This is an idea that is dear to my heart and I'm looking forward to running a pirate/naval adventure myself. I've got some inspiration ideas for you!

Books

These books should need no introduction. These are the books that will truly inspire your game.

• Necronomicon: The Best Weird Tales of H. P. Lovecraft
  
• Eldritch Tales
  
• Conan the Barbarian - The Original, Unabridged Adventures of the World's Greatest Fantasy Hero
  
• Grimms Complete Fairy Tales
  
• Tales of Norse Mythology
  
• Iliad and Odyssey
  
  

  TV Shows
  

• Crossbones - This is one of the most underrated TV shows I've ever seen. It got canceled late in it's first season and so the finale was rushed, but despite that it's an amazing show. This show has political intrigue and adventure ideas abound. I'd argue it's damn near required viewing for running any sort of pirate campaign.
  
• Black Sails - This amazing show is written as a prequel to the novel, "Treasure Island". It follows Captain Flint, and a young John Silver as they attempt to make an "honest" living while preparing to thwart the predicted demise of piracy. Swashbuckling adventures, intrigue and more adventure ideas here than I can count. The show is a hell of a ride and I can guarantee you'll get plenty of ideas watching this one.
  
• Vikings - This show is the show that just keeps on giving. The first two or three episodes are a little slow to start, but you'll be on the edge of your seat every episode thereafter. While this show focuses on vikings, there's plenty here to inspire a pirate adventure. It will especially inspire the creation of your villains.
  
• The Musketeers - This isn't that terrible (and oh so amazing) Disney movie from the 90's. This show focuses on the Musketeers you know of, and the Musketeers as a military unit during that time period. If you're focusing on adventures during something similar to the golden age of piracy, you need to watch this show. One of my favorites.
  
  

  Tabletop Books
  

  
  

• The 7th Sea - I am not recommending this as the system you should use, I am recommending it strictly as inspiration for your setting. It easily has the most interesting setting I've ever seen and has some amazing ideas for adventures dealing with curses, the sidhe, naval campaigns, city adventures, etc. Whether this will be useful to you depends entirely on your setting. Are you playing D&D on the high seas? If so, this isn't going to be nearly as useful. Are you playing in a setting reminiscent of the golden age of piracy with some light magical touches (eldritch horrors in the deep sea, curses, magical fey creatures and low magic for the players)? If so, good lord is this book (and the Nations of Theah books) going to be useful to you.
  
• Razor Coast - If you're playing D&D on the high seas, this is the book for you. It's a sandbox setting with a ton of adventures and adventure seeds. It is expensive, but it's worth every penny. Highly recommended.
  
  I can't recommend all of this enough. A lot of this will give you ideas and inspiration for all of your campaigns, naval/pirate or otherwise. Have fun!

Could all religions be talking about the same thing? Perhaps. Anything's possible. I'll give you my personal take on that question in a bit, as interfaith relations was the focus of one of my majors back in my college days and remains a hobby of mine today. If you're really interested in exploring this topic, let me offer you a few books with differing perspectives on the matter first:

• God is Not One: Eight Rival Religions that Run the World and Why Their Differences Matter, written by Stephen Prothero: This book advocates that religious differences really do matter. From my reading of various theologians from across a number of traditions, this acceptance of differences and that we're not all talking about the same thing (often called the "exclusivist" position) is probably the most common position across religious traditions (at least in my experience).
  
• The Myth of Religious Superiority: A Multifaith Exploration, edited by Paul Knitter: This book is a collection of essays by theologians across a number of world religions who argue that we really are all talking about the same thing after all. Hick (one of the essayists in this book) is a pioneer writer on this subject in particular and comes out of the Christian tradition, but I recommend this collection rather than one of his books so you can get a wider variety of perspectives.
  
• Salvations: Truth and Difference in Religion, written by Mark Heim: This book takes a sort of middle ground between the other two, arguing that each religion really is distinct from the others and pursues a different spiritual path but that perhaps multiple paths can still be right, with say Buddhists working towards nirvana and detachment and Muslims drawing towards a heaven with Allah.
  
  There are plenty more books on this topic than just these three. I merely list these three as decent introductions to their particular points of view as you explore this question yourself. As for my own opinion on the matter, I don't think all religions are talking about the same thing, no. To list just a few of my reasons for thinking that:
  
  

1. Claiming we're all really talking about the same thing in the end is just as exclusive a claim as saying that only one religion is right. In either case, you're insisting a similarly large number of people have all fundamentally misunderstood reality.
   
2. Most religions are addressing fundamentally different problems, even if there are overlaps in a few places. In most strands of Buddhism, the central problem with existence is suffering, which according to Buddhism is caused by attachment: this leads Buddhists to practice meditation in order to cultivate detachment so they can escape suffering and help others. In contrast, the central problem in existence according to my Reformed Christian faith is that we humans were all created good and in the image of God Almighty but now are so infected with evil that we can't help but go awry (whether morally, intellectually, emotionally, etc). Therefore, we need an Almighty Creator to step into our story to love us despite our sins, forgive us our trespasses, reveal the truth of the gospel, save us from evil, and teach us how to live as we were originally created to live, so even when we are weak or overcome by guilt, we can have hope that God will remain faithful to us even so and save us once again. Both Buddhism and my own faith have beauty and power to them, but they're both dealing with very different understandings of the problems facing humanity, the solutions to those problems, and how to live life having experienced such a solution.
   
3. While it's nice to say that all religions are talking about the same thing, clearly we don't think every religion qualifies. It's one thing to say, "Christians, Buddhists, Wiccans, Muslims: we're really all just talking about the same in the end." But it's quite another to lump all those people in with cults like Scientology or the Mansons, with white supremacist neo-pagan groups whose religion is mostly an extension of their bigotry, with ancient religions that held the killing of others in war or human sacrifice as essential rituals, etc. If we draw dividing lines in some instances but not among the major religions, by what standard do we so divide various religions as true or false? How can we say some don't count as "in" while others do while still being philosophically consistent? This is a problem not faced by exclusivists who just assert that they are right and all other religions, while at best perhaps helpful to living well, are not ultimately true.
   
