The world may indeed be rather doomed, but I am going to try and go down with a little less stress and it will be nothing to do with God, but by simply trying to reduce the condemnation. In other words; work less, get plenty of free time, eat healthily, listen to Michael Nyman and practice my yoga. Constructive things in a healthy society.

All that other stuff is very interesting and you make some good points, but you are seriously expanding upon the basic topic of stress as it relates to most. You can make a better society and reduce stress levels without God ever being a factor. Love is love. If you want to say that is God, then fine for you. I don't need God to know right from wrong or know what is moral and neither does anyone else, but if it helps them then jolly good for them too. I regard that as humanity. My only certainty is this and anything more is unknown and anyone who says otherwise is making it up as they are based on the same limited organic basis as me or anyone else and just don't know. I deal with reality and now and to reduce stress you need a society that doesn't oppress and work that doesn't tax and family that lets you be. No God in that, but if God helps people like Walrus or NV, then all power to them too. In the past I would mock, but not anymore. I am learning tolerance. Maybe that means I will be a deathbed Catholic, but I hope not.

The rise of Empires is what it is, but the Chinese are no different to what came before or what will come whence. The same with Muslims. You are looking at others as the enemy and fail to see just how evil our own elite can be. They started all this and the people fall for it. For the West to improve it needs to fall or change. China is up to China and so far it hasn't invaded entire countries. Perhaps they will, but until then look closer to home for the enemy. Radical Islam....it was contained and didn't bother us for a very long time and now suddenly where did that come from? The Western elite love a stressed society, but I reject that kind of life.

My basic theory is the same: stress = condemned by the self + society. It is fed by media, war, politics, hate, self doubt, work environment, family burdens etc. Reduce stress by eliminating the toxic elements. Go and live in Nepal if you have to, but find that peace somehow. Fearing Muslims or the Chinese is the least of my concerns....I have to drive!