IN THE STREETS of Athens, about twenty-four hundred years ago, a stonemason could be heard discussing philosophy with a group of followers.  He was quite well versed in many subjects, including logic and politics.  Known as Socrates, he spoke extensively about the merits of virtue – proclaiming that an unexamined life is not a life worth living. 

His protégé, Plato, documented much of the dialogue they shared, allowing subsequent generations to also know of his ideas.  In turn, Plato’s star pupil was Aristotle; who would later go on to tutor Alexander the Great. 

Here is one of Socrates’ most profound quotes; a modest admission that underscores the limits of understanding in even the most brilliant of minds: 

“I know one thing, and that is I know nothing.”

It is likely that Socrates’ ideas echoed through time and space across the Ionian Sea – about five hundred years and a thousand miles away – to the tent of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, who penned what could be considered a fitting corollary to the words above:

“Everything we hear is an opinion not a fact.  Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."

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   ORGANIZED RELIGION

On balance, it could be argued that organized religion has indeed been a positive driver of humanity.  A young agnostic friend of mine recently acknowledged, “I would hate to live in a world without religion.” 

Individuals of myriad religious denominations have often come together to help create happiness across the globe.  World Vision, a faith-based organization, delivers clean water and sanitation to more people worldwide than any government institution.  There are countless other religious groups that have also promoted peace, education, and sustainable agriculture throughout the world. 

Historian and writer Yuval Harari counts religion (along with money and empire) as one of the three great unifiers of humanity.  However, as he noted, the unifying and cohesive tendencies of religions have often tended to be within members of particular faiths, rather than between different religious denominations.

Over the last millennia, Muslims have killed Christians and Christians have killed Muslims – by the millions.  Further down the ranks of division, Protestant Christians have engaged in numerous deadly clashes with Catholic Christians, and Shiite Muslims continue to battle Sunni Muslims.  There have also been conflicts amongst and between adherents of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism; and every other major religious faction scattered across the globe. 

Many of the followers of these religions possess a unique and personal interpretation of their particular creed.  Some Catholics believe in Purgatory, some favor same sex marriage, and others won’t eat meat on Fridays. 

Protestants also hold ideas that differ from one group to the next; identifying themselves with titles such as Baptist, Lutheran, and Methodist.

These groups often further subdivide themselves into various splinter sects or synods, each containing individual members that usually do not precisely agree with each other on all matters of church doctrine.  It is the same with those who call themselves Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, or Muslim; or those who identify with any other religious assembly. 

If you get down to exact details, you would probably find that there are about seven billion different beliefs regarding the precise nature of Spirituality and human existence – one for each person on the planet.  

Maybe it is not so much shared commonalities of belief that connect us to a particular religion, rather instead the tribal instinct of wanting to belong to a group or gathering; to know that there will always be someone with whom we can share our sorrows and our joys. 

However, this desirable sense of belonging is only fully optimized if the group maintains fidelity to a central guiding philosophy of inclusivity; one that creates sustainable global happiness for all world citizens, without exceptions.      

Of course, this is not always the case.  Oftentimes religion, like nationalism, implores us to love one singular group – ours – above all others.

In the collective, religion and nationalism may not unfailingly stand the test.  Invented institutions may crumble and fall, particularly those not well secured to solid cornerstones of noble ideals.  Countrymen and parishioners may very well turn against their own if scarce food, land or fortune is on the line.    

 

PROVIDENCE:  GOD AND/OR NATURE

Many people appear to demonstrate an unwavering singular loyalty to their particular ideology, quite sure that their way of thinking is the only true path – perhaps mistakenly confusing perspective with absolute truth. 

Can seven billion humans each be exclusively correct in their various spiritual convictions?  I may have hope in my own personal beliefs; however, it would be illogical for me to assume that all others are wrong in theirs.  

So, I like the idea of Providence.

If you look up its meaning, you would find that Providence has been defined as:                     

"The protective care of God or of Nature as a spiritual power." 

 

God or Nature.  The guiding force of our universe may be called God, or any of the many possible names used for God.  It may also be called Nature.  It serves no cosmic purpose to retreat to tribalism; quibbling over different points of view, none of which can be proven with any degree of certainty. 

Maybe it is fair to consider the idea of Providence as a unifying beginning, a somewhat imprecise conception that can be interpreted in a number of different ways.  The vagueness is intentional, and not meant to be an apology for individual conviction.  An artist may paint an image of a meadow in his own fashion, while another may portray the same scene differently.  Each demonstrates fidelity to the vision that they see; and one rendition is perhaps no truer than the other.

