"Is the Dark Side stronger?"

"No, no, no. Quicker, easier, more seductive."
"But how am I to know the good side from the bad?"
"You will know... when you are calm, at peace, passive. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, NEVER for attack."

Well, despite what Yoda says, the Dark Side certainly worked for me this evening. I knew it would, which was why I was itching to go for a run. My fastest 10 km time in over six months, back under the one hour barrier. A run fueled by anger and indignation.

It's been a dark 36 hours or so of the soul for me. I've been an entrenched atheist for over twenty years, although I used to be a Christian - and a self-righteous pig of a Christian at that! However, my atheism has always allowed me to be respectful and tolerant of all beliefs. Until Peshawar and Westgate. I have been plunged into loathing for religion and, although I haven't despised the followers of religion - I know too many decent, admirable people of several faiths for that - I have been tempted to regard them with arrogant pity.

Anyway, I mulled things over during my run and I've concluded that while I could quite easily pour scorn over religion and followers of religion, that would be self-destructive. I would be filled with self-loathing and my arguments would be denegrated. No. I will look to my hero, Carl Sagan; he always responded to religion with reason, intelligence, clear-minded and sceptical wonder. I aspire to that, not to vitriolic name-calling. That's the way to the Dark Side; good for a quick boost, but not the way to steer one's life.

So what has all this self-indulgent navel-gazing got to do with today's blip? Well, I completed this display of Year 5's Library work today. Star Trek and Star Wars are my religion (snicker if you wish.). Everyone aspires to something greater than themselves, and Gene Roddenberry's vision of a bright, secular future of Humanism and self-improvement certainly had a strong influence on my belief system, with the added bonus that I don't have to kid myself that any of it is true. This is not a display; it's a shrine.

Live long and prosper.

My Gospel read by my Messiah