Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Belief: Proof positive?


Many arguments I've heard in the last few days regarding Christianity have involved that of belief. A great post-modern movement in the Western world has as it's headline: "Believe in anything you want to and that's your reality." As we all know however, this isn't true. Here's an example:

If a blind man (which many 'Christians' would say of atheists) hears my MacBook Pro talk using iSpeak, he will naturally believe that someone (even if their voice is funky and distorted) is in the room speaking. He cannot see the man for he has no sight, but believes he is there because he 'hears' him.

Now is there actually someone in the room with him? Well quite frankly the answer is no. However, the man believes someone is there because of his perceived notion that a voice is heard and thus someone is talking.

How can the blind know the difference then if someone is in the room or not, if hearing a voice? In all honesty, he cant until his 'eyes are open' for a lack of better phrasing.

It's the same concept with all other religions (including atheism) and Christianity. Christians believe that these other's eyes haven't been 'open' and they're 'believing' in something they perceive as true because they don't know any different. They think that what their 'hearing' and 'believing to be true really does exist, and until the scales fall off their eyes, can't believe otherwise.

I've often said (because it says in the Bible) that no one can see whether or not the Bible is true unless God opens his/her eyes. It's impossible. It's like trying to find your way out of a pool of mud with your eyes open. It can't be done. However, if one takes the time, searches intently and truly with all of his heart, God promises to open his/her eyes and thus reveal Himself.

The catch however is this: you can't have any preconceived notions. You have to look at evidence and reality and scripture and see if they truly line up. I can go on all day about how this universe cannot exist without a Creator, a conscience cannot just appear on it's own and that the reality of good and evil cannot be a concept derived of man. However, my barking and jabbing won't do anything if not backed up with evidence and conveyed with truly an open mind.

Whether you believe in something or not does not change the fact of its existence. Reality is true. If not, then how do you know what you feel is right? Haven't your feelings ever turned out to be wrong? Are you are saying that what you feel determines truth? If so, then you are putting yourself in the place of God, and looking to yourself for what you "feel" is right. And with that view, no one can be truly objective.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Jason,

Thanks for working on my computer. Isn't blogging great?

Dr. Chediak