I have a Facebook. It was kind of on purpose, in the sense that lots of my family communicate that way and it seemed like a good way to find out what’s going on. Recently, someone began this rotation of 25 Random Things about myself. As it turns out, I dont think they’re all that random. I think people put a lot of thought into what they put on the list.

I did one myself. It’s interesting to see the responses I got. Especially since I didnt comment on anyone else’s. People are surprised by some things. Some have suggestions. The majority of people responded by not responding.

What is it that makes us want to open up that kind of can? Is it to impress others? With what? Our openness? All the things we’ve done and experienced? Maybe it’s that we feel disconnected and we want to get plugged in to others who can identify with things on our list.

We are social creatures and a loth of the things we do are to build support systems around ourselves. We joke. We flirt. We volunteer. We interfere. We pry. We take sides. We just need to feel like we belong to something bigger than ourselves.

What a silly notion, when I think about it. We want to feel important. We want to be needed. We want to make a difference, when the reality is that, whether I single handedly wipe out poverty and disease or eorchestrate the murders of sixteen million people, it doesnt make any difference in the universe. The existence of our species is absolutely unnoticeable on a galactic scale. We are insignificant, unless one believes in the eternality of spirits. Then our existence becomes a lot more interesting.

If we are spiritual beings, somehow connected with etenity, then what does this life mean? Is there purpose or are we in some kind of cosmic way station waiting for revelation?

I have, of course already answered these questions but push them your way to make you think. If we are spiritual creatures, then why dont we feel the tug of eternity? If we were more than just a collection of molecules and electrical impulses, wouldnt we have some kind of need to discover our true nature and connect with whatever lies beyond the confines of earthly existence?

On the other hand, if we are not created in some divine image – if we really are nothing but a random result of some coincidence, then doesnt it make sense that none of these things would matter? Why would we search for meaning in life? Why would we have any urge to explore beyond the physical environment? And wouldnt it be the highest arrogance to say to someone else,”You shouldnt do that. It’s wrong.” What makes it wrong?

Without a divine realm, we are free agents flying around the sun once a year, giving birth, giving love, killing, jumping to conclusions. In short, we are meaningless temporal entities who want to believe that we are somehow important to the workings of the cosmos. Without a spiritual connection, we are simply deceiving ourselves.

I happen to believe that we are spiritual beings and we know the truth, but choose to ignore it because acknowledgement of that truth brings responsibility and we dont want any of that.

Instead, we’ll do just about anything to make up for our lacking spiritual lives by overemphasizing the importance of social networks.

Go Facebook and MySpace and YouTube and whatever other means we use to feel more connected. May we all feel better about ourselves together.

Yall have a good day. See you soon.