TUNING digest 1020

When young people ask earnestly for some insight on their purpose in the
universe (well, I do get this question fairly regularly while working
summers at Camp Rising Sun for bright teenagers) I offer the following.
Oh, and yes I do think this is relative to the list.

Since we are of the universe -- our very stuff pedigreed universe
material -- perhaps we are the very attempt of the universe trying to
understand itself.

This desire to "understand" is succeeding quite well of
late, historically speaking, as evidenced by the quantity of great strides
that have been made in the 20th century...not quite over, even with
cloning. The myriad of idiosncratic voices is merely a tapestry of
perspective.

On the matter of atheism vs. theism, there may be a lot said for the
"irreligous" position. Charlie Parker reputedly used the term for
himself, and I found it in the 18th century _Common Sense_. That is
indeed my feeling on the matter. One need not be "against" theism, if
that is what is sometimes meant by "atheism." Though given no guarantees
pointing to an afterlife, one can -- unsheperded -- joyously live life
and thrive tolerantly.

Johnny Reinhard
Director
American Festival of Microtonal Music
318 East 70th Street, Suite 5FW
New York, New York 10021 USA
(212)517-3550/fax (212) 517-5495
reinhard@idt.net


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