Huston Smith: Tribute to a Religious Visionary | Episode 1707 | Closer To Truth

Huston Smith, world religion scholar and seeker of the Divine in diverse religions, died on December 30, 2016. We had the privilege of discussing God, spirit, soul, eternal life, judgment, and existence. A tribute to Huston Smith.
Season 17, Episode 7 - #CloserToTruth
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Closer To Truth host Robert Lawrence Kuhn takes viewers on an intriguing global journey into cutting-edge labs, magnificent libraries, hidden gardens, and revered sanctuaries in order to discover state-of-the-art ideas and make them real and relevant.
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Closer to Truth presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.
#HustonSmith #Religion

[@jamesgardner9583]

Robert your countenance totally changed when you came into the presence of this MAN. So pleased to see the respect that you have for this great teacher 👏 Brother James 🙏

[@ezrawilson6986]

I have enjoyed every episode of CTL. But this is the only one that brings both a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. What a wonderful visionary.

[@CatJulie701]

This was a beautiful interview! What a great man, and so are you Robert Lawrence Kuhn! I pray you find truth! ❤️

[@mxrkxo]

Wow, thank you for introducing me to this man, such an authentic journey of human.

[@365aroundthesun2]

At 3'24, the Chinese art piece hanging in his living room reads "Love exists between heaven and earth". Reading his The World's Religions during this pandemic. Such a good book! Highly recommended. We need faith more than ever. Thank you for this great interview. Hope this wise man is now closer to truth.

[@7NewsNow]

This is just what I needed. As I sit in Colorado on a mountain top... looking into the sky... his words resonate with me. The world is going through some strange times. Thank you so much for all your hard work and amazing information.

[@oscar3490]

Incredible mate! 😌

[@rameshkumar-id8mq]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS WONDERFUL TRIBUTE TO HUSTON SMITH.THANK YOU, THANK YOU Mr.Kuhn.

[@mintakan003]

What a wonderful man. I saw him at Esalen back in the 1990's. His book "The World's Religions" was required reading for an introductory course to the "phenomenology of religions". I'm glad there's a video record of his presence. He truly radiates what he is talking about.

[@tcl5853]

Thank you- what an incredible mind and a wonderful man.

[@suncat9]

Here are words from the founder of quantum physics, Max Planck: "I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness." Huston Smith agrees.

[@johnbrzykcy3076]

Hey Michael. Your quote by Max Planck is interesting. Have you studied quantum physics? If matter is derivative from consciousness, it can't be man's consciousness, can it? It must be the consciousness (mind) of God.

[@b.g.5869]

That's just because at the time, it was thought that a conscious observer was required to force the wave function of a particle into a particular state. We now know that this isn't the case: "Crucially, the theory does not need observers or measurements or a non-material consciousness. Neither do so-called collapse theories, which argue that wavefunctions collapse randomly: the more the number of particles in the quantum system, the more likely the collapse. Observers merely discover the outcome." blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/what-does-quantum-theory-actually-tell-us-about-reality/#:~:text=Crucially%2C%20the%20theory%20does%20not,Observers%20merely%20discover%20the%20outcome.

[@billwassner1433]

@@johnbrzykcy3076 Hey John, good comment. If you haven't done so already, you might want to read the 18th century philosopher, George Berkeley. Judging from your comment, I think you'll love him.

[@kevanhubbard9673]

A fascinating figure and I'm sad to say despite my many years of exploring the views of many spiritual speculators from Meister Eckhart to Aliester Crowley I'd never come across Mr Smith,well I have now.

[@throgwarhammer7162]

I'm currently taking a class on comparative mysticism. Our first module was about Huston Smith and the Harvard Psychedelic Club. This interview was a great addition to my studies.

[@shayaandanish5831]

This was perhaps the summit of your encounters Sir Kuhn. Really helpful and may Houston Smith rest in peace.

[@tonybklyn5009]

I enjoyed this video immensely. It is an excellent tribute to a wise, kind & uplifting scholar. I also wish to thank you for all of your thought provoking videos.

[@ibinfo-tube5063]

Beautifully presented 🙌

[@peggyharris3815]

I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did; it was uplifting. Just what we need.

[@davidjohnzenocollins]

Thanks for introducing me to Huston Smith.

[@BobHamiltonnewradio]

Brilliant! Thank you Huston Smith...thank you Closer to Truth...! So touching...so spiritual

[@dougg1075]

Thanks so much for this during this time. Thanks you!

[@catherinemoore9534]

RIP. His Truth has been shared and helped others find theirs.

[@tpaterno77]

Thank you Huston. Thank you Robert.

[@joeyburrell3207]

Robert, just the respect you show for this great man, makes me respect you that much more than I already do. God kept him here for 3 years shy of a hundred, so many could hear his great, and I wouldn’t doubt accurate description of ultimate reality. I’m so consoled knowing his dewdrop has added the great ocean of consciousness. As it will for all. It was also nice hearing him describe, and sounded like subscribed to the reduction valve theory of Huxley. Which I myself subscribe to. ❤😊👍

[@jamesremi6585]

Awesome person thanks for showing us this amazing dude. Having said that, I had to go in the settings and turn up the playback speed.

