But religion seems to want to forget this, and people seem to want to forget it. This seems to me inevitable, because questioning never goes far enough. So there is an element of tragedy that we must accept, I think, but within this tragedy, that is questioning's legacy, there is a constantly nurtured possibility, and individuals, groups of individuals, perhaps even whole cultures from time to time, can escape the dire consequences and break out into open spaces of calmness and kindness and justice. At least the hope of this is endless and is a aura that illuminates questioning at all points. If we are to be true to questioning, and follow it in all its implications, we have to ask some further and more difficult questions.
Values are very comforting and questioning uproots comfort, it calls everything to account.
Values, rules, though seemingly benign and positive also easily become grounds for self righteousness and self deception. Holding values too firmly, without questions, ultimately becomes destructive. The true spirit of questioning takes us beyond values to connection, which is, in the final analysis, the source of all human virtue. With questioning there is no me and no you, there is only the unfolding of a single seamless question. Out of this must flow a challenging and thoroughgoing spirit of kindness.