True Values 

The merits of true values should be sought in the spiritual realm and on divine levels of eternal reality. As a mortal ascends, lower and material standards must be understood to be temporary, incomplete, and inferior.

If the moral insight and spiritual progress of humanity do not grow in proportion to the growth of a materialistic culture, this imbalance could pose a threat to civilization. A scientific approach solely focused on materialism carries the potential to undermine all scientific efforts, as this mindset foreshadows the eventual decline of a civilization that has forsaken the spiritual origins of moral values and rejected its spiritual aspirations.

The materialistic scientist and the extreme idealist are destined to clash. However, this is not the case for those scientists and idealists who share a common standard of high moral values and spiritual benchmarks. Throughout every era, scientists and religionists must understand that they are being evaluated in light of human needs. They should avoid conflict between themselves and instead try to justify their continued existence by dedicating themselves more fervently to the service of human progress. If the science or religion of a particular period is found to be false, it must either refine its practices or yield to the emergence of a more genuine and worthwhile material science or spiritual religion.

Jesus cautioned his followers that if their spiritual desires were solely materialistic, a growing understanding of the natural world would gradually replace the belief in supernatural origins, leading to a loss of faith in God. If their religion were spiritual, the advancement of physical science would never disturb their belief in eternal truths and divine principles.

In the material world, logic and mathematics are reliable when applied to physical things. However, neither should be considered entirely dependable or infallible when addressing life's problems, as life encompasses phenomena that go beyond the purely material. For example, if one person can shear a sheep in ten minutes, mathematics may suggest that ten persons could do the job in one minute; in practice, the ten men would interfere with each other's work, resulting in significant delays rather than speeding up the process.

Similarly, mathematics might propose that if one person represents a certain unit of intellectual and moral value, ten persons would stand for ten times this value. Yet, in dealing with human personality, it would be more accurate to say that a socially coordinated group of human beings working in harmony represents a force much greater than the sum of its personalities.

Quantity can be identified as a fact, becoming a scientific uniformity. On the other hand, quality, being a matter of mind interpretation, reflects an estimation of values and remains a quality only discernible in an individual's experience. When both science and religion become more open to criticism and less dogmatic, philosophy will have the opportunity to achieve unity in intelligently comprehending the universe.

Genuine religion, often referred to as the religion of revelation, involves the revelation of supernatural values: divine beauty, infinite goodness, and eternal truth. It provides a partial understanding of eternal realities, offering a glimpse into the goodness and beauty of the infinite character of the Father in heaven. This type of religion is characterized by the manifestation of the spirit in human experience.

True religion enables one to discover values in the universe that evoke faith, trust, and assurance, reaching its culmination in worship. It delves into the supreme values of the soul, contrasting them with the relative values discerned by the mind. This extraordinary insight into superhuman realms is attainable only through authentic religious experience.

In matters of religion, Jesus advocated and embraced the method of experience, the same method by which science actively pursues experimental techniques. Finding God is a result of spiritual insight, which is approached through a love for the beautiful, the pursuit of truth, dedication to duty, and the worship of divine goodness. Among these values, love stands out as the true guide to genuine insight.

The realities and values of spiritual progress are not daydreams of the material mind. Instead, they represent the spiritual values provided by the indwelling spirit of God that resides in the human mind.

When religion is purely spiritual in its motivation, it adds significant value to all aspects of life, infusing it with lofty purposes, elevating it with transcendent values, and motivating it with noble purposes. Simultaneously, it provides comfort to the human soul through sublime and enduring hope. True religion is intended to alleviate the burdens of existence, freeing up faith and courage for daily living and selfless service. Faith fosters spiritual vitality and leads to righteous productivity.

The world needs more firsthand religion. Descriptive words about beautiful things cannot evoke the same thrill as witnessing them, and creedal words cannot inspire souls as much as the firsthand experience of knowing the presence of God. Expectant faith will consistently keep the hope-door of the human soul open for the influx of eternal spiritual realities and true values of the worlds beyond.