Key Topic List: Spirituality

Back on December 28 this blog presented a list of what I think are the key issues mankind, at least Americans, need to work on. One section, actually the last one listed, is Spirituality – Connecting Intellect, World and Belief Systems. Perhaps that should have been listed first, but then, there are those who would argue it should not be on the list at all.

I think, however, it is a great starting point for a blog discussion.

I believe Mankind has always pondered the meaning of life and what purpose each of our lives is to serve. It is a natural condition of having cognition. Our very existence is open to wonder and thought. It is a short distance of logic to then settle on matters of the ego – what do others think of me? Why do others treat me the way they do? What do I have to do to feel better about myself?

It interests me to think on these things. We muddle around with these topics and make conclusions, some of them very short lived. Others tend to long term thought patterns, maybe even convictions. But do we remain open to challenging them with new information so we remain fresh in our views and conclusions?

Working hypotheses of life – how things work, what things I do matter, which ones create problems, which actions lead to good things happening – these are all items that  tend to remain in the brain’s machinery. We use them over and over again. These are often filters through which we view life. The filter keeps order so we can focus on what we think is important at the time. But these things constantly shift. We see the same things over and over again often with fresh views.

Not every person does this of course; some are stubborn in their thinking patterns. Their consistency is sometimes helpful but also a barrier to processing new information or fresh perspectives.

Getting into the shoes of another person’s thinking process can help communicate with that person. Building a bridge for common understanding is a good thing; hard work, but good. Together the bridged minds can work together.

We do not often allow bridge building to happen. It is a failing of human behavior. It takes discipline to change the pattern. I suffer from this condition along with a gazillion others! I admit it. But then that is the beginning of fixing it, maybe?

I have digressed! Spirituality was the topic as I recall.

As Man ponders, he fits the pieces of the world – his existence, his experiences – together to make sense of them. His knowledge may be true to him, but it is not all-knowing. None of us can be all-knowing. We make sense of the universe however we can. It doesn’t take long before we ask the base questions: how did the world come about? Who are we? What is the purpose of life? What will become of us? And so on until we have built a theoretical framework to support all this thinking!

Spirituality, God thought, theological considerations, the ‘history of the planet and mankind,’ and related topics flow forth. It is our attempt to understand the large, the cosmic, issues.

From the basic questions of existence to a full blown theology took thousands of years. Many world cultures struggled with these questions. Some common agreement or at least parallel belief structures came into being. 2000 years ago Christianity came on the world stage. Western Civilization adopted Christianity as a central spiritual tenet, and for the next two millennia our history has been built. As we move toward year 2100 the primary religious currents will continue to collide and compete, develop working relationships and dialogue. Theological agreement is not likely but getting along with one another probably is. That is a good thing.

Acknowledging what we know (facts, science, etc.) will continue to move forward. What we don’t know will continue to be the basis of our faiths. That, too, is a good thing. May universal good will and tolerance, even curiosity, be ever present!

And to that I say Amen!

January 11, 2012