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==102:6. THE CERTAINTY OF RELIGIOUS FAITH==

==102:6. THE CERTAINTY OF RELIGIOUS FAITH==

102:6.1 The philosophic elimination of religious fear and the steady progress of science add greatly to the mortality of false gods; and even though these casualties of man-made deities may momentarily befog the spiritual vision, they eventually destroy that ignorance and superstition which so long obscured the living God of eternal love. The relation between the creature and the Creator is a living experience, a dynamic religious faith, which is not subject to precise definition. To isolate part of life and call it religion is to disintegrate life and to distort religion. And this is just why the God of worship claims all allegiance or none.

102:6.1 The [[philosophic]] elimination of [[religious]] [[fear]] and the steady [[progress]] of [[science]] add greatly to the [[mortality]] of [[false]] [[gods]]; and even though these casualties of man-made [[deities]] may momentarily be[[fog]] the [[spiritual]] [[vision]], they [[eventually]] destroy that [[ignorance]] and [[superstition]] which so long obscured the living [[God]] of [[eternal]] [[love]]. The [[relation]] between the [[creature]] and the [[Creator]] is a living [[experience]], a [[dynamic]] [[religious]] [[faith]], which is not subject to precise [[definition]]. To [[isolate]] [[part]] of life and call it [[religion]] is to disintegrate life and to [[distort]] [[religion]]. And this is just why the [[God]] of [[worship]] claims all [[allegiance]] or none.

102:6.2 The gods of primitive men may have been no more than shadows of themselves; the living God is the divine light whose interruptions constitute the creation shadows of all space.

102:6.2 The gods of [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_64 primitive men] may have been no more than [[shadows]] of themselves; the living [[God]] is the [[divine]] [[light]] whose interruptions [[constitute]] the [[creation]] [[shadows]] of all [[space]].

102:6.3 The religionist of philosophic attainment has faith in a personal God of personal salvation, something more than a reality, a value, a level of achievement, an exalted process, a transmutation, the ultimate of time-space, an idealization, the personalization of energy, the entity of gravity, a human projection, the idealization of self, nature's upthrust, the inclination to goodness, the forward impulse of evolution, or a sublime hypothesis. The religionist has faith in a God of love. Love is the essence of religion and the wellspring of superior civilization.

102:6.3 The [[religionist]] of [[philosophic]] [[attainment]] has [[faith]] in a [[personal]] [[God]] of personal [[salvation]], something more than a [[reality]], a [[value]], a level of [[achievement]], an exalted [[process]], a [[transmutation]], the [[ultimate]] of [[time-space]], an [[idealization]], the [[personalization]] of [[energy]], the [[entity]] of [[gravity]], a human [[projection]], the idealization of [[self]], [[nature]]'s upthrust, the [[inclination]] to [[goodness]], the forward [[impulse]] of [[evolution]], or a [[sublime]] [[hypothesis]]. The religionist has [[faith]] in a [[God]] of [[love]]. [[Love]] is the [[essence]] of [[religion]] and the wellspring of superior [[civilization]].

102:6.4 Faith transforms the philosophic God of probability into the saving God of certainty in the personal religious experience. Skepticism may challenge the theories of theology, but confidence in the dependability of personal experience affirms the truth of that belief which has grown into faith.

102:6.4 [[Faith]] [[transforms]] the [[philosophic]] [[God]] of [[probability]] into the saving [[God]] of [[certainty]] in the [[personal]] religious [[experience]]. [[Skepticism]] may [[challenge]] the [[theories]] of [[theology]], but [[confidence]] in the [[dependability]] of [[personal]] [[experience]] affirms the [[truth]] of that [[belief]] which has [[grown]] into [[faith]].

