That's great.
Until you are questioned on something you have always accepted as true without putting much thought into it.
Suddenly, your beliefs are challenged by someone who HAS thought about things and come to a different conclusion. They actually have reason and evidence to back up their claims. Does that mean that what you believe is no longer true? Does that mean you were wrong?
There are two possible answers:
1. No, they just came to a different conclusion than you and your theory or belief is just as valid as theirs.
Or...
2. You may be the one in the wrong.
This possibility scares us. We don't like that scenario. We dismiss it immediately, discounting the other party as radical, or emotional, or extreme. We come up with all kinds of theories for why they believe what they believe, never once asking, but assuming we know their motivation. To ask questions would be to grant validity to their opposing view, and we can't have that. To look into their evidence would be to admit that they possibly have good reasons for believing as they do, and that could lead into a discussion we are not prepared to have.
No, it is better to stay away from such arguments and listen to people that agree with us. Accept their much smarter-sounding arguments, and look at their single-sourced reasons. That's safe. It reaffirms what we have always known to be true without having to hold it up to the light.
There are two problems with this approach and they both stem from a frightening fact: If we choose to respond to arguments this way, we don't actually believe that the truth is truth and it will hold up under pressure.
Problem 1:
By not taking the time to examine our belief system, we may persist in a belief that is not only wrong but also harmful to ourselves or others. We perpetuate lies. We walk blindly into situations that will end up being a trap for us. We allow suffering to continue.
History is filled with examples of this
Nazi Germany
Child Labor
Jim Crow Laws
American Slavery
Human Trafficking
Pick an issue. We are not blameless.
We turn a blind eye to what is actually happening because we don't like to think about what it would mean if it were true. We listen to the voice that brings comfort and says the right things. The correct things. The things that sound like truth. The voice that says the right key words.
"Did God ACTUALLY say...." Genesis 3:1
"You will not surely die." - Genesis 3:4
"God know..." - Genesis 3:5
Instead of questioning it, we accept it because it sounds like truth. We do not hold it up to the light and other things we know to be true.
We rationalize. We ignore things that cause us to question ourselves and the people we love. We choose to believe a lie.
If we listen to enough lies we will eventually forget what truth is. Truth will become relative. Truth will be what we want to hear.
Problem 2:
By not examining our beliefs, and the beliefs of others, we are powerless to defend against beliefs that actually ARE wrong. They have better arguments, they have valid reasons for believing as they do, and yet they are wrong. We have no right to argue with them, however, because we have not done our research. We have not examined or listened to their arguments to understand where they are coming from. They will not listen to us because we are uninformed and we have ignored and dismissed them.
Any way you cut it, our unwillingness to examine truth allows darkness to continue, in ourselves and in others.
As Christians, this should terrify us because we are called to be witnesses to this world. How can we do that if we choose not to engage with it? This means we may have to examine our own beliefs. We might be wrong. If we are, we need to own it. If we are not, we need to fully understand and be able to defend our positions.
If I believe in truth, I need to allow it to do its work. I should not feel threatened when people ask me a question to which I have no answer. I need to think about why I have no answer. I need to struggle with my beliefs and examine other viewpoints prayerfully. I need to find the light, and bring it to others.
There are many things that may change in this world, including my beliefs on certain issues. There is only one thing that is constant, and that God. His truth will hold up every time.
There are many things that are challenging me right now, particularly because of society's volatile response to these issues:
What is my role as a Christian living in America?
Should Christians pledge allegiance to anything or anyone other than God?
Should we really respect all leaders and those in positions of authority?
Does it really matter if someone kneels instead of stands?
How should I react if I see a wrong that needs to be righted?
Is the history I have always studied an accurate account of what happened?
What should my response be to someone who is suffering regardless of the cause?
Several people in my life have answers to these questions. Not surprisingly, they disagree.
What do I do with that?
First, I need to recognize that people in my life who I care deeply about will not always agree with each other, or me.
Second, I need to realize that I am not God, and am therefore subject to mistakes, including mistakes in my beliefs. I cannot assume that I am right and someone else is wrong. We are both human. Eventually, one of us is going to get something wrong. I need to seek the truth outside of people's opinions.
Third, I need to figure out what I believe, independent of others. I need to ask people I disagree with how they came to their beliefs and actually listen to what they say. I need to examine the evidence, or lack thereof, they lay before me. I need to think critically about what they say and how it lines up with my own observations and experience. I need to do my own research into the matter and vary my sources.
And I need to decide. I may come to a different conclusion, or I may see that they actually have a point. But whatever conclusion I come to, I will have a reason for what I believe.
In the end, I will be held responsible for me. I cannot be careless.
If what I believe is true, it will hold up under questioning.
Father, please help me to hold myself accountable for the things I profess to be true. Help me to seek truth and not be afraid to question it, no matter what it leads to, knowing that You will not lead me astray.
“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32
"And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
John 3: 19-21
"but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame."
1 Peter 3:15-16
"The brothers[a] immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
Acts 17:10-11
"If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth."
1 John 1:6
"Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise."
1 Corinthians 3:18
No comments:
Post a Comment