4. Just because we disagree about foundational truths of reality doesn't mean we can't respect each other, treat each other well, etc. I firmly believe that Jesus Christ--as revealed in the Bible and attested to by the creeds of my Presbyterian denomination--is Lord God and the only means of salvation. My Muslim friends in college believed quite differently, as did my Buddhist and Wiccan friends in high school, as do all my atheists and agnostic friends to this day. Our disagreements are serious, which means it's important to discuss them civilly and with compassion for each other, because we are talking about the very fabric and truths of existence. But to just hand-wave away all that tension because it's uncomfortable, rather than to dig into those differences, to see how our disagreements highlight the unique power and beliefs of our own traditions, to learn where each of us is weak in our thinking and needs to reevaluate long-held beliefs... that's a gift I wouldn't give away lightly.
   
5. So to deal with this disagreement, I treat the conflict between me and people who hold other religious beliefs as a sort of "gentlemen's bet with higher stakes" (for lack of a better term). We disagree with each other. That disagreement matters and is rather important. Whoever is wrong is likely in some trouble, depending on how everything plays out. We can't know for sure until we die, if ever. So we each claim our beliefs, and we make our wager with our lives. Until we die, it's wise to civilly talk with each other, explore these questions, etc., because the stakes really do matter. But we can do so civilly, because acting otherwise would just cause more harm and make our attempts to understand the truths of reality all the harder. I personally am a Christian in the Reformed tradition, and my evangelism to others (and listening to them evangelize to me in turn) falls under this civil disagreement, gentlemen's bet lens. After all, with the stakes so high, it's important to share what I believe is true as best I can, while at the same time listening to others share what they think is true. Why? Because first, I might be wrong. Second, if I'm right, knowing what others think will help me explain the truth even better. And third, being civil and at peace with each other provides the best setting for discussing these ideas.
   
   That's just a few of my reasons, anyways. I'm sure I have more, but I'm trying to type this quickly as I'm writing this while on a work break.

I used to be in a situation similar to this. Most of my peers, family, etc are Christian, I'm atheist. I used to get real mad too, that they didn't see how their religion was poisoning the lives of others. I believed there shouldn't be any religion at all, and I wanted no part of it, no part of my friends. Until I eventually came to the realization that I didn't want to be like that. All I wanted to be was happy. But how do I do that with all of the people around me who are religious?

Think of it like this: At the end of the day, it isn't what you believe that matters, it's how you believe it.

Treat them like you would want to be treated. You shouldn't hate them for believing what they believe in, and they shouldn't hate you either. That being said, you also shouldn't be forced into doing anything that you don't want to do. If they still try and get you to go to church, or insist that you will eventually revert back to Christianity, then don't get all mad. The best way to 'prove them wrong,' so to speak, is to be a moral, upstanding citizen, while still upholding your beliefs. The happiness should come from there, but if not, no worries. The important thing to remember here is that you don't need other people's approval for you to be yourself, and for you to be happy.

When people ask, tell them you are atheist. What I do is, I don't flaunt it, but when people ask I am open about it. Don't treat them with anything other than acceptance, and they should treat you the same way. When people are talking about controversial issues, you are allowed to voice your opinion. And you should. Don't be afraid of who you are, or of what you believe. You're every bit as worthy as they are, your opinion matters just as much as theirs, and that doesn't change because you think differently from them!

As far as the situation with your BF is concerned, sit down and have a serious discussion with him and how important both of your religions are versus your relationship. Being atheist is important to you, just as much as being a Christian is to him, and if you aren't willing to put aside your differences in that category, than you shouldn't be in that relationship. I say it does still have a chance if you want it to, but if both of you aren't willing to compromise on this front... Well, things don't look good.

If they're being mean to you, or stereotyping you for being an atheist, you are allowed to call them on their BS. Just remember that just because they are being stupid doesn't mean everyone from their religion is, that's stereotyping them, which is the same as they are doing to you. How you deal with their BS is up to you, of course, but I would recommend not getting upset by people who are bigoted or ignorant. If you do, you are going to be very mad for a very long time.

As I stated earlier, on a religious front, it isn't what you believe, it's how you believe it. But what if someone asks you what you believe, then? You shouldn't say, "I believe you're full of crap!" because that really isn't much to base a philosophy off of.

What I say in regards to this:

You don't have to believe in God to be a good person. If you need/want proof of that, try reading this, whether by buying it, or renting it from your local library, etc.

Being a good person is more important than believing in any particular religion. One thing that goes along with this: I don't believe that in the context of any religion, believing anything doesn't get you anywhere. Hitler believed in God, but in a religious sense, (if heaven and hell were real) where do you think he ended up? and what about Gandhi? A good person, but Hindu. I think that he would've gone to heaven, theoretically.

I really hope you get this atadistance. And I really hope this helps you. If there is anything more that I can do from the internet, let me know. Otherwise, have a good life, and good luck!

I'm 27, feels like I was 17 just yesterday.

>What am I feeling?

Don't worry about finding out right now. You have your whole life to figure this out.

Squeezing your head for answers, which is what you're doing right now, is part of the procces, both of getting used about this lack of answers and of, sometimes, actually getting an answer.

Life and experiences will teach you what you really feel. It's a good thing to be concerned about this, this will make you learn faster.

What's not that good is the emotion of being confused. It can make you feel depressed. What does it help? I know saying this isn't a magical solution for you, so I'm telling this just so you can know it: the wondering about life is one thing, the sadness of confusion is another thing. We generally feel both things at once but we don't need to.

Sometimes, when you feel like this, do this: go have so fun. No, you're not running away from your problems. You're investigating. You're finding out what happens to you when your emotion goes from sad to another thing. And what happens? You tell me. That's the only pro tip I can give you about life: being sad all the time is as stupid as being happy all the time. Both things are repetitive, and while sadness has its beauty, it can also become a lousy habit. So, sometimes, fight sadness not with your guts, but with silly things that will cheer you up. This will teach you a lot of things about yourself.

>What should I do?

Oh man, I don't know even what I should do. Ok. I'll tell you about two things to do. One thing is something I started doing when I was about your age. The other thing I just started doing and it's helping me greatly.