[@contemplativepursuits]

One of the best episodes on this great perennialist mystic.

[@owencampbell4947]

This was very interesting, I like his thoughts and philosophical understanding.

[@suncat9]

Your interview with Huston Smith was the best of all your interviews. He was beyond brilliant.

[@georgedoyle2487]

This was just beautiful!! ❤

[@lesleypatoncox1569]

Marvellous and Wonderful

[@insideoutstudiosonline]

Beautiful. What a nice tribute. Nicely done.

[@tomsmith2361]

Thank you so much for sharing this knowledge 🙂✌.

[@kfwimmer]

Wonderful!

[@A-servant-of-the-Lord]

Thanks a lot! So educative!

[@rudy8278]

Beautiful! Thank you!!

[@willbfreed]

Thank you great man!

[@Jazzgriot]

Huston Smith role model, and exemplary Human Being.

[@diycraftq8658]

You have a soft heart underneath all that cynicism after all !!!!

[@dougg1075]

TJF F man I think he’s very open minded to the different possibilities.

[@Silvertestrun]

Ty

[@dr.satishsharma9794]

Excellent..... thanks 🙏.

[@tuckeroliver8300]

What a legend

[@jmd42jmd46]

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[@hamburgerlord9552]

The Episode started with a Death. How sad....

[@vishaljayani8362]

@2:00 that's the famous method of the upanishads NETI NETI method.

[@chrisbennett6260]

in regpect of houston oh Robert so do i this is a tough watch the whole program series

[@adeelio83]

What a wonderful tribute to such a wise and wonderful man.

[@chanmeenachandramouli1623]

The description is never the described. I think, JK said that, Sir:-) MeenaC

[@shayaandanish5831]

Closer to truth has come to the truth?

[@jedi4049]

RIP

[@richardmooney383]

"Longing" is all very well. I've longed for wealth but am sill poor(ish), for wisdom, but am still dumb(ish), for love ( that one turned out ok), and for enlightenment, but am still in the dark. Long for meaning all you like, but if there ain't none there ain't none; and (spoiler alert) there ain't none.

[@johnbaker1712]

Gandhi said "The Soul of all religions is One" In The New Testament we read " whatsoever is good whatsoever is lovely think on these things" Huston Bless you for giving me a greater insight into God The Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and His Holy spirit. When I realize That I have been given the gift of life I had an innate desire to find a Way, to know what is TRUTH, and the what Why, How questions of Life. I was given the Answer in one simple sentence by Christ Himself, " I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH , AND THE LIFE." For me there are Three basic realities, Subjective reality, Objective reality and Ultimate Reality. The Ultimate expression of God's Love is displayed on The Cross. In many ways I have experienced a very lonely life and at times cried out to God "Why? Then I heard the words of ultimate loneliness on the Cross, " My God, My God why have you forsaken me" there again was the answer in one simple plea from our suffering Savior. This gave greater meaning to "Seek The Truth and the Truth will set you free" Jesus has helped me recognize the other sufferings in the world of my fellow human beings, The dark world of the blind, The silent world of the deaf, The poor, Hungry, Homeless and people who are disabled in a myriad of different ways. I hope that my prayers and Practical help will always reach out to them. I thank God, His Son and Holy Spirit daily. For God So Loved The World. Amen.

[@liulucy6051]

It's beautiful.

[@melissaflanary7]

Have you seen or know of God or his Angels

[@joshbane7671]

Not sure who this is for, but in a way, I feel as if I have to both.

[@homerbartshow3101]

Bullshit people can see emotional states I don't understand he's saying there's a God because at any given moment you can't tell what someone is thinking what does that have to do with the proof of god

[@albertjackson9236]

People who want to believe a god created everything and is controlling everything can easily extrapolate further to include a devil/satan, angles, heaven, hell, eternity/infinity, tithing, BUT, can not prove any of it.

[@suncat9]

Not scientifically, because what you list is not part of science. Science is for describing the world of space, time, matter, and energy.

[@johnbrzykcy3076]

@@suncat9 I agree Michael.

[@bobs182]

@@suncat9 The problem is that religion makes statements about the world of space, time, matter and energy which are in conflict with the observations of science. God is a mental concept that is like all concepts they extend into the physical which is the realm of science.

[@BuddyLee23]

Unfortunately, our reality is rather solipsist, and only the individual presently reading this comment with a conscious mind is actually real.

[@georgedoyle2487]

“Our reality is rather solipsist” I’m very sorry that this isn’t really me responding to your comment from 3 years ago and that this isn’t really happening as it’s just a figment of your solipsistic little head and a figment of your “imagination” lol!! I love the stories that Alvin Plantinga tells about solipsism. Plantinga said he actually met a solipsist professor at a presentation to students - a genuine solipsist - who really believed that he was the only thing in existence in the universe and that everyone else (including Alvin Plantinga) was just a figment of his imagination. And as Alvin Plantinga is walking out of the meeting a student stopped Alvin Plantinga and said, “We take really good care of that professor because if he goes, we all go!!!” [laughter] I believe he also said that Bertrand Russell flirted with solipsism for a while, no surprise there as most devout militant atheists would dogmatically promote any absurdity as long as it enabled them to hide from God!! Apparently a lady who was very impressed with Bertrand Russell and a big fan even wrote to Bertrand Russell and said, “I really like that view - solipsism. I don't understand why there are not more of us.”

