Albert Schweitzer

Next time after church, try this. Go up to your minister and say, "Rev, that was a pretty good sermon. But you know, I think the miracles of the Bible might have been just legends or events that were exaggerated over time. And you know, if you read the Bible it's clear that not only his disciples, but Christ himself thought the world would be coming to the end during their own lifetimes. So even Christ could make a mistake." Then just shrug your shoulders, slap your minister on the back and say, "But you know, Rev, it's not all that important, anyway."

Try that today, and it's a sure bet you'll get a spittle flinging diatribe that, by heaven, the church does not support any such (ptui) "liberal theology", and if that's the way you feel, then just haul your Godless rear end over to the Socialist Workers Party.

On the other hand, if you had said the same thing after listening to a sermon by Albert Schweitzer - who in addition to being a college professor, a medical doctor, a musician, and a musicologist, was a licensed Lutheran minister to boot - le Grande Docteur would have just smiled and said, "You know, son, I couldn't have said it better myself."

Of course, Albert did say it himself - and he said it better.

To rise up another spittle flinging diatribe, you might mention that Albert's Weltanschauung - his "Reverence for Life" - did not arise his biblical studies, but was an instinctive feelings that he had all his life and was solidified by his reading of ...

Well, perhaps we should save a little more detailed discussion of Albert, his life, and his philosophy - that is, a little more detailed discussion - for later. How much later? Not too much, actually - that is, not too much if you show a little Reverence for CooperToons and click here.