Curiosity, faith and scientific method

Experiment

"Experiment, make it your motto day and night,
experiment, and it will lead you to the light;
if this advice you'll only employ,
the future will offer you infinite joy and merriment,
experiment,
and you'll see."
(from the song by Steven Sondheim)

A valuable point to be made is that uncertainty and inquiry, and
willingness to live with curiosity, are the basis for the modern
mind, the scientific enterprise. I would say that some of us lean
toward the "one" more than the "many," but we have in us the
willingness to stay with curiosity. Most of the people I have known who
are what I think you might describe as "religious" are not really mystically
enlightened. They are simply yearning; and leaning on the tradition
and insights which have been given historically by the few mystics and
brilliant people who have existed. And yet, there are cumulative
experiences of meaning, in medicine, as well as in other areas of our
lives.
I think we are working on many different levels all the time, and
that peace is every step. The main thing is the intentionality. If we
intend to be healers and peacemakers, we lend ourselves to the "higher
power". We could call that bending ourselves to God's will. On any
given day, we have many little tasks, and sometimes a big one, and all
these things add up in a life; so that if we keep trying, if we miss
the boat on one task or moment, we can become recollected and clear
and humbly offer ourselves to God's will in the next moment. Ongoing
willingness is the needed self-corrective, for growth.
Today I was swimming in the big pool for my back. It is so interesting
being in water, and being able to feel the water around my body, and
think about where the edges of "me" vs. the water are. And how to
submerge ourselves into God's plans. What I think an agnostic mind
would say about that, is that we need to stay curious, not feel like we
are "there" in some defined way. And being curious is a good way to be
able to find things out which are new, beyond the horizon of the "known";
and to continue to be creative, and make new things happen.
It is very much to give oneself to process, not to something static.
So I appreciate the innate agnosticism of the scientific mind. But
also I appreciate the mystery of loving and being loved. And I am very
interested to see and learn about how others approach and witness to
what they call "the higher power". I am also partial to the God of
coffee and doughnuts, especially when it comes with the kind of
meeting where people are trying to talk about what matters to them.
And I appreciate the goodwill which helps us move beyond statements we
resent; when we see that the person speaking did not intend to hurt or
dishonor us. I appreciate that we are still here, trying to discuss
the issue in a civilized way. I salute you; and hope that somehow,
our microcosmic experience of discussing this without burning people
at the stake or chopping heads off, will bring the "hundredth monkey"
to the international debate so full of hatred and intolerance and
killing. It seems to me possible that the "mulch" of our society may
help, along with the scientific mindset, to bring a new meta-physical
vocabulary to the issue. Which actually could be a great help toward
learning to live in peace. We could make room for each other to exist,
and continue to try to reduce our frictions and conflicts.