21.12.07

23 Dec 07 - 13 Jan 08

The thought for the Christmas period is by Herman Hesse:
You should long for the perfection of yourself.
The deity is within you, not in ideas and books.
Truth is lived, not taught.
This comes from a novel for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1946. The longer extract is:
" 'Oh, if only it were possible to find understanding,' Joseph exclaimed. 'If only there were dogma to believe in. Everything is contradictory, everything tangential; there are no certainties anywhere. Everything can be interpreted one way and then again interpreted in the opposite sense. The whole of world history can be explained as development and progress and can also be seen as nothing but decadence and meaninglessness. Isn't there any truth? Is there no real and valid doctrine?' The master had never heard him speak so fervently . He walked on in silence for a little, then said: 'There is truth, my boy. But the doctrine you desire, absolute, perfect dogma that alone provides wisdom, does not exist. Nor should you long for a perfect doctrine, my friend. Rather, you should long for the perfection of yourself. The deity is within you, not in ideas and books. Truth is lived, not taught.' "
Hermann Hesse (1877-1962, poet, novelist, painter; from 'The Glass Bead Game', translated by Richard & Clara Winston, Penguin, 1976, p7).

Additional Thoughts

There are a number of themes in the above extract which we could develop. For now, we will take the idea "The deity is within you" which reflects the Christmas message of "Emmanuel", meaning "God is with us".

Here are some thoughts from different traditions:

"Heaven is hidden in the depth of the heart, that glorious place which is only found by those who renounce themselves" Mahanarayana Upanishad.

"When you seek God, seek him in your heart. He is not in Jerusalem, not in Mecca nor in the Hajj." Yunus Emre (Islamic Sufi, 1280-1330).

"The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed … for, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you." Gospel of Luke (17vv20/21).

13.12.07

16th - 23rd Dec 2007

This week's thought is about the freedom to express one's ideas – an essential ingredient in a university:
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
Evelyn Beatrice Hall (1868-1919, writer; from 'The Friends of Voltaire' (1906) written under the pseudonym Stephen G. Tallentyre). The quotation is a paraphrase of Voltaire in his 'Essay on Tolerance' and so is often misattributed to Voltaire (1694 – 1778, philosopher).

Additional Thoughts

Physicist David Bohm became very interested in solving the crises of humanity and believes that freedom to express one's ideas clearly without force is a key ingredient:
"Suppose we were able to share meanings freely without a compulsive urge to impose our view or to conform to those of others and without distortion and self-deception. Would this not constitute a real revolution in culture?"
David Bohm (1917-1992; physicist and philosopher; from 'Changing Consciousness', 1992).

In her analysis of the origins of the Bible, Karen Armstrong shows that freedom to interpret the Bible needs a charitable outlook in a divided world:
"The 'principle of charity' accords with the religious ideal of compassion… Today we see too much strident certainly in both the religious and the secular spheres. Instead of quoting the Bible in order to denigrate homosexuals, liberals or women priests, we could recall Augustine's rule of faith: an exegete [interpreter of Biblical text] must always seek the most charitable interpretation of a text.
"The Bible is in danger of becoming a dead or an irrelevant letter; it is being distorted by claims for its literal infallibility; it is derided – often unfairly – by secular fundamentalists; it is also becoming a toxic arsenal that fuels hatred and sterile polemic. The development of a more compassionate hermeneutics [interpretation] could provide an important counter-narrative in our discordant world."
Karen Armstrong (1944-, "freelance monotheist"; from 'The Bible: The Biography', 2007).

6.12.07

9th - 16th Dec 2007

In his book 'The God Delusion', atheist Richard Dawkins gives the impression that all religious people think that an unquestioning faith is a virtue. This may be a "pernicious delusion" (a phrase Dawkins uses for those who believe in God) which Dawkins himself is trying to spread. My own faith tradition regards questioning as an essential element for a growing faith to be relevant in every generation (see Additional Thoughts below). Perhaps Dawkins is confusing an unquestioning faith with trust - it is an unwavering trust which is a virtue. As a 'religious scientist', I agree fully with Albert Einstein that:
"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvellous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity."
Albert Einstein (1879-1955, Physicist and Nobel Laureate; from the magazine 'Life', May 2, 1955).

Additional Thoughts

Some thoughts about questioning from theologians:
"To ask questions is ultimately to be enriched."
Frances Young (Cadbury Professor of Theology, Birmingham University; from "Can these Dry Bones Live?" SCM Press, 1982, p19).
"Exploring and questions are essentials to the dynamic of living faith."
David Jenkins (former Bishop of Durham; from "The Calling of a Cuckoo: Not Quite an Autobiography" Continuum, New York / London, 2003, p66).