What Do You Call It?

What do you call it when you have beliefs and you want something to be true (for you)... so during your ensuing research and investigation, you either consciously or subconsciously filter and interpret the information you find to support your preconceived notions?

From a sociological perspective this phenomenon is called social constructionism. It means that some thing or concept which may appear to be natural and obvious to those who accept it, is in reality an invention of a particular group or culture. The idea is that social constructs are human choices or preferences rather than universal laws. People form beliefs based on their experiences and then institutionalize them as traditions; eventually declaring them as facts and possibly even laws. This socially constructed reality is said to be a re-produced reality usually carried out by good-intentioned people acting on their human interpretations and knowledge of their experiences.

So is social constructionism a form of ethnocentrism or bias? How would the actual scientific validity of your findings fare? And if these findings were skewed or prejudiced in some way, does that mean then that they are not true for you? Should they be true for everyone? For no one? Can faith (in anything) be measured and proven?

"Miracles don't prove faith' they're invitations to faith." - Unknown

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“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” - Dr. Seuss

"I must confess that my disdain for the Christian religion stems not from my upbringing in it, but rather my first real hard look into it from a more enlightened perch." - Gershwin Hagenstoudt, 1930, German Scholar

"The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity. Nowhere in the Gospels do we find a precept for Creeds, Confessions, Oaths, Doctrines, and the whole carloads of other foolish trumpery that we find in Christianity." - John Adams, 2nd U.S. President

Here's Your Sign...

While I do not endorse an atheistic world-view, I found the following list from an atheist-authored website to be very intriguing and largely accurate in my experience. As a "practicing Christian" for the majority of my life, I've personally held some of these mis-informed views. This is not a bashing session; I am just pointing out some potentially painful realities for consideration (which has been the mission of this blog from the start).

Top 10 Signs You Might be a Fundamentalist Christian:

10 - You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.

9 - You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt.

8 - You laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Triune God.

7 - Your face turns purple when you hear of the "atrocities" attributed to Allah, but you don't even flinch when hearing about how God/Jehovah slaughtered all the babies of Egypt in "Exodus" and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in "Joshua" including women, children, and trees!

6 - You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, and Greek claims about gods sleeping with women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who got killed, came back to life and then ascended into the sky.

5 - You are willing to spend your life looking for little loopholes in the scientifically established age of Earth (few billion years), but you find nothing wrong with believing dates recorded by Bronze Age tribesmen sitting in their tents and guessing that Earth is a few generations old.

4 - You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your beliefs -- though excluding those in all rival sects - will spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering. And yet consider your religion the most "tolerant" and "loving."

3 - While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in "tongues" may be all the evidence you need to "prove" Christianity.

2 - You define 0.01% as a "high success rate" when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining 99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God.

1 - You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history - but still call yourself a Christian.

Source: (evilbible.com)**

**We do not endorse nor oppose any referenced websites mentioned in this blog; we merely want to present ideas, thoughts and concepts that provoke thought congruent with this blog's stated purpose. Keep what you wish, leave the rest.

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"The acknowledgment of God is not the establishment of religion." - Judge Roy Moore

"God loves to offend the mind to reveal what's really in the heart." - Marc Bredenkamp

"Nothing is so much to be feared as fear. Atheism may comparatively be popular with God himself." - Henry David Thoreau

Inerrant?

Inerrant. The dictionary defines this as... free from error; not liable to error. This word is often used in the following sentence: We believe in the inerrant Word of God... the Bible. My question is simple yet profound. Is the Bible the inerrant Word of God or isn't it? Is it possible that we don't have all of the information? Is it possible that through intentional or unintentional human error throughout history, we only have a portion of the truth of what God wants? Is this possible...?

If God gives us brains, intelligence and discernment, then we are certainly required to use these faculties in all areas of life... including the scrutiny of our spiritual convictions. Therefore, as a thinking person, I have to look at the realities and myths surrounding the most famous spiritual text in history. The Bible. If a person is going to base their entire life around every word, detail and translation of any sacred scripture, then that person has to give due diligence to the full study, investigation and understanding of that source. And if during this investigation there are discrepancies, contradictions or controversies apparent, then a responsible person (who cares about these issues) is charged with asking and attempting to have his or her questions answered. To resort to the "faith" argument only, while quoting chapter and verse, when science and reason point elsewhere, is grossly irresponsible. We cannot dismiss justifiable reasonable doubt all in the name of faith.

There is simply too much historical, scientific and achaeological evidence to support the possibility that the Bible, as it exists today, is at best incomplete, or at worst, a largely fictional document. To argue for literal translations and applications of the majority of the New Testament while rationalizing and justifying away major portions of the Old Testament violates the laws of deductive reasoning completely. Biblical scholars and adherants themselves say that the Bible is an "inspired work" that has to be accepted fully... as is. We cannot pick and choose which parts to like and believe in and which parts to loathe and belittle. It's all or nothing so it better be inerrant.

