As I think about this seemingly simple three letter word “why” it strikes me that it might just be one of the most important words in our, or for that matter any language. It seems that all languages make provision for us to question anything and everything from the mundane - “why is it so”, to the sublime “why am I here?” “Why” has been and remains a universal expression of curiosity. French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian and so on all have that single, simple means to question. Think about it; without “why” would anything have happened? From the time Man first looked up to the heavens and questioned why there were lights in the sky, to why the sun rose and set at different times each day, or why the ocean level rose and fell? What if early Man never questioned whether there might be a batter way to transport heavy objects across the ground? Certainly, the Neolithic Britons of Wales gave it some thought otherwise they would never have moved multi-ton blocks of bluestone some two hundred miles to what we now know as Stonehenge on the Salisbury Plain of England! It is the combination of our curiosity and imagination that gives rise to our need to answer such questions, all of which begin with “why?” Jules Verne in his 1865 novel “From the Earth to The Moon” imagined men traveling to that distant and mysterious body, and question why such a thing might not be possible. His solution of a massive cannon blasting a capsule into space might have seemed a little heavy handed, but the reality a little over a hundred years later wasn’t that far from his vision as seven million pounds of thrust from the Saturn Vs engines, an enormous amount of explosive potential, blasted Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins out of earth orbit, en route to their historic landing. We might look at the history of any invention or innovation and ask why and how the earliest germination of an idea came about. In a simpler context, I often wonder about that very first person who looked at a spiny crayfish or clawed lobster and said, “Hmm despite the hard shell and ugliness, that just might be a tasty morsel to eat?”
As a child in Perth, Western Australia I was deprived of the miracle of television, video games, computer, tablet, smart phone and other such stimulations, they had not yet been invented. We did have a radio though, a large consul that was illuminated and powered by glowing tubes of glass through which electrons were channeled and manipulated to convert the radio waves floating through the ether to reproduce for my ears the magical stories of programs such as The Air Adventures of Hopp Harrigan. Without visuals, my brain had to paint the pictures of the faces, places and events that unfolded with each new episode. I count that stimulation of my imagination as a good and valuable asset which I would use throughout my life, both in business, as well as for my continuing entertainment. While the amazing array of learning tools available to kids today, it is no wonder that they are learning skills and knowledge at earlier and earlier ages, but I wonder if they might also have missed some of the pleasures of imagining on which I happily relied.
When I was in my late teens and living in Perth, I became an avid fan of a television series which, if I remember correctly, was sponsored by the University of Sydney, and titled “The Summer Science Lectures”. We had recently acquired our first television set, black and white of course, and I was captivated by the central figure who was a very animated man with Einstein-esque hair named Professor Julius Sumner-Miller. He looked very much like him; think actor Sam Jaffe of the TV series “Ben Casey”, or the movie “Ben Hur”. Younger readers can simply Google him. The professor ended every phase of his on-screen experiments with the exclamation: “why is it so...why is it so?” If you will permit me to digress for a minute, and allow me to roll forward a few years, I was for nearly a year commuting every other week between New York and Tokyo where I was developing a joint venture between my then employer Citicorp, and several the major Japanese banks. As you might imagine, even in first class where I was privileged to be seated, thirteen hours on a Pan Am 747 became rather tiresome for passengers and cabin crew alike. One can only watch so many movies and consume so much food before other diversions, in the absence of sleep, become necessary. So, it was on one such return flight that I ventured back towards the rear of the first-class cabin to refresh my coffee when, from behind a curtain I hear, “why is it so...why is it so?” Peeking around the curtain I took in that long familiar vision of frizzy hair, lecturing a gentleman whose look of bewilderment indicated that he had no idea ‘why it was so’, despite the formulae etched in black marker pen across two pages of a Wall Street Journal! “Professor Sumner Miller?” I enquired. “Yes, young man” he responded and thus, to the apparent relief of his reluctant student who seized the opportunity to return to his seat, began for me perhaps one of the most delightful and memorable flights of my rather well-traveled life.