The thing I just started doing: you should do things you have passion for. If you don't know what you have passion for yet, don't worry, this doesn't mean you don't have passions, it just mean you're not ready for this yet. Try a lot of things, one of them will eventually be something you love, now or in the future.

If you already like something, maybe it isn't something you're completely in love with. Guess what? Almost no one is completely in love with anything. And we still have intense, mind-blowing, incredible experiences with them. Go do this thing, go get better at this thing.

Of course, there's balance for everything, but really, think about balance later. Go fucking do something you love. You may still feel miserable while you're alone with your thoughts, but at least when you're doing things you love, you're learning so much about yourself, about life and about the world.

I wish I started doing it before - but I was so confused. If I only know that, even being confused, I could try out things and learn from them.

I could say the other thing saved my life. I'm not sure you're gonna like to hear it. Know yourself through religion. If you disagree with this premise, listen to what I have to say then take your conclusion. Learning about religion, and I liked to learn about all religions at once, sometimes got me even more confused because of the excess of information. I was studying shamanism, budhism, hinduism, christianity, spiritualism.

I used to be atheist, today I'm a convert. In the beggining, I didn't think I would eventually convert and start believing on God, but even then, I could see studying religion was already helping me to understand myself. Study budhism to learn to be critical of emotions, study christianism to understand the root of our culture's thought and ethic, study hinduism to blow your mind with the possibilities of existance, study shamanism and spiritualism to have a new perspective on intuition and heart. Today I think all religions are false but one; but back then, all religions where like a foreign persons telling me wonders about an unknown continent, and this helped me to grow up so much!

One book that helped me to change my life (though I do not share the author's religion) was What religion is from Swami Vivekananda.

If you can't buy the book (I think it's worth it), IIRC it's a collection of his "Yoga" lectures, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, among other texts. You can find most of those for free on http://www.vivekananda.net/BooksBySwami.html


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TL;DR: Don't worry. You'll learn a lot from this moment, even if it's not pleasant. The more you relax and focus on going foward, even without ignoring your concerns, the faster you'll figure things out.

Sorry I didn't get this written out earlier. It's really hard for me to put my faith into words, so I'm going to attempt to define this as best I can by using the help of Wikipedia (because it breaks things down easier than I can!).

If you look at the Wikipedia article for theism (first paragraph):

>In a more specific sense, theism can be a doctrine concerning the nature of a monotheistic God and God's relationship to the universe. Theism, in this specific sense, conceives of God as personal, present and active in the governance and organization of the world and the universe.

I can't quite grasp the Christian concept of theism either, but it's my understanding that the deity (God) is a entity of its own. This deity is worshiped as the over-ruler of the universe, and as the entitity responsible for how the universe works. The relationship between a believer and the deity would then be almost of a devote follower. A friend, even, where at whichever time you can conduct a conversation with the deity.

If you take the similar concept into pantheism, the deity is composed of everything, or like I believe, of energy. This everything isn't any different than you or me, but we see the physical/psychological differences clearly. The relationship between a believer and the deity is a relationship of existance. I can't exist without the atoms in the air, and the air can't exist without the cycle of atoms going in and out of existing bodies. Together we're all one in the same.

I'm not sure if this answered your question. But the main aspect of theism that I see in pantheism is that relationship of who and what we are. Worship is as simple as living, and in theory I could worship by practicing yoga. Or, I could be more Wicca inclined and practice sage burning. How we live life though is a different matter, and doesn't always have a lot to do with our beliefs or who/what we think created us.

*Edit. I want to add that pantheism is so differently translated, especially in terms of a deity, by everyone. Pantheism: A Non-Theistic Concept of Deity by Michael P. Levine (super long book!) can possibly help you more than my explanation.

I would recommend staying away from the polemics. Authors like Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris all have books worth reading, but not really if you want a primer on atheistic alternatives in the areas of worldview, ethics, etc. I will say that Dawkins's earlier works on science would be good, but God Delusion is not an exposition of an atheistic worldview, but rather an attack on religion, and a messy, at times ignorant and oversimplified one at that (I bet I'll get crucified for saying that). As one religious studies student to another, it is a book that gets awfully frustrating every time you realize that he has a horrible grasp of the relevant data.

Books that would be really great to read:

George H. Smith's Atheism: The Case Against God is an approachable critique of some of the more popular arguments for God's existence.

Julian Baggini's Atheism: A Brief Insight is a really good and thorough survey of the explanation, arguments, history, and ethics of atheism.

Greg Epstein's Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe really gets into where someone goes once he/she has already concluded that God doesn't exist. He looks at how one builds a nonreligious life of meaning. Epstein is definitely in the "friendly atheist" category. As the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard (strange, oxymoronic titles aside) he has done a great deal of work with the Pluralism Project in their School of Divinity. He has even worked with inter-religious groups like the InterFaith Youth Core.

A long, but very much worth the time and highly recommended book is Jennifer Michael Hecht's Doubt: A History: The Great Doubters and Their Legacy of Innovation from Socrates and Jesus to Thomas Jefferson and Emily Dickinson. In it, she goes very thoroughly through the long history of religious skepticism. She looks at the lives and questions of philosophers, scientists, poets, politicians, even some religious figures who have gone through the "dark night of the soul." This is a book that I think every atheist should read to learn that religious folks aren't the only ones with a long and storied tradition. It is a good grounding in history for secularists.

The strongest thing that keeps people going is a strong sense of purpose that they give themselves.

My motivation is doing good for good's sake. I try to make every day a day where I did something meaningful and to try and experience empathy for someone or something and attempt to show some decency and dignity towards them/it. This can come in many ways but that is the gist of it. Living in a big city leaves a multitude of possible things for me to do. Sometimes I'm dropping off some food+soda to a small group of homeless folks. Other times it's just being able to sit down and listen to someone's troubles. Your life is your responsibility (too adult sounding sorry!) and it's important to find purpose and meaning in it. Human beings are unique and no two are alike and even with the same dna they can become different people. Each human life therefor is priceless and we must find it in ourselves to do justice and dignity to each other because once someone is gone we will never see that person ever again. I don't like thinking about shoulda woulda coulda guilt trips when I see I had failed to do something in hind sight. But I always feel at peace when I do the right thing for someone.

