All problems of humanity lie in-between the right and the wrong. This requires an ability to detect what is right from what is wrong. Wrongness produces what is harmful, leading to death, whereas, rightness produces survival. Honesty requires sincerity in what is known and distrust but pursuing the understanding of the unknown.
There is no danger in the two extremes, the known and the unknown. The danger lies in assuming to know what one doesn’t know. There is no secret in that there are people who claim to be champions of things they do not know. They attract multitudes of followers who then authenticate their false information.
A typical example of this reality includes traditional Christianity, with authorities who are unwilling to accept scientific scrutiny of things believed. The Italian astronomer, Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de’ Galilei was rejected, yet with indisputable scientific evidence.
Galileo’s adventures opened the floodgates of innumerable scientific discoveries, also enabling the advancement of Christianity. Yet Galileo could not be embraced by those claiming to be followers of Jesus.
The likes of Galileo ought to have been declared as God’s true prophets. But they are not accepted, even in the fringe of the Christian religion. They are vilified, even with glaring useful scientific discoveries.
Indeed, science and religion should be infused in one, if truth was to be allowed without opposition. Truth frees everyone, and only the criminals are intimidated by the truth. This brings us to the apparent failings of our Zimbabwean constitution, meant to direct acceptable behavior.
The incapacitation of the constitution is driven by greed and self-centeredness. Human laws cannot succeed, due to self-protection, rather than advancing what is naturally correct. The maximum goodness is achieved by accessing survival for the greatest number of those concerned. Although having its share of criticism, democracy stands out as outsmarting other systems of authority.
For instance, the apartheid system was enacted on the basis of protecting the few, at the expense of the average majority. Although appearing as formidable to some, at that time, apartheid could not stand the test of time.
The proponents of apartheid laws were unaware of the axioms derived in nature. The laws of nature are infallible. But why do the educated of this world seem unwilling to take advantage of them?
There is nothing complicated about the laws of nature. These laws are a matter of choosing between life and death. For instance, if one violates the laws of combustion, he gets consumed. The greatest law of human survival was articulated by Jesus, for those desiring survival:
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12) NIV).
There is truth in that whatever one lacks, in this life, another person would have it in abundance. This could be in the form of wisdom and knowledge or finances.
Whichever way one looks at it, whatever one possesses, is worthless, as long as not benefitting other people. In other words, wisdom and knowledge held by one person translate into wisdom and knowledge found among those in one’s environment.
Hence, information technology is credited to scientists, like Galileo. But, the same Galileo, if still alive, would probably be perplexed by the latest technological discoveries, based on his original discoveries.
Jesus clearly stated that problems of humanity were a result of a lack of faith. “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20-21).
If one is wise, but surrounded by fools, causing all sorts of problems in the environment, what use is his wisdom? That person dies alongside the stupid people, doing stupid things, causing various problems in his environment.
When rich, but surrounded by poor people, you could be idolized. But your life would be as empty as destined to be buried with the poor. Jesus was very clear in bringing out the workability of the philosophy of caring for oneself when taking care of others.
How else could Jesus have illustrated this point, without using the parable of the Good Samaritan? The simplicity of that parable lies in that the Good Samaritan is not highlighted as having been religious.
The Good Samaritan, simply, took the responsibility to salvage a victim of the robbers. The compassion, with which the Good Samaritan administered the salvaging of the robbery victim, was not driven by religion. This act of love was not out of religious persuasion, but out of responsibility.
He did not commit himself to perform such a responsibility, out of desiring honor from other people. He didn’t even expect compensation from the unfortunate robbery victim. He also did not consult others, before carrying out such humanitarian activity. The illustration, using the Good Samaritan, was an answer to a lawyer, seeking to trap Jesus on neighborhood consideration.
The Lawyer may have had the correct answer, but, possibly, unable to do what the Good Samaritan, who was not a legal expert did. The Good Samaritan simply applied the axiom:
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12) NIV).
The term “Law and the Prophets” denotes the entire structure of the Bible, misunderstood by the religious people of that time. The two characters who stood out as representing the Law and the Prophets were Moses and Elijah. But, Jesus superseded both of them.
Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him, I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:3-5) (NIV).
If Peter had any doubt about the authority vested on Jesus, the last line clarifies: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him, I am well pleased. Listen to him!” The Law and the Prophets carried everything that sustained the Jewish religion. But such authority was to be superseded by Jesus.
The intention of the Law was to direct God’s people to God’s mind. While the role of the Prophets pointed at the coming Messiah. Sadly, not many of the religious people understood the significance of this reality, as also recorded by Luke:
“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law” (Luke 16-17) (NIV).
The Israelites were given the Law, through Moses. The purpose of the Prophets was, simply, foretelling God’s Kingdom, whose authority is unchangeable, as based on axioms. As established by God, Himself, all axioms point to principles that cannot be changed. The authority of Jesus, therefore, removes superstition and uncertainties.
Remarkably, only the scientists and philosophers, seem like the only ones capable of taking advantage of these axiomatic principles; rather than the religious people.
The most difficult thing is to convince Christians that Jesus was not a religious leader, but a teacher. But, anything considered truthful, needs to be scientifically proven. Jesus should be the bridge, between science and religion. Hence, He said:
“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached” (Luke 16:16).
This implies what is established as representing God’s Kingdom, rather than who is to be worshipped or not worshipped. For instance, while desiring that my children should obey me, as their father, I do not expect them to worship me. Why should God be different in His view of His own children?
The survival of humanity does not need miracles. It needs understanding the axiomatic principles, empowering the individual with the responsibility to control things. It is important to recognize that all accidents are a result of human error of judgment.
Jumping from a high tower, without properly estimating the height, obviously causes death. The one who created the law of gravity expects the understanding of the risk of jumping from a high tower, without precautions. This is different from carelessly jumping, expecting to be miraculously saved from injury.
The natural laws are as many as found to be relevant, or not relevant to human survival. Apparently, only the scientists take advantage of these laws, yet even without, necessarily appreciating God’s existence.
The understanding of such scientific laws gives anyone an unmitigated power, bringing the relevance of why Jesus declared:
“Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20-21).
Jesus was not referring to miraculous abilities, as expounded by religious charlatans. He was talking about the reality sustained in axiomatic Laws, in God’s nature. In their proclivity to sound more superior to everyone, the religious charlatans attempted to discredit science.
The problem with most of those religious people is rejecting logic, and yet God’s laws are based on logic. It is shameful that science carries the torch, in terms of advancing modern civilization.
It is also a shame that the legal fraternity is having to be entrusted with enacting laws, in administering politics. Apparently, at the point of science producing irrefutable discoveries, Christians were reduced to religious cults.
In so doing, they were discrediting Jesus, having been the first, with scientific relevance. Through His resurrection, Jesus proved that humans were more than the clay product, visualized by naked eyes.
Everything that Jesus taught was based on axioms. However, due to unbelief, Jesus was idolized by Christians, who lost balance, after having been confronted by the wisdom of scientific relevance. They sought to discredit workable scientific discoveries, so as to effectively highlight Jesus’s miracles.
Everything done by Jesus was fabulously regarded as miraculous. But what about scientific advancements in our modern world? Of course, no human being can be equal with Jesus, in terms of wisdom and knowledge. But it was Jesus who declared:
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12) (NIV).
Jesus represented an ideal being, created in God’s image. Nevertheless, that did not make Him different from humans also created in God’s image, regardless of their degradation. What made Jesus superior was His knowledge, not accessible to the proud, yet accessible to the humble.
Having knowledge, ahead of others, burdens one with the responsibility to teach others the same knowledge. Hence Jesus had to be humiliated, as to die on the cross, on behalf of all of us.
This piece of information has not been understood by the educated of this world, due to being clogged in idolatry. But its simplicity is derived from the axiomatic information, not necessarily requiring education.
When dealing with axioms, it is unnecessary to engage secular education. The key lies in appreciating being the son of the living God, the understanding of which Jesus asserted that flesh and blood could not reveal:
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven” (Matthew 16:18).
The axiomatic knowledge can be understood, even by one, so uneducated as to be unable to write his own name. Such understanding can be likened to common sense, as can be codified in the statement:
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12) NIV)
Some people boast about possessing prestigious law degrees, yet failing to understand the simplicity of what Jesus taught. Nevertheless, the scientists have done commendable works, considering the strident advancement in information technology.
But there is nothing peculiar with those people, except their willingness to examine things, using common sense. Their ability lies in their willingness to examine the laws of nature, hence coming up with workable axioms.
The greatest axiom of all time is that there is nothing existing without God, who created humanity in His own image. If one is God’s child why would one experiment with other ideas, rather than accepting being God’s child, in behavior? All our problems, as human beings are solved at the point of knowing our true identity.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. In a simple conversational tone, most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
Also available as an e-copy at Lulu.com for $6.99
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