*JamesBrey

Though I'm an artist I also have a deep love for science and I follow many branches of science. Astronomy makes me ponder the nature of the Universe and why we exist. It makes me wonder if our role in the universe is at all important, or if life on this rock is just a beautiful accident of nature. People who are so sure there's a God that made the Universe, have all these quick, easy fairy tales to explain it all. The main one seems to be that before the Universe there was God, just floating in a big black void for infinite eternity, all the while thinking- This really sucks! Strangely, there he was, this fully formed, fully powerful being, floating there with no purpose and no needs and no reason for being there at all, and not one original thought in his head. Seems a bit hard to swallow, but really religious people never seem to notice that the whole idea is rather senseless. Anyway, so then he gets lonely, in so doing he gets a need, finally he has in original thought. I think I'll make a Universe, so there is something for me to watch. I'll fill it with interesting galaxies full of stars and little rocks that orbit the stars and once in a while I'll make a few little life forms. I'll even give a few of them the ability to reason and to understand their own sorry condition. If some of them are really good they can come here and hang with me- but only after they suffer and die. The rest of them I'm going to viciously punish for all eternity for not being perfect. YEA, sounds like I've got a plan!

So then if you were the most boring, straight arrow of a person all your life, you finally go to heaven and you now have an eternity without need, without want, without sex, alcohol, HDTV, high speed internet, or the devil's music. And this is going to make you happy? Yea right. It sounds sort of like staying at my cottage up-north, but with less of a musty smell. I get bored there fast. One day seems like an eternity. So heaven would really be hell, if you think about it.

To be human means to have needs, desires, unfulfilled dreams, and a finite life span so we keep a sense of urgency and we try to get things done. These things can't be pulled out of us, they can't be separated from us, not without taking our very humanity. So enjoy your yearnings, your need for more money, more recognition, more lovin'. Therein lies our humanity. Use it to find inspiration and passion, use it to make your art and your life worthwhile. I will try to do the same