Evolution and Religion - Use Them Both!

A great teaching from Rabbi Arthur Green's Radical Judaism: Rethinking God & Tradition (page 22):

The incredibly complex interplay of forces and the thick web of mutual dependency among beings are no less amazing than the distance traversed in this long evolutionary journey. The interrationships between soil, plants, and insects, or those between climate, foliage, and animal life, all leave us breathless as we begin to comtemplate them. It is these very intricacies and complexities that have led the religious fundamentalists to hold fast to the claim that there must be a greater intelligence behind it all, that such complexity can only reflect the planning of a supernatural Mind. But they miss the point of the religious moment here. Our task as religious persons is not to offer counterscientific explanations for the origin of life. Our task is to notice, to pay attention to, the incredible wonder of it all, and to find God in that moment of paying attention.

Yesod in Yesod - Day 41 of the Omer

The balanced basis of the universe in itself - Yesod in Yesod - a day of looking at the fundamentals of our fundamentals.

When do our starting points lack good starting points? When must the substance of our foundation be more substantial?

Hod in Yesod - Day 40 of the Omer

Awe in the vastness of the universe, Hod, in the basic balanced foundation of all things, Yesod - sometimes merely looking at the roots of a tree, or a foundation of an idea or project, generates awe on its own.

In the same way, when starting with our foundation we aim to include humility before the wonder of being able to build at all.

[From yesterday]

Netzach in Yesod - Day 39 of the Omer

Eternity, the long view on our ego, Netzach, in Yesod, the basic foundation - we cannot build a strong base without believing in our ability to have an impact on the world.

Appropriate sense of self helps us build strong foundations.

[From Wednesday, May 16]

Tiferet in Yesod - Day 38 of the Omer

Balanced harmony, Tiferet, in solid balanced foundation, Yesod - at the heart of every building project is the vision of the height it will reach.

When starting out with balance we must hold in our minds the plan for where we might end up, and aim for a higher balance as well. While good projects start with basic ideas, balanced ideas may lead to loftier achievements too.

The image for this: successful tall trees have deeply developed roots.