A good book to read sometime is Good Without God. It is a book about secular humanism and really helped me when I was looking for some answers and insight into the way I felt but didn't have all the words to explain it more clearly.

Another thing that keeps me rolling is learning new things about the world around me. When I was a kid I wanted to learn everything I could about everything. Even though kids in school were always mean to me I always had a friend in learning. After I graduated high school there was a time I felt comfortable with all that I knew and didn't feel it was important to learn. I lost something along the way. Ever since I became an atheist I have that strong urge to learn again, like a rekindled fire. i have been rebuilding my math skills using khan academy and have been reading science and technology websites every day so I can learn new things and feel that small sense of accomplishment from learning.

TL:DR
I have a sense of purpose that I assigned myself as a means to self motivate and my life is better for it.

Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe might be a start. Check your local library.

> Questions about the role of God and religion in today's world have never been more relevant or felt more powerfully. Many of us are searching for a place where we can find not only facts and scientific reason but also hope and moral courage. For some, answers are found in the divine. For others, including the New Atheists, religion is an "enemy."

> But in Good Without God, Greg Epstein presents another, more balanced and inclusive response: Humanism. He highlights humanity's potential for goodness and the ways in which Humanists lead lives of purpose and compassion. Humanism can offer the sense of community we want and often need in good times and bad—and it teaches us that we can lead good and moral lives without the supernatural, without higher powers . . . without God.

First, understand what your father is going through is 100% normal. It occurs in every religion and spiritual practice.

Second, understand that this will not last forever. This is a phase. It is just 'newcomers zeal'. He will hit a plateau, and then the phase after that is disillusionment. After the disillusionment, he will either return to his original norms (albeit with more internal nuance), or a more 'chill' version of his current spiritual practice.

Effective Management: Give respect, and show how you would like to receive it.

A direct approach:
"Father, I am so happy you have found something very meaningful to you and are engaging with it. I am always happy to hear about what it means to you and how it is changing your life. I feel very hurt and disrespected, as does the rest of the family, when you attack our spiritual balances that work for us. I experience this as disrespectful, selfish, and attacking. I know this is the opposite of your intent, but this is the result of your actions. It is ok to talk about you, but you will drive all of us away if you try and change us. We are not you. Respect that we are different people than you with different spiritual needs and balances (for your sister and mom add: 'God made us the way we are for his purposes, not as a project for you to tackle')"

An indirect approach:
Be proactive, ask him about his spirituality and thoughts and what it means to him. Validate him. This builds trust and demonstrates love. When he DEFINITIVELY spills over into evangelizing (not just when you are feeling anxious, nervous or sensitive) and 'why don't you do this' conversation, shut it down:

"You know what I believe and feel. Let's talk more about you. There is no point in talking about me."

Or, "Sorry, gotta go Dad"

Or, "If you love me, you will respect my boundaries and not create war in our family."

Your father's conversion has made you an interfaith family. You need to develop interfaith skills. Read everything you can on interfaith families (there is a lot out there), and you guys will find your way. Enlist your dad, mother, and sister: have a sit down dinner, or email everyone (whatever is more your family's style) and introduce them to the idea of interfaith families, point out that tensions are running high and that peace in the family is being compromised. Explain that interfaith families of all types almost uniformly have higher divorce and estrangement rates-- and that EVERYONE must be proactive in developing their interfaith skills to avoid these outcomes.

Now, I've fear-mongered a bit in this last paragraph, but that is for your father's sake, to turn up the volume loud enough so he can hear it through his zeal.

Further reading for you, PM if you have any questions. I come from an extremely blended, interfaith family and attended seminary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interfaith_dialogue

http://www.ifyc.org/sites/default/files/u4/makingitreal.pdf

http://www.amazon.com/The-Interfaith-Alternative-Embracing-Spiritual/dp/0865717052/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395074444&sr=8-1&keywords=interfaith

http://www.amazon.com/Being-Both-Embracing-Religions-Interfaith/dp/0807013196/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395074491&sr=8-2&keywords=interfaith


Unfortunately, at this stage, you will not be able to have critical conversations with him about his faith. He is just too new and insecure for it to be a good idea/productive. However, you CAN make headway by emphasizing the concept of balance- ie, respect the balances of other people. Another helpful technique may be separating out a dedicated time for him to talk about his spirituality with the family (enforce an everyone takes turns and has to listen to each other rule so no one can grandstand. Be way of ganging up on each other- it can be deeply traumatic. Follow the 'two compliments to a criticism' rule.). By having a dedicated time, you can possible enforce secular family time: "Dad, this isn't our religion discussion time. This is our secular, no battles, everyone getting along time. Why don't we talk about the news (NOT THE OSCARS) instead?"

A word for the wise: entertainment media is always going to be a sore point: it is extremely empty compared to spiritual experiences. That trade off will always cause him despair or anger and start fights. Dedicated family time, taking walks together, any discussion of deep or meaningful things will always work better than entertainment media discussions. If you are burned out and need a break to recharge, you have to be upfront and honest about that: "Dad, I'm burned out on the religious/spiritual discussions. Any word of it beyond this point will make me resentful and hurt our relationship. I need a break. Why don't we play a board game, watch a movie, or do exercise together? I need to recharge my batteries. I'm exhausted."

I took a class on African Religions, so I can help on the Yoruba side!

For a quick primer, pick up Stephen Prothero's God is Not One. It's an introduction to World Religions type book, but it's a great read and he includes an entire chapter specifically on Yoruba.

For more mythology, pick up Osun across the Waters by Muphy and Sanford It's a great history of the Yoruba pantheon and how they crossed to the Americas. Osun has some fantastic myths attached to her.

For a really fun read that's a little off topic, pick up Karen McCarthy-Brown's Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn. It's an anthropologist's conversations with a Vodou priestess, with descriptions of the ritual (Vodou is a daughter religion to Yoruba - they share a lot of the same ideas and gods), and every other chapter is a short story written by the author that explores some of the history and themes of the tradition. Her descriptions of the various orishas/lwas are really fun reading.