102:6.5 Convictions about God may be arrived at through wise reasoning, but the individual becomes God-knowing only by faith, through personal experience. In much that pertains to life, probability must be reckoned with, but when contacting with cosmic reality, certainty may be experienced when such meanings and values are approached by living faith. The God-knowing soul dares to say, " I know, " even when this knowledge of God is questioned by the unbeliever who denies such certitude because it is not wholly supported by intellectual logic. To every such doubter the believer only replies, " How do you know that I do not know? "

102:6.5 [[Convictions]] about [[God]] may be arrived at through [[wise]] [[reasoning]], but the [[individual]] becomes [[God]]-knowing only by [[faith]], through [[personal]] [[experience]]. In much that pertains to life, [[probability]] must be reckoned with, but when contacting with [[cosmic]] [[reality]], [[certainty]] may be [[experienced]] when such [[meanings]] and [[values]] are approached by living [[faith]]. The [[God]]-knowing [[soul]] dares to say, "I know," even when this [[knowledge]] of [[God]] is questioned by the unbeliever who denies such [[certitude]] because it is not wholly [[supported]] by [[intellectual]] [[logic]]. To every such doubter the believer only replies, "How do you know that I do not know?"

102:6.6 Though reason can always question faith, faith can always supplement both reason and logic. Reason creates the probability which faith can transform into a moral certainty, even a spiritual experience. God is the first truth and the last fact; therefore does all truth take origin in him, while all facts exist relative to him. God is absolute truth. As truth one may know God, but to understand—to explain—God, one must explore the fact of the universe of universes. The vast gulf between the experience of the truth of God and ignorance as to the fact of God can be bridged only by living faith. Reason alone cannot achieve harmony between infinite truth and universal fact.

102:6.6 Though [[reason]] can always question [[faith]], faith can always [[supplement]] both [[reason]] and [[logic]]. [[Reason]] creates the [[probability]] which [[faith]] can [[transform]] into a [[moral]] [[certainty]], even a [[spiritual]] [[experience]]. [[God]] is the first [[truth]] and the last [[fact]]; therefore does all [[truth]] take [[origin]] in him, while all [[facts]] exist [[relative]] to him. God is [[absolute]] [[truth]]. As [[truth]] one may [[know]] [[God]], but to [[understand]]—to [[explain]]—[[God]], one must [[explore]] the [[fact]] of the [[universe of universes]]. The vast gulf between the [[experience]] of the [[truth]] of [[God]] and [[ignorance]] as to the [[fact]] of [[God]] can be bridged only by living [[faith]]. [[Reason]] alone cannot [[achieve]] [[harmony]] between [[infinite]] [[truth]] and [[universal]] [[fact]].

102:6.7 Belief may not be able to resist doubt and withstand fear, but faith is always triumphant over doubting, for faith is both positive and living. The positive always has the advantage over the negative, truth over error, experience over theory, spiritual realities over the isolated facts of time and space. The convincing evidence of this spiritual certainty consists in the social fruits of the spirit which such believers, faithers, yield as a result of this genuine spiritual experience. Said Jesus: " If you love your fellows as I have loved you, then shall all men know that you are my disciples. "

102:6.7 [[Belief]] may not be able to [[resist]] [[doubt]] and withstand [[fear]], but [[faith]] is always triumphant over doubting, for [[faith]] is both positive and living. The [[positive]] always has the [[advantage]] over the [[negative]], [[truth]] over [[error]], [[experience]] over [[theory]], [[spiritual]] [[realities]] over the [[isolated]] [[facts]] of [[time and space]]. The convincing [[evidence]] of this [[spiritual]] [[certainty]] consists in the [[social]] [[Fruits of the Spirit.|fruits of the spirit]] which such believers, faithers, yield as a result of this [[genuine]] [[spiritual]] [[experience]]. Said Jesus: "If you love your fellows as I have loved you, then shall all men know that you are my [[disciples]]."[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_john#Chapter_15]

102:6.8 To science God is a possibility, to psychology a desirability, to philosophy a probability, to religion a certainty, an actuality of religious experience. Reason demands that a philosophy which cannot find the God of probability should be very respectful of that religious faith which can and does find the God of certitude. Neither should science discount religious experience on grounds of credulity, not so long as it persists in the assumption that man's intellectual and philosophic endowments emerged from increasingly lesser intelligences the further back they go, finally taking origin in primitive life which was utterly devoid of all thinking and feeling.

