Author notes

ARROGANCE AND FAITH

alschroeder

on Dec. 14, 2014

Continuing a look at the origin of reality…largely inspired and derived from George F.R. Ellis' brilliant brief book, BEFORE THE BEGINNING. He is NOT responsible, though, for the liberties I've taken with his logic or how I've chosen to illustrate it.
Theology has a bad tendency—especially the monotheistic religions, like Christiniaty, Judaism, and Islam–to shut the door on other traditions and inputs, once they decide on what's the truth.
And then to try to correct the "errors" of others. To arrogantly believe that the truth is bound by your dogma–instead of the reverse.
The truth, however, is larger than any one dogma or viewpoint. Indeed, as particle-wave duality shows, even contradictory viewpoints can illustrate and illuminate reality.
This is NOT to say all viewpoints are equal; certainly some viewpoints must be closer to the final truth than others. (The same way we believe in heliocenticism today.) It's certainly okay to think that one view is CLOSER to the truth than others, and to debate same…
But to exclude all other faiths (or nonfaiths) is to say that only a select few can be open to the truth.
This is not to deride Christianity especially. Norse religions often conducted witchhunts, one of the things the Christian ruler Charlemagne stopped. The Zulu king Tchaka, not remotely a Christian, conducted horrendous witchhunts.
The truth is larger than any one dogma or tradition. The truth will indeed set you free–if you allow yourself to search for the truth, no matter what the cost.




Next time: DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO