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There is a place where mysticism and science coexist in harmony and that place is called Nature.

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“As our enemies have found we can reason like men, so now let us show them we can fight like men also.”

— Thomas Jefferson, American Politician and Philosopher

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The fact that the human being can have the representation “I” raises him infinitely above all the other beings on earth. By this he is a person….that is, a being altogether different in rank and dignity from things, such as irrational animals, with which one may deal and dispose at one’s discretion. (Kant, LA, 7, 127)

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“People who comprehend a thing to its very depths rarely stay faithful to it forever. For they have brought its depths into the light of day: and in the depths there is always much that is unpleasant to see.”

— from Nietzsche’s Human, all too Human, s.489, R.J. Hollingdale transl.

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ANIMUS: My dear Corpinius, there are so many stories that I have heard throughout my travels. So many of them have changed my views of people and the way I look at the world. I am so blessed that I had the opportunity to come by the people I encountered and am even more privileged to hear what they thought about the world. So I must say, your question is quite difficult; I cannot choose one single instance, I treasure all of them like beautiful pearls from the deepest parts of the Mediterranean.

CORPINIUS: Fairly stated, Animus. I might think the same of my experiences as well, for the exception of all the war and bloodshed I encountered; however, throughout my travels, one single instance changed me. This encounter shifted not only who I am as a person, but the way I perceive and love the Lord. This instance was so great in its importance, I cannot even begin to explain to you the nature of this conversation. It has even been the central forethought of my prayers every night. I…

ANIMUS: Wait, wait, my dear friend! You must tell me how this went about! It is my utmost desire to know; perhaps it might even have some impact on me.

CORPINIUS: Well, Animus. Before I start, you might have some problems believing what I’m about to say.

ANIMUS: Just tell me, and I will attempt to understand.

CORPINIUS: Okay, to start off, this conversion of insight had its origin in an unlikely source.

ANIMUS: And what source might this be, my friend?

CORPINIUS: A boy. My encounter started with a young boy.

ANIMUS: A boy? I was expecting something else, my friend. I presumed that you might have met a great teacher or maybe even experienced some sort of miracle. Tell me, my friend, how did a young boy promote a senior abbot to change his perception of God?

CORPINIUS: Let me start off. Initially, I was teaching the boy the scriptures of the Bible. The boy was raised in a Pagan household, you know, worshiping the gods of earth, air, fire, and water; the same sort of worship that was observed in antiquity. However, during our discussion of scripture, we looked at one passage from the Book of John. We read…

“And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”

—1 John 5:20

In this same moment, I looked at the boy, in puzzlement as to why he had a curious, but overwhelmingly powerful look on his face. As I was about to ask him what was wrong, he opened his mouth and asked me this, “Father, did Christ really give us understanding?” I replied immediately, “Yes, my young boy. Why do you ask?” He replied, “Well, Father, if God gave us understanding of the world, and in particularly an understanding of Himself through Christ, is Jesus the only way that we can come to know God?” I replied to the boy, “I’m not sure what you are asking, young sir; perhaps in my old age, my mind is escaping me.” They boy then added, “Well Father, my family has been devastated by the tragedies of war. I have not seen my father in many moons, and my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters are all beginning to fall ill to infection. If I were to look at instances such as these, they would not lead me to the conclusion that there is a God, but perhaps quite the opposite. So Father, what I’m asking is, is there any possible way, through observation of the outside world, that can demonstrate that God exists?” I didn’t know what to say, initially. At first, I was so surprised that such an inquiry came from the mouth of such a young boy. However, in the long-run, this question has plagued my conscious and my soul since the day it happened. I have meditated on this question for months, and can only think of what we learned in our training. Do you understand what I am talking about, Animus?

The above selection is from a dialogue on Aquinas and the Quinque Viae, having been authored by myself. 

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“Death is not an event in life: we do not live to experience death. If we take eternity to mean not infinite temporal duration but timelessness, then eternal life belongs to those who live in the present.”

— Ludwig Wittgenstein, Contemporary Analytic philosopher 

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Artwork by Laura Zombie

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Aang: Why would I let go of Katara? I….I love her! 
Guru Pathik: Learn to let her go. Or you cannot let the pure cosmic energy flow in from the universe. 
Aang: Why would I choose pure cosmic energy over Katara? How could it be a bad thing that I feel an attachment to her? Three chakras ago that was a good thing! 
Guru Pathik: You must learn to let go. 

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