Today, religions and politicians live on stupidity like parasites.
I'm not sure that that's a new phenomenon, dear ATJ (the greatest of love and peace to you!). Both have been a major cause of much of mankind's ills for millenia. MUCH longer than the close to 2 millenia of organized "christianity." This is something that ticked me off about the WTBTS, though. Even before I realized what they were [not]. True, I believed what they were pushing... to some degree (not all)... because I didn't know where "else" to go. But... I had a brain (asleep though it may have been at the time). I don't know about other religions on a more than general scale, but I can CERTAINLY say that brains... meaning, intelligence of any level above 8th grade... ISN'T welcome in the WTBTS (outside of "Bethel"). To the contrary, it is not only frowned on, but the subject of talks from the platform, JC meetings, even "marking". I digress.
But thinking for ourselves really isn't limited to the empirical world, as many believe: it is necessary as to the spirit world, as well. HAS to be. "Directing one's steps", however, has nothing to do with thinking for oneself. The Most Holy One of Israel doesn't want robots - indeed, He WANTS us to think... and make choices. Which is why we have free will. The caveat is that we are RESPONSIBLE for our choices. Not Him... and not anyone else. True, others may have some responsibility for misleading us... but BEING misled, after a certain point in one's life... is really on such one and no one else.
I understand: nothing much has been "proven" beyond our physical world. Yet, scientists have NOT ruled out things beyond our world. Just as there are legitimate researchers as to the things of this world... there are those who are searching beyond. In that light, I ask you to consider that a LOT of stuff was stated by some who BELIEVED it... and, in some instances, were the ONLY ones who believed it... long, long... even many millenia... before it was "proven" by any physical "tests" or "tools/instruments."
We limit ourselves, however, when we believe only in what we can prove... NOW. And we limit others when we tell them that, although something IS true... that it ISN'T... until WE see proof. The earth was always round, dear one... even before anyone "proved" it. Primates always had the capacity to communicate (through sign language, etc.)... even before anyone "proved" it. Truth... is truth. Even if we don't have the means to PROVE it... yet.
If mankind has been around a long as some believe (6,000 years... or 6 millions years)... it's only in that last 100-200 years or so that much of what we "know"... has been "proven." We've still got a long way to go. Or... we can take the "short-cut".
Again, I bid you peace!
YOUR servant and a slave of Christ,
SA
