Hi Shalom...
You may have confused intelligence with reasoning and knowledge. "God" gave us reasoning. Lower animals have it as well. Through reasoning comes knowledge. You can use it to find solutions, new ways of doing things, they can be tried, tested and used or discarded.
Intelligence is simply how well we use our ability to reason to solve problems, apply logic, etc.
Belief, on the other hand comes from men through language. You say that you have the "word of God," but when you analyse it (with reasoning) you simply have to take another man's word that it is the word of God. You see, Shalom, your beliefs are rooted in other men, not God. Belief is a dead end street. Once you believe it your reasoning stops because you have to take it "on faith." Once you abandon your reasoning you have abandoned the one thing that your creator gave you to make your way on this planet.
No God came down and said, "Shalom, this is my word." did they? A man told you that and you believed him. You have no relationship with your creator, only with the men who, for whatever reason, wish to control your mind and actions because that's what they "believe" you should do.
You, or David said something like "By their fruit you would know them." Look at the fruit of belief. Men waging war for their beliefs, whether is was religious or political. We have a perfect example of that in the middle east and Ireland and a half dozen other countries today. Whereas if they thought about it, how much more productive they would be to sit down and say, "Hey, we have differences of opinion and ideas, but let's enjoy each other's differences." Hawaii is a great example of that, a half dozen races living together harmoniously because it makes sense.
You say you are not trying to sell anything. I would beg to differ there. In order for a religion to exist, it has to be "sold" to someone else to multiply. Look at the one's that weren't sold. I remember going to the Shaker museums in New York State. Because they didn't evangelize and were celebate, they didn't survive. Evangelizing (sp?) and selling are one in the same. Your asking someone to "buy" an idea.
Some time when it's quiet. Take a sheet of paper and make two columns. "What I was born with," and "What I aquired since birth." Think about what the creator gave you and what you got from men. "Nature vs nurture," so to speak. When you do, if you are honest with yourself, you will have to put your beliefs in the aquired column. Yet, you were born with your reasoning. If you never met another man, you would have your reasoning, but you wouldn't have your beliefs.
Don't turn your back on your creator, my friend. There is a wonderful world out here. But you'll never find it with blinders on.
As you would say, "God bless."
:o) |
