My turn: "faith is not wanting to know the truth"

In his effort to defend me, he simply wished to point out that I am a dunce of the second class, and that nobody is almighty enough to raise my rank any higher.

In what sense have I set myself up as the allmighty judge of others? By expressing my judgment? Is that not what you have just done? Or was it by expressing a judgment that did not meet with your approval?

Dovina, It was, as well, very nice talking with you. If you would ever like to visit again, feel free to contact me at: dougsod@wcjc.edu And the best to you. Your Friend, Doug Soderstrom Instructor of Psychology Wharton County Junior College Wharton, Texas

I enjoy independence from religious sponsorship, and for that perhaps you envy me, perhaps not. It was nice talking. Thanks.

Dear Dovina: My faith is not to be envied. I have my doubts just like anyone else. And often, the questions I ask, are asked with a whole lot of fear and trembling! In many ways, I would like to be able to go back to "the religious beliefs of my youth," when I was content "to be told the answers." But I cannot! I cannot go back, because of the questions that the good mind that God gave to me seem to "force me" to ask. When I was content to be "told the answers by others, I had only a high school education. But now, four college degrees later, I seem to have no choice but to take seriously the questions that seem to come so naturally to me at this point in my life. In some ways, I see my capacity to ask such questions as "a gift from God." But at other times, I feel as though they (such questions) are a great burden that I wish could be lifted from me. I am a college teacher.... and it is my belief that a good education consists not of answers, but rather to the continued asking of better and better questions; questions that become increasinly more incapable of being answered! When I was young, my faith gave me security without meaning, but now my faith brings me a great deal of meaning, but with a great deal of existential anxiety! It is a choice that one must make..... and I cannot tell another what to do.....because I do not even know for sure if what I am doing is right. It just seems that it is what I must do...... come Hell or highwater!

Dear Dark Angel: You are wrong.... Dark Angel, since the real question is: "Who set you up as the judge of others; Who is it that decided that you have the right to call others such as myself "a dunce of the first class?" Judge not lest ye be judged yourself. I have the right to my thoughts, and you to yours, but please do not set yourself up as the allmighty judge of others.... allright, Dark Angel! If you cannot be at least halfway civil, then just please stay away. I will talk with you if you will are willing to conduct yourself in a decent and rational manner allright?

To have the RIGHT answer to all of lif's questions is what I want. What I must be satisfied with in most cases is "to search in an absolutely honest (authentic) manner" for those answers. And the reason for my pathetic condition (which I mean honestly and without inentional insult)is that I envy your faith.

Of course, some truth can be found..... such as 2+2=4, etc. But when dealing with the really complex realities of life such as: ---- Does God exist? ---- Who is God? ---- Is there a life after death, and, if so, what are the alternatives and of what do they consist.... Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, Reincarnation, nothing, etc.? ---- Who is more likely to go to Heaven or to Hell: One who lived an absolutely horrible life, but accepted Jesus Christ during the last day of his life OR one who has lived a life of empathic concern for others, a life of dedication to the poorest of the poor, but, for whatever reason, never made "a conscious" attempt to accept Jesus Christ as his or her savior? The real question comes down, I think, to something like this: What is most important "to have an answer, perhaps to have the one and only right (correct) answer, OR to ask good questions realizing that you may well never be able to find an answer (to such questions as I listed above), but doing so anyway, because you are convinced that the most important thing in life is to search in an absolutely honest (authentic) manner!

"standards you are trying to promote" No standards! No promotions! Truth is the answer. Switch or stick, it's all 0.5 probability.

"It's best to seek truth even if it hurts" To say "It is best to do X" can only make sense if it means "In order to achieve some goal Y, it is best to do X". Your answer "It is best to seek truth even if it hurts" cannot be verified unless you also answer the question: "What am I trying to achieve?" This is an "unasked question", and therefore, by the very standards you are trying to promote, you are a dunce of the first class.

Yes, the difference between seeking psychological security and facing reality. It's best to seek truth even if it hurts, or as you say, even if it is incomprensible. I like to think that some truth is actually out there to be found, or am I self deluded?

Well, in my own mind....there is a basic ontological difference, (dealing with religion, politics, or whatever else) between wanting to achieve the psychological security that inevitably comes from "cheap answers to stupid and silly questions" as compared with "an honest search for The Truth" which inherently carries with it the realization that the 'real questions of life' have no answers..... therefore leaving one with an existential anxiety that can only be filled with the integrity of knowing that one has involved one's self in an honest search for an obviously incomprehensible Truth.

At the risk of being called worse than "smug" couldn't the same be said for any religious position or even a political position. Is it any more than a way of bringing up the thing you want to talk about?

The key is to notice that..... "to an unasked question"..... has quotes around it which referes to the liklihood that many people, especially in the arena of religion, simply want "answers" without having had the courage or the integrity to ask honest questions in the first place. In other words, so many people have little interest in wanting to move "just a little closer to the truth," rather they seem more interested in finding simplified answers that give them a superficial sense of security, however, at the expense of desensitizing them from having to deal with "the tough questions" of life. For example, here's the answer to "an unasked question:" Accept Jesus Christ as your own personal savior and you will be assured of going to Heaven. However, these are the questions that were as of yet "unasked:" What does it mean "to accept Jesus as one's savior?" What does it mean to "be saved?" Is it "a matter "of faith," or "works?" Could it (salvation) be a matter "of who, one in reality, actually is?".... which goes far beyond the issue of faith vs. works, and looks at the real question of who a human being at the deepest level of his or her being has chosen (consciously or unconsciously) to be. These are some of "the unasked questions" that many people avoid asking when looking for their "simple cookbook" answers.