I'm honestly not really sure what I am. I feel I don't know enough of beliefs and would love to learn more (hint: suggest books). I was born and raised Southern Baptist, and was once a pretty firm one - until I went to Catholic school for university. There, I came to believe that Catholicism is perhaps the best form of Christianity, though they place too much emphasis on Mary for my liking.

But, during my final year there I've really found the idea of a personal god to be... off. And I've started to believe in the sancitity and divinity of all things. So I've kinda come to a more pantheistic and animistic view of things.

Sadly, I don't know enough about Islam or Judaism or Buddhism. I've read a comparative religions book (Experiencing the World's Religions) and some books on Taoism, which I also feel has some truth in it.

So, I'm kinda an all-inclusive guy. Whatever floats your boat, as long as it doesn't tell you to be a dick to people. I believe that different religions work best for different people.

Also, if anyone wants to share books on the anthropology/philosophy/history/comparative religion, or about certain religions/beliefs in general, feel free to suggest some. I really have more reading to do!

Edit: I also wanted to add that gnosticism and a lot of "occult" stuff also really interests me, especially their conceptions of God.

Linguist here. The answer is "no" regarding a consensus, and if I were a betting man, I'd wager that of the scholars who study the AIT, the consensus is that it didn't happen.

I was taught the Aryan Invasion on linguistic grounds. Sanskrit and its daughter-languages are clearly Indo-European in origin, and in fact, Sanskrit was pivotal in the development of the theory of Proto-Indo-European. Dravidian languages, meanwhile, are all south of the I-E languages. Because of the modern north-south division, it's easy to postulate that the Aryans, known to have traveled as far west as Iceland and as far east as China, pushed the natives south (as Aryans are wont to do). The archeological and genetic evidence disagree greatly with the theory, though, which you can read about on Stephen Knapp's website. He includes the history of the theory.

For a different scholarly perspective, try Koenraad on the Aryan non-invasion theory. He covers much of the same evidence but instead seeks an answer as opposed to simply criticizing the other theory.

As for what we know about Aryans, the answer is "more than you'd think" but "not as much as we'd like." For example, there's no common word for "beach" in the I-E languages, so we know the homeland probably wasn't coastal. You can see the full lexicon thanks to the University of Texas. The homeland question is still unresolved though, with a 2012 archeological study and a 1992 genetic study both leaving many questions. Archeology has yielded some cool finds from burial sites. I remember reading about that in Heaven, Heroes, and Happiness by Winn, which I also remember it being a little dated, but still a good starting place. The evidence he cites doesn't change, just the theories.

One of the most interesting papers I read on the Aryans was a comparative mythology paper by Bruce Lincoln, "The Indo-European Myth of Creation." I have no idea how well received the article was, it's 30 years old at this point, but he postulates the origin myth of the Aryans was that there were twins, one a priest, who sacrifices the brother and a bull. From the bull came all animals, from the brother came more humans. Might be worth a read after "Heaven, Heroes, and Happiness."

Again, I'm merely a linguist, so if my answer doesn't quite hit the mark, I apologize.

We didn't use this book, but a great resource for my own study of Christian mysticism was Bernard McGinn's anthology published by Modern Library. McGinn in general is highly regarded in the theological study of mysticism.
We used this small anthology from time to time. Something that bothered me a little was that the professor (very intelligent and earnest who unfortunately rambled too much) conflated mysticism and spirituality in general - I think she did so to make the class more accessible for students who were not religion majors. So we would not only discuss mysticism as a religious phenomenon, but on spirituality in general and how it could be used to motivate human beings to do incredible things (especially, in the professor's view, as a platform for social action). I am not trying to sound too critical, because there was just so much I loved about this course.

We had interesting discussions because it contained a mix of religious studies majors with students who had basically never studied religion before and were taking the class as an elective. We also had a lot of non-religious students. The professor kept encouraging us to invest ourselves personally in the material in some way, to use it to explore our own spiritual journey, but I think that proposition only appealed to the students in class who were already religious (like me, haha.) For example, we had to write a reflection paper on a religious experience we had using some of the ideas we learned over the semester. I think a lot of the non-religious students felt like they were in over their head because most of them had never really thought about how religion could ever be a force of profundity. Overall it made a good impression on everyone.

>Born in 1926, Sathya Sai Baba claims to be the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, a saint who was greatly loved by people of all religions, and furthermore claims that he is an Avatar, and earthly manifestation of the Divine. According to biographical material written by devotees, his mother believes he was divinely conceived when a "big ball of blue light' rolled toward her and seemed to enter her body. When the boy was fourteen, he was reportedly stung by a large scorpion, after which he went into silence broken occasionally by spiritual songs and discourses, weeping or laughing. Spiritual phenomena, his personal magnetism, and his claims of being Shirdi Sai Baba drew people to him...Sathya Sai Baba usually gives darshan daily to hordes of followers, moving among them to accept letters, materialize things such as rings, necklaces, watches, or sacred ash in his hand to give them, and choose some for private interviews in which he speaks as a clairvoyant about matters in their personal lives. His followers also claim that he manifests things in their homes far away, such as turmeric powder, holy water, Shiva lingams, fruits, and gems. Many other miracles are attributed to him, such as controlling the weather, changing the colour of his clothing, disappearing physically, appearing in two places at the same time, bringing a dead man back to life, and healing people...He himself has said that the miracles are trivial compared to "my glory and majesty, as a mosquito is in size and strength to the elephant upon which it squats." On another occasion he said, "I teach that no distinction should be made between the names Rama, Krishna, Ishwara, Sai--for they are all My names."
>
>Despite the attribution of Godhead to himself, Sathya Sai Baba does not claim to be starting a new religion, but rather preaches the simple universal message of truth, righteousness, nonviolence, love, and peace. (Living Religions, p. 470-471

It's reasonable to believe in the miracles of Sathya Sai Baba, IF he was in fact who he claimed to be. But why don't you consider him to be God, based on what his followers wrote about him, and what he says about himself?

