I'm a former Christian. An ex X, if you will. I feel the judgment and harsh looks just by typing such a phrase, but that's exactly the kind of reason that I need to get away from it all. It's not an accepting place, nor is it logical, evidence based or in the least bit scientific.
I think organized religion really serves to be more of a form of repression in modern society. Maybe in all society ever, but I don't know enough to make that claim directly. What I do know is that it breeds an attitude of insecurity and fear to make its followers feel that they simply cannot survive outside of it.
It's true and that's it. And if you question it, you are showing a lack of faith, of trust. Faith after all, is not about knowing or understanding, it's about believing. If you can find a way to make it all seem sensible, then that's what matters. That it seem sensible. It doesn't have to stand up to further questioning, it doesn't even have to make sense to anyone else. It's about pacifying skepticism so that it doesn't grow to be a threat to your faith.
I used to think Skepticism was a dirty word! How ridiculously brainwashed was I? Not even allowed to ASK about the thing you believe. I've heard it said and it's my new favorite mantra, if you will. (and you will)...
The beliefs you hold most dear should be the ones you question the most.
Isn't that beautiful? It's so true. If you really REALLY believe something to be true, then you should do everything you can to disprove it because that's the only way to know that it holds any water.
You may think your boat floats, but you still have to put it in the water. You may think it's unsinkable, but you still need to sail it in a storm. You may think its the best boat, but it should be compared to every boat you come across and remeasured. This is the only way to be sure, and even then it can never be 100%. Its about trusting your boat until another one comes along.
note: if you're Canadian and reading this, I'm talking about sailing vessels not the word "about".
3 comments:
I'm a facebook friend of yours who's in the same boat as you, but I don't really want everybody to know that, so I will comment here under the anonymity of the world wide web.
Like you, I am finding that the type of faith which I have been taught to accept is absolute lunacy. Simply accepting something that someone says, and assuming that it is true, then trying to bend every bit of contradictory evidence to support that assumed truth is ridiculous. This has forced me to come up with my own definition of acceptable faith.
Essentially, the faith which I am willing to accept is this: If you can prove to me that there exists an omniscient, omnipotent, and perfectly benevolent being who is in absolute control of the universe, then I will have faith in whatever that being says, and I accept that his words need no evidence; however, I will NOT simply assume that he exists; that is what must be proven. Also, I will not believe that he exists simply because it is a convenient assumption to make (i.e. gives you a reason to be a good person), or because this is what I have been told my entire life. It needs to be proven.
Unlike you, however, I am not content with simply saying that this problem is unsolvable. I haven't found an answer yet, but I will either find one or die searching. Either way, I am seriously doubting my Christian roots.
I would urge you to look for answers, rather than looking for reasons why you can't find answers. It is amazing how far logic, thought, and dedication can get you. Don't assume that any problem is unsolvable, because most problems are solvable.
As far as I see it, here is the order in which these questions must be asked:
1) Is there a God? If "no," then I believe that your search is over. That's all that there is to answer. If "yes":
2) Which God is he? Now, things start to get convoluted. However, you cannot answer this question until you have determined the answer to question number 1. Don't assume that there is no god simply because you do not want to have to answer this question. The two questions are separate.
Aardvark, your anonymity is not only respected, but understood.
I'd like to address the end of your post first. Your comment reminds me of the mindset I first took when dealing with these doubts and these issues. I would counter that there are certain problems that are unsolvable, or at least that I accept to be so.
We continue to have diseases, we continue to age and die, we still can't seem to travel through time or faster than the speed of light. Its entirely possible that these problems have solutions, but they are so far outside my own personal grasp that I simply accept the absence of a solution for now.
I feel the same way about god and his existence. There is no way that I can imagine that would prove his existence. I don't think there has ever existed a method as such, so I'm not sure where this idea of god came from except from the minds of man, which is an inherently unreliable source, I'm sure you'll agree.
I do not take the atheist stance that there is definitely no god. For the same reason I've already mentioned. It's a thing that cannot be known or proven one way or the other, so far. I'm simply stuck in the middle waiting to see which way things go in my lifetime. I'd say there is a strong chance that I'll die in the same position.
I'm not concerned with whether there is a god at this point, because he's made himself sufficiently vague that he's not really worth seeking out, much less fearing. The burden of proof is on he who claims knowledge of such a being in a world that is up to the current moment, entirely natural.
There are many supernatural claims, but it is not good enough to simply state they exist. You must show how you came by such knowledge. If you are convinced because of an emotional experience or a striking coincidence, then how can you show it was not just the emotions or not just a coincidence? What makes it god and nothing else. If there is a natural explanation and a supernatural, then we give any credence to the latter?
This is my position. God may exist in a world where anything is possible, but I've yet to see any reason for it and it grows less probable with each passing day.
Just because some, or 'most' problems are solvable as you say, doesn't mean that any problem is. Although, I would challenge this statement as very likely being untested and more just something that seems correct when stated but is not necessarily so.
Keep asking questions, keep searching, and be sure to let me know if you find anything.
Well said, sir. I'm not going to stop trying to find an answer, but I can certainly respect your thinking. I have a whole lot more respect for you, a person willing to think for yourself, than I do for most of the people whom I know, who wouldn't even consider asking these types of questions, even though they really have no good reasons to believe what they believe. I'm really enjoying reading this blog... and I don't even read blogs!
Keep thinking!
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