 

UNIVERSAL AND PERSONAL

Myriad glass prisms may be pointed to the Sun, each revealing a unique spectrum of color and design.  Perhaps Providence may similarly be viewed from an infinite number of perspectives.

Providence may be seen as the mystery of existence that I call God, which tends to instill a sense of calm and happiness.  Providence may also be visualized in the realm of Nature, with all its splendid forces and energy.  It is also possible to see God and Nature as one.  Each person perceives and shapes their own individual vision.

I believe that Providence is at once universal and personal.

Providence is universal, as there is likely only one true explanation of the universe, and how or why we got here.  Whether you want to call it Physics or Nature or the divine will of a Supreme Deity, the force that guides the universe is the same entity for every creature on this planet.  Providence is universal.

Yet Providence is also personal, because even though no one knows all of the answers exactly, each of us is free to develop our own ideas and relationship with God and Nature.   Providence is perhaps one entity, yet each person will experience Providence in their own individual way.  Providence is personal.

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 a SPECTRUM OF color and design

When asked what religion he believed in, philosopher Ralph Trine offered a quite interesting perspective, suggesting that there is only one religion – what he called the religion of the living God.  He believed that there have been many inspired Scriptures from many different faiths, and that through these writings God has revealed Himself at different times and places.  He did not believe that God created prophets or chosen people, rather that certain individuals merely recognized a universal oneness with a common Source, just as ocean inlets open to a much greater sea.

Trine offered this beautiful excerpt from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem, Akbar’s Dream:

“Well, I dreamed that stone by stone I reared a sacred fane, a temple, neither pagoda, mosque, nor church, but loftier, simpler, always open-doored to every breath from heaven, and Truth and Peace and Love and Justice came and dwelt therein.”

Motivational writer Napoleon Hill held a somewhat different yet equally intriguing view.  Hill intuited that there is an Infinite Intelligence permeating every atom of matter in the universe – “the stars, the planets suspended in the heavens, the elements above and around us, every blade of grass, and every form of life within our view.” 

Hill hinted that the “secret” of success in life is learning how to tap into the infinite energy source of Creation that Nature herself advertises.

And different yet, is the idea of the Dalai Lama who says: “My religion is simple.  My religion is kindness.” 

At once universal and personal, here are some of the various names for Providence:

God, Allah, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Yahweh, Nature, Infinite Intelligence, Creator, The Source, Lord, The Way, Krishna, Almighty, Teacher, Father in Heaven. 

Philosophers, prophets, books, and institutions may offer relevant ideas for each man or woman to consider.  But perhaps these are all only intermediaries of Providence, offering interesting and often helpful guidance and perspectives, but not necessarily Truth revealed. 

Maybe it is okay for us to all view Providence in our own personal way.  The violin and clarinet play each a unique sound.  Both can be quite pleasing.

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Meditations

Whether you believe in God or in Nature, or even if you are not exactly sure what it is that you believe in, you may find calmness and peace in surrendering to an agency that is greater than yourself.   

You can drop to your knees in a church, if that is what you feel.  You can sit beside a glistening mountain lake, watching midday sunrays shimmer across its tiny ripples.  You can stand on a mountain ridge, high above a hawk gliding on currents far below.  Just know that there is something greater than self and humanity.  You do not have to know exactly who or what that is.  

Offer up your deepest sorrows, if you wish.  Let a breeze dry your tears and carry your burdens far away.  If you ask for anything, ask for the strength to weather the storms of a random world, where fairness was never promised.  Ask for Truth revealed. 

And then, perhaps most importantly, express joy and gratitude.  Give thanks for your family and your friends.  Give thanks for the privilege of living on such a magnificent planet. 

Maybe Providence is listening.

                           

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THE BEST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS

I have often wondered why mankind has been subjected to so much pain.  We suffer losses, some minor, but some exceedingly severe.  In our everyday world there are innumerable atrocities. 

If Providence is indeed a Deity, why would such tragedies be allowed to happen? 

It is certainly possible that the seventeenth century philosopher Gottfried Leibniz was correct – perhaps ours really is "The best of all possible worlds.”  Maybe our universe, with all of its apparent unfairness, is as good a universe as one can possibly be.

It is possible that Providence fashioned the universe in one Big Bang, breathing life into the formulas and equations that would govern the galaxies and their inhabitants; but then simply let go, allowing the world to unfold from relatively simple beginnings into extraordinary levels of complexity, permitting us to be human, and revealing all of our strengths and frailties. 

