(Right Winger Evangelicals) brand of Christianity IS NOT the Truth of Christ

[Sophia4]

79. But that is what he taught if what remains of the version of his teachings that we

have today is at all accurate.

Anyway, it's a very good philosophy and teaching because it encourages people to live in peace.

There are two aspects of religion. One is social. Religion teaches people rules for living together in a social order that in most cases encourages peace WITHIN the society adhering to the religion. As you point out, the teaching is not always applied with regard to people outside the society that consciously adopts the religion.

The other is spiritual, that is it has to do with man's attempt to understand his or her place in the universe and connection to everything around him or her on the level that is beyond feelings and thoughts. Many people do not connect at all to the world around them without feelings and thoughts. I find that sad, but we are all free to be who we are.

We forget that as humans our physical senses are very limited. Just for a very simple and easily explained example. My cat, if outside, goes wild when an ambulance or police car or fire truck sounds its siren. That noise is to me not painful, but it is obvious to me that my cat's hearing is more sensitive to that sound than mine is.

Birds seem to have some kind of system, similar to radar, that directs them when they migrate. The Monarch butterflies gradually migrate also to specific places, one in Mexico. We understand these phenomena because we have developed science. They are still marvelous and mysterious and, in some cases, unique to specific species. The variety in life on this planet is remarkable.

And in spite of our knowledge and understanding of the variety of species and experiences just on our earth, we have utmost confidence in the perfection of our species and its superior knowledge of the universe. In reality we are very limited by our bodies. Rare, for example, is the woman who gives birth to a whole litter of babies. But in a cat's world, that is not so rare.

I am particularly aware of this because I was born with extremely bad eyesight. I did not get glasses until I was in the second grade. My mother told me that after I got them I came home and reported to her that the children on the other side of the room had faces. My behavior improved considerably. I also learned how limited my senses were at birth.

We think we are so perfect and know so much. We aren't, and we don't. We are simply very haughty and conceited -- as a species -- and for a plausible reason -- because we have speech and can communicate and have our brains that think as they do.

Admitting that there really could be a higher power that organized the planets and universes, on one of which and in one of which we live, is something that is very difficult for many of us. But the possibilities are truly immense and countless. And that is why we should be humble.

Who knows? We each have to know and discover what we are capable of knowing and discovering. Best not to ridicule or even argue with others.

But what we now know through science should help us to feel very humble.