Amen.
For me, one of the great themes I've understood, since early on in life, at least, one of the most powerful paradigms, has been to understand the principle of complementary duality.
By which I mean, the universe is created with dual aspects: the spiritual and the material. Just as a human being has a spirit (mind) and flesh (body). The two are designed to function in reciprocal unity, with the mind leading the way. The former is invisible, and the latter visible. They relate as internal and external.
All existing beings reflect these dual attributes: Animals have instinct (invisible) which guides their body (visible); plants have an inherent directive nature that determines how the plant body grows, develops and acts in response to the environment; even molecules, atoms and particles have an inherent directive nature, which are the natural laws of physics, chemistry, etc. We don't see the law, but we can observe it by observing the 'body' (body of a molecule is comprised of atoms, body of an atom comprised of particles, and particles 'body' is comprised of energy)
The implications of this particular perspective are massive. What about 'truth'? There is internal truth, and external truth. Likewise, there is internal knowledge and external knowledge. Internal knowledge is knowledge regarding the internal world: God, the purpose of God, the purpose of creation, what our mind is, what spiritual laws are, etc. External knowledge is knowledge about the material universe, what the laws of nature are, how things are composed, how they work, etc.
History has been the unfolding of human beings being raised from internal and external ignorance to internal and external knowledge. The method God has used for the former is "religion". The method God has used for the latter is "science".
The spheres of religion and science are destined to merge and be unified, because the source of all truth, and knowledge, is the unified being, God. God manifests His nature in both the internal reality and the external reality.
I believe we are at that point today, where religion and science are intersecting. That's one reason why traditional religion is dying off, and the more progressive religious people are moving heavily into "relationship" not religion. The purpose of religion is to build a relationship with God; the more that relationship grows, the less need for religion itself.
When we get to the point where we can understand the spiritual reality in a scientific way - how is the spiritual reality formed? how does it exist? What actual laws guide and direct it? How is the spirit comprised? What are the mechanics of spiritual growth, and the relationship between intellect, emotion and will, etc? - we will also come to understand the purpose and intent behind natural law.
But Spring always starts in the middle of winter. It's not like one day is 100% winter, and then next its 100% spring. Now, they blend into each other.
Thus, today, there are a lot of 'religious' people who are still rather stuck in religious understanding that is centuries or millenia old. Much of the religious dogma has become a hindrance, not an aid, to moving forward and growing in understanding.
But the evidence is clear, of you look for it. More and more believers (i.e. Christians) are recognizing that its a living relationship with Christ that counts, not with a church, or an institution, or a dogmatic way of looking at things. And when relationship - real and concrete - becomes the defining element, then people become more and more open to realizing greater depths of truth, because dogma and theological traditions cease to stand in the way.
The Great Awakening has helped to speed up this process.
Amen.
For me, one of the great themes I've understood, since early on in life, at least, one of the most powerful paradigms, has been to understand the principle of complementary duality.
By which I mean, the universe is created with dual aspects: the spiritual and the material. Just as a human being has a spirit (mind) and flesh (body). The two are designed to function in reciprocal unity, with the mind leading the way. The former is invisible, and the latter visible. They relate as internal and external.
All existing beings reflect these dual attributes: Animals have instinct (invisible) which guides their body (visible); plants have an inherent directive nature that determines how the plant body grows, develops and acts in response to the environment; even molecules, atoms and particles have an inherent directive nature, which are the natural laws of physics, chemistry, etc. We don't see the law, but we can observe it by observing the 'body' (body of a molecule is comprised of atoms, body of an atom comprised of particles, and particles 'body' is comprised of energy)
The implications of this particular perspective are massive. What about 'truth'? There is internal truth, and external truth. Likewise, there is internal knowledge and external knowledge. Internal knowledge is knowledge regarding the internal world: God, the purpose of God, the purpose of creation, what our mind is, what spiritual laws are, etc. External knowledge is knowledge about the material universe, what the laws of nature are, how things are composed, how they work, etc.
History has been the unfolding of human beings being raised from internal and external ignorance to internal and external knowledge. The method God has used for the former is "religion". The method God has used for the latter is "science".
