It is fascinating to me how much the general teachings of the various forms of spirituality through the ages become distilled and how some general truisms are revealed.  Even Marxism, which has a distinctly materialist basis (i.e. one that does not acknowledge the non-material in any way and one that believes that everything can be explained and understood through natural science) comes to many of the same conclusions and understandings I see evident in Mike’s posting.  Certainly, the interdependence of all things, a conclusion reached by Paul in the text above, is a fundamental theory of dialectical materialism, the underpinning philosophy of communism.  Paul’s transformation can be seen as confirmation of the dialectical aspect, which holds that the fundamental nature of things is constant change and evolution.  The parallels are certainly there.

At the same time that I hold Marx’s opinion on religion, i.e. that it is a reflection of our suffering under present material conditions and not a salvation from our suffering, I accept all the distilled wisdom that comes through the ages as valuable.  As such, Mike, I have come to hold to the philosophy that forgiveness is central to any healthy spirituality and we forgive  not always for the offenders well-being, but always for our own.