Why We Believe in God and Why We Need a Common Goal

By Lyle Smith

Lyle Smith is a 93-year-old lawyer who has read and seen much history and he notes a growing displeasure with Capitalism. In the past when one civilization gave way to a new one it was usually followed by a new religion.
We need a common goal for our life on earth and we have not outgrown the need for religion but our concept of God needs to be more closely associated with what we learn from science and less tied to ancient stories. Smith is not suggesting a new religion, we have active religions now and he hopes they will learn to cooperate in offering guidance on how to live on earth, while continuing differing faith practices and hope after death. He also thinks Jesus’ message and example of how to love our neighbors and ourselves can enrich all religions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 9, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546231844

Lyle Smith

Lyle Smith is a 94-year-old lawyer who has read and seen much history and he notes a growing displeasure with Western Materialism. In the past when one civilization gave way to a new one it was usually followed by a new religion but Lyle believes what is needed is a common goal for our life on earth and we have not outgrown the need for religion but our concept of God needs to be more closely associated with what we learn from science and less tied to ancient stories. Smith is not suggesting a new religion, we have active religions now and he hopes they will learn to cooperate in offering guidance on how to live on earth, while continuing differing faith practices and hope after death. He also thinks Jesus’ message and example of how to love our neighbors and ourselves can enrich all religions.

Book preview

WHY WE BELIVEVE IN

God

AND WHY WE NEED A

COMMON GOAL

Lyle Smith

38730.jpg

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Copyright © 2018 Lyle Smith. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/15/2018

ISBN: 978-1-5462-3185-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-3184-4 (e)

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture quotations marked RSV are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

Biblical quotations are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1947 unless otherwise indicated. TEV refers to Today’s English Version 1972.

Introduction

I THINK THE EVidENCE is growing that the Capitalist civilization, which spread throughout most of the world for a few years at the turn of the century is not sustainable, being based on accumulating ever increasing power and material wealth. The earth’s natural wealth is not unlimited nor, having exciting much of the world’s population to think more is good can we expect those who are getting less to ignore the fact that those at the top are reluctant to share.

Civilizations have peaked and gone in the past and there are growing signs that our civilization may pass and be followed by something new and more sustainable over time. Some economists are speculating on what that new way may be. I am inclined to think it may be something like the Living Earth Economy imagined by David Korten¹ and the MORE Economy described by Bill McKibben.²

A new civilization needs a new philosophy and concept of religion. Darwin’s thesis describing the survival of the fittest served the Capitalist society well as did the Puritan belief that God’s favor was evidenced by material success.

New philosophies are developing as we learn more about rain forests and even how our body develops by the cooperation of bacteria and our body fluids without top down management.

What I try to do in this book is to address the role of religion in a coming civilization. Religion has played a role in most past civilizations and often a new religion is associated with a rising civilization but I think we have some very vital religions and what they need to do is to learn how they can work together to give spiritual guidance to a changing future. I attempt to suggest some help in this regard by way of discussions about religion and its role in providing common goals for our society’s future here on earth.

Contents

PART ONE

Why We Believe In God

PART TWO

Jesus’ Teachings

PART THREE

Can We Arrive At A Common Purpose

For Human Life

PART ONE

Why We Believe In God

Day One

C HRIS. LESLIE, PHILLIP and Hal were four young lawyers from the nearby law offices in the Tower who regularly meet at the Tower Coffee shop for lunch. They have a rule against talking about their firm’s cases but most everything else is open for discussion. After the waiter finished taking their orders Hal turns to Chris: What is new with you, I know Les doesn’t want to talk about his golf game.

Chris answered: Saturday I attended a lecture put on by a teacher at my kid’s school entitled Genesis is History and it was claimed that the flood at the time of Noah covered the whole earth and the Grand Canyon was created at that time as the water washed back into the ocean. I am still trying to image whether that can be.

I don’t know why you spent time listening to that nonsense. I know many of your clients come from the Christian community but if you keep your kids in that Christian school they will be so out of touch with this modern world they won’t have a chance to compete in this modern age. Hal then turned to Les, Do you believe in God?"

Leslie replied: I think I can believe in God without believing that the Hebrew and Christian scriptures are an accurate history of all that has happened and I think there may be good reasons why belief in God is desirable even if we continue to look to science and secular history to describe what has been happening on our planet since life first appeared here.

Les how can you say you believe in God but don’t believe the Bible? asked Chris.

I believe the scriptures of the higher religion are most often written by people inspired by God and are useful in guiding us in the way of righteousness, but I would remind you that the Judean-Christian scriptures were not the first ones, nor the last one written. I am a Christian because it was by that religion I came to discover God and I happen to think Jesus gives us the best message about God’s character and God’s purpose for life on this planet but others before and since have contributed to our concept of the divine and the way to a better life.

At this point Phil entered the conversation. Hal, I know you don’t believe there is a God and science has all the answers but I am not sure science alone assures us of a good future. I haven’t gone to church much for a long time but I am beginning to become interested in the possibility that religion might help get us to a better future than science alone.

With that Hal responded: I think religion has been a great determent to a good society and human development. It has caused wars, opposed scientific development and human rights.

I no longer agree with that judgment, said Phil I would not say religion caused wars but rather that it has been used by national and religious hierarchies to motivate the common people to fight. The Christian Crusades and Muslim expansion by war are two such examples. It is also true that the religious hierarchy has sometimes opposed scientific development when it threatened their established view of the cosmos, but on the whole I think religion has greatly contributed to human development and progress. Both Galileo and Isaac Newton were Christians.

I still don’t see what religion has got to do with reality