I am not sure how much, or how often your average person thinks about “why”. Perhaps because of the good professor, or simply as a product of a childhood that demanded inquisitiveness and inventiveness if one were to be entertained. As I earlier commented, no computers, iPods, Wiis, DVDs, or other such electronic amusements were available to us. ‘Why’ became a much-used word in my personal lexicon and thought process. As I continue to think about it, it is in the context of the latter that one might ask “is ‘why’ the center of where my spirit resides?” In his truly excellent treatise ‘Start with Why”, Simon Sinek (www.startwithwhy.com), anthropologist and now marketing consultant known for his development of the “Golden Circle”, a model based on human decision making, Sinek reveals some astounding facts about how our brains work and processes, or doesn’t process information. What he reveals is that the real center of decision-making is in our ‘Limbic’ brain, an area which has no capacity for language or numbers! Thus, it relies on our senses and emotional responses to guide us towards things like choice, likes and dislikes, and is largely unresponsive to facts and figures. It responds to sensations and emotions. As I have watched Simon’s video over and over, I keep coming back to the notion that this is perhaps, how God has tried to speak to Mankind over the ages. Surely, as one looks across the landscape of Man’s spiritual experience, it seems clear that all have shared in those universal ‘why’ questions. Just as surely, we see the shadows of our attempts to unravel the unfathomable in Aztec ruins, aboriginal ceremonies, Hindu art and writings over seven millennia, and the well documented recalcitrance of the nation of Israel up to and through the time of Jesus of Nazareth two thousand years ago. One can only imagine that a loving God must have endless patience, for we still fail to get the simplicity of the message He finally came down as a man to give to us, and so relieve us of our burden of law that had been the guide to Moses and the Israelites.
Abraham, or as he was first known, Abram, hears, God’s word and is about to follow His command to commit his son Isaac as a burnt offering. This is beyond a tough challenge of faith and obedience, but God stops him before the cremation of Isaac, still very much alive and bound atop dry wood on a makeshift stone altar, is completed. As I read this account and look around the world at any number of civilizations; Mayan, Aztec, Aboriginal, or any of the tribes of Native Americans for example, I must wonder did they also hear God’s message, but failed to understand it correctly? Is this the source of the history of human sacrifice we find in some early cultures? Were the Israelites not simply a ‘chosen’ people, as ones who got the message right? Of course, we will not receive the answer to such questions until we are reunited with Christ upon His return.
Another way I think of ‘why’ is akin to the person who habitually walks around with their eyes cast downward. One misses so much if we fail to look up! Similarly, if we never learn to ask ‘why’ how will we ever develop and groom the healthy curiosity that will distinguish us from others? Do parents unwittingly drive curiosity from their children when, out of frustration, tiredness or simply poor parenting skills they cut off their children’s ‘why’ questions with an annoyed, “just because”? Would the Wright Brothers, as Sinek talks about in his video, have ever had the passion to investigate and conquer powered manned flight, or anything else for that matter if they had not asked ‘why’?
In his excellent book “The Ascent of Man” (published by the British Broadcasting Corporation, 1973), Jacob Bronowski talks about the unfolding of Man’s progress and the confluence of “an act of will by man, with that of a strange and secret act of nature”. Whether we are talking about how we adapted and used the new vegetation that emerged at the end of the Ice Age, or the adaptation of fire, lightening, or our sense of gravity, all inventions by Man arise from the curiosity that is fueled by the question ‘why’. Without ‘why’ we cannot reasonably progress to the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of anything, certainly not something as essential as questions of life, God, and our future beyond the mystery of death! Sadly, I find it to be increasingly the case that younger generations exhibit little interest in exploring such challenging issues. Their senses have been blunted by the endless pablum of television, video games and the like. Is it any wonder that churches and cathedrals around the world stand empty, but for the sightseers? On a trip to England some years ago to visit my oldest daughter Laurie, Sharyn and I went to Winchester cathedral to attend Sunday services. This stunning example of architectural design using ‘flying buttresses’ (Ken Follett’s ‘The Pillars of the Earth’ is an excellent fictional read on the history of their development) is one of the largest cathedrals in Europe, and beautiful in every aspect of its design. Flying buttresses dramatically changed cathedral design and facilitated a shifting of the upper story weight, thereby facilitating the use of magnificent stained-glass windows in the clerestory walls of the upper section. Construction was commenced in the early eleventh century, and this truly wonderful structure was of interest to me as much of the limestone used in its construction came from quarries on the Isle of Wight, a short distance from my daughter’s village of Lymington. Sadly, however the major Sunday service was attended by so few people that we could not even fill the choir stalls where we were asked to sit. This is a tragic example of Christianity today across the United Kingdom and Europe where secularism has become the standard, and the practice of faith a dim memory.
