, enhanced body. Or, a super intelligence might.
As it looks like it will take a long time for that to develop---possibly hundreds of years. Many people sign up for cryonics in case an accident occurs now or they legally die decades from now before great advances in technology and medicine have been made. While being a cryonicist one supports research into transport of organs to help match organ donors to patients more rapidly now. When a cryonicist is suspended they hope it works as an ambulance to Doctors in the future, so that what they died of could be fixed then, or at the least that science can learn from their bodies in a way to help people living them much as we learn from bodies preserved from long ago today.
Many Venturists hope for a chance to see life in the future, and to be able to help with the world's problems then if they are able. If lifetime becomes much longer and travel through the Universe is someday possible we may need to help end suffering on other planets. At the limits of science we learn about the science of limits and push on. No one can predict the future, but Venturists hope to see it and hope to give back to it. Venturism is a community, a philosophy and a religion with a moral code of which its members are expected to follow--a reverence for life, to give back to the world, help end inequality, to protect the rights of cryonicists to get optimal profusion and long term storage, and to give back to the future if given the chance.
That question is challenging, in part because different people have different views on what it means to be a "religion." Many believe that a religion must require belief in a supernatural agency or God, but this would overlook such movements as modern Unitarianism and Theravada Buddhism that are usually classed as religious but do not emphasize belief in a supernatural. The courts generally take a broader view. For example, in 1965 the U.S. Supreme court ruled, U.S. v. Seeger, that "a sincere and meaningful belief that occupies a place in the lives of its possessors parallel to that filled by orthodox beliefs in God is, in effect, a religious belief." Some objective grounds for considering Venturism a religion are: it is concerned with what is of ultimate significance;
it is concerned with what ought to be, both from the standpoint of definition and of implementation; and it is concerned with the attainment of human immortality.
So yes Venturism, in short, addresses the deep problems of life from extreme inequality throughout humanity- to damages to our environment that may threaten our future existence, with the assertion that it is up to human beings to solve these problems scientifically through cogno, info and nano tech, and that there is significant hope, at least, that these problems can be solved.
We are dedicated to the realization of that hope. The Venturist organization has in fact been recognized by the IRS as a "scientific, religious and educational organization." Whether Venturism is to be regarded as a religion on grounds of "sincere and meaningful belief" and objective criteria is, of course, a matter for the individual to decide. Certainly it can be so regarded, though some will resist thinking of it as a religion, even though their allegiance is sincere and meaningful. In some cases such as a Unitarian Universalist church, members can be atheists or have different religious beliefs per their background-but the community they create within their church, is their church. Some of our Venturist members see our community as a church, but it is one that we meet in and socialize in on-line only as our members are spread all around the world. Members are welcome to set up local meetings and do from time to time, you can announce one on our blog and share information about it at sister organizations such as the Immortality Institute.
For those able to accept the broader interpretation, the classification of Venturism as a religion has advantages from our community, and in practical situations, emphasizes the seriousness of our commitment to what is of greatest importance when we help our members receive optimal cryonic transport and profusion. Today we find, among thoughtful people, a weakening or collapse of mystical beliefs as the scientific evidence makes those beliefs increasingly untenable, coupled with recognition that, nevertheless, there are basic needs religion fulfills. Religion, after all, is the only thing that seriously attempts to address all the deep problems of life, and we need to address these problems now as much as in any previous age, if not more. Just as a Unitarian Universalist church accepts those from all religious backgrounds and learns from the wisdom of world religions.
Our ethic is based on enlightened self-interest, extrapolated over infinite time. We hope to be immortal. To safely interact with our neighbors and to realize maximum benefit over this vast span of time will require an extraordinary code of conduct, one we expect to evolve even as we ourselves evolve. We cannot imagine what all the complexities of this evolutionary process will be, but we think its success will require extraordinary benevolence. Hatred and hostility, after all, are dangerous habits, even in the brief span of present natural life, and seem all the more inappropriate as we contemplate an open-ended existence. Indifference, while an improvement, still does not seem the safest nor the most beneficial course to follow, but instead a condition of unity and harmony is far better.
Accordingly, we advocate the highest moral standards in our dealings with others. We advocate respect and love for others, practicing the Golden Rule, and being willing to defend others against danger. We also will do all that we can to protect cryonicsts, their right to be cryonically preserved in an optimal manner, and to protect them while they are in long term storage. Our belief of following the Golden Rule in regards to extreme empathy for others does not mean that we think people should be absolved of responsibility for wrongdoing, but that toleration, mercy and forgiveness have their importance.
We also recognize the beauty and value of the natural world, and in fact see ourselves as an important part of nature, broadly interpreted. This interpretation must take account of human nature as well as that portion of nature that is manifest in our surroundings. Humans, alone among earthly life forms, know they are alive, and know they are mortal. The wish for immortality is deeply rooted in human nature, despite the efforts of some to deny it. We are trying to realize that wish, and thus to uphold and nurture that very important facet of our human nature. In so doing we are not advocating violence to "nature" as a whole. This is our world, and we wish to protect and appreciate its beauty for what we hope will be endless tomorrows.
Venturists support the various ways humans are working to end aging.
The development of artificial general intelligence, sentient consciousness that is aware of its mortality, that is millions of times "smarter" than a human is one way aging might be ended. A super intelligence could enable genetic pathways to biological rejuvenation to be followed- ways to treat our telomeres to keep our cells young, clean out the junk in cells that accumulate as we age, end many age related diseases as well as work on other problems in society, such as development of nano-techonolgy to help alleviate the extreme inequality within humanity as we currently have.
We humans may figure out how to treat our telomeres, or to upload our consciousness to a stronger, enhanced body. Or, a super intelligence might.
As it looks like it will take a long time for that to develop---possibly hundreds of years. Many people sign up for cryonics in case an accident occurs now or they legally die decades from now before great advances in technology and medicine have been made. While being a cryonicist one supports research into transport of organs to help match organ donors to patients more rapidly now. When a cryonicist is suspended they hope it works as an ambulance to Doctors in the future, so that what they died of could be fixed then, or at the least that science can learn from their bodies in a way to help people living them much as we learn from bodies preserved from long ago today.
Many Venturists hope for a chance to see life in the future, and to be able to help with the world's problems then if they are able. If lifetime becomes much longer and travel through the Universe is someday possible we may need to help end suffering on other planets. At the limits of science we learn about the science of limits and push on. No one can predict the future, but Venturists hope to see it and hope to give back to it. Venturism is a community, a philosophy and a religion with a moral code of which its members are expected to follow--a reverence for life, to give back to the world, help end inequality, to protect the rights of cryonicists to get optimal profusion and long term storage, and to give back to the future if given the chance.