[@b.g.5869]

"The light on the television screen will never go out." This is just wishful thinking. You don't even need to die to know it goes out. It goes out for severa hours every night for crisakes. It goes out when you're anaesthetized for an operation. We observe it slowly disintegrate in people with dementia and degenerative neurological disease. Huston Smith was a very interesting guy but the problem with his lofty pronouncements is that they're just assertions for which he provides no justification or evidence. After all is said and done they're not much different than the things a highly intelligent person might say while stoned or tripping.

[@georgedoyle2487]

Very profound insight that. Thanks for sharing your brilliant and touching sentiments for Hustons family after he passed away. CRINGE atheism in full effect. I wouldn’t have the arrogance to gaslight or lecture a bereaved person whose only consolation is the hope of being reunited with their family or child in some kind of afterlife!! Did you hear the one about the overgrown amoeba with illusions of grandeur who thought he was nothing more substantive than an ULTIMATELY MEANINGLESS, HOLLOW AND SOULLESS APE who shares half their DNA with BANANAS? He was a right NUT job as he thought that APE have magical value because APE say APE have magical value!! He was a right FRUIT AND NUT CAKE as well as he wasted his “finite” life ironically proselytising about ultimately meaningless, fatalistic, nihilistic word games. And he thought that “he” wasn’t objectively real either as “he” thought that “he” was just a subjective, arbitrary, social construct, an arbitrary cultural relativist, that is as arbitrary as the fact that we evolved five fingers instead of six!! Nothing more substantive than the ultimately meaningless, ultimately purposeless, accidental arrangement of random atoms and brain chemicals creating the illusion of stable patterns and regularities!! That is nothing more substantive than the brains [USER ILLUSION OF SELF], a determined machine, a chemical P zombie, that is nothing more substantive than a chemical and biological meat robot right? That is nothing more substantive than a “MONKEY” BRAIN IN A VAT. The ultimately meaningless, accidental arrangement of pond slime evolved to an allegedly “HIGHER” order right? Nothing more substantive than the ultimately meaningless science project of vinegar and baking soda accidentally bubbling over, a JOKE on the universe with the illusion of consciousness/free will, that is the illusion of the “RATIONAL AND MORAL HIGH GROUND” LOL. He went BANANAS in the end!! Drum role!! Kerching!! Applause!! [GOTCHA!!]

[@georgedoyle2487]

Your world view, your absurdity, your ULTIMATELY MEANINGLESS, HOLLOW AND SOULLESS APE, your existential crisis and your epistemological crisis not the theists!! Everyone has a right to believe what they want and everyone including theists have a right to find it totally ridiculous, totally nihilistic, totally fatalistic and totally and utterly self refuting!! Prove me “WRONG”? I’ll wait!! Checkmate nihilist!!

[@richardmooney383]

I'm sure Huston was a really nice bloke, but he seems to have lifted wishful thinking to a whole new level.

[@georgedoyle2487]

Yawn!!

[@joedavis4150]

Religion is believing in someone else's experience. It is devoting yourself to an ideology concocted by someone else.... On the other hand, spirituality is having your own experience of the Divine, the numinous, and God. The best way to do this is through entheogenic plant use. They say Moses might have done this, that the burning bush was the acacia tree, which contains DMT, a powerful plant entheogen. Entheogen means God within.

[@larryfulkerson4505]

there is no god.

[@shayaandanish5831]

Hahahaha. Peace bro. Do you really believe there is no meaning on the universe. If that were true then we need not talk.

[@heckle9]

@@shayaandanish5831 ????? Don't understand how your reply is relevant to the comment

[@shayaandanish5831]

@@heckle9 ultimately the universe had a purpose or didn't right.

[@heckle9]

@@shayaandanish5831 Ummm...I don't see how that is relevant to the comment. Are you able to explain?

[@shayaandanish5831]

@@heckle9 look the question is is there a mind behind the universe or not right. Is all that is created with purpose of without. Otherwise there is no point in even talking to each other and discussing anything. Does that make any ense?

[@GeoCoppens]

"Closer to Truth" walks away from reality by bringing on religious total rubbish! Further from truth all the time.

[@bobs182]

Yes, it seems that human innate propensities can easily override logic/reason as probably 95% of people in the world believe in some sort of mind without a body AKA spirits. Huston said that we have feelings and thoughts and he also said that religion is metaphor for them yet he takes the metaphors literally despite their conflict with reality.

[@HatRSol]

One wrong step in your journey, searching for God, and you'll be totally lost; just like Huston Smith who, with all his philosophy, ended up worshipping clay statues!