I would be remiss if I didn’t start this article with a sincere wish that everyone may have a very happy and prosperous New Year. May this pandemic that has taken over our minds, soon be quickly dissolved.

Throughout my adult life I have not endorsed any particular church doctrine, although I have never forgotten my roots, and have always considered my faith in God as an important part of my life. In my retiring years I have started going to church again. I have no responsibilities to anything, or anyone except myself. Consequently I spend more time considering what life is all about. The obligations of the work-a-day world may easily distract us from what is actually most important in our lives.

I was born in 1927, the same year that Lindbergh made the first crossing ever of the Atlantic Ocean in his airplane, “The Spirit of St. Louis.” The crossing took him over 33 hours. During my lifetime, there have been more advances in scientific research than in hundreds of the preceding years. Progress has given us an independence regarding our control of our environment than mankind has never known. We have lost our fear of unknown forces that made religious devotees of many in years past. I believe that today our understanding of the rule of law throughout the universe, will eventually bring us an understanding of a new reality, which goes beyond today’s general comprehension.

In again attending church, and realizing the impact upon churches that modern science has had, I believe religion is at a new crossroads. It will soon be overtaken by a new surge in its importance. That up-surge will be caused by the very science that caused its abatement. One would wonder how such a simple teaching as Jesus made could result in some of the different interpretations we have today.

We all have our ideas about various interpretations of biblical scripture. Let us recognize, the Bible was not written by God. Many different people wrote it; they all felt inspired by God. It would appear that some had more inspiration than others, We must realize that these men in ancient times, although perhaps very intelligent, and dedicated to the meaning of life, lived in a very different world than we do today. Their interpretations may also be different than many today.

Many still generally accept that a wayward spirit we refer to as Satan, is responsible for luring good people into acts of sin, or careless abandonment to the will of God. If God is all powerful and all knowing, why would he, or how could he, accidentally, or on purpose create an evil spirit to harass mankind, or lead him astray to his own eternal destruction. That doesn’t sound very all knowing or all powerful. The psychiatrists and philosophers today are teaching that most of our troubles are caused by our own ignorance. You create in your own mind the world you live in. If the world you create for yourself is not in alignment with reality, you are in trouble. Today’s maniacs who shoot up the schools are a symptom of some of the distorted mentalities that are afloat on the sea of humanity. The human mind is a very delicate instrument and must be taught with tenderness and care if it is to ripen into the beautiful awareness it has been designed to possess.

Just because we may not get caught at some dastardly act, doesn’t mean we got away with it. If you cannot be trusted, you have taught yourself that people are not trustworthy. Your life and your relationships suffer as a result. Our mind’s are not fools. The less you honestly and humbly love yourself, the less you can honestly see others as lovable, and the more miserable you will inevitably be in your own untrustworthy, unloving, world. In short, we are our own Satan, or God, as we believe. As has been said, “Life is what you make it!” May God bless America.