Dear Bleaders (blog readers),

When I went to write this blog post, the website offered me AI to write it! I said, “Okay, write a post in my voice talking about my term Poetic Atheism.” Except for the my voice part, it did very well. I mean, it doesn’t even take a stab at sounding me-like, but it has an appealing clarity. I don’t use phrases like “At its core” for example because it feels wooden, overused, though I realize such phrases can make readers feel comfortable. You can relax when many of the words are not load bearing. I’m just a bird of another feather.

Here’s what the AI wrote for me:

Poetic Atheism, a notion I invented, seeks to reconcile the mystery and wonder of existence without the reliance on supernatural beliefs. As an advocate of reason and poetry, I find solace in the marriage of these seemingly disparate realms.
At its core, Poetic Atheism invites us to embrace the beauty of the natural world, the richness of human emotions, and the complexity of our shared experiences without the need for divine intervention. It encourages us to marvel at the universe's grandeur, to find meaning in the fleeting moments of existence, and to cultivate a deep appreciation for the interconnectedness of all life forms.
In essence, Poetic Atheism invites us to be present in the world, to engage with the complexities of existence, and to find beauty and purpose in the everyday moments that define our lives. It is a celebration of the human experience, a tribute to the power of language and imagination, and a reminder of the enduring capacity of the human spirit to find meaning and inspiration in a world that is both vast and unknowable.
As we continue to explore the boundaries of knowledge and understanding, let us not forget the importance of poetry in shaping our perceptions of the world and our place within it. Let us embrace the tenets of Poetic Atheism as a pathway to greater self-awareness, empathy, and appreciation for the wonders of the natural world.

“Let us not forget the importance of…” I don’t think anyone talks like this anymore, let alone me.

When I wrote The Wonder Paradox I’d started with a proposal for a book called Poetic Atheism. I’d been giving talks on poetic atheism for years. The point was, at first, to explain to the atheist community that science was great but we also need poetry, and to explain to the poet minded that beliefs and unbeliefs matter, to many of us, even if it makes one feel crass or adolescent to speak of these things. It matters keenly to the meaning of life and to the separation of church and state.

When talking about my book, people ask me about my own religious identity and I never know what I’ll say. Most often I start with “Well, I’m a Poetic Atheist, and Jewish. I made up Poetic Atheism. It means an unbelief that turns to the arts for meaning.”

Sometimes I say that I’m a member of the Interfaithless, another term that I made up and decided to go with because it makes me laugh and because the important part is the “inter.” The Interfaithless should be aware of one another, though we may each be alone at a ceremony, each not believing in our own religions, we are joined together if we want to be. I also try “Poetic Realist” because all the others posit a god and then reject him. But the quickest way to be understood is to say I’m a poetic atheist.

From the start poetic atheism was unusual in its friendliness to religious ritual, but as time has advanced, the idea of living a poetic life, partly through poetic ritual, has become key.

The Consciousness Paradox is that the meat, your brain, thinks. The Wonder Paradox is that your brain finds this universe and itself so amazing. It is amazing. Sitting with that amazingness, the awesome, the sublime, is not easy on your own; poetry can help supply the trick of it. It can help us get out of our selves and into the mind of someone else, and we can stay there, quiet a while.

I’m inviting you to meet me back here every Thursday for a little thought balloon, so I thought I’d better explain myself a bit to anyone new. I’m suddenly blogging again because my book The Wonder Paradox is coming out in paperback on March 5 and preorders can really get the ball bouncing. But I expect to keep going for at least a year. We’ll see. I suddenly feel capable, writing-wise, and I kind of haven’t for a while, so this is all a roulette roll, but obvs, at the moment I think the engine is up and running and I can talk about a year. Anyway, I’ll be here next Thursday and I hope to see you.

love,

Jennifer

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