It is possible that Providence is heartened by human achievements and triumphs, as parents are by the successes of their children.  Perhaps Providence enjoys observing civilization advance in medicine, the arts, civic structures and governance, computers, and rocket ships. 

But with human achievement comes human failure.  Jealousy, mistrust, and greed lead to wars, hunger, and other crises.  Many individuals are born with mental or physical handicaps.  There are frequent senseless acts of brutal violence against innocent individuals.  It certainly is not fair. 

I offer up no easy answers.  Perhaps there are no simple explanations.  However, it is possible that some dark clouds of our existence may have a faint silver lining.  Human trials, although very painful, could maybe serve some purpose – as even difficult situations may sometimes present opportunity. 

Perhaps we have been given the chance to reveal our strength of character in times of personal turmoil.  Ennobled by our own travails, maybe we will now choose to help others who have been similarly struck by hardship or cruelty.

I am reminded of a comment Earl Woods made regarding his son, the talented golfer Tiger Woods.  He said that Tiger prefers to play difficult golf courses.  Tough venues demand the ultimate in shot-making and will eventually separate out the better players.  Any pro can win on an easy golf course.  Our response to the plight of those less fortunate, and to our personal tribulations, gives us the opportunity to better define ourselves, strengthening our will and resolve.  Perhaps we have to earn our victory, managing our game over a very difficult course.

Maybe we should not expect life to be a straight, flat line.  On an EKG monitor, a flat line is seen only with death.  Just as without darkness we could not comprehend light, without sorrow, joy would have no meaning.  If a fisherman caught a fish on every cast he would soon become bored, his learned skills rendered useless, and the exhilaration of the catch quickly diminished.  It is the struggle and the fruitless casts that make the successful cast meaningful.  Continuous divine intervention could possibly take away the very fabric of human life; blunting the laughter, fear, sadness, and joy that make us human, essentially rendering our existence a lifeless flat line.

Even if these are the rules of the game, it is still painful to think of the acute fear and suffering experienced by many.  Perhaps Providence is with us at times of great fear, pain, and suffering.  Perhaps Providence envelops and protects an unseen part of us, even as our bodies succumb to the pain and indignities placed upon us by others, or by the frailty of our human physical tissues.

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SHOULDER TO SHOULDER

It is all quite difficult to understand.  I know that I have far more questions than I have answers.  I think that love fits in somewhere; perhaps the one true constant of a unifying equation that explains the cosmos, if there is such a thing.   

As with attempting to comprehend the vastness of the infinite universe, some concepts may simply exceed human levels of understanding.  Sometimes we are just left with uncertainty, and there is no real choice but to yield to a design that we ourselves did not create.

Collectively, humanity often exposes its lonely heart, looking for someone or something to make sense of its existence.  One must recognize that faith or religion, or whatever you want to call it, has provided comfort to countless individuals throughout the ages.  It may be reasonable to question the logic of mindlessly following ritual and seemingly senseless traditions, but it is wrong to attempt to rob the faithful of their beliefs.  For the wounded soul, faith can be a much better salve than the numbing medications currently dispensed to a bewildered populace.

Some who long for a sense of meaning may look to those who possess a brilliant intellect, hoping that they can help find elusive answers to our questions.  Those who are searching could consider the humble statements of Albert Einstein, one of the greatest intellectuals of all time.  Although he did not believe in a personal God, nor did he necessarily believe in an afterlife, Einstein strongly rejected being labeled an atheist.

A professed agnostic, Einstein said the following:

“The problem involved is too vast for our limited minds.  We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages.  The child knows someone must have written these books.  It does not know how.  It does not understand the languages in which they are written.  The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangement of the books but doesn’t know what it is.  That, it seems to me, is the attitude of the most intelligent human being toward God.  We see the universe marvelously arranged and obeying certain laws but only dimly understand the laws.”

At least in this life, humans will not find an answer to every question.  It is fruitless to seek consensus conclusions, as absolute truth may remain forever beyond our mortal reach.  I think this is okay.  Individually, we will each try to find our own way. 

We move forward, cloaked in an innate unique desire to find Truth, a yearning perhaps bestowed by an unseen Presence awaiting us at the end of our Earthly journey.   We do not have to be afraid.  We can submit to something greater than ourselves and embrace the intrigue of the unknown. 

What we do know is that we are each a living part of the fantastic grandeur that is our very existence.  We do not necessarily have to understand or agree upon how or why we got here.  As unified beings existing on this Earth, together we can stand shoulder to shoulder, looking to the heavens in awe, thankful to be witness to such an extraordinary universe.