Christians and other “people of faith” have often been
accused of committing “intellectual suicide” .
And maybe for certain people in certain times this may have
been true. However, the overwhelming
majority of Christians have not committed this “intellecticide” . Not just
because we have become more intellectually engaged in recent decades but
because it’s simply not necessary to turn off the mind. We believe in a God who
created the mind, the intellect, reason and logic.
Christianity is, in fact, a very reasonable world view ( and
once experienced , I believe it becomes confirmed) . Yes, at some point it
takes faith. But all world views do. Some like to pretend they don’t , but we ,
as the human race in sum, simply do not have the answers to all of life’s
questions – be it the origins of life or the endings of life – it is all hypothesis, theory, speculation.
So all humans, and I do propose ALL, have faith in
something. It may be faith that
something IS or faith that it IS NOT – but it is faith.
So my question then is – as a society in our quest for
truth - have we committed emotional suicide? Or are we maybe
just “cutting” as it were at our emotions?
If so, how long can we ignore the symptoms of a sick heart?
To be sure, emotions and feelings alone are not a very
reliable resource – but I wholeheartedly believe they are an absolute necessity
in the quest for truth. Imagine – using logic and emotion! We could get somewhere.
I suppose we could replace the word "emotion" with "experience" and still be talking along the same lines. Because after all, a world view must be actually liveable in the real day-to-day world.
I suppose we could replace the word "emotion" with "experience" and still be talking along the same lines. Because after all, a world view must be actually liveable in the real day-to-day world.
I sometimes look at it this way – I can study a famous
person from many aspects, I can analyze their words and actions or lack
thereof, I can read the tabloids or their exhaustive biography but I cannot
truly KNOW that person until I have developed a personal relationship with
them.
Until I have let down the guard on my heart and let a
relationship happen – for good or bad. Until
we have talked, shared experiences, been in deep troubles together I don't really know that person.
I mean even “The Big
Bang Theory’s” Sheldon loves his Mee-Maw and desperately wants his
consciousness to be uploaded into an independent orbiting satellite to last for
eternity.
This paradox takes its form when I hear of one man who
exclaimed “There is no God, I hate God.”
We can believe there is no God, but we cannot hate Him at
the same time – for that betrays our underlying belief in Him.
I think that if we get down to it - our own hurts, our pride
and rebellion colours our views far more than we’d like to admit.
I guess all that I am really trying to say is that in this age of Intellectualism ( which is not necessarily bad of
course) we may have swung the pendulum too far and forgot that the heart,
whether we like it or not, makes many decisions for us.
Let the heart and mind search for truth in harmony. Let us
not be afraid of faith… because we must all deal with it.
Let’s just place our faith well!