Here are the problems with your comment:

First, look at this chart of Islamic populations by country (which is now slightly dated, from 2010). You will see that the top countries of that studies chart don't even combine to represent 1% of the Muslim population!

Second, discounting those countries and contrary to what the essay asserts, having 20+ percent of a counties Muslims say they either support or don't know if they support ISIS is not "overwhelmingly" comforting numbers, as the study portrays them as.

Finally, I reject your assumption that a lack of Muslim support for ISIS evidences a lack of support for jihadism (and other awful, religious inspired practices). The following is from the textbook "Experiencing the Worlds Religions, 4th ed": "Most modern industrial countries expect laws to reflect a kind of civilized minimum, something that all citizens, of any background or belief, can be expected to accept and obey in their public life...Traditional Islam is theocratic, seeking the 'rule of God' in all aspects of everyday life, for in its view there is only one God and one correct religion...There cannot be different sets of laws for different human beings... Muhammed himself... demanded that people who followed tribal folk religion convert to Islam... he allowed Jews and Christians to continue their own laws and practices although they were charged a special tax for this right" (476). (Keep in mind that the first pillar of Islam is that "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammed is his messenger.")

Furthermore, "jihad in arabic means 'strive' or 'struggle.' Two types of jihad are called for in Islam. The first is individual...The second is public; it is the attempt to establish in all of society the Islamic ideals of truth, justice, and morality. When the word 'jihad' is used, the second meaning is the more common... Jihad, because of its importance, has sometimes been called the sixth pillar of Islam... [While] disagreement particularly exists around the use of force[,] Muhammad was a fighter... He endorsed the use of force when he thought it necessary" (494).

I could keep going, conjoining this theocratic picture with nasty passages from the Quran and hadiths. The point is, though, that this is what I mean by "jihadism." And while there surely exist many moderate Muslims, there nevertheless exists a problematic, violently theocratic element within the core tradition of Islam. And when people like yourself try to cover this up or engage in appologetics, though your intentions may be good (viz. to fight bigotry), legitimate concerns and progress on working towards a solution get obfuscated.

In general, academic philosophy of religion is dominated by theistic philosophers, so there aren't many works defending atheism and atheistic arguments in the professional literature.

But there are still a few notable books:

• J.L Mackie's The Miracle of Theism is considered a classic, but it's a bit outdated by now. Although Mackie focuses more on critiquing the arguments for God's existence rather than outright defending atheism, he is no doubt coming from an atheistic point of view.
  
• Michael Martin's Atheism: A Philosophical Justification is a lengthy book with the ambitious goal of showing atheism is the justified and rational philosophical position, while theism is not.
  
• Nicholas Everitt's The Non-existence of God is maybe one of the most accessible books in the "case for atheism" genre written by a professional philosopher. He even presents a new argument against god's existence.
  
• If you're more into debates, God?: A Debate between a Christian and an Atheist is a written debate between atheist philosopher Walter Sinnott-Armstrong and famous Christian philosopher and apologist William Lane Craig. It's far better than any debate WLC had with any of the New Atheists in my humble opinion.
  
• On the more Continental side of things, there a few works that could be mentioned. There's Michel Onfray's Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam (although I must admit I didn't read it myself, so I can't attest to how good it is) and of course any work by the atheist existentialists, a good place to start will by Jean-paul Sartre's Existentialism Is a Humanism.
  
  I didn't add him because others have already mentioned him, but everything written by Graham Oppy is fantastic IMO. He is maybe the leading atheist philosopher in the field of philosophy of religion. A good place to start with his writings is his 2013 paper on arguments for atheism.

Bart Ehrman's books & videos are a great start for the accuracy of the Bible. He is very clear especially considering he's an academic. Forged would be the best one specifically about the accuracy of the Bible. His books are linked at his website: http://www.bartdehrman.com/books.htm

There are no historical documents of Jesus' life, only a few references to Christians from later documents. Nobody disputes that people believed in Jesus, so those don't really prove anything. It's clear that people believed in Thor and Zeus too. That doesn't mean a thing.

Whether faith is helpful or good, can't help you there. I think it's totally useless except to control sociopaths with low IQs.

For morality, check out Good without God: http://www.amazon.com/Good-Without-God-Billion-Nonreligious/dp/006167012X

or Sam Harris The Moral Landscape: http://www.samharris.org/the-moral-landscape

Science vs religion: that's kind of apples & oranges despite what believers keep saying. Science is a method of investigating hunches. Religion is subservience to an unproven deity.

How about the science of religion? Try Michael Shermer: The Science of Good and Evil: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0805077693/ or The Believing Brain: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1250008808/ or Why We Believe Weird Things: http://www.amazon.com/People-Believe-Weird-Things-Pseudoscience/dp/0805070893/

Thanks for visiting. An unexamined belief system is not worth believing!

> Any search of an "atheist manifesto" proved vane:

You meant "vain."

> the only relevant entry is a book

Atheist Manifesto: I have the book (or I did, it's lent out) and I can recommend it. The author, a French philosopher, is a pretty hardcore atheist and if you like to read someone rant about and badmouth religions, especially Christianity, this book is a lot of fun. It helpfully begins with an overview of the history of atheism. I also enjoyed how the author characterizes Paul (of Tarsus) as "short, fat, bald, ill-tempered, epileptic and probably impotent." Any book that says this about the old rat bastard is OK with me.

My brother, I feel your pain and struggle. You are losing the only foundation you’ve known and are in free fall regarding your faith, or lack thereof. This struggle is actually good, but painful to go through.

I’m not qualified to tell you what to become, or to believe. That depends on your research and desire. I found solace through Humanism (as an agnostic atheist) and it’s not a sad grumpy existence at all. Others have channeled their faith into other religions. Sadly, others have transitioned to other cults, but that’s a different story by itself.

I highly recommend a book called Good Without God by Greg Epstein. I think it may clarify some things for you.

Maybe others can recommend resources for those inclined to remain faithful to the concept of a deity but in a healthier way.

Good Without God on Amazon

Haitian Vodou ("voodoo" is the term used primarily to distinguish Louisiana voodoo, which is different) did originate in west Africa (the primary source of slaves for the Atlantic slave trade). Vodou is conceptualized as a syncretic mix of traditional African religious practices mixed with distinctly New World elements.