102:6.8 To [[science]] [[God]] is a possibility, to [[psychology]] a desirability, to [[philosophy]] a [[probability]], to [[religion]] a [[certainty]], an [[actuality]] of [[religious]] [[experience]]. [[Reason]] demands that a [[philosophy]] which cannot find the [[God]] of [[probability]] should be very respectful of that [[religious]] [[faith]] which can and does find the [[God]] of [[certitude]]. Neither should [[science]] discount [[religious]] [[experience]] on grounds of credulity, not so long as it [[persists]] in the [[assumption]] that man's [[intellectual]] and [[philosophic]] [[endowments]] emerged from increasingly lesser [[intelligences]] the further back they go, finally taking [[origin]] in [[primitive]] life which was utterly devoid of all [[thinking]] and [[feeling]].

102:6.9 The facts of evolution must not be arrayed against the truth of the reality of the certainty of the spiritual experience of the religious living of the God-knowing mortal. Intelligent men should cease to reason like children and should attempt to use the consistent logic of adulthood, logic which tolerates the concept of truth alongside the observation of fact. Scientific materialism has gone bankrupt when it persists, in the face of each recurring universe phenomenon, in refunding its current objections by referring what is admittedly higher back into that which is admittedly lower. Consistency demands the recognition of the activities of a purposive Creator.

102:6.9 The [[facts]] of [[evolution]] must not be arrayed against the [[truth]] of the [[reality]] of the certainty of the [[spiritual]] [[experience]] of the religious living of the [[God]]-knowing [[mortal]]. [[Intelligent]] men should cease to [[reason]] like [[children]] and should attempt to use the [[consistent]] [[logic]] of [[Maturity|adulthood]], [[logic]] which [[tolerates]] the [[concept]] of [[truth]] alongside the [[observation]] of [[fact]]. [[Scientific]] [[materialism]] has gone [[bankrupt]] when it [[persists]], in the face of each recurring [[universe]] [[phenomenon]], in refunding its current objections by referring what is admittedly higher back into that which is admittedly lower. [[Consistency]] demands the [[recognition]] of the [[activities]] of a [[purposive]] [[Creator]].

102:6.10 Organic evolution is a fact; purposive or progressive evolution is a truth which makes consistent the otherwise contradictory phenomena of the ever-ascending achievements of evolution. The higher any scientist progresses in his chosen science, the more will he abandon the theories of materialistic fact in favor of the cosmic truth of the dominance of the Supreme Mind. Materialism cheapens human life; the gospel of Jesus tremendously enhances and supernally exalts every mortal. Mortal existence must be visualized as consisting in the intriguing and fascinating experience of the realization of the reality of the meeting of the human upreach and the divine and saving downreach.

102:6.10 [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_65#PAPER_65:_THE_OVERCONTROL_OF_EVOLUTION Organic evolution] is a [[fact]]; [[purposive]] or [[progressive]] [[evolution]] is a [[truth]] which makes [[consistent]] the otherwise [[contradictory]] [[phenomena]] of the ever-[[ascending]] achievements of [[evolution]]. The higher any [[scientist]] [[progresses]] in his chosen science, the more will he abandon the [[theories]] of [[materialistic]] [[fact]] in [[favor]] of the [[cosmic]] [[truth]] of the [[dominance]] of the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_116#116:1._THE_SUPREME_MIND Supreme Mind]. [[Materialism]] cheapens [[human]] life; the [[gospel]] of [[Jesus]] tremendously enhances and [[supernally]] exalts every [[mortal]]. [[Mortal]] [[existence]] must be visualized as consisting in the [[intriguing]] and [[fascinating]] [[experience]] of the [[realization]] of the [[reality]] of the meeting of the [[human]] upreach and the [[divine]] and saving downreach.

==102:7. THE CERTITUDE OF THE DIVINE==

==102:7. THE CERTITUDE OF THE DIVINE==