The spheres of religion and science are destined to merge and be unified, because the source of all truth, and knowledge, is the unified being, God. God manifests His nature in both the internal reality and the external reality.
I believe we are at that point today, where religion and science are intersecting. That's one reason why traditional religion is dying off, and the more progressive religious people are moving heavily into "relationship" not religion. The purpose of religion is to build a relationship with God; the more that relationship grows, the less need for religion itself.
When we get to the point where we can understand the spiritual reality in a scientific way - how is the spiritual reality formed? how does it exist? What actual laws guide and direct it? How is the spirit comprised? What are the mechanics of spiritual growth, and the relationship between intellect, emotion and will, etc? - we will also come to understand the purpose and intent behind natural law.
But Spring always starts in the middle of winter. It's not like one day is 100% winter, and then next its 100% spring. Now, they blend into each other.
Thus, today, there are a lot of 'religious' people who are still rather stuck in religious understanding that is centuries or millenia old. Much of the religious dogma has become a hindrance, not an aid, to moving forward and growing in understanding.
But the evidence is clear, of you look for it. More and more believers (i.e. Christians) are recognizing that its a living relationship with Christ that counts, not with a church, or an institution, or a dogmatic way of looking at things. And when relationship - real and concrete - becomes the defining element, then people become more and more open to realizing greater depths of truth, because dogma and theological traditions cease to stand in the way.
The Great Awakening has helped to speed up this process.
Amen.
For me, one of the great themes I've understood, since early on in life, at least, one of the most powerful paradigms, has been to understand the principle of complementary duality.
By which I mean, the universe is created with dual aspects: the spiritual and the material. Just as a human being has a spirit (mind) and flesh (body). The two are designed to function in reciprocal unity, with the mind leading the way. The former is invisible, and the latter visible. They relate as internal and external.
All existing beings reflect these dual attributes: Animals have instinct (invisible) which guides their body (visible); plants have an inherent directive nature that determines how the plant body grows, develops and acts in response to the environment; even molecules, atoms and particles have an inherent directive nature, which are the natural laws of physics, chemistry, etc. We don't see the law, but we can observe it by observing the 'body' (body of a molecule is comprised of atoms, body of an atom comprised of particles, and particles 'body' is comprised of energy)
The implications of this particular perspective are massive. What about 'truth'? There is internal truth, and external truth. Likewise, there is internal knowledge and external knowledge. Internal knowledge is knowledge regarding the internal world: God, the purpose of God, the purpose of creation, what our mind is, what spiritual laws are, etc. External knowledge is knowledge about the material universe, what the laws of nature are, how things are composed, how they work, etc.
History has been the unfolding of human beings being raised from internal and external ignorance to internal and external knowledge. The method God has used for the former is "religion". The method God has used for the latter is "science".
The spheres of religion and science are destined to merge and be unified, because the source of all truth, and knowledge, is the unified being, God. God manifests His nature in both the internal reality and the external reality.
I believe we are at that point today, where religion and science are intersecting. That's one reason why traditional religion is dying off, and the more progressive religious people are moving heavily into "relationship" not religion. The purpose of religion is to build a relationship with God; the more that relationship grows, the less need for religion itself.
When we get to the point where we can understand the spiritual reality in a scientific way - how is the spiritual reality formed? how does it exist? What actual laws guide and direct it? How is the spirit comprised? What are the mechanics of spiritual growth, and the relationship between intellect, emotion and will, etc? - we will also come to understand the purpose and intent behind natural law.
But Spring always starts in the middle of winter. It's not like one day is 100% winter, and then next its 100% spring. Now, they blend into each other.
Thus, today, there are a lot of 'religious' people who are still rather stuck in religious understanding that is centuries or millenia old. Much of the religious dogma has become a hindrance, not an aid, to moving forward and growing in understanding.
But the evidence is clear, of you look for it. More and more believers (i.e. Christians) are recognizing that its a living relationship that counts, not a church, or a dogmatic way of looking at things. And when relationship - real and concrete - becomes the defining element, then people become more and more open to realizing greater depths of truth, because dogma and theological traditions cease to stand in the way.
The Great Awakening has helped to speed up this process.