Dancing with Śiva

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Existentialism

Existentialism arose in Europe in the mid-nineteenth century. It teaches that God does not exist, or cannot be known, and affirms individuality and freedom. Stress is on transcendence of the mundane world through exaltation of will, the meaninglessness of existence and the absence of a substratum upon which to base truths or values. Man simply exists, free to create his own meaning in life. It is, however, imporant to bear in mind that there is a vital strain of religious, or quasi-religious, existentialism as well.§

EXISTENTIALIST BELIEFS
  1. I believe that there is no knowable providential order in nature or in the larger realm of existence or cosmos.
  2. I believe that the being of man is ultimately meaningless, which is to say that man knows not why he exists and cannot rise to the knowledge of his destiny.
  3. I believe that each man is an individual and should break his dependence on society and rely solely upon his own individual life, spirit, personality and thought.
  4. I believe that immortality is not a condition of man. Death is quite realistically seen as an ultimate end and radical fact which cannot be overcome. Man should not tolerate even an anguished hope of personal survival.
  5. I believe that harmony and security in human relationships are impossible to achieve, and the only satisfactory attitude toward others is based upon explicit recognition of this fact.
  6. I believe that “Evil is not an illusion. It is not the effect of passions which might be cured, or a fear which might be overcome. It is not an ignorance which might be enlightened. Evil cannot be redeemed” (Sartre).
  7. I believe that God does not exist.
  8. I believe that the highest and best life is lived in the intensity of being fully conscious of the life experience. This experience necessarily contains problems, struggle, suffering and conflict. This is man’s unalterable reality within which his free, creative action and choice gives birth to the fullness of consciousness which would otherwise be deadened by security and contentment.
  9. I believe that the soul of man is not whole without such unpleasant things as death, anxiety, guilt, fear and trembling, and despair. It would be the final error of reason to deny that these emotions exist, or to strive to manipulate them out of existence. Therefore, it can be said that nothing can be accomplished by denying that man is essentially a troubled being, except to make more trouble.