Re: Religion in a Modern World

Description: Prof. Gomes: If everyone were to change their own personal world for the better by planting "good seeds" wouldn't the end result be a changed world? Then the question becomes, “How do they learn to be good planters?” Isn’t that where “circumcision of the heart” (or its non-Judeo-Christian equivalents) comes to the fore?

Transcript:

I have faith that one has been brought into this world for a reason.  None of us would claim to understand that we don’t.  And we have faith about various theories about how we came here.  But then somehow, we’re lucky to be here for however long we are.  And while we’re here, it makes eminent good sense to try in your infinitely small way to make this world a somewhat difference place, and a somewhat different better place than it would have been without you.  And that involves helping society.  It involves helping people.  It involves a lot of things that’s involved with making the world a little bit better in your own small way.  Now some people might call that faith.  Why do you believe that?  Is it because you’re gonna go to heaven?  Or is it because . . .  It just makes very good sense to be a good, productive, empathetic, sympathetic human being – a helpful human being.

Recorded On: 7/26/07