Vodou is descended from several different west African religious traditions. A French man named Mederic Louis Elie Moreau de Saint-Mery traced the origin of Vodou to Dahomey (roughly modern Benin) and Kingdom of Arada Arada. Vodou has its origins among the Fon people (Dahomey people) in Benin, Nigeria, and Togo. These areas are thought to be ancestral to modern day vodou.

However, modern day Vodou as its practiced in Haiti and elsewhere in the African diaspora, is quite distinct from African traditional religions. It is certainly has African roots, but it has also been profoundly influenced by Catholicism and the experiences of slaves.

Sources:

• Murrell 2010 is a good review of several Afro-Atlantic religions, including vodou
  
• Tann 2012
  
• Also, if you are interested in the topic, I can't recommend Mama Lola enough. It's an easy read about vodou practitioners in New York.

It is a sensitive subject to people, because it is so powerful in how ideas and beliefs influence our actions and thoughts. I know why atheists can be so aggressive and mean. A lot of them are suffering from a lack of a moral/value guidance system, secular humanism can be the cure for most atheists and the irreligious. I would be very careful to remove someones belief if it is the sole reason for being, that is akin to murder, and some will fight to protect that reason/belief for their life. Some people lack non-violent communication and discussion skills. I might challenge a deeply held belief but not without offering a replacement of better value and worth. In a dream I had, while changing my beliefs, I dreamt that I went to the core of reality and my soul and changed it like a light bulb, immediatly the chaos and confusion settled down, and the entire world, or my perspective of the world came into order and meaning. Some atheists have had the light ripped from their soul and they search for something to replace that light source. The fact that so many lack this source of light means that it is a social problem that needs professional attention, it is a matter of life and death. I hope you can understand the source of this hostility and maybe you can offer a light source that works for them, like secular humanism, aristotle eudaimonia, or existential psychotherapy and existential philosophy. All those things can help those who rely on reason for establishing a source of light/meaning. So understand that they can not rely on beliefs with out reason, and that they lack a source of light to show them what is valuable. I hope this helps, it depends on your reason for being here to, if it is to serve the world you would learn these things but if you are here to serve your self you will not. I was a christian before and now I am agnostic and a secular humanist, after much academic study of philosophy and the new testament, and after reading "Good without god" by Epstein.

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Without-God-Billion-Nonreligious/dp/006167012X

or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_morality

Humanistic or nontheistic Paganism is actually a recognized spiritual path in the Pagan movement. Often they're pantheists or what's called soft polytheists by some people.. Soft polytheists in the non-theistic sense tend to see Gods as archetypes of natural forces, thought forms (models in our own mind we give power to), or personifications of human nature rather an actual literal entities.

>This is contrasted with "soft" polytheism, which holds that gods may be aspects of only one god, that the pantheons of other cultures are representative of one single pantheon, psychological archetypes or personifications of natural forces.

​

These may help. One is a website dedicated to nontheistic paganism, and the other is an anthology by non-theistic Pagans.

https://humanisticpaganism.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Godless-Paganism-Voices-Non-Theistic-Pagans/dp/1329943570

​

If I were doing a Vodou priest (and really, all I know is from reading Mama Lola, which is an amazing book), I'd probably go with either a Shaman or Oracle with either the Ancestors spirit/mystery, or another spirit/mystery appropriate to the particular Lwa that the character has the closest relationship to.

Of the two, I'd probably pick shaman because they have a really interesting, diverse spell list, and because, as prepared casters, they can pick different spells each day. Different spells plus, at higher levels, Wandering Spirit and Wandering Hex, bring across some of the flavor of working with different energies at different times.

Good without God by Harvard Humanist Chaplain Greg Epstein is a great read to help you realize the inherent good and meaning in life without the need of a deity.

EDIT: Also The Portable Atheist by Christopher Hitchens.

Books recommended by Hamza Yusuf in the video:

• A Peace to End All Peace
  
  
• Devil's Game: How the United States Helped Unleash Fundamentalist Islam

Here's one I recommend.

Here's another one. It has a foreword by the Dalai Lama if you're into that. Even better, it's available as a free download from this website: http://www.islambuddhism.com/

Congratulations, you've discovered one of the basic principles of true atheism: the universe knows no right or wrong, they do not exist inherently. They are constructions we make, our definitions. They are our choices. Some people look to scriptures to get a definition, others make up their own mind based on outcomes, like you describe. I (much) prefer choices, because right or wrong cannot be black and white, and is often a moving goal post depending on culture, needs etc. This is technically the role of the law, and I'd much rather leave it to elected people than to religious leaders.

Now I know there will be plenty of things you disagree with in that book, but I do suggest you read Atheist Manifesto by Michel Onfray (which by the way is not an atheist manifesto, this is poor translation). It explores in great lengths this very topic. As I said, I think some parts will annoy you and I don't expect you to change your mind on religion, but overall it's an interesting outlook into the mind of a (very intellectual) atheist who discusses these eloquently. http://www.amazon.com/Atheist-Manifesto-Against-Christianity-Judaism/dp/161145008X/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=012FS57ARF3PJXEH5ZZW

Good without God is a pretty good introduction to humanism. Good opener. If you want to branch out further you might also want to look into Stoicism ("All men are made one for another") and Epicurean philosophy as these are ancient versions of humanism.

This is the best introductory book on Christian Theology, in my opinion.

Yes, there are humanist churches all over the world.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_humanism

I also highly recommend the book Good Without God, What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe by Greg M. Epstein.

Mr. Onfray wrote a most excellent book.

Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam by Michel Onfray.

> This tightly argued, hugely controversial work convincingly demonstrates how the world's three major monotheistic religions-Christianity, Judaism, and Islam-have attempted to suppress knowledge, science, pleasure, and desire, often condemning nonbelievers to death. If Nietzsche proclaimed the "Death of God," Onfray starts from the premise that not only is God still very much alive, but increasingly controlled by fundamentalists who pose a danger to the human race. Documenting the ravages from religious intolerance over the centuries, the author makes a strong case against the three religions for demanding faith, belief, obedience and submission, and for extolling the "next life" at the expense of the here and now. Not since Nietzsche has a work so groundbreaking and explosive appeared to question the role of the world's dominant religions.

