 Spiritual: May 22, 2013 Issue [#5689] |
  Spiritual
This week: Faith, Logic and Reason Edited by: Kitti the Red-Nosed Feline  
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Faith, logic and reason... according to many, they do not mix. Isn't it the nature of faith to worship the unseen, and believe in what cannot be proven?
I do not think so. I think faith, logic and reason have to go hand in hand. This week's Spiritual Newsletter explains why.
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When asking people if they feel that logic, reason and faith go hand in hand, the overwhelming consensus appears to be that, no, they don't. The argument is that if you know that that something is true, you don't have to have faith in it. People of faith believe in higher beings whose existence cannot (currently) be proven, they follow old texts that cannot be verified, and, anyway, everyone seems to interpret those texts in different ways, which is why even within certain religions there are different strands.
I disagree. Whilst it is correct that, yes, religious texts tend to be old and that, yes, people of faith tend to place that faith in a higher power they haven't had around for a cup of tea and a biscuit, logic and reason are the cornerstones of every spiritual journey. After all, how does a person decide what to believe in? How does one determine whether or not the religion they have chosen, or have been brought up in, remains the correct one for them? How does one interpret religious texts?
Let's assume someone has been brought up in a certain faith. This is often the case. When a person's mother and father, grandfathers and grandmothers are of a religious inclination, they learn, from early childhood, about the existence of a higher power, and about the place this higher power has in their daily lives. Yet children question. I remember having endless questions about why things are the way they are, and what this means. The most frustrating answer an adult could give me was “because”, not followed by an explanation. Not that I can blame those adults, because I must have driven them up the wall sometimes.
When a person grows older, they still question, or should question, as quite often the truth is not set in stone. For example, the law is subject to change. Scientific research is under constant evaluation. Society evolves. What we know now differs in many respects from what we knew a hundred years ago, and what we knew then differed from what we knew a thousand years earlier.
The same goes for religions and spiritual paths that date back thousands of years. In order to determine whether or not the core fundamentals of these learnings are correct for an individual, they have to make sense to that individual, otherwise how can they possibly subscribe to them?
A religion or path has to stand up to questioning. I could come up today with a whole new religion based on, let's say, cats. We allow cats into our homes, we feed them, pet them, look after them, and everyone who's ever had a cat in their lives knows that you don't own a cat, they own you. I could point to Ancient Egypt and say that there's a historical context there – cats were worshipped then, and we still worship them now. Those Egyptians must have been on to something. And, in the English language at least, a dog is called a dog, which is God spelled backwards, and we all know that dogs often chase cats. Which means that cats are Gods and dogs are the enemies of the Gods.
If a person happened upon my little “religion”, they'd laugh and tear it to pieces with logic and reason. They'd be perfectly justified in doing so. A person seeking a new faith, or evaluating their existing faith, has the absolute right, and I'd say duty, to seek out its truths and dig around for any flaws.
It is when doing so, when examining the very core of one's faith, when questioning and applying logic and reason, that a person can truly begin to live that faith. That is, if it holds up to the person's scrutiny. If it does, if it answers all your questions, not just with a “because” but with a reason to follow, it will fulfill, and guide, and shine through in one's actions.
Now, for the atheist, and for those not spiritually inclined, it may seem impossible to do this. They may wonder how a religion can possibly be approached in this manner. Taking Christianity, for example, how can it be proven that Jesus existed? It is not possible to go back in time.
It is true that, indeed, we cannot, but the historical texts of the Bible can be compared with other historical texts and findings, and a picture can be painted of that time period. Events of that time can be verified as much as possible. The meaning of the texts can be analyzed and set against these events, and the knowledge and societal beliefs of the day. Cultural norms and political pressures have to be taken into consideration. Applying this knowledge to the words of the different authors will shed light on the accounts of their experiences and advice.
A person does not have to be a historical expert to attempt this, though it will take time and effort. It would make for an interesting journey. For those not inclined to in-depth research, however, critical reading and questioning, comparing the words of a religious text to one's morals, knowledge and experience, may serve its purpose just as well.
After all, everyone travels along their spiritual path in their very own way. Some like to run along, whilst others pause and ponder. I think that's fine, as long as the journey does not consist of unquestioning acceptance of other people's directions.
