It struck me that we can have this same approach to
philosophical and spiritual questions. Our inclination may be to land
prematurely on a religious assumption, and seeing it as holding to our
convictions, refuse to seek and recognize truth. This mindset feeds religious
hatred, irrational presumption, and the self-righteous arrogance that speaks
louder to onlookers than any pious platitude the adherent might attempt to
convey. This one makes a “diagnosis” without having to be humbled by not
knowing.
On the other hand, the sophisticated liberal minded
religious philosopher might take so much pride in being open-minded that he is
content with remaining “agnostic”. Since we are mortal and finite, and can
never know the whole truth, he reasons that it is delusional to hold on to
anything as true. While not taking security in religious dogma, he yet finds it
in the fact that no one can prove him wrong, and that he is free to turn any
way his fancy takes him, while being consistent to his premise that no one can
know if there is a right way. Without ever making a “diagnosis” he does not
have to defend a position, nor act on it.
So we are challenged to consider all of the information
available, and recognizing that we only see in part and are encumbered with
biases, still arrive at positions that we are willing to defend and act upon. –philw-
May 2013
