Jureme A.

Sarajena

This is my story…

My story is about losing friendship.

[I used to be a preacher, a missionary of some sort, called to proclaim

“the good news” of Jesus Christ. But today, I digress. I am no longer the
same person I used to be 8 years ago. My friends, in Leyte, both Filipinos and
Americans can’t comprehend how I became an atheist!]
I was surrounded by a lot of friends at Leyte Christian College, (a
prestigious school for those who aspire to become pulpit preacher and
missionary) back in 2012. In hard times and good times, we’re always there to
support each other. I remember a time when we’re like reverting back to the
hunting and gathering era of our history when we run of out food; we went
to the jungle to find something to put on our table, just anything! And we
were all seemed happy even if we starved to death.
But a tragic event occurred in my life that made me sacrificed that
strong bond of friendship to the trash. I decided that I will no longer be a
Christian. I abandoned god for good, forever!
I understand that Utilitarianism could be a very demanding moral theory
that there is. Sometimes you have to make a decision that you must sacrifice
your ego for the good of the group. Even if it will constitute pain in your
part; but if the result is for their happiness, then that you must do. That
means I have to leave the campus and went back to in Mindanao.

a. I left because staying there seems like I am a huge pain in the ass to
the believers. My absence is for the greater good. Then you might say, “that
means, you’ve made a wrong decision of your life!” Actually not! Because
according to Bentham and Mill, Utilitarianism is a moral principle that focuses
on the results, or consequences, of your actions and treats INTENTION as
irrelevant.
b. I left because I don’t want them to have a disparaging impression on
science, reason and rationality. If it is our goal to raise the consciousness of
Jureme A. Sarajena

as many people as possible to the wonders of science, the power of reason, and
the virtues of rationality, we must apply science, reason, and rationality to
our actions, not just our ideas. It is irrational to take an angry, hostile,
demeaning, belittling or condescending attitude towards religion. By so doing we
virtually guarantee that religious people will, in response, adopt an angry,
hostile, demeaning, belittling or condescending attitude towards science, reason
and rationality. In other words, our negative actions will have the exact opposite
effect that we wish them to have, which is what makes them irrational.

c. sometimes you have to take this path of good moral decisions. The
“other-regarding” aspect of this moral theory follows the principle of utility as
Mill maintains, “we should act always so as to produce the greatest good for
the greatest number.” We make moral decisions from the position of a
benevolent, disinterested spectator.

d. I guess this is the sad story of my life that falls under this moral
theory, even though, I am not a huge fan of Utilitarianism.