In review, we are on a quest to answer five questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What am I missing? What is truth? What must I do? Before proposing answers, we have taken time to discuss the quest for truth, the spiritual instinct placed in us by God, the power of belief, and two cautions regarding belief — which leads us to today’s topic.
This is the sixth article in The Five Big Questions of Life series. Previous articles in this series are always available at http://www.webbweekly.com.
The ability to believe is truly powerful. Power, however, is a tool that can be used for good or for evil. As people of belief (that’s what Christians are, and the reason we are called believers), it is our greatest responsibility to be certain that what we believe is true. The only way we can establish that certainty is to diligently question what we believe. Remember, belief is a bridge that gaps the span between what we know and what we do not know yet. That fact should keep us humble.
Believers have nothing to fear in questioning their beliefs. If careful inspection reveals that our bridges of belief have integrity, then our faith is strengthened and our confidence rises. If questioning exposes cracks and instability, then we can open our hearts to new understanding. We do this through research and reasoned, respectful debate. As I cautioned in a previous article, if you are not willing to follow the truth where it leads, then you are not free – you are in bondage to dogma.
Dogma is a belief or a set of beliefs identified by an “authority” as being so incontrovertibly true that they cannot be questioned. All forms of belief – such as science, secular humanism, religion, and atheism, to name a few – are vulnerable to dogmatism. A dogmatist is a believer who has shut down their willingness to question what they believe. If their defense of dogma over truth continues unabated, they will progress from dogmatics to ideologues to radicals. It is a destructive evolution that produces sharp division and even acts of violence. Remember, belief leads to action. This is why we must leave our hearts and minds open to new information.
Because belief leads to action, it is wise to test beliefs before acting on them. Do the research to reveal the rock of knowledge and the gap of the unknown we are trying to span. Clearly identify and inspect the bridges you build. Seek wise and experienced counselors and invite them to scrutinize your beliefs. Allow them to challenge your assumptions, the length of your bridges, the destinations you are pursuing, and the people who could be adversely affected by the actions your beliefs produce. Respectfully listen to their perspective and add it to the calculus of your decision-making. This is what those on the quest for truth do.
We are about to celebrate Thanksgiving in the midst of a world sharply divided by political, scientific, and religious ideologues. They seek to divide us because they want the power of our vote or our money – or both. They insist that their truth is incontrovertibly true – that it cannot be challenged or debated. They are wrong. Again, all belief bridges a gap between what we know and what we do not know yet. Those bridges must be debated respectfully as we seek the freedom of truth over the bondage of dogmatism.
Why would we allow dogmatic ideologues to separate us from the people we love? Maybe it’s because some of us have abandoned the quest for truth. Maybe we have become dogmatic ideologues – or even radicals. Take a good look in the mirror and ask yourself, “Is defending my dogma worth losing the love and fellowship of my family and friends?” If you answer yes, then you have become a dogmatic ideologue – or maybe even a radical. Sorry to be so blunt, but someone had to say it.
You have an opportunity, before you go to Thanksgiving dinner, to change course and become a seeker of truth. You can choose to listen respectfully to the perspectives of others. You can ask meaningful questions to learn more about how they arrived at those perspectives. You can offer your own thoughts respectfully and humbly rather than angrily and arrogantly. Who knows, maybe everyone around the table will grow in love and knowledge as each one carefully and humbly seeks truth over dogma. Wouldn’t that be a great Thanksgiving?
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