So what if the Bible text as it exists today is incomplete? What if certain sacred sciptures were left out that shouldn't have been? What if some "inspired" scripture was included that should not have been? What if some of the well-intentioned fellas at the Council of Nicene in the 4th Century were off the mark a bit? How would that change or alter the Christian "Biblical World-View?" What if some of the editing, addition or deletion of scripture done throughout history was wrong? Again, what if stuff is in there that shouldn't be and what if stuff is not in there that should? I don't know the answers to these questions for sure, but I have to ask if it is even possible.

Certainly mountains of evidence exist today that cast a rather large shadow of reasonable doubt on the notion that the Bible of today is complete and accurate. Many scholars and historians have written about this extensively for centuries. And if it's possible, then one cannot in good conscience, live a life rigidly and completely conforming to a potentially incomplete or partially fictional truth... simply because we were told to. And just by even asking these questions and making these statements, I will likely be labeled as someone who is being deceived, because the Bible says so. I will be categorized as someone who has strayed or back-slided... away from God. But this very God supposedly gave us all the faculties with which to question and reason in the first place. The Bible says "seek and you shall find Him." Well the more I have sought, the more questions I have; and I suspect that I am not alone.

I believe that some people choose their religion out of convenience . It becomes more convenient to "pick" some existing faith tradition because an infrastructure is already in place. There are places to go, denominations to affiliate with, events to attend, groups to join, gatherings to participate in, music to listen to, books to read, and an overall culture to join and "belong to." It's just easier to go with the flow that's already there. It's like coloring by numbers. It's plug and play. It's really a form of laziness because questioning and investigating requires a lot of effort and due diligence that many people are unwilling to put forth.

Now I am not arguing for or against the God of the Bible, I am simply saying that I don't know. I don't know the answer. But I am not willing to settle for someone else's answer just because I don't have an answer of my own (yet). The Christian God may be the One True God or the Muslim God may be the One True God or some other God may be the One True God. Who's to say? Who really knows for sure? No finite human being does that's for sure. So if that is true, then we have to be open to all conceptions of God and have faith in our openness and trust God to direct our path, wherever it leads. That is true faith and an empowering faith. Now I don't have to be judgmental of you and your choice of religion or tradition and continually try to prove you "wrong" by making my choice "right."

I am not here to bash the Bible. I've spent many years studying and applying its principals to the best of my ability. I truly believe the Bible is full of wonderful wisdom and amazing truths that should be consumed and incorporated into our lives. But I cannot accept that God speaks through it alone. There are many, many other sacred scriptures in existence (several predating the Bible by thousands of years) that also contain profound insights, wisdom and truth that should not be ignored simply because they are less famous or familiar to us. How plausible is it to believe that all spiritual writings, outside of those included in the Old and New Testaments, are uninspired at best and deceptive at worst? In Alcoholics Anonymous it is often said that God is speaking to all of us, all of the time... we just miss most of it. It may be time to take the blinders off. Rarely does operating with a scarcity mentality produce positive results. Opened eyes allow God to open our hearts to show us His truth, our truth, the truth.

The "Selling" of Religion

It happens in churches, small groups, mosques, coffee shops, cathedrals, temples, living rooms and even door-to-door everyday all over the world. Religion, or spirituality if you prefer, is big business and is being bought and sold incessantly; and as such the "Selling" of Religion is as pervasive as it is perverse.

In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, there is a chapter titled "We Agnostics." This chapter deftly discusses the spiritual aspects of the AA program without polarizing readers (something most religions could learn from). Many AA adherents cite this chapter as the first literature to really communicate and get through to them about the often-touchy subject of spirituality. After carefully studying the chapter for several years, it becomes apparent why Bill Wilson's words so readily resonate with so many people. He's not trying to sell anybody anything. He is advocating consideration over conversion.

As consumers, we all love to buy but hate to be sold to. Attempting to sell religion to prospects only serves to devalue the very faith that is often held in such high regard. People must be allowed to uncover, discover and decide about matters of spirituality, faith and religion on their own, in their own way. For meaningful and lasting impact, we have to be allowed to formulate "our own conception of God" as the Big Book outlines. Hardcore right-wing conservatives will quote biblical chapter and verse warning against the dangers of denying the One True God, while extreme left-wing liberals will debunk the whole God idea entirely in favor of science and intellect.

This blog promotes blurring the lines between "the left" and "the right" without watering down the Truth. What exactly that Truth is for you may depend on who you are, where you've been and how you got here. Just be certain that your God, Higher Power, or Souce will reveal this Truth to you given the necessary amount of time, life exeperience and guidance... provided you are willing to accept it. No sales call necessary, simply a willingness to consider. Amen.

A New Religion

Our purpose is not the creation of a new religion; an endorsement of a movement; nor a devotion to a tradition... but rather about remembering an old realization. The realization of who we are... why we are here... what we are capable of... where we are going... and when we will finally realize all of this.