Secularly speaking, God is what gives us faith. God is the positive parts of human nature. God is:
Those moments when you hear laughter breaking out beautifully.
Those moments on West Wing when Josh pulls off a perfect witticism.
Those moments when you watch musicians' fingers flitting over their instruments.
Those moments when you look out the plane window and see the majestic mountains.
Those moments when you see the softened eyes of admiration of the usually-stoic.
Those moments when you see the underdog triumph: those 4 Jamaicans with their bobsled.
Those monuments like Republique in Paris.
Those vaguely British wafts of mist across the New England scare-crow trees of winter.
Those revelation's like Oakeshott's on human conduct.
Those books like L'Etranger.
Those speeches like Obama's on race.
Those photos like Han's.
Those masterpiece films like Vertigo.
Those communal acts like Wikipedia.
Those paintings like Leonardo da Vinci's The Enunciation.
Those perfect questions like Shelly Kagan's "What's new?"
The realization that objectivity is possible.
Is this utility? Or Kant's sublime? Or just chills up the spine? Is this what drove Augustine's homilies? It sure as hell is a better motivator than hell.
