Designing a new religion

From Edward De Bono: Designing a new religion

We analyse a situation and identify standard elements. We then understand
the situation and also know what to do about it.

Although individuals might practise it, the Western culture of thinking is
lacking in design. Architects, graphic designers and fashion designers might
practise design, but it is not part of general education. This is a very
serious fault in education.

My latest book is called 'H+ A New Religion?' (published by Vermilion Press
in London, part of Random House). This is a religion in the sense that
Buddhism is a religion. There is no new god-system or other-world structure.

H+ can be used in conjunction with any existing religion or belief system:
Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Taoism, etc.

Many religions are about 'sins' and the things you should not do. Today that
aspect is adequately taken care of, both by the law and existing religious
systems.

So H+ is about 'positive action'. So instead of 'sins' there are 'pons'
(derived from 'positive sins'). These are small acts to help others or to
help the world.

Each person sets a small agenda of pons to carry out each day, etc.

H+ stands for Humour, Happiness, Health, Help, Hope and Human.

It all started with a realisation that no existing religion emphasises
humour as such. Yet humour is a key lubricant of life. Humour illustrates
the possibility of switching perceptions and seeing things in a different
way, etc, etc.

Traditionally new religions are revealed to suitable people in some mystical
process. This is very different from design.

The parameters of design might be: simple to understand; simple to operate;
satisfying; leading to increased self-esteem; leading to achievement;
helpful to the world; helpful to other people; easy to spread.

You can sit in a corner with the right attitudes, committing no sins, and
you will get to heaven. In itself that does not help the world very much.
There is usually not enough focus on action