[MarMema]

the human condition, particularly in context of religious tradition, has a propensity to to lose site of the immaterial in context of the material.

I think for us these things are not immaterial, though. For that matter few protestants would consider Scripture to be immaterial, nor would RC consider the pope to be.

What you might mean to say is that we overemphasize or begin to place more importance on the "guides" than on God?

[Frapster]

What you might mean to say is that we overemphasize or begin to place more importance on the "guides" than on God? Bingo! Thanks for that too!