"Sometimes people forget," said the Lion, "that Jesus was of the Jewish faith. He had no intention of starting a new religion. He was only trying to uplift the thoughts and aspirations of his people. His followers called themselves Christians because they wanted to follow his teachings more than the traditional Jewish teachings. His teachings were misinterpreted by later followers and sometimes deliberately distorted or had parts removed by them in order to suit the Church's thinking at the time. It is sad that some Christians today make judgments on the other faiths. Some even go so far as to believe that non-Christian religions, are doomed unless they convert to Christianity. God loves all people. He is not concerned with their individual beliefs and religions. He wants only for His children to grow spiritually and to love one another; to express kindness and gentleness and to live in peace and understanding. That is all He wants. Each may think as he wishes religiously, as long as those thoughts are of the highest order and as long as there is a desire to know more of the nature of God and His universe. Too many are smugly satisfied with their religious beliefs and will investigate no further, believing sincerely that they have been told all that God wishes for them to know, and so will refuse to listen to any other point of view, or to study the many writings that exist, some of which are very spiritual in nature. These people deprive themselves of a great deal of knowledge, thereby inhibiting their spiritual advancement. Of course, others are spiritually advanced who do not even belong to any organized religion or philosophy." "It's all so very interesting," said Dorothy. "I had never thought of any of this before -- or at least very little." "Most children don't think too much about it, but they do wonder about things sometimes. When you get back to Kansas, Dorothy, you really must find a way to bring this knowledge to the children," said the Tin Woodman. "Although some adults will understand it, many others are too set in their ways to change their thinking or attempt to understand it. It is up to you children to change the world, and you can do it. If you will all learn to think and act in a more spiritual manner, by the time you grow up and fill all the positions of government and industry, you will be living in a beautiful world, one of harmony and honesty and trust. Oh, there will still be problems, but nowhere near the degree there is now. And the adults, from their various levels of consciousness, will be amazed at what you have accomplished. And to think it will all be because each individual decided within himself to raise his thinking to a higher level and to serve his brother as himself."