What do I believe in?

1) I believe in myself.
2) I believe in the intrinsic worth of each and every human being on this planet.  I believe that their worth is not imposed upon them by some mysterious invisible supernatural authority, but exists simply because they are.
3) I believe in the ability of human beings to be good and moral and kind and loving without the imposition of some supernatural moral standard, and without the threat of punishment or retribution.  All they need to do is to recognize the intrinsic worth of every other being.
4) I believe that the structure of reality as I perceive it, while it may indeed be illusory, is the only framework in which I can function as a human being.  I have no interest in attempting to invent others by force of will.
5) I believe that the greatest goal in human existence is to be happy, and to make others so.  Not in some nebulous future world, but right here, and right now, in this tangible universe in which I find myself; the only one I have any way of knowing exists.
6) I believe that every sentient being deserves happiness, and that no sentient being deserves to be tortured.
7) I believe that every one of us, at every given moment, is doing the best that he or she possibly can, given every factor of their physical make-up and their environment.
8) I believe that concepts like "retribution" and "revenge" and "blame" and "sin" are the products of a fundamental misunderstanding of human nature and free will.  I believe that free will is a grand illusion.  BUT, I believe we must live as if it is real, because it is the reality framework in which we find ourselves.
9) I believe that the more enlightened a being becomes, the less need it has for revenge and retribution.
10)  I believe in the one-ness of the universe.  That there really is no separation, no "self" or "other".  But at the same time, I believe we must all live as if there is.  Because that is the reality framework in which we find ourselves.
11) I believe there are some things that are within our control and others that are not.  I believe that in order to be happy, we must live within the circle of our influence.  Otherwise we will spend our lives in needless frustration and anxiety.
12) I believe that we are in charge of the movie that plays inside our head.  We can make it a horror film, or we can make it a disney fantasy.  It is entirely up to us.
13) I believe that the world has always been an unpredictable place.  There is no guarantee of anything, not even our next breath.  But that does not mean we have to live our lives in fear.  Believe me, I've tried that route, thoroughly, and found it just isn't worth it.
14)  I believe that each of us sees the world in our own way; some of us choose to live within the framework of our current perception, others choose to fly the currents of their dreams and tailor their own reality.

Neither is superior to the other.  

Each of us has our own journey to make.  And ultimately we must make it alone.

Let's try to love and respect each other along the way.