Timmy Talk

[Timmy]

Speaking of vacations (on another thread), I'm back. Took a break.

What To Believe

There are many factors at work in forming and revising our religious beliefs: what our parents believe and taught us to believe is probably the biggest factor, for many people. Some believe what "works" for them. In many cases, too, we prefer to believe not just what "works", but also what agrees with us. What do I mean by that? For example, if I find homosexuality repulsive, I may want to follow a religion that condemns it. I would like to see it eradicated, so I don't have to see it in day to day life or on TV. I would want it to be evil, so those who practice it might "repent" of it and stop! So, in that sense, I agree with those religions. I would also tend to think religions that don't condemn homosexuality are wrong. (There are many other reasons for thinking they are wrong, of course, but this is just one example.)

Another, similar factor: what makes sense to me. I hear the story of a religion and it either makes sense or it doesn't. I may also feel something within me that seems to confirm what I am hearing is true or not. Maybe it's the Holy Spirit, or maybe I just think it is, but it's really "me" agreeing or disagreeing with what I hear: it is making sense, or not. (Though I have no idea how anyone could tell whether it is the Holy Spirit or just "me"!) And maybe the story is making promises about things that are bothering me, and I see it as a way out of my troubles. That is also a big factor for a lot of people: what can believing and obeying this do for me?

A prophet hears from God, writes down what he hears, and expects everyone to believe it and obey it. Do I believe what the prophet tells me, and that it came from God? Maybe, maybe not. Depends on whether it makes sense to me. Is that arrogant? Unwise, perhaps? Who am I to judge if what God has (ostensibly) told this prophet makes sense or not? I'm just a man. My mind is finite. God is God. His mind is infinite. It should not surprise me that what the Infinite Mind has said may not make sense to this finite mind. And if these nonsensical (to me) things really did come from God Himself, despite my opinion, I suppose it would be very unwise not to heed them. The consequences could be tragic! On the flip side, believing something that didn't really come from God could be equally tragic. And even if it turns out there is no after-life, that tragedy could be manifested in many ways here in this life.

So we finite humans are presented with a dilemma (assuming we, for some reason, need to believe at least some of the supposed prophets of God): there have been many prophets throughout history, and their messages are not compatible with each other. Is it possible that the Infinite Mind has given them all those incompatible messages, for some reason that only He knows? Would He say both "X" and "not X", thus performing the miracle of violating the laws of logic?

Well, that would not make sense to me. So I would answer no, God would not say two (or more) things that contradict each other. But there I go again, presuming to know better than God (according to those prophets). I mean, why wouldn't God say contradictory things, if He wanted to? His ways are above our ways (says a prophet )! Don't put God in a box (say a lot of people )! Maybe one-steppers and three-steppers are both right! Oneness and Trinity! Catholics and Protestants! Christians and Muslims!

Now you're thinking I've completely lost it. (And maybe I have! ) But there is a way out of the dilemma. Many ways, actually, which gets back to the factors involved in what we believe. These factors, as ways out of the dilemma, differ in their validity, IMO. Possibly the least valid way is blindly following what your parents taught you. I said "blindly"! If that's the only reason you have, well, you are just gambling. You think you are lucky enough to be born into a family that follows the right religion. I guess you'll find out when it's too late to fix it (assuming there is an eternal life, and it will be good or bad depending on what you believed in this life).

I think the best way is this, which I have discussed above: believe what makes sense to you. That's what I do, and that's probably what you do. Of course, this is also a gamble. But I contend that it is our best gamble. The other methods have some merit -- perhaps God designed us (some of us?) to recoil at the idea of homosexuality, or to find comfort in (some of) the promises made by God through supposed prophets centuries ago (or last week), or simply to believe what we are taught (regardless of the other factors). Or He may give us a feeling inside when we hear truth. Well, if He designed something into us to guide us into the right way, or if He actively puts feelings or thoughts inside us to guide us, He didn't do a very good job. Unless one of those ways that are above our ways is to guide us all in wildly different paths! But would that make sense?