The Simplicity of Silence

It will probably horrify teachers of small children in religious schools when I express my doubts as to the validity of the thesis that God is easily discovered in the beauties of nature. In my visits to parts of the country noted for scenery, I have seldom been impressed by the depth of religious devotion of the inhabitants.

On the other hand, trips to the sandy plains of West Texas have sent me home pondering the religious dedication of so many people in those areas. Great numbers of crowded churches are located in country which would not be considered beautiful by many. I am sometimes tempted to claim there is an inverse ratio of religious devotion to natural beauty.

A good proportion of the great religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, either came into existence or were nurtured in the silent sands of the desert. Here it was that Moses saw the burning bush, Jesus overcame temptation, Muhammad had his vision, and Paul thought out the implications ...