Happenstance would neither have enabled our progress to date, nor will it define our future. Man will always have to shape his destiny, the question is, guided by what? One of my favorite quotes is, “spirituality is God’s attempt to relate to Man, while Religion is Man’s attempt to relate to God”! It strikes me that neither party has been highly successful so far in realizing the bounty available from such a connection. Then again, perhaps such a voluminous response is neither expected, nor intended. As far as religion is concerned, we seem to be moving further away from the model that was handed to us some two thousand years ago: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength; and love your neighbor as yourself!” Such seeming simplicity, yet clearly so hard to achieve! As we look around an increasingly hostile and violent world, it strikes me that one needs to be deaf, dumb and blind to not realize that relying solely on man’s laws is a slippery slope from which recovery seems an increasingly impossible task. If there is no higher authority to claim, then eventually everything becomes acceptable to some, and gradually, to all but a few. Chaos and anarchy may become the status quo and survival of the fittest the mantra of the day. Perhaps that is the message of Revelation, but with fewer and fewer studying scripture and thinking that the Bible is simply a “good book” without relevance in our modern world, such ignorance of scripture’s cautions and guidance would seem to commit mankind to the fate Revelation describes. We seem to think that we have a greatly more ‘informed’ state of awareness and thus, do not see the Bible as its reality of sixty-six historical texts with sources spanning thousands of years, and thousands of original examples still surviving today! Which brings us back to the question, “why is it so?” Perhaps we must look within ourselves to see a glimmer of an answer. Much as we find ourselves increasingly not thinking about “why”, we seem to increasingly live within our physical being, and from that conclude that all that is valuable is defined by taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound. Certainly, there is an unending array of stimuli to appeal to our physical senses. Moreover, we seem to be becoming increasingly desensitized to the horrors that sweep across the twenty-four hours of daily news that demands to be filled. Our acceptance of ever decreasing standards of civil behavior, and elevating levels of violence and sexual depravity, have become the norm. No one seems in the least phased by the insidious nature of what today is called entertainment. So “why”, if these are the true sources of contentment, are we so discontented? Clearly, on some level, we understand that there must be more to our existence than that which can be sated through our physical being. To even start to answer that requires considerable effort, study, and a willingness to first accept that there is something greater than all our wisdom, knowledge and insight. That something is connected to us, and through us, and intends for us to achieve a higher state amid all this mess we call life. As Katherine Hepburn so aptly states to Humphrey Bogart in the film The African Queen: “Nature, Mr. Alnutt is what we are put in this world to rise above!”
My wife Sharyn and I had the distinct pleasure and privilege to host, as guests in our home, Bishop P.J. Lawrence and his charming wife, Shanthi. My reason for sharing details of this visit is prompted by what I see as the condition of the church here in America, not to mention the dismal state of Christianity in Europe and the United Kingdom, as earlier stated. Studies indicate that over 90% of Americans (Washington Post, June 24th, 2008) believe in God, or a universal spirit. So that is good, right? What is more nearly 80% think that miracles occur, and that angels and demons are active in the world! So “why’” are we in so much trouble and increasingly disenchanted with the need for a faith life? Permit me to continue with the story of our guests and explore a little further.
As part of my morning ritual while the Bishop was in residence, I would rise early to make him his morning coffee, strong just as I like it, and a light breakfast so that we could spend a couple of hours talking. Bishop Lawrence was, at the time, presiding over a diocese of some 400 congregations in a rural part of southeastern India where, as part of a Hindu nation, they are indeed a persecuted church. In a neighboring state, house and church burnings, beatings and death are frequent realities of a Christian life. Like many of the Muslim countries that were once Christian (read “The Lost History of Christianity” by John Philip Jenkins, HarperCollins), must face real and present danger in practicing their faith. WHY? Good question! We in America are still enjoying the privilege of honoring and praising God openly, albeit that we have seen God increasingly banned from our schools, the halls of government, and the public square! We should consider it to be a privilege that could easily change if we are not careful. I doubt that as recently as twenty years ago, many could have foreseen the current situation in our country. Morals, the breaking down of civil discourse, disrespect by the young for the experience of their elders, to name a few. Could we have thought there would ever be a rapidly growing movement towards socialism as a way forward for this country?
As I enquired more about his life, faith journey, and the Church of South India, I learned a surprising fact. About thirty years before India attained its independence, the various religious denominations realized that as a faith minority it might be wise to consider a more unified approach to assure a future. As a colonial stronghold for missions of all denominations – Baptist, Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, Congregational, etc., they were literally many but few. Many divided houses of God, but few relative to the population of the sub-continent were adherents to the Christian faith. Following thirty years of painstaking work, debate, argument, and the putting aside of personal egos and preferences, they crafted ONE church, ONE expression of the Christian faith, ONE liturgy, and ONE Book of Common Prayer! What is truly surprising however, is what Bishop PJ managed to accomplish year over year. He and his small band hosted a festival which was open to all to attend, and it was attended not by hundreds or thousands, but by literally hundreds of thousands! Christians, Hindus, and Muslims, all sharing in a common curiosity and desire to get to know God just a little better!
At a recent breakfast meeting with my Bishop friend, Kevin Donlon, he reminded me of another amazing act of faith that occurred in the face of a very real threat of death! It was on a Christmas Eve in the cathedral of a small village in a north, central African country. I should clarify that the term cathedral used here bears no physical resemblance to the Gothic edifices of Europe or the British Isles. In terms of its spiritual form however, it would put any or all of those to shame. Even having doors is considered a luxury, and yet the place was filled to overflow capacity, celebrating the eve of Christ’s birth.
