And therein lies the heart of the problem, and the answer as to where the help must come for its resolution. Because, if scientific advances of the past century have been monumental, growing by leaps and bounds in just the last decade, they yet have obscured another fact.

Yes, we can send man to the moon, probes to the edge of the galaxy. Meanwhile, through cell communication and the world wide web, we can communicate anywhere on Earth at the touch of a button. Yet for all that, science can't yet do a thing about human conflict and so it dedicates itself, instead, to weapons of destruction as the final "solution" when all else has failed.

Moreover, putting aside war of nation-with-nation, what about everyday conflict in terms of crime? Or even interpersonal relationships and how to mend them? For while we can map the genetic blueprint through DNA, science can't yet explain things like kindness, love or compassion let alone the true thrill of living, the emotional rush of a swelling symphony, or a mother's joy of heart with her child's first step.

And what of our traditional values? What makes us all brothers one to another, regardless of race, creed or religion? These are the values that come from within. They transcend what can be discovered through probes and microscopes. They are things we "feel" and which can only be touched through the spirit.

So yes, in the face of scientific advance, something was left behind: Man himself.

For when a culture falls away from spiritual pursuits into materialism—well, that is when man becomes just another animal, and, with no "belief in" let alone "hope" of the hereafter, of something greater than just day-to-day existence—then what does anything matter anyway?

Moreover, our sense of community occurs by reason of "mutual experience" with others, and the first sense of community is religion. Without that, real trust and integrity can be destroyed and society itself becomes defenseless to the onslaught of evil and degradation. And that is why it is so important that every church own up to the responsibility and role it must perform.

All of which brings us to today, what stands before you, and the greater significance of this new church in Buffalo. Because, if what I have just described seems huge in comparison to a single church on Main Street in Buffalo, then think again.

For while we can provide the International support for broad-scale social programs, let's once again return to where I began and its relevance right here and today. Having recently spanned the globe, to visit our far-flung Scientology organizations, I can tell you that, notwithstanding what's unique to Buffalo, this city is actually a mirror of cities all over the world. Or to put it another way, while you may have heard or read the news, telling of "world problems", that's just a generality.

If one is to help his fellow man, there is no such thing as "over there." All of those "over there's" are actually communities just like this one, comprised of individuals just like here.