Atheism

Joseph Campbell (JCF.org) in some of his 1960's/1970's lectures would emphasize that this was a key difference between Oriental mythology (Hindu, Buddhism, etc) and Levant (Occidental) mythology (Jewish, Christian, Muslim)... In the Oriental tradition you do not recognize your friends in heaven.

Campbell was an atheist, but a big believer in how storytelling was a means to pass down psychological lessons and rituals that helped people deal with their minds.

This will surely lose him fans in the "Jesus and John Wayne" fandom

thats a perfectly succinct way of putting it. and isnt that the real thing, though?! we all get one brief moment to do our best, whatever that may be. why spend it making the world demonstrably worse with hate and fear? but I suppose variation in "our best" makes life interesting (at the expense of others around us).