In the middle of the service, rebel gunmen would shoot their way in, killing dozens of innocent Christians and wounding dozens more. They were of course coming to steal anything they could, in addition to killing and maiming in an act of savagery towards a faith they believe should be obliterated.
Sadly, they and others like them had already cleaned out anything of value during prior raids. They had already stolen the Bishop’s car. The next go around they stole his motorbike, the only form of transportation his flock could afford. He was down to a bicycle to be able to get around to visit his churches. That, and a bag of rice was all he had left, so he offered it to them. As he was handing over the bag of rice, he asked them if he could pray for them, that they would put these last, meager assets to good use.
That is what being a Christian leader is all about. That is what being a Christian in the face of evil must be! Do I know if I could act in such a manner, staring down the barrel of an automatic weapon aimed at my face? I have no idea, because I have had the privilege of growing up and living in safety. The biggest threat I might have to face is some verbal abuse, mostly by the remote mechanism of the internet.
How do we convey this level of faith and commitment to a people whose concerns might be more about “can we afford a choir director?” Or, the service hours are not flexible enough. Perhaps there is something about the pastor that causes us to turn away, I am sure you get the idea. Having served on vestries and church councils over the years, I have heard more than I care to think about. Then again, we must be grateful that people show up, correct?
Does it not strike you that when Jesus sent seventy-two disciples out by twos to spread the good news of the Gospel, that he had in mind a unifying experience in faith through the Holy Spirit, not a house divided against itself? As I thought about this I thought about another statistic: while 92% of Americans ‘claim’ God [or a universal spirit], only 48% attend and are a part of a church…Why is it so? Based on my own experience I realized that while 48% may go to church, a much smaller fraction believe they should be the church, living out the Life in their daily lives. I absolutely know how hard that is, and I personally fail at it regularly! Thank the Lord we are supposed to earnestly keep trying because attainment is not possible in this life. The more I listened to the Bishop’s story and thought about the current situation here in the United States and reflected on a common comment I hear from acquaintances, the refrain; “so many churches, such waste, so much squabbling, I can be spiritual without all of that!” I began to understand that perhaps God expects less pettiness and more greatness from us. That perhaps our spiritual leaders need to think more about the “Great Commission” and less about how they interpret their position, status, and security. Please do not misunderstand, I love my faith and I love my church and the family of brothers and sisters I have inherited, but I hear a strong call to strive to be more ecumenical. I believe that if we were to accomplish this, many who are disenchanted with their physical life might step up to get in touch with their spiritual being. It is in this way that we can meet God and nurture the role he intended us to play in this brief and transitory part of the journey upon which we are embarked.
So let me close out this segment around “Why Is It So” with a question: If you were to take a moment or longer, turning your mind from considering yourself as a Physical Being that also has a spirit, to one that is a Spiritual Being that is temporarily occupying a physical body in this time and place, what would you need to change in the way you conduct your life to fully realize the power and benefit of such a state? As a further thought, what would this world be like? How would your life be different if there were no lying, cheating, deception, dishonesty, cruelty, anger; I think you get the idea. We might instead call it “Heaven”, as Randy Alcorn so aptly describes in his book of the same name. Why is it NOT so?
As you can I hope see, we must put “why” at the center of everything if we have any hope of unravelling the great mystery of our existence. It cannot be as simple as the equation of good and evil, and the reality that we hold the power of choice. Every second of every minute of every day we make choices in our thoughts, words, and deeds. It is a very binary thing! In each instance we are either moving towards, or away from that which God desires for us, but how often do we stop to think of that? While this is a very simple view of our life, I nonetheless believe it to fundamentally be the case. The difficulty resides in the fact that we come into this world a physical being through a very physical experience, birth. From the earliest age we are very much aware of our physical needs, food, warmth, comfort and, hopefully, a nurturing love. As we grow, our physical world, together with our sense of it grows. Our mind, the second part of the triad of our being, also grows and develops as a function of our environment, learning and life experiences. Our spiritual being however, is perhaps more the product of good fortune that depends on the benefit of good parenting, by example and encouragement, or by dint of that special turn of events or circumstance that awakens our need to ask the “why” questions Man has wrestled with since we first looked in wonderment at the night sky, and pondered just what is out there.
Then, there are the life tragedies through which we not only ask “why,” but also “why me!” If fortunate, we come to experience the love of God that enables us to deal with the horror that has befallen our life, and by example of how we deal with it we might unknowingly or unwittingly help someone else deal with the misfortunes in their life.
As we are now beginning to emerge from the latest pandemic to strike mankind, there are many of those “why” questions on our minds. Not the least of which involves what life in the post-Covid19 world will be like? How different might it be or, how quickly will we simply return to the way things were, much as we did after the horrors of 9/11. Stay tuned!
EXCERPTED FROM MY BOOK “Why God” “Why Now” – In eBook and paperback on www.amazon.com