Did we get here by accident or by design? Atheists, sometimes unwittingly, place their faith in the ability of chance to generate a mechanism that we can still scarcely comprehend. Theologians struggle to explain why an all-good, all-powerful, all-knowing designer is not to blame for the existence of evil. Most religions present us with an array of characters and stories that seem to belong more to the world of the fairytale than to that of cosmic history. But somewhere within this tangle of explanations lies the truth. The first step towards enlightenment is the admission of ignorance, and the agnostic – provided he or she still cares – is more open than most to other people’s ideas.
The purpose of this website is to provide a forum for discussion. To set the ball rolling, we invite you to read D.H. Wilson’s An Agnostic’s Brief Guide to the Universe, which can be downloaded or printed by clicking on the appropriate icon. The guide begins with a critique of Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion, and then goes on to examine among other things the implications of evolution, the nature of a designer (if such a being exists or existed), human society, religion, and possible futures which range from perfect peace to exciting new worlds in different dimensions.
The guide is to be regarded only as a starting-point and not a conclusion. If you have comments, criticisms, ideas or experiences of your own that may move us closer to an understanding of our universe, then please share them with us via the comment button at the end of each section. There is no charge for downloading, no membership fee, no registration, no catch. The only condition is that you automatically give us permission to quote you (with accreditation) if the guide should eventually be published in book form. Meanwhile, the text will be periodically revised to incorporate corrections and improvements, just as most books undergo many changes before reaching their final form. The difference here is that the process will be carried out in public, and will rely on feedback from readers.
The truth is out there somewhere, and by combining our discoveries, we may help one another to gain new insights. Will enlightenment emerge from the AgnosticWeb? Watch this space. Better still, fill it.
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