Major shortcomings of our modern world:
- to believe that humanity would be the most highly developed form of life and that there would only be intelligent life on earth
- that the further back you go in history, the more primitive, unintelligent, and uncivilized humanity becomes, equating technical progress and civilization
- to consider matter as the origin of life and consciousness as a symptom of chemical reactions in the brain
Develop an approach to faith which does not fear intellect, and an approach to intellect which does not fear faith. Religious faith is not antithetical to experiential intellect. This is the false dichotomy to overcome. Faith is required before one can have any inspiration for inquiry and examination. Conversely, without inquiry and examination, faith can never become anything more than a seed.