I happen to be a Christian. I was brought up and drenched in that. I am very orthodox in thinking that Jesus acted in his life the way God would have acted if God had assumed human form. Huston Smith actassumebring Change image and share on social
I am critical of modernity giving science and technology a blank check as if it were the fountain of all truth. That is not true. And I think I may have introduced a word which has now caught on quite a bit, scientism. Science is good. It simply reports a discovery. Huston Smith biteblankcatch share on social
In my town, I had only one adult American male role model: my father. I grew up taking it for granted that missionaries were what American boys grew up to be. Huston Smith adultamericanboy Change image and share on social
I'm not a chauvinist. I'm a universalist. I think that God imploded, like a spiritual big bang, to launch the eight civilizations that make up recorded history and the religions in those civilizations. Huston Smith bangbigchauvinist share on social
Rationalism and Newtonian science has lured us into dark woods, but a new metaphysics can rescue us. Huston Smith darkluremetaphysic Change image and share on social
Exclusively oral cultures are unencumbered by dead knowledge, dead facts. Libraries, on the other hand, are full of them. Huston Smith culturedeadexclusively Change image and share on social
It's often difficult for us to act compassionately, but sacred art eases the difficulty by ennobling us. Huston Smith actartcompassionately Change image and share on social
I think it matters almost infinitely that we practice one of the authentic religions. But if you mean does it make any difference which. The answer is no, as long as each is followed with equal intensity, sincerity, dedication. Huston Smith answerauthenticdedication share on social
Science is empirical, all about physical senses that tell us about the world. But physical senses are not the only senses we have. Nobody has ever seen a thought. Nobody has ever seen a feeling. And yet thoughts and feelings are where we live our lives most immediately, and science cannot connect with that. Huston Smith connectempiricalfeeling share on social
The faith I was born into formed me. I come from a missionary family - I grew up in China - and in my case, my religious upbringing was positive. Of course, not everyone has this experience. I know many of my students are what I have come to think of as wounded Christians or wounded Jews. Huston Smith bearcasechina share on social