-- Editorial review on Amazon. (Link)

Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe by Greg Epstein https://www.amazon.com/dp/006167012X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6DybBb0ZVMVM3

History of Religious Ideas, Vol 1, Vol 2 and Vol 3. by Mircea Eliade A comprehensive comparison and history of different religions, religious ideas and ways in which myths work. Was a real eye-opener

_

LE - Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam by Michel Onfray

There's also a book if you like to have something to hold in your hands.

I will recommend this book

Book recommendation: Devil's Game: How the United States Helped Unleash Fundamentalist Islam

It is basically about how the US (and other governments in the west) actively nurtured extremist groups as a weapon and/or shield against communism and secular nationalism in the region. It is not directly related to the video of OP, but provides some important historical context.

In France, Michel Onfray is a well know philosopher and he also published a book on the subject "Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam" ( http://amzn.to/fhr10Y ). Wich received a lot of attention.

Funny enough, a "voodoo doll" is a European poppet. Even if we're talking about African-derived magical practices, that remains a totally European thing! 😋

(There's nothing that says you can't practice magical traditions and be a vodouisant but that's not related to serving "the dead and the mysteries.")

Also, I should say I'd recommend Mama Lola if anyone is interested in expanding their knowledge. It situates everything in a social context and doesn't grasp around at theological abstractions.

If you look to the roots of Islamic fundamentalism and the Islamic revolution that (politically) culminated in the overthrow of the Shah of Iran and the first modern Islamic theocracy, you find two things (and which served as the model for the spread of Islamic theocratic tendencies and extremism in the region):

1. Direct American/Western support, both tactical and financial to Wahhabist (fundamentalist) elements in the Middle East - as a Cold War tool to destabilize nationalist and Socialist governments that were unfavorable to American/Western interests in petroleum markets, but resulting in the development and propagation of a theocratic Islamic ideology and rise to prominence of those religious leaders; and
   
   
2. the leadership of Islamic clerics in the revolutionary movements seeking to overthrow the totalitarian dictatorship puppet regimes directly supported by American/Western governments.
   
   So you have secular, democratic governments being directly overthrown by Western governments and replaced with harsh dictatorships, and a reaction to this constant meddling in the form of Islamic leaders, using religion to appeal to the nationalist and revolutionary sentiment found in those countries.
   
   If that isn't a recipe for the taking hold of a strictly theocratic, anti-West (and along with it, it's cultural components), violently revolutionary ideology - then I don't know what is. But the bottom line is that the roots of it could have happened with any religion. It just so happened that the Middle East is Islamic.
   
   If you're interested in reading an excellent book on the history of the issue, I highly recommend "Devil's Game" by Robert Dreyfuss
   
   

One of the better books to start with (barring finding actual living, breathing practitioners in your area) is Mama Lola by Karen Brown.

You might also get something from reading the introductory material to Kenaz Filan's The Haitian Voudou Handbook. (Note: Kenaz isn't Haitian.)

And there's always Stephen Grasso's Clean Living in Difficult Circumstances, and moreso his Smoke and Mirrors series, which is a British-American Voodoo perspective on urban life and music, and a history of the city of London.

Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam by Michel Onfray

http://www.amazon.com/Atheist-Manifesto-Against-Christianity-Judaism/dp/1559708204

Read Mama Lola in an Anthro undergrad class - intersperses the ethnographic account with details on the gods.

atheist manifesto

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Catcher_in_the_Rye

http://www.amazon.com/Catch-22-Joseph-Heller/dp/0684833395

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-2nd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0976805421/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253993543&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Aero-Speed-Hyperformance-Jump-Rope/dp/B00017XHO8

http://www.invisibleshoe.com/#ecwid:category=135066&mode=product&product=278983

http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe621670756c0575741d&m=fe7215707561047d7315&ls=fde817797d6d037977177974&l=fe9215717260007a70&s=fe2d13707d600478751c72&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe2e167375640d75711576&r=0

http://www.amazon.com/Element-Surprise-Navy-Seals-Vietnam/dp/0804105812/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304634342&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Lone-Survivor-Eyewitness-Account-Operation/dp/0316067598

http://www.amazon.com/Diving-Bell-Butterfly-Memoir-Death/dp/0375701214/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312848167&sr=8-1

Political
Iraq Research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Tawhid_Wal-Jihad

http://www.ontheissues.org/Drugs.htm#Barack_Obama

Congress Related

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/r110query.html

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_110_1.htm

http://www.usdoj.gov/

http://www.issuedictionary.com/Barack_Obama.cgi

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r110:75:./temp/~r110y7HfAa::

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists
/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00237

http://allafrica.com/

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/??

Health & Exercise
Green Tea

http://www.teatrekker.com/store/tea/green/green+-+japan.php

http://www.o-cha.com/brew.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_2080066_steep-loose-leaf-tea.html

http://cooksshophere.com/products/tea/green_tea.htm

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=146

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_tea

http://blackdragonteabar.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html

http://blackdragonteabar.blogspot.com/

https://www.itoen.com/leaf/index.cfm

http://www.maiko.ne.jp/english/

http://www.mellowmonk.com/buyGreenTea.htm
http://www.o-cha.com/home.php

http://www.denstea.com/

http://www.theteaavenue.com/chgrtea.html

http://www.teafrog.com/teas/finum-tea-brewing-basket.html

You don’t have to believe in the supernatural to be pagan. There are books in the subject . One being

Godless Paganism by John Halstead
https://www.amazon.com/Godless-Paganism-Voices-Non-Theistic-Pagans/dp/1329943570

Haven't read it yet, but you might find this book interesting: http://www.amazon.com/Common-Ground-Between-Islam-Buddhism/dp/1891785621

Sucking it up and going to church is disingenuous.

Maybe this book can be of some use to you:

Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe, by Greg Epstein

I've already got my mom Good without God as a gift, and she was "offended." I'm done trying to get them to understand my position for the time being.