I may appear to be contradicting myself in this editorial. Have I not admitted that some things cannot be proven? Have I not just said that it's okay to "simply" compare religious texts with what, basically, a person feels inside? What if the religious texts are no more than fiction? How does this type of questioning negate the need for evidence of the higher being the faith is based on?
The answer to that lies in what any academic knows - no research is completely unbiased. The very best attempts can be made to eliminate bias, but ultimately what any researcher researches and hopes to find is influenced by their experiences, their morals, their hopes and their knowledge. An academic does the best they can with what they know, and with the tools they have available at the time. The same goes for a person of faith. Their tools are the texts available to them, their own experiences, morals and knowledge.
As with an academic, their theories may be questioned time and time again. New research may be done, new knowledge and experience brought to the table.
One day, there may be conclusive evidence that the Big Bang Theory is correct. Or there may be overwhelming evidence that it was kick-started by God. Until then, we all have to do the best we can. But never without logic, and never without applying reason. Otherwise, what true meaning does our quest for knowledge hold?
kittiara |
Here are some of the latest offerings in the Spiritual Genre. I hope you will enjoy them  .
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The Spiritual Newsletter Team welcomes any and all questions, suggestions, thoughts and feedback, so please don't hesitate to write in!
Chrisola  - Procrastination is my disease; contrary to my wife's style of packing her boxes a month before a journey is due I do it two days to the day. The only thing I do not procrastinate is my morning and evening prayer.
I don't mind regimental but I find it a boring life. Procrastination affords variety and encourages using time to full.
That is a great way of looking at it! Mind you, I shouldn't find any more reasons why procrastination is not a bad thing. Three weeks until my exam and I still have to start my revision!
~~~
stephano8 - I absolute agree with the kind evolution you are talking about --the evolution of everyday life. It is way different from the evolution scientists talk about. Yet We can change our fate but never change into different species.
I don't know the answer to that. Do I believe that a thousand years from now, or ten thousand years from now, humanity will still be the same? I think we may have altered. Mentally, certainly, but perhaps physically as well, as we adapt to technology and our environment. I reckon we will still be, at the core, human, though, so you may well be correct .
~~~
2serious  - Thank you for your words of wisdom Kittiara. I agree with your sentiments. Your mention of the child in a candy store brought a young friend to mind who has a meltdown when denied his treasure du jour. Your word about the omniscient teenager reminds me of the Camaro I saw yesterday with "Senior 2013" written on the windshield. I remember this milestone and how adult I felt. Now in my fifties I have many clueless moments and have so many questions, so few answers. I admire the clarity of your writing and appreciate your encouragement to newcomers. I saw no hint of ESL and admire your intellect for mastering another language. You are far too modest about your writing ability.
 Thank you for your kind words. I try, but I still have a lot to learn!
Like you, I have so many questions and so few answers. The more I learn, the more I realize I don't know. You, the poor readers of this Newsletter, are often exposed to this, as I tend to share my latest explorations. I am fortunate that I have a patient audience .
~~~
👼intueyLet Your Light Shine  - It's so funny, when you said you didn't know how "The Window" got a ribbon - I had an uneasy feeling, before I clicked it, I said, "Oh no, please don't let it be from me" And guess what... it was!   I guess we need to remember what was going on at that time
And how much I still had to learn - although, I must say, I still like your writing  I know when I read some of my old writings about my beliefs and *GASP* some of my short stories, I cringe! lol I definitely need to separate them into a folder of old works! Thanks for a retro trip  ((hugs)) Tracey
 *hugz!* Isn't it fun how this Newsletter got us back in touch? Now we can keep on learning together!
~~~
ANN Counselor, Lesbian & Happy - Great newsletter. It seems that just as I'm trying to do some aspect of writing better, the perfect newsletter comes along. Thank you for the 'how' of improving adjectives and adverbs. Like you, I still have my first short story in my port as a reminder of how much WDC reviewers have helped me. I started writing at age 69; now 75 my writing is better and maybe what the psychic told me at age 65 will come true. She said I'd have a career as a writer; maybe I am now a writer because I love Writing.Com.
You are definitely a writer. I have read some of your works, and you are talented! You have a lovely, warm writing voice. I am glad that you have found a home here for your work, and, no doubt, you will go far .
~~~
Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
The Spiritual Newsletter Team
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